The Vickers Main Battle Tank series was created with export customers in mind. It was soon discovered that foreign operators of the Centurion would find its successor - the Chieftain - too expensive to procure and effectively too expensive to maintain. As such, the Vickers company began work on a cost-effective export design to secure those future orders. As it turned out, India was in the market for a full-service, new main battle tank to add to its armories. This match would secure orders and license production for years to come.
The Vickers series of tanks were highly conventional. They were fielded with the tried and proven L7 105mm rifled main gun with a ranging 12.7mm (.50 caliber) machine gun along with some of the internal components already found in the Chieftain series. The result was a capable tank produced in number locally and abroad.
The Vickers was seen in two Mark series that included the Mk 1 and the upgraded Mk 3. The Mk 2 was never put into production. The Mk 3 series varied from the Mk 1 in that a new Leyland 60 powerplant was fitted along with a welded-turret construction. The production of the Vickers tank produced several variants utilizing a similar chassis that included the VABV bridgelayer counterpart and an armored recovery vehicle. A further interesting variant of note is the 155mm self-propelled howitzer that can be converted from the MBT.
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Specifications
BAE Systems Land Systems - UK / Avadi Company - India Manufacturer(s)
ENGINEERING
Onboard systems provide solutions to accomplish a variety of battlefield engineering tasks.
MAIN BATTLE TANK
Primary armored ground combat unit of modern armies utilizing speed, protection, and / or firepower to spearhead armored assaults.
Frontline Asset
Frontline unit used to take direct part in forward operating actions against enemy positions / targets.
TANK-VS-TANK
Engage armored vehicles of similar form and function.
32.1 ft (9.78 meters) Length
10.4 ft (3.16 meters) Width
10.1 ft (3.09 meters) Height
85,319 lb (38,700 kg) Weight
42.7 tons (Medium-class) Tonnage
1 x Detroit Diesel 12V-71T turbocharged diesel-fueled engine developing 720 horsepower at 2,500 rpm driving conventional track-and-wheel arrangement. Drive System
31 mph (50 kph) Road Speed
304 miles (490 km) Road Range
1 x 105mm main gun in turret.
1 x 7.62mm co-axial machine gun in turret.
1 x 7.62mm Anti-Aircraft (AA) machine gun at commander's cupola on turret roof.
1 x 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) for ranging.
12 x Smoke Grenade Dischargers on turret.
AMMUNITION
50 x 105mm projectiles.
700 x 12.7mm ammunition.
2,400 x 7.62mm ammunition.
12 x Smoke Grenades.
Vickers VMBT Mk 1 - Initial Production Model Series
Vickers VMBT Mk 1 "Vijayanta" - Indian Production Model.
Vickers VMBT Mk 2 - Never produced.
Vickers VMBT Mk 3 - Upgraded Production Model Series; fitted with Leyland L60 powerplant and constructed with a welded turret.
Vickers VABV - Armored Bridgelayer
Vickers ARV - Armored Recovery Vehicle
Vickers MBT 155mm - Self-Propelled Howitzer
"Vijayanta" - Local Indian production of Vickers Mk 1; introduced in 1965.
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