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Panzerjäger 90



Overview


Panzerjäger 90

Right side view of a Swiss army Panzerjäger 90 firing a TOW practice missile.
Source: Mediathek VBS - © CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 CH

Origin
Switzerland
Type
Tank destroyer
Entered service
1990
Status
Out of service
Development
1986
Developer
Switzerland - MOWAG
Production
1989 - 1993
Producer
Switzerland - MOWAG
Number produced
310
Designations
Panzerjäger 90 (Swiss service)
Notable users
Switzerland

Description


Introduction

The Panzerjäger 90 is a late Cold War era tank destroyer of Swiss origin. It was acquired in the late 1980's to replace the older M38A1 jeeps with 106mm M40 recoilless rifle in Swiss service.

Design

The Panzerjäger 90 combines the Swiss Piranha IB 6x6 chassis with the Norwegian Armored Launching Turret (ALT) for the TOW-2 anti-tank guided missile. The launcher can be manually reloaded from within the vehicle. Both a high magnification day sight and a thermal sight is fitted for target identification and engagement.

Firepower

The Panzerjäger 90 is fitted with the ALT turret which has two BGM-71D TOW-2 anti-tank guided missiles ready to launch. These wire guided SACLOS missiles have a maximum range of 3.75 km. A total of 10 missiles are carried, of which 2 are ready to launch. The BGM-71D has a single HEAT warhead with an armor penetration equivalent of about 900 mm RHA.

Protection

The steel hull provides all around protection from small arms fire and shell splinters. Compared to the jeeps with recoilless rifles the Panzerjäger 90 replaced it has a much larger silhouette and is easier to spot in an ambush position. The upside is that the Panzerjäger 90 fires its missiles from under full armor protection and from a much longer engagement range. A bank of 8 smoke grenade dischargers is fitted to the turret. There is no NBC system.

Mobility

The 6x6 wheeled chassis provides good mobility on roads and reasonable mobility cross country. The 275 hp diesel engine provides a good power to weight ration. The maximum speed is 80 km/h on road.

Users

The Panzerjäger 90 replaced the M38A1 jeep with 106mm M40 recoilless rifle as the tank destroyer in Swiss service. A total of 310 vehicles were acquired, of witch 160 vehicles were rebuilt to command post and ambulance after 2006. The Panzerjäger 90 remained in service until 2017.

Media


Details


Facts Panzerjäger 90
General
Origin
Switzerland
Type
Tank destroyer
Crew
5 (commander, driver, 2 gunners, operator)
Dimensions
Weight
11.0 t combat load
10.2 t empty
Length
6.23 m
Width
2.50 m
Height
2.97 m over ALT turret
1.85 m to hull roof
Main armament
Type
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missile
Mount
ALT twin launcher turret
Ammunition
10 missiles, 2 ready to fire
Elevation
-12° to +15°, powered
Traverse
360°, powered
Chassis
Chassis type
Wheeled chassis, 6x6
Steering
Front axle
Tire size
11.00 x16
Tread
2.18 m
Wheelbase
2.04 + 1.04 m
Automotive
Engine model
Detroit Diesel 6V-53T
Engine type
6-cylinder water-cooled turbocharged diesel
Power output
275 hp at 2.800 rpm
Torque
850 Nm at 1.600 rpm
Transmission
Allison MT 653
5 forward, 1 reverse
Fuel
180 L
Mobility
Speed
80 km/h on road
Range
540 km on road
Turn radius
14.6 m
Power to weight ratio
25.0 hp/t
Obstacle crossing
Ground clearance
0.5 m
Trench
1.3 m
Gradient
70 %
Slope
35 %
Fording
1.4 m
Protection
Armor type
Steel
Armor thickness
About 7 mm
NBC system
No
Smoke system
8x 76mm Nbw 87 smoke grenade discharger
Equipment
Night vision
Yes, thermal sight for gunner
Fire control
SACLOS missile guidance
13x day sight
4x and 12 night sight
Radio
Yes
Winch
6 t capacity with 40 m cable
Towed load
8 t

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BGM-71 TOW

The Panzerjäger 90 has two TOW missiles ready to launch.