AMX-13

AMX-13

Israeli AMX-13 on display at "Yad La-Shiryon" armor museum
Type Light tank
Place of origin France
Service history
Wars Suez Crisis
Algerian War
Sand War
Dominican Civil War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Six Day War
Yom Kippur War
Western Sahara War
Lebanese Civil War
Production history
Designer Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux
Designed 1946
Manufacturer Atelier de Construction Roanne
Produced 1952–1987
Number built 7,700 (Total)
3,400 (Exported)
4,300 (Used in French military)
Specifications
Weight 13.7 t (30,000 lb) empty
14.5 t (32,000 lb) combat
Length 4.88 m (16 ft 0 in) hull
6.36 m (20 ft 10 in) with gun
Width 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in)
Height 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in)
Crew 3 (Commander, gunner and driver)
Armour 10–40 mm (0.39–1.57 in)
Main
armament
 75 mm (or 90 mm or 105 mm) with 32 Rounds
Secondary
armament
 7.5 mm (or 7.62 mm) coaxial MG with 3,600 Rounds, 7.62 mm AA MG (optional), 2×2 smoke grenade dischargers
Engine SOFAM Model 8Gxb 8-cyl. water-cooled petrol
250 hp (190 kW)
Power/weight 15 hp (13.9 Kw) / tonne
Suspension Torsion bar suspension
Operational
range
 400 km (250 mi)
Speed 60 km/h (37 mph)

The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1953 to 1985. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 25 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and reliable chassis,[1] it was fitted with an oscillating turret built by GIAT Industries (now Nexter) with revolver type magazines, which were also used on the Austrian SK-105 Kürassier.[1] Including prototypes and export versions, there are over a hundred variants including self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft systems, APCs, and ATGM versions.

Development History

The tank was designed at the Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) in 1946 to meet a requirement for an air-portable vehicle to support paratroopers. The first prototype ran from 1948. The compact chassis had torsion bar suspension with five road-wheels and two return rollers; the engine runs the length of the tank on the right side, with the driver on the left. It features an uncommon two-part oscillating turret, where the gun is fixed to the turret and the entire upper turret changes elevation. The turret is set to the rear of the vehicle and holds the commander and gunner. The original 75 mm gun was loaded by an automatic loading system fed by two six-round magazines located in on either side of the automatic loader in the turret's bustle. The 12 rounds available in the drum magazines meant that the crew could engage targets quickly; however, once those rounds were expended, the vehicle had to retreat to cover and the crew had to reload shells from outside the vehicle.

Production began at ARE (Atelier de Construction Roanne) in 1952, with the first tanks delivered the following year. In 1964, production was transferred to Creusot-Loire at Chalon-sur-Saône, as ARE switched to the production of the AMX 30 MBT, and the numbers produced declined significantly.

After 1966, AMX-13s in French service were up-gunned with a 90mm F3 medium pressure gun firing more effective high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) munitions; this variant was designated AMX-13/90.[2] The F3 was similar to the DEFA D921/F1 low pressure gun developed for the Panhard AML-90, and even utilized the same ammunition, though it possessed a significantly higher muzzle velocity.[3] By the late 1960s, an export model of the AMX-13 was also available with an even larger 105mm gun.[2]

Although there were many variants on the turret, the basic chassis was almost unchanged until 1985, when changes including a new diesel engine, fully automatic transmission and new hydropneumatic suspension were introduced. Production halted with the AMX-13 Model 1987. After sales support and upgrades are still offered through GIAT Industries (now Nexter).

The AMX-13 tank was phased out of service with the French Army in the 1980s. Current French armoured vehicles with a similar role are the ERC 90 Sagaie and the AMX 10 RC.

Additional characteristics

Close view of oscillating turret

Service History

France

During the Suez Crisis of 1956, the French Army used two sections of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment's AMX-13 tanks in Port Fouad. The AMX-13s saw limited action in the Algerian War due to the absence of heavy or intense opposition and the rough nature of the Algerian countryside where the anti-colonial guerrilla fighters operated from.

Decommissioned Israeli AMX-13, shown here from the rear and side.

