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World War III: 1988
Addendum F: NATO and Western-Aligned R&D and Acquisition, Armaments and Land Systems 1987.
With the increase in tensions worldwide in 1987, NATO and Western-aligned countries began increased production and modernization of their armed forces, especially after the announced increase in defense spending by the Reagan Administration. While this is not a complete list, these are some of the significant vehicles and systems that were quickly developed and fielded in varying numbers prior to the outbreak of the war.
Australia
MRV-75 Recon/Infantry Support vehicle
The MRV-75 was an upgrade made to the Australian’s MRV’s, which were originally American-made M113’s that mounted 76mm Cockerill cannon-armed Scorpion turrets. The upgrade was carried out by AAI Corporation in the US, using lessons learned from their work on development of the RDF-LT program, and resulted in a vehicle that was considered visibly an almost entirely different system altogether, or to paraphrase one Australian soldier, "what happens when we let the Yanks go mad scientist with our tracks." The engine and transmission were overhauled, with slat armor designed to protect against RPG antitank rockets bolted to the sides of the vehicle. A redesigned turret was installed that mounted an Ares 75mm hypervelocity autocannon, whilst retaining the coaxial L-43A1 machinegun. Day/Night optics were installed for the driver, commander and gunner, while thermal sights were also installed for the commander and gunner. A laser rangefinder and optics intensification equipment was also installed for the gunner to aid in accurate gunnery use. A Mk-19 40mm auto-grenade launcher was also fitted externally on the left side of the turret that could be aimed and fired from under armor, to provide additional explosive firepower, as the 75mm Ares cannon was primarily used with armor-piercing ammunition. On the right side of the turret, a twin TOW launcher was fitted for use against heavier threats. North Korean and Indonesian troops who encountered these vehicles nicknamed them the “Green Dragons”, much like their predecessors the M113 ACAV’s were called in the Vietnam War.
Belgium
FN Herstal BRG-15 Heavy Machinegun
The FN Herstal BRG-15 was quickly developed as an answer to the Soviet’s KPV, a heavy machinegun that straddled the line between the M2 .50 cal. Machinegun and several of the heavier autocannons in use by NATO. The weapon fires a 15.5x106mm cartridge with a muzzle energy of roughly 40,000 joules per second, about twice that of the .50 BMG cartridge. It is a gas operated weapon with a rotating bolt, and has a dual feed mechanism with ammo containers on both sides of the gun that can be selected via a switch, with spent casings ejected out of the bottom. A quick-change barrel is provided for the weapon to allow for fast barrel changes during engagements, and a rail is mounted on top of the receiver to allow the mounting of various optics if desired. The weapon can be mounted on any NHT mounts including tripods for ground and antiaircraft use as well as on vehicle mounts. It was soon adopted for use by several militaries including the United States (particularly the U.S. Marine Corps and Special Operations units), Australia, Belgium, France and Israel. The weapon was popular for the ability to use two different types of ammunition on the fly, and could be used more effectively against some armored vehicles without needing a larger autocannon.
FN Herstal P90 PDW (Personal Defense Weapon)
The P90 was FN Herstal's answer to a NATO request for a Personal Defense Weapon that could equip rear-area and support troops, vehicle crews and some special operations units. It was to be compact and capable of automatic fire, and also be capable of penetrating some of the various types of body armor that were becoming prevalent among the forces of the Soviet Union and WARPA states. Development began in 1986, but was hurried and accelerated as the world situation began to deteriorate. The P90 came out in late 1987 and was considered to be a firearm unlike anything most of the world had ever seen. The weapon is not much larger than a shoebox, and was often nicknamed the "shoebox gun" by NATO troops and Western police who first laid eyes on it. It makes extensive use of molded polymer with a detachable, top-mounted horizontal-fed, semi-translucent magazine holding fifty rounds of ammunition. The PDW utilizes a bullpup-type layout with the receiver to the rear of the firing handle and cartridge ejection downwards making it possible to use for both left and right handed shooters. The ammunition for the weapon was a new proprietary cartridge, FN 5.7x28mm, a new type of high velocity pistol cartridge capable of penetrating a standard Kevlar Level IIIA vest at 200 meters. The weapon underwent extensive testing with the Belgians, Canadians, French, British, Americans and West Germans, who praised the weapon, but also voiced concern over adopting a new ammunition cartridge into the NATO arsenal, something that was especially raised by West Germany. After some hard lobbying by FNH, the FN 5.7x28mm cartridge was officially adopted into the NATO arsenal. Adoption by military forces was slow however, especially with the new proprietary 5.7x28mm cartridge, with the primary customers being Belgium, France, and the Netherlands before the war began. However, an unexpected customer was the various police departments of Western-aligned countries, and this was where sales truly took off as various police departments were looking for a compact automatic weapon that could penetrate the body armor of possible saboteurs and terrorists without over-penetration, especially in metropolitan areas that included critical sites such as ports, rail stations and power plant facilities. Perhaps one of the biggest customers, surprisingly was the various metropolitan police departments of the United States who wanted a compact automatic weapon that could be used against potential KGB saboteurs and Spetsnaz teams wearing body armor. The P90s for American use were manufactured exclusively out of the FNH manufacturing plant in Columbia, South Carolina. When the '88 War began production of American-built P90s were shifted more toward CONUS-based U.S. military and security personnel, including some State Guard units.
