Expeditionary Tank

Expeditionary Tank
TypeLight tank
Place of originUnited States
Production history
DesignerTeledyne Vehicle Systems
Designedearly 1980s[1]
ManufacturerTeledyne Vehicle Systems and General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS)
Producedmid-1980s (prototype)[2]
Specifications
Mass21 t (21 long tons; 23 short tons)[1]
Length7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Width3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
Height2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Crew3 (commander, driver and gunner)[1]

Main
armament
105 mm M68A1 gun[2]
Secondary
armament
7.62 mm M240 machine gun (coaxial)[2]
7.62 mm M60D machine gun, 7.62 mm M240 machine gun, 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher (optional)[2]
EngineCummins VTA-903T 8-cylinder diesel[1]
500 horsepower (370 kW)[1]
TransmissionGDLS HMPT-500 hydro-mechanical transmission[1]
Suspensionhydropneumatic
Maximum speed 45–50 mph (72–80 km/h)[1]

The Expeditionary Tank was a light tank developed in the 1980s initially by Teledyne Vehicle Systems.[3] Later joined by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS), the companies entered the US Army's Armored Gun System (AGS) competition with the design.[1] Since the tank never entered service, it did not receive an official designation. Alternative names for the Expeditionary Tank include the Teledyne Light Tank and the Slammer.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Freeman, Carl H. (1991). The Army Needs a Strategic Armored Gun System—Now!. U.S. Army War College Carlisle Barracks.
  2. ^ a b c d Cullen, Tony, & Foss, Christopher F. (Eds.). (1993). Jane's Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems. Janes Information Group.
  3. ^ Nichols, Nick. (May 1988). Tanks for Tomorrow. Popular Mechanics, 165(5), 68–71.