Armoured personnel carrier

Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. They usually have only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), or mortars. They are not really designed to take part in a direct-fire battle, but to carry the troops to the battlefield safe from shrapnel and ambush. They may have wheels or tracks. Examples include the American M113 (tracked), the British FV 432 (tracked) the French VAB (wheeled) and the Soviet BTR (wheeled). Including:

• Armoured personnel carrier - History
• Armoured personnel carrier - Technology
• Armoured personnel carrier - The APC in action

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During World War I, when the tank was developed, the British Mark V tank was designed with a small passenger compartment to carry troops. By some definitions this can be considered the first armoured personnel carrier. The first specialised APC was the Mark IX of 1918. Often, APCs were simply armoured cars with the capacity for carrying troops, but they evolved into purpose-built vehicles to su ...

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Armoured personnel carrier, Armoured personnel carrier - History, Armoured personnel carrier - Technology, Armoured personnel carrier - The APC in action

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A tank is a tracked armoured fighting vehicle, designed primarily to engage enemy forces by the use of direct fire. A modern main battle tank is distinguished by its high level of firepower, mobility and armour protection relative to other vehicles of its era. It can cross comparatively rough terrain at high speeds, but requires extensive fuel, maintenance, and ammunition and thus is logistically demanding. It has the heaviest armour of any vehicle on the battlefield, and carries powerful weaponry, often at least manifested in the pre ...

Including:

• Tank - History
• Tank - World War One: the first tanks
• Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War
• Tank - The Cold War and beyond
• Tank - Design
• Tank - Weapons
• Tank - Fire control
• Tank - Ammunition
• Tank - Protection
• Tank - Armour
• Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences
• Tank - Countermeasures
• Tank - Exposed crew
• Tank - Mobility
• Tank - Water operations
• Tank - Power plants
• Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces
• Tank - Command control and communications
• Tank - Vulnerability
• Tank - Infantry
• Tank - Artillery
• Tank - Helicopters
• Tank - Mines
• Tank - Aircraft
• Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia - Tank

Police cars are usually normal cars which are upgraded with a police package provided by the manufacturer. The police package often modifies the car to be faster than ordinary vehicles, to be able to out-run vehicles driven by criminals in chases, and to enable fast responses during emergency situations. This is usually accomplished by adding a more powerful engine, high performance suspension, brakes, and tires, and heavy-duty transmission and cooling systems. Additional special equipment may include modified electrical wiring, inope ...

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Police car, Police car - Characteristics, Police car - Markings and paint schemes, Police car - Deterrence, Police car - Gallery

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Tank - World War One: the first tanks. Having already seen Rolls Royce armoured cars used by Royal Naval Air Service in 1914, and aware of schemes to create a tracked fighting vehicle, First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill sponsored the Landships Committee to oversee development of this new weapon. The first successful prototype tank, nicknamed Little Willie, was tested for the British Army on September 6, 1915. Although initially termed landships by the Admiralty, the initial vehicles were colloqu ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - History

The main battle tank is the most heavily armoured vehicle in modern armies. Its armour is designed to protect the vehicle and crew against a wide variety of threats. Commonly, protection against kinetic energy penetrators fired by other tanks is considered the most important. Tanks are also vulnerable to antitank guided missiles; antitank mines, larger bombs, and direct artillery hits, which can disable or destroy them. Tanks are especially vulnerable to airborne threats. Most modern MBTs do offer near complete protection from artillery frag ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Protection

Main article: tank gun The main weapon of any modern tank is a single large gun. Tank guns are among the largest-calibre weapons in use on land, with only a few artillery pieces being larger. Although the calibre has not changed substantially since the end of the Second World War, modern guns are technologically superior. The current common sizes are 120mm calibre for Western tanks and 125mm for Eastern (Soviet and Chinese legacy) tanks. Tank guns have been able to fire many types of rounds, but their ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Weapons

There are essentially two main aspects of mobility to consider, the tank's basic mobility such as its speed across terrain and ability to climb obstacles, and its overall battlefield mobility such as range, what bridges it can cross, and what transport vehicles can move it. Mobility of a tank is categorised as either Battlefield Mobility, Tactical Mobility, or Strategic Mobility. The first is a function of its engine performance and capability of its running gear and is determined by aspects such as acceleration, speed, vertical obstacle cap ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Mobility