Canada
LAV MPLS (Multiple-Purpose Launch System)
This vehicle is yet another modification of the LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) 8x8 wheeled vehicle, designed to accompany light vehicle formations and airborne troops. It is a variant that has the area behind the driver and commander in the vehicle chopped down to form a sort of flatbed, upon which a remote turret is mounted sporting four Chaparral antiaircraft missiles, twin Hydra 70 eight-shot rocket pods, and two Hellfire ATGM missiles. An M3M .50 caliber machine gun is also coaxial mounted with the launchers on the turret for use against light vehicles and personnel, while another 7.62mm FN MAG machine gun is mounted at the commander's hatch for local defense. The turret has a small phased array radar along with an IR module to assist in target acquisition. It was manufactured at first for the Canadian Army to provide better antiaircraft coverage and increased fire support, until it was also quickly picked up for service by the U.S. Marine Corps who made extensive use of them along with the U.S. Army, in particular the Airborne and some light infantry brigades. Another customer was the Australians, who ordered them along with standard LAV-25’s for use in the Australian Army. This vehicle was often the bane of Soviet and WARPA troops, vehicles and low flying aircraft whenever encountered.
ADATS (Air Defense Anti-Tank System)
The ADATS program was produced by Lockheed Martin for Canada, to create a dual-purpose anti-armor, anti-aircraft supersonic missile with laser-guided electro optical sensors, plus TV and FLIR sensors. After a lengthy R&D and testing period, Canada originally ordered more than several dozen of these mated to an M113 chassis in 1986, but when the world situation began to deteriorate ramped up further orders. The Canadian ADATS system consists of an M113A3 with a mounted turret that has Day/Night optics, a laser guidance system, FLIR, and a phased array radar. Eight ADATS missiles are housed, ready to fire in twin quad packs on each side of the turret, with the optical sensors located on the center front of the turret. Additional reloads, one for each launcher are carried internally in the vehicle.
France
AMX-40B Main Battle Tank
When France announced it was reintegrating it's military command into NATO, a hard look was made at it's current equipment. It was felt the AMX-30 tank may not be up to par against the current Soviet tank formations, and a stopgap measure was chosen with the AMX-40 which was originally a late-edition export variant of the AMX-30, but had received no sales. A modification was made to the vehicle design including a new engine, lugs for reactive armor plates, and a license-produced Rheinmetall 120mm cannon with a redesigned fire control suite. Instead of a 20mm coaxial autocannon mounted in the turret like earlier French tanks, the AMX-40 instead mounts a coaxial 15.5mm BRG-15 heavy machine gun alongside the main gun, along with a more standard AAT-F1 machine gun for the commander's cupola. The vehicle, dubbed AMX-40B was immediately placed into high rate production, and managed to equip several French armor battalions before the outbreak of war. Compared to it's predecessor it had a much better cannon and fire control suite while remaining highly mobile, with the option for increased armor protection via ERA, but still remained one of the lightest armored MBT's during the war.
