The Leopard 2A4s will apparently not be replacing the AMX-13SM1s
The prices reported for the Singapore purchase of the Leopard 2A4s range from US$1 million to US$3 million. A report from Defence Industry Daily:
"While price was not disclosed in the Singapore deal, the surplus Leopards are being sold at "fire-sale prices" that can hover in the $1 million per vehicle range, as opposed to the $5+ million per vehicle one must expect for modern Western contemporaries. Even the far-inferior T-72 has difficulty competing at this level, and the only thing keeping Leopard sales from jumping far beyond the European continent has been restrictive German arms export policies."
Another report from Strategy Page stated it was US$3 million per vehicle.
The 'amazing' thing according to the Defence Industry Daily is that Singapore will NOT be retiring the old AMX-13 which entered service in 1948!
"The new arrivals will complement the existing force of 300-350 AMX-13 sM1 tanks, a heavily modernized version of a 20-ton tank designed for paratroop support that saw extensive action in the 1967 Six Day War."
"Defense Minister Hean has stated that the SM1s will be kept in service even after the Leopards arrive."
I guess they are useful for fire support and killing light vehicles.
4 comments:
well, they kept the F-5 for ages as well...
Will Loh
Shrewdly observed. That is very true.
Those AMX-13SM1s are perfectly good and service-able tanks. They can take on most armoured vehicles in this region except for main battle tanks. Even then, they can give a good account of themselves given their rapid fire ability.
Most armies have a composition of 90% light armour and 10% heavy armour in their arsenal anyway.
What I think would probably make sense is if they replace the chassis with a Bionix chassis like the Austrian Kurassier or like this M4 Sherman.
That way they remove one item from the logistics chain and create a fire support vehicle with a LOT more capacity than the existing AMX-13.
I can see what you are getting at.
You think that the twin-revolver turret with the 75mm gun could confer advantages by virtue of its calibre?
Is rapid fire needed for fire support? We know it is not an autocannon despite its ability for rapid fire.
Is rapi
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