ACEC Cobra, APC (Belgium)

History and Development

A fifth vehicle, a pre-production model called Cobra-41 was completed at ACEC's Ghent factory in October 1985. It incorporated a number of improvements to the earlier vehicles, such as a redistribution of equipment in the available space, a new driver's dashboard with a fault detection system, a new radio and intercom equipment from SA Philips and MBLE and an Engicom air unit 90 for NBC protection. Externally, it had full-pivot capability, two electrically driven hydrojets, a remote control trim vane, three bilge pumps, and a new RCDU machinegun module developed by FN Herstal. It was displayed at the Asian Defence Exhibition 86 at Kuala Lumpur. A sixth vehicle, a pre-production model named Cobra-42 was built in November 1987 and had a redesigned front hull for improved amphibious performance. The Cobra underwent trials in 1987 at the US Army's Tank Automotive Command in Detroit, Michigan. Test drivers, who were used to mechanical transmissions, commented that both performance and manoeuvrability were at least equal, if not superior to vehicles that had been recently fielded. It also took part in field-testing organised by the Directorate of Armament and Organisation in Abu Dhabi where the vehicle covered more than 2,000km in a variety of terrain conditions and an ambient temperature of 50°C.

An interesting feature of the Cobra was the electric transmission, which enabled the conventional mechanical transmission to be dispensed with. Power from the Cummins diesel engine was converted by a compact unit mounted on the engine and then transmitted to the electric motors by cables, which then drove the sprockets. This enabled the vehicle to be lighter and roomier than many of its contemporaries. ACEC also developed the electric transmission of the French Crotale low-altitude surface-to-air missile system used by a number of countries. While the ACEC Cobra generated a significant amount of interest, the vehicle never went into production or active service, a contributory factor being the end of the Cold War in 1989 / 1990.

The Vehicle

The turret was mounted in the centre of the roof to the rear of the engine and was armed with a 12.7mm (0.50in calibre) M2 HB machinegun. The weapon was mounted externally and fired electrically from within the turret. Turret traverse and elevation were controlled by electric motors. Mounted either side of the turret are three smoke-grenade launchers. The turret had a periscope sight in its forward part, a vision block on either side and a single-piece hatch cover opening to the rear. Other turrets could also have been fitted, such as the one-man Oerlikon-Buhrle GAD-AOA armed with a 20mm cannon.

The troop compartment was at the rear of the vehicle and the ten infantrymen entered and left by a large door in the hull rear hinged on the right with a single vision block. The ten infantrymen sat five to each side on bench seats that ran down either side of the hull. One of the infantrymen would normally man the 0.50in machinegun. A single-piece hatch that opened to the rear was on top of the troop compartment. Power from the Cummins diesel engine was converted by a flywheel-mounted generator fixed on the engine, transmitted by cables to the electric motors, which drove the sprockets at the rear of the vehicle. The suspension on either side consisted of five rubber-tyred road wheels, each supported by a helical spring, with the idler at the front and drive sprocket at the rear. There were four track return rollers and the first and last road wheel stations had a hydraulic shock absorber. The noiseless rubber tracks had steel links and rubber road pads.

The Cobra was fully amphibious without preparation, and propelled by electrically driven hydrojets mounted at the rear of the vehicle on each side of the door. By pushing the amphibious mode selector switch, the trim vane on the front of the hull could be raised automatically, bilge pumps switched on and the hydrojets activated. Optional equipment included an NBC system, night vision equipment and air-conditioning system.

Variants

• Cobra RCDU (essentially prototype number 4 with the FN designed self-defence turret armed with twin 7.62mm machineguns);
• Cobra LAU97 (a basic Cobra fitted with an FZ 70mm multiple rocket launcher);
• Cobra 120 (a basic Cobra fitted with a Thomson Brandt 120mm mortar firing to the rear);
• Cobra 90 (fitted with a new low-profile hull, a ACEC designed AK 90E electrically-operated turret armed with a MECAR KEnerga 90mm gun firing APFSDS ammunition, a traverse and elevation system that was being designed by Dunlop Aviation Division under a contract awarded in 1985);
• Cobra 25 (again, this would have been fitted with a low-profile hull and a two-man Cockerill C25 turret armed with a 25mm Oerlikon KBB cannon);
• Cobra Armoured Fighting Vehicle (fitted with the same automotive components as the APC but could have been fitted with a range of different turrets including a 90mm gun, either the MECAR weapon or a Cockerill Mk 7. This version could have had additional armour fitted to it, could ford to a depth of 1.1m and carried a floatation screen collapsed around the top of the hull. When erected, the vehicle would have been fully amphibious, propelled by its tracks).

Specifications (AFV in brackets)

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