Whilst being a tremendously powerful weapon and the undoubted king of the land battlefield, the tank is not invulnerable. In fact it is the tank's superiority which has focused so much effort on improving antitank weapons. Tank - Infantry. The tank is still vulnerable to infantry, especially in close country or built up areas. The armour and mobility of tanks, while usually notable assets, also makes them large and noisy. This can give enemy infantry the initiative, allowing them to spot, track and evade t ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Vulnerability

An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, equipped with protection against hostile attacks and often mounted weapons. Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged terrain. Armoured fighting vehicle - Types of AFVs. Tank (main battle tank, MBT) Armoured personnel carrier (APC) Infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) Assault gun Tank Destroyer Armoured car Self-propelled artillery Self-propelled anti-aircraft ...

Including:

• Armoured fighting vehicle - Types of AFVs

Read more here: » Armoured fighting vehicle: Encyclopedia - Armoured fighting vehicle

The three traditional factors determining a tank's effectiveness are its firepower, mobility and protection. The psychological effect on enemy soldiers of a tank's imposing battlefield presence is called shock action. Firepower is the ability of a tank to defeat a target. This takes into account the maximum distance at which targets can be engaged, the ability to engage moving targets, the speed with which multiple targets can be attacked, and the capability to defeat armoured v ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Design

Commanding and co-ordinating a tank organisation in the field has always been subject to particular problems. Because of the isolation of small units, individual vehicles, and even the crewmen of a tank, special arrangements have had to be made. Armoured bulkheads, engine noise, intervening terrain, dust, and smoke, and the need to operate "hatches down" (or "buttoned up") comprise severe detriments to communications. Every action of a tank's crew, movement and fire, is ordered by its commander. In some early tanks, the crew commander ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Command control and communications

Stationary tanks can be well camouflaged in woodland and forested areas where there is natural cover, making detection and attack from the air more difficult. By contrast, in the open it is very hard to hide a tank. In both cases, however, once a tank starts its engine or begins to move it can be detected much more easily due to the heat and noise generated by its engine. The tank tracks across lands can be spotted from the air, and in the desert movement can stir ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces

There has been much speculation as to how tanks will evolve for modern day conflicts. Current research involves making the tank invisible to radar by adapting stealth technologies originally designed for aircraft and a variety of luminosity and colour shaping technologies. Research is also ongoing in armour systems and new propulsion units. One clear trend is the increasing number of electrical and communication systems on a tank, such as thermal scopes and higher powered radios. If tank designs switched to electrical motors li ...

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Tank, Tank - History, Tank - World War One: the first tanks, Tank - 1920s to the end of Second World War, Tank - The Cold War and beyond, Tank - Design, Tank - Weapons, Tank - Fire control, Tank - Ammunition, Tank - Protection, Tank - Armour, Tank - Grenade launchers smoke and passive defences, Tank - Countermeasures, Tank - Exposed crew, Tank - Mobility, Tank - Water operations, Tank - Power plants, Tank - Sonic seismic and thermal traces, Tank - Command control and communications, Tank - Vulnerability, Tank - Infantry, Tank - Artillery, Tank - Helicopters, Tank - Mines, Tank - Aircraft, Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Read more here: » Tank: Encyclopedia II - Tank - The future of tanks through research and development

Ford Crown Victoria police car of the United States Federal Protective Service. 98% of North American police forces use the Crown Victoria. NYPD crown victoria Jeep Cherokee Irish Traffic Patrol Car Ford Mondeo Estate Irish Patrol Car A Hong Kong Police vehicle. Japanese Police car. Japanese Police van. A typical Tahoe PPV used in the United States. A London Metropolitan Police car. ...

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Police car, Police car - Characteristics, Police car - Markings and paint schemes, Police car - Deterrence, Police car - Gallery

Read more here: » Police car: Encyclopedia II - Police car - Gallery

The markings and paint schemes on police cars vary by country. North American police cars have a reputation for being painted black and white; usually the car doors and roof are painted white, while the trunk, hood, front fenders and rear quarter panels are painted black. However, in the United States, the paint scheme for each fleet is determined by each agency. Cars may range from being all white to com ...

