AMX-30
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The AMX-30 is a main battle tank designed by GIAT Industries and first delivered to the French Army in 1966. It was designed with a focus on firepower and mobility, able to operate with minimal support services. The trade-off was limited armour protection (50 mm base), rendering it vulnerable to contemporary main battle tank weapons of NATO or the Warsaw Pact. It is perhaps the most successful post-war French armoured vehicle designed.
Design features included a fully sealed hull, allowing operations in nuclear, chemical, and biological contamination areas. The tank is also capable of fording water up to 2 m in depth. The armour is made of rolled plates and castings, completely welded. The turret is entirely cast and highly shaped for maximum protection. The tank can carry up to 47 rounds of ammunition.[1]
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History
The AMX design was the result of French specifications for a new main battle tank, after the failure of the AMX 50 project, to replace aging American tanks in French service since the end of World War II. Like the Germans during the same period, the French subscribed to the theory that even the heaviest armour would prove unable to keep up with rapid development of anti-tank weaponry, and that the best way to protect tanks within a reasonable design was to enhance their maneuverability. Thus the design solution was a tank with less heavy armour, but greater speed and an accurate powerful weapon that would allow quick destruction of the enemy.
An additional design requirement, as with most French military designs, was for the design to be able to attract wide export markets, as French weapon design relied heavily on foreign sales for financing. The AMX 30 was successful in this regard, being widely exported in many versions.
From 1956 until 1963 the French cooperated with the Germans in the design of a "Europa Tank", each country providing several prototypes. In 1963 it transpired that Germany insisted on a somewhat wider and heavier vehicle than at first specified and refused the new French 105 mm gun optimised for firing a special stabilised HEAT-round with the outer shell rotating at a higher speed than the shaped charge within. Both countries went their separate ways, Germany building the Leopard 1. German export restrictions greatly favoured the foreign sales of the AMX 30.
In February 1964 Israel started preparations for a parallel licence production of the AMX 30 hull — the turrets having to be imported from France — but this project was canceled for as yet undisclosed reasons around 1966, the very year series production began in France. Between 1974 and 1984 there was a license production in Spain. The last French vehicle was delivered in 1993.
France used the AMX 30B2 during the first Gulf War in 1991, where it equipped the 6e Brigade Légère Blindée ("6th Light Armoured Brigade"). The tanks' performance was regarded as excellent. Saudi Arabia, and Qatar used their AMX 30S tanks in support of the ground campaign of the Gulf War as well.
The design has been supplanted in France by the Leclerc, but is still in world-wide use. In addition to the more than 2,000 tanks produced, more than 1,000 chassis were used as the basis for a range of self-propelled artillery and other derivatives.
Operators
Bosnia (52 AMX 30s)
Chile (60 AMX 30s, 39 of them B2s) (Retired)
Cyprus (102 AMX 30B2s)
France (387 AMX 30s & 659 AMX 30B2s)
Greece (140 AMX 30Gs) (Retired)
Qatar (24 AMX 30Ss)
Saudi Arabia (290 AMX 30Ss & AMX 30SAs)[1]
Spain (299 AMX 30s) 280 made under license as AMX-30E. Upgraded from 1989 to AMX-30ER1 (CD-850 automatic transmission, 60 converted) and AMX-30EM2 (Hughes/ENOSA Mk9 A/D digital fire control system, ENOSA thermal camera, MTU 833 diesel engine with ZF LSG 3000 automatic transmission). Retired.
United Arab Emirates (64 AMX 30s)
Venezuela (AMX 30V model, the most advanced variation, modernised in 1989) (82 AMX 30Vs +4 AMX 30D)
Derivatives
- AMX 30 D: repair tank
- AMX 30 AuF1: 155 mm self-propelled howitzer
- AMX 30 EBG: armoured engineering vehicle
- AMX-30 Bridge – bridgelaying engineer vehicle
- AMX 30 ROLAND: Roland ground-air missile system
- AMX 30 PLUTON: Pluton tactical nuclear missile
- AMX 30 B2: Improved version with new onboard computers
- AMX 30 EBD: armoured minesweeper
- AMX 30 BRENUS: Improved version with reactive armour
- AMX 30 FORAD: Cosmetically modified version, to play the role of foreign tanks during exercises.
- AMX 32: Export version prototypes with heavier armour, but far less manoeuvrability.
Gallery
 Prototype AMX-30 |
 AMX-30E of the Spanish Army |
 View of the turret system |
 Fording capabilities |
 Roland ground-air missile system |
 AMX-30 Pluton tactical nuclear missile |
 155 mm self-propelled howitzer |
 AMX-30 Hull (AuF1 under repairs) |
See also
Notes
Reference
- de Mazarrasa, Javier (1990). Carro de Combate AMX-30E (in Spanish). Aldaba Ediciones, 104. ISBN 84-86629-29-2.
- Foss, Christopher F. (2006). Jane's Tank Recognition Guide. London, United Kingdom: Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0007183265.
- Hilmes, Rolf (June 30, 1999). "Aspects of future MBT conception". Military Technology (Moench Verlagsgesellschaft Mbh) 23 (6): 7.
- Ogorkiewicz, Richard M. (December 1973). AMX-30 Battle Tank. Berkshire, United Kingdom: Profile Publications Ltd..
- Perez-Guerra, Jaime (1 April, 1987). "Spanish AMX-30 MBT upgrade program". Janes International Defense Review (Janes).
- Perrett, Bryan (1995). Iron Fist: Classic Armoured Warfare Case Studies. London, United Kingdom: Brockhampton Press, 209. ISBN 1-86019-954-2.
- Rudnick, David (April, 1976). "Atlantic Relations: Policy Co-ordination and Conflict (The Case of the Leopard Tank)". International Affairs (London, United Kingdom: Royal Institute of International Affairs): 11.
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