×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
COLD WAR VEHICLES
X-TANKS
Land Systems / Battlefield

AAI Rapid Deployment Force / Light Tank (RDF / LT)


Light Tank Prototype / Pilot Vehicle [ 1980 ]



The Rapid Deployment Force / Light Tank concept was developed by AAI Corportation for possible consideration for a new US Army light tank specification.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/24/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
In 1980, the Soviet Empire still remained the enemy of the day for America and her allies. As such, World War 3 would most likely focus in Europe and, like World War 2, rely heavily on mass armor formations fighting for control of key positions. Despite the advent of nuclear weapons, it would most likely remain a conventional war fought with conventional equipment utilizing the latest in technologies. One key ingredient in such a conflict would be rapid response and fluid mobility of forward operating forces and, to this end, the US Army sought to field a lightweight tank that was air-transportable and made ready within minutes of disembarking. This gave rise to the Rapid Deployment Force/Light Tank (RDF/LT) specification requirement of 1980.

In response, AAI Corporation began private development of a light tank hopeful of US Army interest. The initial 14.5-ton (Short) pilot vehicle was given a 76mm main gun in a two-man turret with a complete crew of three - a driver in the front hull and commander and gunner in the compact turret assembly. The main gun sported a double-baffled muzzle brake while 76mm shells were housed at the floor at the front-right of the hull. The engine was situated conventionally at the rear of the design. AAI also developed a modular powerpack arrangement in which repair/replacement could be quickly made through use of extendable rails at the engine compartment - providing the needed access. This prototype was the first of several related prototype vehicles intended for the RDF/LT requirement.

A subsequent prototype featured the all-new, in-house-designed, high-velocity 75mm M32 cannon which utilized "caseless" ammunition along with burst firing. The caseless aspect allowed single-piece ammunition to be used and spent casings could be ejected from the hull to avoid build-up. The burst-firing quality was born of the thinking that the gun would ensure proper penetration of all existing Soviet armor by landing (in succession) five 75mm projectiles in a single area. AAI also promoted the M32 as a dual-purpose gun in that, when elevated, the system could be used to counter low-flying aircraft as in a self-propelled Anti-Aircraft (AA) system.

It was this second pilot vehicle that was then evolved to appear in three distinct forms all, centering around the rapid-fire 75mm gun. The first vehicle was crewed by three through a two-man turret while the second broke free of this design initiative and was completed with an unmanned turret, the (now-reduced) crew of two residing in the hull in a side-by-side seating arrangement. Each position was granted an access hatch with accompanying vision blocks. This allowed not only allowed for a lower profile and compact design but also lightened overall weight to an extent. The third proposed firm was similar in most respects to the second with the exception of the twin four-shot Stinger surface-to-air, short-ranged missile systems added to either side of the main gun to further strengthen the tank in the anti-aircraft role.

AAI designed their RDF/LT to compete with the latest light tank offerings and promoted a firing-on-the-move capability, high mobility (with low profile), some amphibious capability and a high velocity main gun firing fin-stabilized projectiles. Additionally, portability was key to the vehicle and two units could be stowed (in tandem) within the fuselage of a single Lockheed C-130H Hercules transport.©MilitaryFactory.com
Outwardly, the RDF/LT featured a very clean, somewhat futuristic design profile for the time. The glacis plate was well-sloped leading up to the two crew hatches at the hull roof. The engine was seated in a rear compartment i the usual way with the turret, managing the main armament, fitted to the middle of the design and rotated about on a circular platform. The main gun overhung the hull and was given an unobstructed, 360-degree firing angle. Running gear included five double-tired road wheels to a track side with the drive sprocket at rear and the track idler at front - the track link system itself borrowed from the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier. A folding support assembly was fitted to the hull front to lock the main gun when in travel configuration.

Internally, the commander and gunner were both afforded an M32 sighting device while the gunner's position also held a laser rangefinder for added precision. A thermal vision sighting component was proposed as optional as was a digital Fire Control System (FCS) utilizing the AN/VSG-2 series sight, the AN/GVS-5 laser rangefinder and a digital ballistics computer. Onboard communications was accomplished through an AN/VRC 43 set while electrical power was served through six coupled 12-volt batteries outputting 24vdc.

Power was to be served through a Detroit Diesel 6V53T turbocharged diesel-fueled engine of 350 horsepower mated to an Allison Cross Drive X-200 transmission. The chassis was suspended atop a torsion bar arrangement for the required cross-country travel. The RDF/LT was listed with a top road speed of 40 miles per hour on ideal surfaces and an operational (cruising) range of 310 miles depending on operating environment. Additionally, the basic hull design could ford up to 40 inches of open water and ground clearance measured a serviceable 20 inches.