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Police car, Police car - Characteristics, Police car - Markings and paint schemes, Police car - Deterrence, Police car - Gallery

Read more here: » Police car: Encyclopedia II - Police car - Markings and paint schemes

The Soviets modified the truncated cone turret used on the BTR-70 for the BTR-80 by redesigning the mantlet. This allows the 14.5-mm and coaxial 7.62-mm machine guns to be elevated to a maximum of 60 degrees. This high angle of fire is useful in engaging targets on steep mountainsides, such as those in Afghanistan. It may also give the BTR-80 increased air defense capability. The Soviets have also modified the design and positioning of the firings ports; the ports are now round, rather than tear-shaped, and have ball mounts similar to those used on the BMP. The forward firing ports now sit in angled recesses which allow the individual weapo ...

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BTR-80, BTR-80 - Description, BTR-80 - Capabilities, BTR-80 - Limitations, BTR-80 - Remarks, BTR-80 - Versions, BTR-80 - Users

Read more here: » BTR-80: Encyclopedia II - BTR-80 - Capabilities

The Mark I was a development of Little Willie, the experimental tank produced for the British Army by Lieutenant W. G. Wilson and William Tritton in 1915. Working on problems discovered with Willie, the Mark I was developed. Among these the fact that a gun turret above the hull would have put the centre of gravity too high, hence the guns were put in sponsons. The prototype Mark I was called "Mother". 150 were built. See history of the tank for a fuller story.

Mark I tank, Mark I tank - Mark I: Description, Mark I tank - Production History, Mark I tank - Variants, Mark I tank - Combat History

Read more here: » Mark I tank: Encyclopedia II - Mark I tank - Production History

Royal Netherlands Army - Armour. 110 Leopard 2A5/2A6 Main Battle Tank 1600 YPR-765 Armoured personnel carrier. Several versions: Armoured personnel carrier (APC), Anti-Tank, Command Post Vehicle, Reconnaissance, Engineering, Battle Damage Repair, Recovery (YPR806), Cargo, Battlefield Ambulance. The YPR-765 is internationally known under the name AIFV, which is a variant of the M113. APC version will be replaced by CV-90, see below, support versions will be replaced by versions of the FENNEK and Box ...

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Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Army - Structure of the Army, Royal Netherlands Army - Units of the Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Army - Cavalry, Royal Netherlands Army - Infantry, Royal Netherlands Army - Support Arms, Royal Netherlands Army - Services, Royal Netherlands Army - Army Reserve, Royal Netherlands Army - Equipment, Royal Netherlands Army - Armour, Royal Netherlands Army - Other Armoured Vehicles, Royal Netherlands Army - Other Vehicles, Royal Netherlands Army - Artillery, Royal Netherlands Army - Personal Weapons, Royal Netherlands Army - External link

Read more here: » Royal Netherlands Army: Encyclopedia II - Royal Netherlands Army - Equipment

Royal Netherlands Army - Armour. 180 Leopard 2A5/2A6 Main Battle Tank 1600 YPR-765 Armoured personnel carrier. Several versions: Armoured personnel carrier (APC), Anti-Tank, Command Post Vehicle, Reconnaissance, Engineering, Battle Damage Repair, Recovery (YPR806), Cargo, Battlefield Ambulance. APC version will be replaced by CV-90, see below, other versions will be replaced by versions of the FENNEK and also maybe the Boxer) 410 FENNEK Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle 90 Patria XA ...

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Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Army - Structure of the Army, Royal Netherlands Army - Units of the Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Army - Cavalry, Royal Netherlands Army - Infantry, Royal Netherlands Army - Support Arms, Royal Netherlands Army - Services, Royal Netherlands Army - Army Reserve, Royal Netherlands Army - Equipment, Royal Netherlands Army - Armour, Royal Netherlands Army - Other Armoured Vehicles, Royal Netherlands Army - Other Vehicles, Royal Netherlands Army - Artillery, Royal Netherlands Army - Personal Weapons, Royal Netherlands Army - External link

Read more here: » Royal Netherlands Army: Encyclopedia II - Royal Netherlands Army - Equipment