Marksman anti-aircraft system

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T-55AM Marksman
Type	SPAAG
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Specifications
Weight	41 t
Crew	3 (driver, gunner, commander) + back-up crew

Primary armament	2 × 35 mm autocannon 460 fragmentation rounds and 40 anti-tank rounds
Secondary armament	8 × smoke grenade dischargers
Engine	V-55 V-12 diesel engine 620 hp (462 kW)
Suspension	torsion bar

Marksman is a British anti-aircraft weapon system, consisting of a turret, a Marconi Series 400 radar and two Swiss 35 mm Oerlikon auto-cannons. The system was developed by Vickers and is similar but inferior to the German Gepard system in terms of engine performance, ammunition carried and effective range of the ammunition.^{[citation needed]}

The turret could be adapted to many basic tank chassis, creating a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). The only operator of the system is the Finnish Army, who ordered 7 units in 1990. The turrets were fitted on Polish T-55AM tank chassis. This system is known as the ItPsv 90 (Ilmatorjuntapanssarivaunu 90, Anti-Aircraft tank 90, the number being the year the tank entered service). It is considered a very accurate anti-aircraft artillery system, having a documented hit percentage of 52.44%.^[1]

1 Service
2 Versions
3 Operators
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Service

The Finnish ItPsv 90 Marksman is primarily meant to provide low-level air-defense for tank battalions. The SPAAGs are organically tied to the headquarter company and form teams of two. The vehicles have an all-day capacity, and there is also a back-up crew to ensure combat survivability. The ItPsv 90 Marksman is primarily meant to fight helicopters, low-flying aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is also possible to engage surface and armored targets.

The chassis of the ItPsv 90 Marksman is a Polish T-55AM tank, which has been modified to fit the turret. The AM version was chosen due to the increased weight of the system (a T55AM weighs 36 tons, while a T-55AM Marksman weighs 41 tons) and the AM has more power (620 hp) than a regular T-55. The weapon system is guided by a British Marconi surveillance and guidance radar with a range of 12 km in search mode and 10 km in tracking mode. The laser distance measure device functions up to 8 km. The commander and the gun operator both have gyro-stabilized optical aiming devices.

The armament consists of two Swiss 35 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns. These guns have a fire rate of 18 shots per second. The fragmentation round has a muzzle velocity of 1,175 m/s. The effective range is 4,000 meters. The vehicle is also equipped with eight Wegmann 76 mm smoke dischargers, a 7.62 mm assault rifle, and a flare gun. The turret can traverse a full 360 degrees and has an elevation range of –10 to +85 degrees. The magazines hold 460 fragmentation rounds and 40 anti-tank rounds.

There are three communication radios in the vehicle for fire guidance and communications.

The vehicle is operated by three men—commander, gunner, and driver. In order to ensure full all-day capability and to be more lasting in war-time conditions, there is also a back-up crew.