New Zealand
A-4K Super Skyhawk Fighter/Attack Aircraft
The Kahu Program was an effort by the RNZAF to make a cost-effective upgrade to the A-4 Skyhawks that were in use by the service. As matters began to rapidly deteriorate worldwide, the government and military made a query with McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Grumman to bring them into the project. One of the largest changes made to the Kahu Program was the installation of the APG-65 radar system from the F-18 Hornet, this resulted in a far more superior radar set with track-while-scan, look-down-shoot-down, and BVR capability. The ability to carry and launch both AIM-7 Sparrow and AGM-84 Harpoon missiles were added to the aircraft in addition to the capability of carrying AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-65 Maverick and GBU-16 Paveway, which altogether greatly boosted it's offensive and defensive capabilities. The project was considered a success, and another batch of A-4 Skyhawks were pulled from the AMARC "boneyard" in the US and given the same upgrade, and were also sold to the RNZAF. McDonnell Douglas and Northrop Grumman, after having had a frayed relationship over a dispute with the F-18 project, found the results of this program to be promising and offered it as an upgrade package to the Israeli's fleet of A-4 Skyhawks, who also purchased the upgrades. The A-4 Super Skyhawk went on to be a successful and effective aircraft during the Third World War in both the Pacific and Middle East.
United Kingdom
FV-108 Scythe Light Tank/Reconaissance Vehicle
The FV-108 Scythe was another modification of the CVR(T) series of vehicles in use by the British Army. It utilizes the same base chassis of the other vehicles, but in this version an LRF (Low Recoil Force) variant of the Royal Ordnance 105mm cannon is mounted in a low-profile casemate-design turret along with an autoloader. A coaxial L37A1 machinegun is also fitted. A variant of the fire controls and optics used on British Challenger tanks were incorporated into the vehicle. These vehicles were often assigned to the British Army’s reconnaissance regiments to provide additional fire support when they made contact with enemy armor formations.
Marksman SHORAD Vehicle
The British Challenger tank was a great leap forward for the British armored formations, but it was felt they needed a well-armored ADA vehicle that could keep up with the new tanks, especially with the threat of war looming. The Marskman is a modified Challenger tank chassis with a new heavy armored turret mounting twin 35mm Oerlikon autocannons. A Marconi series 400 radar along with advanced fire controls allows for rapid acquisition and engagement of low flying aircraft and helicopters, in addition the guns can elevate from -15 to +85 degrees allowing for engagement of ground targets like infantry and vehicles as well. An L37A1 machinegun is also mounted on the commander’s hatch along with several banks of smoke grenade dischargers for local defense. Production was quickly ramped up for both the United Kingdom as well as Jordan, who also operated the Challenger tank.
West Germany
Heckler and Koch G11 K2 Assault Rifle
The program to develop a new revolutionary “Future Assault Rifle” had been in development by Heckler and Koch for some time since the 1970’s, along with a new type of caseless 4.7mm ammunition that would be much lighter than 5.56x45mm NATO, with the resulting weapon to be more resilient in harsh climates along with the ability to carry more ammunition. Unfortunately, the rifle program had run into various cost overruns as for all intents and purposes it was an entirely new weapon system. The first batch of rifles, G11 K1, were finally ready for testing in March 1987, and with war potentially looming on the horizon both research trials and procurement was carried out an exponential rate. After a short trial in both West Germany and the United States, a few changes were implemented and the G11 K2 underwent manufacture and was issued primarily to the West German Kommando Spezialkräfte KSK special forces, along with Fallschirmjäger paratroopers before the war broke out. An unknown number, perhaps no more than several hundred, were also delivered to the US Military, supposedly for use by some Special Operations troops and U.S. Marine Recon units operating in Norway and Iran.
Panther ATGM/SAM Armored Carrier
As the West Germans quickly upgraded their MBT brigades to the Leopard 2, they found themselves with a significant number of Leopard 1 tanks. A conversion was devised to make some of the Leopard I’s into tank destroyers, and the Panther was developed and fielded. The original turret of the Leopard is removed and an elevating, extendable hydraulic crane arm on a flat rotating turret is installed which can fold down onto the roof of the vehicle. On the end of the retractable arm is a 12-tube launcher containing six FIM-92 Stinger antiaircraft missiles and six HOT ATGM missiles. A TV camera with FLIR, night vision and image intensification is installed in the launcher and fed down to a fire control station inside the vehicle. An MG-3 7.62mm machine gun is also provided for defense on the commander’s hatch near the front of the vehicle, while a rear hatch is provided for reloading the missiles. The vehicle retains the same engine and suspension of the Leopard I tank, and due to the lighter weight with the original turret removed gained an increase in mobility along with a lower silhouette. These vehicles were often used alongside Jagdpanzer 105’s (described below) in a supplementary role for antitank and antiaircraft duties, with a secondary role as armored reconnaissance utilizing the camera and sensors on it's retracting crane.
