PL-01 Concept Direct Fire Support Vehicle technical data | Poland Polish tanks heavy armoured vehicles UK

: 24 November 2023

PL-01 Stealth Concept Direct Fire Support Vehicle Light tank

Description

Technical Data

Specifications

Details view

Pictures - Video

The a

Description

At MSPO 2013 (International Defense Industry Exhibition in Poland), the Polish Defence Company Obrum (a subdivision of Polish Defence Holding) has unveiled a new concept of direct fire support combat vehicle, the PL-01. The new vehicle is created at the OBRUM sp. z o.o. Research and Development Centre of Mechanical Devices in Gliwice. The Centre has been broadening its competencies for over 40 years, guaranteeing the highest level of realization of a task so vital for Polish defensibility. The agreement between the Polish Defence Holding and the international company BAE Systems is to create a completely new armored platform, equipped with innovative solutions, making the platform adapted to the requirements of a modern battlefield. It is planned to replace currently used heavy tracked vehicles with the modern solution of OBRUM sp. z o.o. Zaktady Mechaniczne in Labedy, due to its history and vast experience is considered as a final manufacturer of the new tank, which may become an export best-seller of Polish Defence Holding. Direct Support Vehicle PL-01 is a modular construction allowing for the preparation of the vehicle for a specific mission and tasks. The PL-01 is composed of a chassis (multipurpose modular tracked platform in heavy version) and an unmanned turret 105 mm or 120 mm caliber cannon with an autoloader unit. A fully working prototype is expected in 2016 and the PL-01 could enter service in 2018.

Variants

- The PL-01 can be configured as a command vehicle, armored recovery vehicle, mine sweeping vehicle and other variants.

Technical Data

Armament

The PL-01 is fitted with an unmanned turret which can be armed with a 105 mm or 120mm caliber cannon adapted to fire with classic ammunitions or anti-tank guided missiles. Loading is carried out by using an autoloader unit located in the rear part of the turret, with 16 rounds ready to fire in the turret autoloader and 29 rounds stored in the chassis. The cannon can fire at a maximum rate of 6 rds/min. Additional armament includes a 7.62mm caliber coaxial machine gun and a remote-controlled weapon station which can be also armed with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm caliber machine gun, or a 40 mm caliber automatic grenade launcher. Two banks of four smoke grenade dischargers are located to each side of the turret inside the armor.

The PL-01 Concept is equipped with a remote-controlled weapon station armed with a 7.62mm machine gun.

Design and protection

The layout of the PL-01 is very similar to a standard main battle tank with the driver at the front of the hull, with an unmanned turret mounted at the rear. The PL-01 has been designed with a lot of angles to reduce its radar signature. It used also a cooled wafer mounted on the hull and turret to increase its stealth technology camouflage. These technologies allow the PL-01 to match the infrared signature of its environment to confuse the tracking systems of weapons that use infrared. All the crew (commander and gunner) are located in the hull of the vehicle. The rear part of the hull can be used to carry four infantrymen, soldiers. A door is available at the rear side of the hull, the upper part of which opens to the front while the lower part folds down to form a step. The high level of protection for the crew is achieved by "crew members' safety capsule" inside the vehicle chassis, and using at the same time of highly effective active and passive protection systems such as Active Protection System, multilayer ceramic-aramid armor, additional spall liners for crew protection, modern crew's seats reducing the effects of mines and IED blasts. The front of the PL-01 is protected against 30mm caliber armor piercing ammunition. The hull provides protection against mine to STANAG 4569 Level 4a and 4b. The PL-01 can be also fitted with additional armor to increase the protection against HEAT and armor piercing ammunition.

Mobility

The PL-01 is motorized with a Diesel engine coupled to a hydrokinetic automatic transmission with a smooth steering mechanism. The PL-01 is also fitted with a special dispersed exhaust system to further lower its infrared signature. The PL-01 uses a torsion bars suspension with seven road wheels with active damping at 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th road wheel stations. The vehicle can run at a maximum road speed of 70 km/h, and 50 km/h in off-road conditions with a maximum cruising range of 500 km. The vehicle is able to negotiate slopes up to 30°, side slopes to 30°, natural and engineered trenches of a maximum of 2,6 m, and a fording depth of 1.5m without preparation or 5 m with special equipment for the underwater ride. The PL-01 can be equipped with steel tracks with rubber pads or full rubber tracks effectively decreasing the unit pressure which allows for a smooth movement on roads and off roads.

Accessories

The fire control system integrates two sights with the third generation, thermal, day cameras and laser rangefinders The Commander's panoramic sight works in a "hunter-killer" mode to provide for a location and destroying targets without the gunner. Fire Control System is integrated with an active protection system, communication system and battlefield management system which enables the crew to cooperate with the commanding officers on the next levels of command or gather information about potential threats. The commander has a panoramic sight with a day camera, a third-generation of thermal imager, and Laser Range Finder (LRF). The gunner position is equipped with day camera, third-generation of thermal imager and LRF. Situation awareness is achieved by using a wide range of optoelectronic systems allowing or a constant observation of the vehicle surroundings and the system for night and day, potential treat detection. The driver can use day and night cameras enabling the movement forward and backward. The commander and gunner will use a system of continuous observation through 350 degrees around the vehicle during the day and night In addition, the system enables to carry the supervision of the surroundings, automatic detection and tracking of the objects which can be a potential treats to the vehicle. The vehicle may be equipped with a satellite navigation system and finally, a friend-or-foe identification system. Standard equipment of the PL-01 includes NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) warfare defense system, a fire-extinguishing system in the turret and the hull, an internal communication system and radio stations, a battlefield management system, day/night observation systems around the vehicle, day/night front and rear cameras for the driver, heating and air conditioning systems, and air filtering system for the crew compartment. The PL-01 is also fitted with external infrared sensors to create an infrared suitable camouflage on the field. The tank can also create effects to its temperature-controlled wafers to look like a car or another common object, an effective countermeasure against radar, infrared and visual signature detection equipment.

Specifications

Armament

One 105 or 120mm cannon, one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and one 7.62 or 12.7mm machine gun

Country users

Concept vehicle
a

Designer Country

Poland

Accessories

NBC protection system, fire-extinguishing system, battlefield management system, night/day vision, heating and air conditioning system, automatic fire control system, radar self-protection system.

Crew

3 + 4 soldiers

Armor

Protection at the front against 30mm caliber, hull STANAG 4569 Level 4a and 4b

Weight vehicle

35,000 kg with additional armor and anti-mine floor protection

Speed vehicle

70 km/h maximum road speed

Range

500 km
a
a
a

Dimensions

Length: 7.00 m; Width: 3.8 m; Heigh: 2.8 m