M247 Sergeant York

M247 Sergeant York

LandUsa
Role40 mm zelfrijdend luchtafweergeschut
Ontworpen1977–1985
Gebouwd50

Fotogalerij van een M247 Sergeant York, The M247 Sergeant York is gebaseerd op het M48A5 Patton medium tank chassis. Het wordt aangedreven door de Continental AVDS-1790-2D dieselmotor, die 750 pk ontwikkelt. De M247 is uitgerust met volledig gestabiliseerde dubbele 40-mm Bofors luchtafweergeschut. Deze kanonnen hebben de vuursnelheid verbeterd. Voertuig kan nauwkeurig vuren tijdens het rijden. De M247 vuurt HE- en HE-FRAG-rondes af op luchtdoelen en AP-rondes op gepantserde voertuigen. In totaal worden er 580 rondes gedragen. Het herladen duurt minder dan 15 minuten.

Bron: M247 op Wikipedia

M247 Sergeant York
FotograafUnknow
LokalisatieOnbewust
Foto 's93
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M247 Sergeant York Walk Around
FotograafCal Cochran
LokalisatieOnbewust
Foto 's47

Zie ook:

Tweede Wereldoorlog: de definitieve visuele geschiedenis van Blitzkrieg tot de atoombom (DK Definitive Visual Histories) - Amazon Kaart voor kaart van de Tweede Wereldoorlog (DK History Map by Map) - Amazon


The Shield that Never Stood

De M247 Sergeant York is one of the most famous “what-if” failures in US military history. Designed in the late 1970s to protect mechanized divisions from Soviet attack helicopters and jets, it combined an M48 Patton tank chassis with twin 40mm Bofors cannons and a radar system derived from the F-16 fighter. While it looked formidable, the project was plagued by technical glitches, massive cost overruns, and embarrassing performance during live-fire trials. It was ultimately canceled in 1985 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger after only 50 units were produced.

Attribute Technical Specification (M247)
Role Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG)
Bemanning 3 (Commander, Gunner, Driver)
Main Armament 2 × 40 mm Bofors L/70 autocannons
Chassis Modified M48A5 Patton tank hull
Radar System Westinghouse AN/APG-66 (Pulse-Doppler)
Rate of Fire 600 rounds per minute (combined)
Motor Continental AVDS-1790-2D V12 diesel (750 hp)
Status Project canceled in 1985

Design Engineering: Frankenstein’s Turret

  • The F-16 Radar Graft: To save money, Ford Aerospace used the AN/APG-66 radar from the F-16. However, a radar designed for the sky struggled to differentiate between low-flying helicopters and ground clutter (trees, hills, and even latrine fans).
  • Proximity Fuzed Ammo: The Sergeant York was intended to use advanced 40mm shells that didn’t need a direct hit; they would explode near a target to shred it with shrapnel. This made the 40mm Bofors far more lethal against agile helicopters than traditional “hit-to-kill” rounds.
  • Chassis Mismatch: Using the aging M48 Patton chassis was a double-edged sword. It was readily available, but it was much slower than the M1 Abrams and M2 Bradley it was supposed to protect, meaning the anti-aircraft shield would have been left behind in a fast-moving armored dash.
  • Turret Weight: The massive armored turret was so heavy that it strained the M48’s hydraulic traverse systems, leading to slow response times when trying to track high-speed jets.

A History of Trials and Errors

  • The “Latrine” Incident: During a high-profile demonstration for officials, the M247’s radar reportedly locked onto a spinning exhaust fan on a nearby latrine instead of the target drone, highlighting its inability to filter out ground interference.
  • Target Tracking Failures: In live-fire tests, the system struggled to hit targets that were moving even slightly, and in one infamous test, it reportedly aimed its guns at the reviewing stand where the brass was sitting.
  • The Legacy of Failure: The M247’s cancellation left the US Army without a heavy gun-based air defense system for decades. This gap was eventually filled by the M6 Linebacker (a Bradley with Stinger missiles) and later the M-SHORAD Stryker.
  • Museum Pieces: Almost all M247s were used as targets on firing ranges. Only a few survive today in museums, such as the Sgt. York at the Sargeant York State Historic Park in Tennessee.

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