Stridsvagn 103 (Strv 103) (S-Tank)

History

The Stridsvagn 103 (Strv 103) of Swedish origin - also known as the "S-Panzer" - was one of the more extreme departures from traditional main battle tank design during the Cold War. Still classified as a main battle tank (MBT), the Strv 103 eschews the traditional turret that houses the main gun armament, opting instead for a low-slung design, embedded in earth trenches and deployed defensively against incoming enemies Square armor.

Therefore, the Strv 103 tank was designed according to the principle of defensive positioning, with its main gun placed directly in the hull.

This compact approach allows only three operators, the first two crew members in the forward fuselage and the remaining crew members in the aft fuselage, facing aft, with a full console capable of controlling the aircraft as necessary When moving in the opposite direction, the vehicle must escape with the main weapon still pointed at the enemy. The crew consisted of a driver (who also served as the gunner), vehicle commander, and a radio operator (who also served as the rear-facing driver).

Hull armor up to 100mm allows for amphibious preparation in about 25 minutes.

All Strv 103s are equipped with a dozer blade for digging the soil. The vehicle's low profile allows for more difficult targeting of enemy guns. The obvious disadvantage of this design is its fixed main gun, which requires turning the entire vehicle towards the enemy.

The tank was intended to replace the British Centurion who held the inventory of the Swedish army at the time. The main weapon of the Swedish successor was the rifled 105mm Bofors L/62 gun. This is combined with two fixed 7.62mm KSP-58 machine guns, with an optional KSP-58 MG used as an anti-aircraft (AA) measure.

The main gun is connected to an auto-loading feature that keeps crew numbers to a minimum.

Strv 103 production spanned from 1967 to 1971, with 290 completed. The Strv 103 was never used for combat missions. All S tanks were eventually dismantled and retired until the Swedes took over the excellent German Leopard 2 MBT in 1997.

In the end, there were three main brands of Strv 103. The Strv 103A is equipped with a 240 hp Rolls-Royce K60 diesel engine or a 300 hp Boeing GT502 gas turbine engine. The Strv 103B is followed by a 240 hp Rolls-Royce K60 diesel engine or a 490 hp Caterpillar 553 series gas turbine. The Strv 103C is equipped with a 290 hp Detroit diesel 6V53T or a 490 hp Caterpillar 553 gas turbine.

All ride on an air-hydraulic hydropneumatic suspension system. The power unit contains a drivetrain with 2 forward and 2 reverse gears. Road speeds hit 31 mph and range is 240 miles. Dimensions include 29 feet long, 6 inches wide, 12 feet wide and 7 feet high.

The AD model was proposed as a new MBT replacement for the decade of the 1990s, completed in a single example of a modified Strv 103C, but was never adopted.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

50 x 105mm projectile.

2,500x7.62mm ammo.

Changes