Dominican Republic

AMX 13s saw service among both the loyalists and the rebels during the Dominican Civil War of 1965. Two AMX 13s used by the rebel forces were destroyed by M50 Ontos of the United States Marine Corps during the subsequent American intervention in the Dominican Republic.

Israel

The AMX 13 was Israel’s first modern tank and was purchased at a time when France was the only country willing to openly sell arms to Israel. By 1956, Israel had received 180 AMX-13 light tanks as part of an agreement to reinforce Israel's military and to maintain the balance in Israel's favour after the Egyptian-Czechoslovak arms agreement. Due to the shortage of tanks, the IDF used them as main battle tanks and employed them to form a tank battalion in the 7th Armored Brigade. IDF reconnaissance units did not use AMX 13s and they remained exclusively equipped with jeeps.

The 7th Armored Brigade advanced into the Sinai and its reconnaissance company played a decisive role on 30 October 1956 at the pass at Abu Ageila, located in central Sinai. This lightly-armed company managed to maneuver and discover that the pass was held only by a small force of Egyptian engineers, who quickly fled when the Israelis arrived. The company secured the pass and helped to allow the 7th Armored Brigade to pass through and surround the Egyptians.

By 1967, Israel had acquired about 400 AMX-13s and formed three AMX-13 battalions, all of which fought actively on all fronts during the Six Day War.

In conclusion, the IDF realised that the AMX-13 tank was too lightly-armoured and had a weak main gun, but the IDF had little choice but to use them due to the lack of tanks at that time. IDF AMX-13 tanks took heavy losses at places like Rafah Junction and Jiradi Pass during the Six Day War. Subsequently, the IDF completely phased out the AMX-13 tanks from its inventory and later sold them to the Singapore Army in 1969.

Pakistan

The offensive carried out during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 by the Pakistan Army's 1st Armored Division (led by 220 M48 Patton tanks and 44 M24 Chaffee light tanks) was blunted at the Battle of Asal Uttar on September 10th 1965. Pakistani forces were opposed by three Indian armored regiments, which are Deccan Horse (45 Sherman tanks), 3 Cavalry (45 Centurion tanks) and 8 Cavalry (45 AMX-13 tanks). The Indian regiments withdrew but then rearranged their tanks into a U-shaped formation around the town of Asal Uttar. The tall sugarcane grass in the area allowed the Indian tanks to remain hidden and allowed them to be much closer to the Pakistani tanks without being detected and destroyed by the Pakistani tanks. Besides, India had already flooded the surrounding fields to try to immobilize the Pakistani tanks in mud. Eventually, about 100 Pakistani tanks were either destroyed or captured by India, while India lost only 10 tanks during this battle.

Lebanon

Lebanese AMX-13s saw extensive service during the Lebanese Civil War in the hands of the Lebanese Army and various armed groups in and outside Beirut.

Morocco

Morocco used some AMX-13s in the Sand War of 1963 and the Yom Kippur War on the Sinai front. Later on, they were engaged in the Western Sahara conflict. They were replaced during that war by the Austrian SK-105 Kürassier light tank.

Prototypes

Char AMX-13 (2A)
Prototype with 4 roadwheels and trailing idler
Char AMX-13 (2B)
Prototype with 5 roadwheels and raised idler
Char AMX-13 (2C)
Prototype with FL-10 turret and two support rollers
Char AMX-13 (2D)
Prototype with 4 support rollers
Char AMX-13 (2E)
Prototype with 3 support rollers and 90 mm gun
Char AMX-13 (2F)
Prototype with 2 support rollers and, later, a thermal sleeve

Other prototypes

AMX-13 avec tourelle
A14 Fitted with a German HS-30 turret
AMX-13
Fitted with a 105 mm howitzer barrel
AMX-13/75 (AMX-13e)
Experimental variant with a short-barreled 75 mm in FL-11 turret
Char AMX-13 avec Canon 57 L/100
Prototype with a special gun
AMX-13 Twin 20 mm in a welded turret without a bustle
Char 48FCM
AKA Char 12T FCM, DCA de Quatre Canons de 20 mm—4 x 20 mm cannon in an FL-4 turret
DCA de 40 mm
AKA Char 13T DCA a 40 mm Bofors L/70 gun in a large faceted turret
AMX-13 GTI
Improved suspension by Krauss-Maffei
AMX-13 THS
Prototype fitted with hydrostatic transmission
AMX-13
Fitted with Rapace 14 MBRL
AMX-13 HOT
Fitted with HOT ATGM launchers