Marder Begleitpanzer 1A3/40 Fire Support Vehicle/Armored Personnel Carrier
As war appeared more inevitable in Europe, the West Germans felt that while the Marder 1A2 APC’s had good armor protection, the firepower needed an upgrade while giving better protection to the gunner and commander, and plans were dusted off from the earlier aborted "Begleitpanzer" concept. A new version of the Marder, the 1A3/40 was devised with a new enclosed turret providing better protection to the gunner and commander. The main weapon is a modified Bofors L70 40mm autocannon with a dual feed system for both amor-piercing and explosive ammunition. A coaxial MG-3 machinegun is also mounted, while another MG3 machine gun is mounted in a remote overhead weapon station in the rear much like the earlier Marders. The turret also has improved day/night optics and a laser rangefinder installed for accurate fire. An innovative 3-round revolving, re-loadable cassette launcher with HOT ATGM's was also installed in the turret to give it additional punch against heavy armor. The only drawback was with the larger turret and increased armament came an increase in profile and weight, along with a reduced infantry complement in the vehicle. While originally designated as an APC, it was more often used in the fire support role alongside standard Marder 1A2’s, with extra ammunition stowed in the vehicle along with a two or three-man scout team or crew-served weapon team.
Jagdpanzer-105 Tank Destroyer/Assault Gun
By 1987 it was felt by the West Germans that the Jagdpanzer 90, while potentially effective as an infantry support gun, was doomed if facing Soviet tanks with it’s 90mm cannon. At the same time, they had a number of Rheinmetall 105mm cannons from Leopard I’s that were being replaced with Leopard II’s. An upgrade was proposed and immediately implemented to replace the Jagdpanzer’s 90mm gun with the 105mm gun, and this was carried out on the majority of Jagdpanzer 90’s, turning them into Jagdpanzer-105’s. The laser rangefinders, ballistic computers, and night vision were also upgraded to match the new guns and increase accuracy. The two MG-3 machineguns were also retained. While it was initially used as a tank destroyer, it saw more use as an assault gun to support infantry, especially when attacking fortification strongpoints as the war progressed. Belgium was also a recipient of this vehicle as they had the majority of their Jagdpanzer 90's upgraded to the 105 variant as well.
MaK Wildcat Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Vehicle
The Wildcat is a highly mobile self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery vehicle consisting of a modified TPz Fuchs wheeled 6x6 armored carrier, mated to a powered hydraulic turret sporting twin Mauser MK-30 autocannons that can be elevated and depressed for use against both air and ground targets. It has a fire control suite consisting of a Siemens AG search radar, IFF, FLIR and image intensification. Originally a testbed prototype, it was quickly placed into mass production for use by Jager infantry, and Fallschirmjager battalions. The final version that was produced featured an improved gyrostabilizer allowing it to shoot quite accurately on the move, coupled with it's relatively small size and high speed making it a highly nimble and lethal threat to enemy aircraft, light armored vehicles and troops. Austria and the U.K. also purchased quantities of the vehicle for use by their infantry battalions. It was also utilized in another form by U.S. Army Light Infantry divisions, who felt it would be an excellent wheeled SPAAG and could provide complementary firepower alongside their other ADA assets. The U.S. version had the system's turret, radar, sensors and armament purchased and installed on Cadillac Gage LAV-300 MkII chassis and dubbed the M-26 Wildcat.
Wiesel BTM-263 Mortar Carrier/Reconnaissance Vehicle
The West Germans employed a wide number of modifications to the Wiesel AWC (Armored Weapons Carrier) up to the outset of the war, as it was fast, quiet, light enough to transport via helicopter and easy to maintain. An experimental version that was quickly placed into high production was the BTM-263. In this variant, a one-man turret that was developed by the French is mounted in the vehicle, which contains a long-barreled, breech loaded 60mm mortar along with a coaxial MG-3 machinegun that can elevate from -7 to +70 degrees for both direct and indirect fire. A mortar ballistic computer is provided for the main gun along with a day/night camera, long range antenna and shotgun microphone for reconnaissance work. These were quickly taken into service with the Bundeswehr’s Fallschirmjäger Battalions for immediate fire support and reconnaissance duties. Another customer was the U.S. Army’s Airborne and Ranger battalions who made extensive use of this vehicle alongside several other modified versions of the Wiesel.
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