Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard
Encyclopedia : F : FL : FLU : Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard
| Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Length | m |
| Width | 3.71 m |
| Height | (radar lowered) 3.29 m |
| Weight | t |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
| Speed | 65 km/h road ? km/h off-road |
| Range | 550 km |
| Primary armament | 2 x 35 mm autocannon 320 rounds |
| Secondary armament | 8 x smoke grenade dischargers |
| Armour | mm |
| Power plant | cylinder, 37.4 litre MTU multi-fuel engine 820 horsepower>hp (610 kW) |
| Crew | 3 (driver, gunner, commander) |
For the WW2 German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun see Flakpanzer 38(t)
Gepard was first used as a name for German anti-aircraft artillery pieces and vehicles in the Wehrmacht of the Second World War and then post war in the Bundeswehr.
Having been used for several vehicles, it has effectively become a common word in German denoting a light armoured vehicle bearing several small bore cannon (usually in the 20 mm range) intended to be used for low level air defence. This is similar to the process by which jeep has become a generic term (although a civilian trademark of a division of DaimlerChrysler) for a light military truck.
The Flakpanzer (shortened form of the German "anti-aircraft cannon tank") Gepard is an autonomous, all-weather-capable German self propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG).
It is based on the Leopard I tank hull with a large fully rotating turret carrying the armament - a pair of 35 mm Oerlikon KDA autocannons and the two radar dishes - a general search radar at the rear of the turret and the tracking radar at the front between the guns.
The guns are 90 calibres (3.15 m) long, with a muzzle velocity of 1,400 m/s (FAPDS rounds), giving an effective range of 3,500 m. The KDA autocannon can take two different ammunition types, and the usual loading is a mix of 320 AA and 20 AP rounds per gun. Combined rate of fire is 1,100 rounds/min.
The electrically driven turret is powered by a 40 kW generator driven by a 4-cylinder, 3.8 litre Mercedes-Benz OM 314 multi-fuel engine.
A missile system upgrade, which mounts the US Stinger surface-to-air missile to the autocannon is in development.
Variants
There are two variants of Gepard in service; the Dutch has a different radar installation.Germany
NetherlandsUsers
- Germany (377)
- Netherlands (60)
- Belgium (?)
- Romania (43, ex-German Bundeswehr)
See also
External links
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