TAM (tank)

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TAM

Argentine Army TAM
Type Medium tank
Place of origin Flag of Germany Germany
Service history
Used by Flag of Argentina Argentina
Specifications
Weight 30.5 tonnes
Length 6.75 m
Width 3.25 m
Height 2.42 m
Crew 4 [1]
Primary
armament		 Rheinmetall 105mm LTA2 rifled gun
Secondary
armament		 2×7.62 mm machine gun
Engine MTU-MB 833 Ka-500 6-cylinder 22.4 l diesel[1]
720 hp (537 kW)[1]
Power/weight 24 hp/tonne
Suspension torsion-bar
Operational
range		 590km[1], 940 km with auxiliary fuel tanks
Speed 75 km/h [1]

TAM (From Spanish:Tanque Argentino Mediano or Argentine Medium Tank) is a medium tank designed by Thyssen-Henschel of Germany. More than 600 units, including VCTPs and other variants, were built in Argentina for the Argentine Army. It was built in the Tanque Argentino Mediano Sociedad del Estado military factory.[2]

Contents

[edit] Overview

The TAM was developed to meet Argentine requests for a medium tank to replace obsolete M4 Sherman and Sherman Firefly then in service with the Argentine Army. A similar armored personnel carrier version was also required to replace M9 half-tracks. Thyssen-Henschel was awarded the development, and used their TH-301 light/medium tank design based on the highly successful Marder IFV in service with Germany.

The first prototype was completed in 1976 and the tank entered service in 1979.[1] Production was curtailed in the early eighties because of the country's serious financial difficulties which caused approximately 30% of the tanks built to be put directly into war stowage reserve by the Argentinian Army.

The tank is in the 30 ton class and carries a moderate 105 mm gun on a highly mobile chassis with moderate armor protection. The rifled tank gun (with bore evacuator and thermal sleeve) can fire all the NATO standard 105 mm ammunition types: APFSDS-T, HEAT-T, HESH, HE, HEP-T, Canister, Smoke, and Illumination rounds. The tank has onboard stowage for 50 rounds.

The first few TAM's were equipped with the locally produced variant of the L7A1. Later vehicles were armed with the Rheinmetall LTA2, and the last produced vehicles were equipped with a locally produced modified version of the French CN-105-57, produced in the TAMSE military factory of Rio Tercero, in Cordoba province.

The fire control system is of the coincidence rangefinder sight type and is operated by the commander. The gunner and loader also have their observation sight systems. A night driving capability is provided.

The TAM has provided Argentina with a relatively modern design sufficient for its regional security needs. Only one other country, Ecuador, chose the TAM but the negotiations failed when that country faced economical problems.

This vehicle has yet to see combat, although some VCTPs were involved in counter-insurgency operations during the 1989 attack on La Tablada Regiment and the last attempted coup d' etat in 1990.

[edit] Variants

Also built in much less numbers are :

  • VCLC (Spanish: Vehiculo de Combate Lanza Cohetes)
    • 160 mm launch rockets
  • VCPC (Spanish: Vehiculo de Combate Puesto de Mando) Command Post vehicle
  • VCDT (Spanish: Vehiculo de Combate de Direccion Tiro) Self-propelled artillery Fire direction & control
  • VCMun (Spanish: Vehiculo de Combate de Transporte de Munición) Self-propelled artillery ammunition supply vehicle
  • VCRT (Spanish: Vehiculo de Combate Recuperador Tanques) Armoured recovery vehicle ARV

Designed but not built:

  • VCDA (Spanish: Vehiculo de Combate de Defensa Aerea) Air-defence variant

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Gelbart, Marsh (1996). Tanks main battle and light tanks. Brassey’s UK Ltd. ISBN 185753168X. 
  2. ^ FAS.org's Tanque Argentino Mediano S.E. (TAMSE) Page. Retrieved on December 7, 2007.

[edit] External links