Aethoo (Tank)
The Aethoo is a next-generation Axdelian main battle tank jointly designed and built by National Ballistics and ARMS (now known as Sentinel-ARMS). It was built to be the successor of the Taurus 2 and 3 tanks, as part of a 2010 defence mandate for a platform to mount the new 130mm L/51 ETC gun by ARMS, and was expected to enter service from 2025 onwards. However, the outbreak of the Auroran-Pacific War led to the project being given a higher priority, with the initial date being 2020, though later being pushed back to 2021 due to development problems. Production of the 1A variant began in late 2020, with the first 15 tanks entering service in the Axdel Armed Forces in February 2021. International procurement interest during development lead to the creation of the 1AE export variant mounting a conventional 130mm cannon in the turret instead of an ETC gun.
Aethoo MBT | |
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Type | Main battle tank |
Place of origin | Axdel |
Service history | |
In service | 1A: 2021-present |
Used by | Axdel Nauxos |
Production history | |
Designer | National Ballistics |
Manufacturer | National Ballistics Sentinel-ARMS |
Produced | 1A: 2021-present 1AE: 2022-present |
Number built | 1A: 184, 500 planned 1AE: 30, 80 planned |
Specifications | |
Weight | 68 metric tons |
Length | 11.5 m |
Width | 4 m |
Height | 2.25 m (3 m including RWS) |
Crew | 3 (commander, gunner, and driver) |
Armor | 'Bex 2' classified Composite armour with NERA and ERA components and the 'Enul' combination soft-kill/hard-kill active protection system |
Main armament | 1A: ARMS L/51 autoloaded 130mm smoothbore ETC gun (40 rounds) |
Secondary armament | 12.7 mm RWS machine gun 7.62mm Coaxial machine gun |
Engine | 12-cylinder Twin-Turbo Hybrid Diesel 1600 hp (1200 kW) |
Power/weight | 1A: 23.5 hp/ton |
Transmission | Alleni HDG X-1600-30 Hybrid drive |
Suspension | All-arm terrain-adaptive hydropneumatic suspension |
Operational range | 525 km (road) |
Speed | 75 km/h (road) 52 km/h (cross country) |
A number of technical faults with the engine and thermal imaging equipment during combat trials have been reported which have led to delays in production whilst the issues are resolved. Despite this, the Axdel armed forces have negotiated the terms of an additional long-term order of 500 total tanks by around 2027 with provisions for the eventual replacement of the Taurus 3 by later variants. In 2024 long term use also revealed issues with the longevity and reliability of the plasma ignition system in the 1A's main gun.