Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1281650
solutions applied in Leopard 2A7, and a majority of contemporary main battle tanks as well. The firepower revolves around a hunter-killer plus solution allowing the commander and the gunner to fully switch roles. The observation system instrumentation also exhibits redundancy between the two crew-members. The gunner can use a fully stabilized EOTS sighting system that can move in the elevation plane (-15 to +45 degrees) and the azimuth range of +/- 5 degrees. Three FOV settings are available: wide - 22,17 x 16,7°, intermediate - 7,2 x 5,4°, and narrow - 2,8 x 2,1°. Everything is based on a full-color CCD TV camera, while the night channel is provided by the Attica 3rd Gen thermal imaging system operated within the far-IR spectrum, with extra optical scanning system increasing the output resolution to 768x576 px- and this is an excellent performance in a combat vehicle fire control systems domain. EOTS features a laser rangefinder as well. The sight picture is electronically transmitted to the gunner's or commander's display, or both of those displays at once. The panoramic observation system used by the commander is unusual as well. PERI RTWL-B groups the CCD camera and the Attica together. The fields of view are identical as the ones applicable to the gunner's sight, similarly as the operational envelope and the laser rangefinder. However, as the fire control system designers are usually inclined to lean towards a far simpler electronic image transfer solution, the Germans did not go down that road. Obviously, PERI RTWL-B can transmit the signal to the commander's or gunner's sight. However, the designers also decided to use a conventional optical tract that goes through the turret bearing and is sent to a monocular used by the vehicle commander. What is the reasoning behind this solution, that is so convoluted? First, the reliability in scenarios when the vehicle could be exposed to EMP. It also provides battle damage redundancy. Secondly, regardless of the advancements made in the domain of modern electronics, still, a purely optical www.fragoutmag.com