Schutzenpanzer SPz 12-3 (SPz Lang / Lang HS.30)

History

After World War II (1939-1945), Germany became a divided country, occupied by the victors through the East-West divide. The East was ruled by the Soviet Union and the West by the United States, Great Britain and France. Since the possibility of another major land war in Europe at this time seemed all too real, the Western powers had to develop the necessary defenses against the might of Soviet armored forces.

As West Germany integrates into its new European role, its defense industry embarks on a long road to recovery. In the 1950s, a new light armored personnel carrier (APC) entered service for its rebuilding force. This move led to the introduction of the "Lang HS Armoured Personnel Carrier" in 1958.

30", later known as "Schutzenpanzer 12-3" (SPz 12-3).

HS. The 30 proved a 16-ton (short) vehicle with a barrel length of 5.6 meters, a width of 2.5 meters and a height of 1.85 meters. Inside, it carried three people - driver, commander and gunner - and supported up to five combat-ready infantry. Power is provided by a 220 hp Rolls-Royce B81 Mk 80F Series 8-cylinder petrol engine.

The chassis is suspended on a torsion bar system to improve overland handling, while the landing gear includes five twin-tire wheels on one side of the hull, three track idlers, a rear drive sprocket and a front track idler, while The vehicle uses conventional "track wheels". "- Arrangement. Low hull with angled sides for inherent ballistic protection, armor thickness up to 30mm at a 45 degree angle. Frontal armor alone provides protection against 20mm impacts and small caliber damage. On top of fuselage Above the front is a low turret with 360 degree traverse and inherent height capability.

It is armed with a fairly powerful 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS820 L/86 automatic cannon (2,000 rounds towed). The vehicle also carries a A 7.62mm MG3 machine gun. Eight smoke grenade launchers, in groups of four, located on the forward fuselage fairing, could be used to protect the vehicle's operations.

Unlike other APCs of the era, the HS.30 was not endowed with amphibious capabilities.

in all HS. The 30 can reach a road speed of 58 kilometers per hour and a range of up to 270 kilometers.

In many ways, HS. The 30 is more like a modern infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) than a real armored personnel carrier. It contains a powerful 20mm cannon that can be used against light vehicles, infantry build-ups and low-flying aircraft.

Its frontal armor could also (to some extent) protect it while supporting direct tank action against the Soviet Union. In fact, the infantry of the HS. Thirty people were trained to fight alongside the vehicle, rather than relying solely on it as a ferry to and from the front. In the same way, HS.

The 30 was designed to fight alongside West German tanks as a powerful "double whammy" - contradicting typical Western thinking about APCs.

As with most such vehicles, the HS. The 30 was seen performing various battlefield roles in the West German army. In addition to combat capabilities, the "FuFu" command and control (C2) vehicle is equipped with additional special equipment.

The LGS M40A1 is equipped with the M40A1 106mm recoilless rifle and is intended for use as an anti-tank (AT) vehicle. The "Rocket Jagdpanzer 1" has a similar sight but is made more powerful by the installation of SS-11 AT wire-guided rockets. The "Panzermorser" is a mortar carrier, first in the 81mm type, then the larger 120mm system.

It also carried a shielded 7.62mm MG3 machine gun. The "fire control tank" turned out to be a forward observation vehicle for the artillery command.

Initially, the Bundeswehr required a total of 10,000 HS. 30 cars. But despite its promising design, the HS. 30 experienced several problems during his lifetime.

There's no question that its launch speed has resulted in a lack of power, flimsy suspension and other technical/mechanical issues leading to constant failures in the field. Such a feat must have led to HS. 30 Notorious for his service career. This led to a study by the German daily "Frankfurter Rundschau", which found high bribes related to HS.

30 programs. hs. The 30 lived a rather forgetful life, also overshadowed by scandals, until it was finally abandoned in 1971 with the arrival of the Marder infantry fighting vehicle from Rheinmetall Landsysteme.

About 2.176 HS. Thirty were produced, far fewer than the 10,000 people ordered.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Armor

2,000 x 20mm projectile

4,000 x 7.62mm ammo

8 x Smoke Grenade

Changes