Primary armament was the M32 76mm high velocity main gun cleared to fire APFSDS (Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized, Discarding Sabot), HE (High-Explosive) and Smoke rounds from a stable of 50 projectiles held in the forward hull. The turret offered +22 elevation and -10 depression while relying on hydraulic power as standard and manual power for emergency backup. Secondary armament was a 7.62mm M240 coaxial machine gun afforded 2,600 rounds of ammunition which could be used as a fall-back ranging device or against enemy infantry positions.

Despite the impressive scope of the AAI Corporation RDF/LT, the US Army failed to show strong interest in the design principally due to the fact that the Army required its future light tank to field the same standardized main gun then in circulation for logistical friendliness. In this fashion, the new tank would be able to utilized the full stable of existing American tank ordnance available.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



AAI Corporation - USA
Manufacturer(s)
United States (cancelled)
Operators National flag of the United States
1980
Service Year
United States
National Origin
Cancelled
Project Status
2
Crew
4
Units


ANTI-AIRCRAFT / AIRSPACE DENIAL
Base model or variant can be used to search, track, and neutralize airborne elements at range.
INFANTRY SUPPORT
Support allied ground forces through weapons, inherent capabilities, and / or onboard systems.
TANK-VS-TANK
Engage armored vehicles of similar form and function.


TRACK-AND-WHEEL
Vehicle utilizes a track-and-wheel arrangement to provide enhanced cross-country travel capability.
TRAVERSABLE MAIN ARMAMENT
Armament is situated in a traversing component, allowing for all-around engagement of enemy threats regardless of the vehicle's facing.
RECOIL ENHANCEMENT
Main weapon has an integral recoil mechanism, allowing the system to remain trained-on-target after firing.
ON-THE-MOVE FIRING
A modern quality, onboard systems provide accuracy to primary armament allowing for firing on-the-move.
AUTOLOADER
The main gun system includes an autoloading feature that reduces the crew commitment.
CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVERSAL
Design includes such features as a track-link system or high ground clearance to better traverse offroad.
ANGLED ARMOR FACINGS
Angled armor at key facings adds inherent ballistics protection to the vehicle.
SHALLOW GLACIS PLATE
The shallow design of the glacis plate provides the vehicle with inherent ballistics protection as well as contributes to a lower overall profile - making it more difficult to disable.
CBRN PROTECTION
Crew is provided (either as standard or optional) protection against Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear agents for enhanced survivability in contaminated zones.
SMOKE SCREEN
Vehicle has capability to self-generate a smoke screen, either through launched grenades or built-in engine funtion (raw fuel injection).
NIGHT VISION
Crew has access to night-vision equipment, allowing for low-light or night time operations.
ANTI-AIRCRAFT / AIR-DEFENSE
System is given an anti-aircraft defense component to protect itself from low-flying aerial threats at range.
ANTI-TANK
Onboard solution provides ability to neutralize armored or fortified targets at range through missile or penetrating ballistic weapons.
ANTI-INFANTRY
Vehicle features an in-built anti-infantry capability for local defense of the vehicle or general troop suppression.
INHERENT VERSATILITY
Vehicle's proven running gear and overall makeup lends itself well to fulfill other battlefield roles by way of specialized designs.


26.9 ft
(8.2 meters)
Length
8.2 ft
(2.5 meters)
Width
7.2 ft
(2.2 meters)
Height
32,628 lb
(14,800 kg)
Weight
16.3 tons
(Light-class)
Tonnage


1 x Detroit Diesel 6V53T turbocharged, diesel-fueled engine developing 350 horsepower driving conventional track-and-wheel arrangement.
Drive System
40 mph
(64 kph)
Road Speed
298 miles
(480 km)
Road Range


1 x 75mm M32 rapid-fire cannon with autoloader in turret.
1 x 7.62mm M240 co-axial machine gun in turret.
AMMUNITION
50 x 75mm projectiles.
2,600 x 7.62mm ammunition.


RDF/LT - Base Series Designation.
RDF/LT 1 - Initial prototype; two-man turret with crew of three fitting 76mm main gun.
RDF/LT 2 - Second prototype fitting 75mm M32 high velocity, rapid-fire main gun in two-man turret; crew of three.
RDF/LT 3 - Third proposed prototype; crew of two in hull; unmanned turret with autoloader.
RDF/LT 4 - Final proposed prototype; crew of two in hull; twin four-shot Stinger missile launchers added to turret.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Images



1 / 1
Image of the AAI Rapid Deployment Force / Light Tank (RDF / LT)
Image from the United States Army archives.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)