Panser Amfibi Canggih: Manuver Sejauh 12 Mil Laut, 560 Km Jangkauan di Darat
New Assault Vehicle which Can Take Marines from Ship to Shore
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
MARINIR Amerika Serikat (AS) akan segera memiliki senjata yang lebih modern menghadapi pertempuran dahsyat di laut maupun di darat.
Kontraktor pertahanan Amerika belum lama ini meluncurkan kendaraan tempur amfibi baru, yang dinamai ACV 1.1.
Hasil produksi gabungan dari BAE Systems dan IVECO Defence, berbobot 34 ton, mesin perang delapan roda memungkinkan pasukan Marinir berlayar dari kapal dan mencapai pantai, dan dapat meningkatkan kecepatan hingga 112 km per jam, menurut Fox News.
IVECO Pertahanan merupakan cabang dari IVECO, anak perusahaan pertahanan dari produsen mobil Italia, Fiat.
Perusahaan Italia akan memproduksi komponen utama dari panser amfibi ini, namun pembangunan lambung dan perakitan akhir akan dilakukan di pabrik BAE di York, Pennsylvania, menurut Breaking Defence.
Marinir AS menginginkan ACV 1.1 untuk menggantikan armada panser amfibi yang mulai menjadi besi tua yang dahulu menjadi kekuatan selama masa perang.
Model-model terbaru akan memberi peluang bagi Marinir untuk manuver yang lebih baik di darat, sesuatu yang tidak mampu dilakukan secara efektif seperti yang ditunjukkan dalam perang daratan ini di Irak dan Afghanistan, menurut Breaking Defence.
Panser amfibi ACV 1.1 didukung mesin enam silinder baru dengan 700 tenaga kuda.
Panser amfibi dengan panjang hampir sembilan meter, lebar tiga meter dan tinggi 2,7 meter mampu mengangkut 16 prajurit, menurut Fox News.
Bagaimana kemampuan di laut?
Saat berada di perairan laut, akan mengawali misi tempur dari kapal dan 'berlayar' hingga sejauh 12 mil laut (22 km di darat), menurut Fox News.
Setelah mencapai pantai, panser amfibi dapat menempuh jarak hingga 400 km. Namun sesungguhnya jangkauan terjauhnya sekitar 560 km.
Menggabungkan pengalaman dari misi tempur marinir di Irak dan Afghanistan, panser amfibi ini menawarkan Marinir perlindungan maksimal dari bom dan ranjau darat.
BAE Systems berencana memproduksi hingga 16 prototipe kendaraan untuk menjalani uji coba. Apabila pihak Marinir AS puas, mereka dapat memesan lebih banyak model.
Pilihan lain yang sedang dipertimbangkan Korps Marinir AS adalah Terrex 1.
Pada 2020, Marinir AS berharap dapat didukung 200 kendaraan serbu amfibi model terbaru seperti dilansir MailOnline.
THE UNITED States Marine Corps will soon have a more modern weapon of warfare that will allow it to wreak havoc both at sea and on land.
An American defense contractor recently unveiled a new amphibious combat vehicle, the ACV 1.1.
Manufactured jointly by BAE Systems and IVECO Defence, the new 34-ton, eight-wheel drive vehicles allow the Marines to sail from ships and reach land, where it can accelerate to speeds of 70 miles per hour, according to Fox News.
IVECO Defence is a branch of IVECO, a defense subsidiary of Italian carmaker Fiat.
The Italian company will produce key components of the vehicle, but the construction of the hull and the final assembly will be done at BAE’s plant in York, Pennsylvania, according to Breaking Defense.
The Marines want the ACV 1.1 to replace its aging fleet of amphibious assault vehicles that were once a staple of its service during wartime.
The new models will enable the Marines to maneuver better on land, something that it did not do effectively as demonstrated in recent land wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Breaking Defense.
The ACV 1.1 features a new six-cylinder engine with 700 horsepower.
At 29 feet long, 10 feet wide, and nine feet high, it can carry up to 16 soldiers per unit, according to Fox News.
So how would it work?
While at sea, it could launch from a ship and ‘sail’ from up to 12 nautical miles, according to Fox News.
Once it reaches land, it could travel up to 250 miles. Its total range is approximately 350 miles.
Incorporating lessons from its service in Iraq and Afghanistan, the new models offer Marines more protection from explosives as well as mines.
BAE Systems is set to produce up to 16 prototypes of the vehicle to be tested. If the Marines are satisfied, they can order more models.
Another option that the corps is considering is the Terrex 1.
By 2020, the Marines hope to have 200 new amphibious assault vehicles in circulation.
