The M8 Ridgeway Armoured Gun System (AGS) was recently cancelled by the Bush administration. The M8 was developed and was almost ready for serial production when it was cancelled.
This is the latest in a line of cancellations of major weapons programmes, for instance the Crusader self-propelled gun, the XM-8 assault rifle, A12 and so forth.
This special example is actually armed with a 120mm gun rather than the usual 105mm rifled gun. (However, the person manning the exhibit was unable to tell me if the 120mm gun is a rifled or smoothbore weapon. Given that the origin of the gun is American, it is likely to be smoothbore.) This example of the M8 is equipped with a turret with level II protection and chassis with level I protection. The M8 with level III protection throughout would weigh 25-tonnes.
United Defense, one of the larger American manufacturers, which built this vehicle was bought over by British Aerospace last year.
This example was at the Asian Aerospace 2006.
6 comments:
Doesn't LOOK too advanced at all. I would have thought modern tanks/armored vehicles would have been designed like a fat lozenge by now to keep a low profile and maintain ballistic protection! This one seems to be screaming "HIT ME!" :D
Yes, we would think it is a trend. However sleek aerodynamic forms may seek intuitive, the reality is that top-down munitions from multiple rocket launchers, top-down ATGW, urban warfare have forced designs to incorporate a lot more top protection than before. The new Merkava IV is nothing like it's predecessors with an idealised ballastic form with small turret, the new Merkava IV has a massive oversized saucer-type turret with massive layering to protect against top attacks.
Yes, hit me, but hit me where the protection is. I think that is the current trend.
Yes, but keep in mind that the M8 design is over 10 years old. The vehicle first took to the test track in or about 1995.
Is the M8 AGS officially called the Ridgeway or the Buford?
I have seen both names used.
I got the Ridgeway reference from a book (date of publication 2002) on armoured vehicles by Chris Foss who is an authority on armour. As for it being official, I do not know. The Global Security website has both names mentioned. The Federation of American Scientists website has it listed as the Buford on index but neglected to mention the name in the entry.
Anonymous, you are right about the age. On another note, the AGS was cancelled in 1996. Ten years ago.
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