Do you want modern or WWII numbers on that!
All this thread is gross OFF TOPIC and in any moment Mod will be right behind us…
Look at todays figures !
Lancer44
Australian Armoured MBT’s:
90 Leopard 1
59 M1A1 Abrams ( Replacement for Leopard 1 )
Splitted into a new thread.
Foot sloggers indeed!
Yeah well. Where are a small country.
No offence Hiddenrug, we live in the same country. Do you think such “strong” armoured force can play any role in defending continent roughly the size of Europe?
Leopards 1 are junk now.
The most funny story about them I heard a few years ago, when Liberal government decided to move regiment from Holsworthy, (Sydney area), to Northern Territory.
The saying was that, Armoured Regiment will face possible threat from the North; stationed in Sydney Australian tanks could at best expect penguins invasion from Antarctica.
Leopard 1, solidly built by Germans with all experiences of winter conditions in Russia, have excellent heating system but air-conditioning for tropical conditions was rather poor… Not a big problem in NSW - the worst heat around Xmas time is a holiday period and Leopards had a holidays too in their Holsworthy garages.
On NT, however heat started to affect crews…
Canberra urgently ordered improved air-conditioning units but as a stop gap measure, to improve situation provided … umbrellas.
Very nice, colourful umbrellas, about 10m in diameter…
I guess they were visible not only from the satellites, but from the other side of the Moon!
59 Abrams is a formidable force…
Look here:
http://www.army-technology.com/projects/leopard/
Just a few figures about recent purchases of Leopards 2, will give you an idea, that Australian soldiers, with all due respect to their professionalism and perhaps best in the world training in jungle warfare, are indeed the “foot sloggers”, when we talk about armoured forces of the world.
"The successor to the Leopard 1, the Leopard 2, was first produced in 1979 and is in service with the armies of Austria, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Spain, with over 3,200 produced. The Finnish Army is buying 124 and the Polish Army 128 used Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany. In August 2005, Greece placed an order for 183 used Leopard 2A4 and 150 Leopard 1A5 tanks from German Army reserves. In November 2005, an agreement was signed for the sale of 298 German army Leopard 2A4 tanks to Turkey. Deliveries are planned for early 2006-07.
The Leopard 2A6 includes a longer L55 gun, an auxiliary engine, improved mine protection and an air-conditioning system. The German Army is upgrading 225 2A5 tanks to 2A6 configuration, the first of which was delivered in March 2001. The Royal Netherlands Army has ordered the upgrade of 180 of its 2A5 tanks to 2A6 configuration, the first of which entered service in February 2003. In March 2003, the Hellenic Army of Greece ordered 170 Leopard 2 HEL (a version of the 2A6EX) for delivery between 2006 and 2009.
Spain has ordered 219 Leopard 2E (a version of the 2A6 with greater armour protection), 16 recovery tanks (CREC) and 4 training vehicles. The first 30 are being built by KMW and the rest are being license-built in Spain by General Dynamics, Santa Barbara Sistemas (GDSBS). The first tank was handed over to the Spanish Army in June 2004 and deliveries should complete in 2008.
Another variant is the Leopard 2(S), which has a new command and control system and new passive armour system. 120 Leopard 2(S) have been delivered to the Swedish Army. Deliveries concluded in March 2002."
Cheers,
Lancer44
Australia needs fast, quick strike weapons, to protect all of the outback, right?
Interesting you’ve chosen the M1A2, not exactly a petrol-miser. I assume it the newer MTU diesel version?
Hi Nickdfresh!
Mate, you made me rolling on the floor!
I just can add that because Mel Gibson is no longer needed in Hollywood, Canberra should think about employing him to protect the outback!
Oooo, pity that with this new skin I don’t have emoticons!
I have another good one - because brains in Canberra moved Aussie Leos to terrain which is … ehm… say … not very hospitable… ehm… for tanks - say frankly - they friggin, can’t move around… so they received sort of …ehm … way of moving …ehm… to be able to move… LOL
It’s sort of protecting them… so they will not sunk in the mangroves and marshes… which are hardly visible on maps in Canberra “back room boffins” offices… LOL
Cheers,
Lancer44
On a more serious side, I have read that Australia has sought increased mobility for their forces due to the vast expanses of the country, such as purchasing LAVs.
If any enemy gets ashore, Australia is royally screwed. The size or otherwise of the land forces is irrelevant in this case - because all the plausible enemies are massively bigger and more powerful. Hence the reason for all the spending on items like JORN, the Collins class and the like.
The Australian army is and always has been an expeditionary force, to defend Australia on the far frontier - be that Iraq, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam, East Timor, etc. Tanks are useful in that scenario - c.f. the use of Centurions in Vietnam.
Yes but we call them ASLAVs