| Otomatic SPAAG | |
|---|---|
| Type | Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 46.0 tonnes (101,000 lb) |
| Length | Hull: 7.27 metres (23 ft 10 in) |
| Width | 3.71 m (12 ft 2 in) |
| Crew | 4 |
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| Main armament |
1× Otobreda 76 mm derived autocannon with 70 rounds |
| Engine | MTU MB 837 Ka-500 diesel engine 750 hp (560 kW) |
| Power/weight | 16.3 hp / 1 tonne |
| Suspension | Torsion bar suspension |
| Operational range |
500 kilometres (310 mi) |
| Speed | 65 km/h (40 mph) |
The Otomatic was an Italian prototype self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) built by OTO-Melara. It combined the chassis of a Leopard 1 or OF-40 tank with a new turret mounting the Otobreda 76 mm gun along with associated search and targeting radars and their fire control systems. OTO Melara offered it as a long-range SPAAG that could outperform systems like the Gepard and similar versions with the British Marksman turret that mounted much smaller 35 mm guns.
The gun could also be useful against lighter armored vehicles or older generation tanks. However, the Otomatic was never put into production because the widespread presence of anti-aircraft missiles reduced the need for a long-range AA gun on the modern battlefield.
OTO-Melara attempted to revive the concept with the AMRAD ("Artillery Multi-Role Area Defense"), which had a much lighter mounting, and which was intended for use on a variety of wheeled vehicles. In order to lower the weight of the system, the turret's armor was reduced and the radars were removed and replaced with an optical-only aiming system cued by a remote radar. Despite these changes, the AMRAD failed to sell.
| External images | |
|---|---|
| Otomatic SPAAG | |
| The Otomatic SPAAG | |
