OTO-Melara OF-40

History

Italian companies OTO-Melara and FIAT, recognizing the need for a low-cost main battle tank in the world market, have joined forces to produce the export-oriented OF-40 main battle tank. This type of work - along with the 155mm SPG derived from the Palmaria gun - began in 1977, with the introduction of a pilot vehicle in 1980 (Palmaria SPG used an OF-40 designed chassis and body, completely new tower). Through the joint venture, Fiat was awarded the contract to manufacture the engine and transmission, while OTO-Melara was the overseeing prime contractor and provided the remaining design and component requirements.

After testing and evaluation, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the first - and only - customer of the OF-40 tank, completing a total of 39 examples. Since then, the export success rate of the Palmaria SPG system has increased significantly. The OF-40 vehicle was produced from 1980 to 1985.

OF-40 is a powerful but very simple final product of main battle tank. The design was conventional, with a crew of four, a 105mm main gun mounted on a well-tilted turret, and a chain hull with a powerplant mounted aft. The engine consists of a German MTU MB 838 Ca M500 V10 supercharged diesel system with an output of 820 hp.

The vehicle is suspended on a torsion bar configuration, while the sprocket system has seven twin-tire wheels on one side, with the drive sprocket at the rear and the chain idler at the front. The upper part of the chain linkage system is protected by a thin skirt armor. All told, the OF-40 has a top speed of 37 mph and a range of 370 miles.

Since the OF-40 shared many of the same vehicle components with later Palmaria designs, it made logistical sense for countries to consider purchasing both vehicle typesthough this advantage was never realized on the world market. The standard crew consists of the driver at the front right of the hull and the commander, loader and gunner in the turret. NBC protection is standard and night vision goggles are optional.

The vehicle weighs 50 tons, and the barrel is 30 feet long, 11.5 feet wide and 8 feet high.

At the heart of the OF-40 design is the 105mm L7 gun. British-designed weapons proved to be a popular anti-tank measure during the Cold War - especially Western tank designs - before being superseded by more powerful 120mm offerings. 57 x 105mm shells are stored in the OF-40's turret and hull, while self-defense is provided by 2 x 7.62mm machine guns - one coaxially mounted on the turret next to the main gun and the other on top of the turret Fight enemy infantry and low-flying enemy threats.

Both machine guns are loaded with 5,700 x 7.62mm ammunition. The OF-40 can generate its own smoke screen to cover the action of the 2 x 4 smoke grenade launchers identified on either side of the forward turret.

The United Arab Emirates received their OF-40 tanks in the first batch of 18 Mk 1 series vehicles, followed by 18 Mk 2 standard vehicles and 3 Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) variants. The Mk 2 standard introduces an improved Fire Control System (FCS) with a laser rangefinder, as well as improved weapon stability. The commander's position is equipped with a stabilized day/night telescopic sight mounted on top of the turret, and all major optics have been improved.

An LLLTV (Low Light Television) camera was also added. All existing VAE Mk 1 tables have been updated to Mk 2 standard upon receipt of their new Mk 2 model.

Despite improvements, the OF-40 was quickly replaced by many modern MBT types worldwide, including the German Leopard 2, British Challenger (1 and 2), French Leclerc, Russian T-90 and American M1 Abram Each one has since evolved, with a variety of advanced sensors and greater accuracy, while the popular 105mm calibers of the past have given way to 120mm or larger calibers - making the OF-40 series in line with modern standards A bit outdated by comparison. However, the OF-40 was never intended to compete directly with these powerful mounts, only offering potential buyers a competent, budget-conscious alternative to MBT. In any case, the OF-40 can do a good job against the UAE's formidable foe.

Although the UAE became its sole operator, other parties initially showed interest in the system. OF-40 is not currently in production (2016) and is not actively marketed by OTO-Melara.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

57x105mm bullet

5,700x7.62mm ammo

8 x Smoke Grenade

Changes