Production variants

SS.11 anti-tank missile-launcher version of the AMX-13
AMX-13 DCA AA version
AA version of the AMX-13
The Singapore Army's AMX-13 Armoured Vehicle-Launched Bridge (AVLB)
AMX-13
Some initial vehicles were fitted with the turret of the M24 Chaffee
AMX-13 [DTT]
Initial vehicles with the turret of the M24 Chaffee converted into a driver training tank. Gun removed.
AMX-13/75 Modèle 51
High-velocity 75 mm Gun in FL-11 turret as installed in Panhard EBR armoured car, with two top rollers
AMX-13/75 Modèle 51
High-velocity 75 mm Gun in FL-11 turret, with four top rollers and revised stowage
AMX-13 T75 (Char Lance SS-11)
Fitted with SS.11 ATGM launchers
AMX-13 T75 avec TCA
Fitted with an electronic guidance system for the missiles
AMX-13/90 Modèle 52
FL-10 turret refitted with the F3 90 mm gun
AMX-13/90 LRF
Fitted with a laser rangefinder
AMX-13/105 Modèle 58
Fitted with a 105mm Gun in an FL-12 turret (used by the Argentine Army and the Netherlands)
AMX-13/105
Upgraded export version of the Modele 58 with a thermal sleeve and a revised hull front
AMX-13 Model 1987
Late production version
AMX-13 DCA 30
SPAAG version with a retractable radar fitted; 60 were produced beginning in 1969.[4]
AMX-13 [Training Tank]
AMX-13 with the turret removed; used for driver training
AMX-13 Modèle 55 (AMX-D)
Recovery version
AMX-13 PDP (Poseur De Pont) Modèle 51
Scissors-type bridgelayer

Modernisation packages

National

Netherlands
Singapore
The Singapore Army's AMX-13/SM-1 (Singapore Modernised 1)
Switzerland
Peru
Venezuela

APC

The AMX-13 was the basis of a family of APCs beginning with the AMX-VTT and culminating with the AMX-VCI. The APC chassis was itself the basis of a number of variants.

Self propelled howitzer

105 mm
105mm howitzer variant 4 purchased for trials by the Swiss Army.
155 mm
Main article: Mk F3 155mm

Operators

This section is about operators of the AMX-13 light tank and its engineering and recovery variants. For operators of the APC derivative, see AMX-VCI. For operators of the self-propelled howitzer derivative, see Mk F3 155mm.

AMX-13 (current)

AMX-13 (former)

Recovery and engineering variants

See also

AMX series

Vehicles of comparable role, performance, and era

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 The Complete Guide to Tanks and Armoured Fighting Vehicles, ISBN 978-1-84681-110-4
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  3. ↑ Ogorkiewicz, Richard. Technology of tanks, Volume 1 (1991 ed.). Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. pp. 70–71. ISBN 978-0-7106-0595-5.
  4. ↑ Hogg, Ian (2000). Twentieth-Century Artillery. Barnes & Noble Books. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-7607-1994-7.
  5. 1 2 "Official AM-13SM1 Brochure" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-11-17.
  6. ↑ Kolodziej, Edward A. "Making and Marketing Arms: The French Experience and Its Implications for the International System." Princeton University Press, 2014. ISBN 1-40085-877-1. pp 48–49.
Bibliography
  • Speilberger, Walter (1967). AMX.13. Armour in Profile. Profile Publications. Nº 12. 
  • Lau, Peter (2006). The AMX-13 Light Tank. Volume 1: Chassis. Rock Publications. 
  • Lau, Peter (2007). The AMX-13 Light Tank. Volume 2: Turret. Rock Publications. 

External links

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