Hmmm...I wonder about doing some remote controlled T-55s
I had considered UGV mods to UA T-55s for the
Automatons on Parade GB but ended up going with
Leopard 1 mods instead - what with all those turretless
Leo 1s laying around in Belgian storage sheds
Here, I've veered off on to an entirely different angle. To wit: After the ultimate defeat of 'Z Force', UA begins preparing for any potential 'Round 3' with RU.
To make up for wartime attrition and to expand the ZSU's war-proven SPAAG fleet, Kyiv buys up as many stored
Gepard turrets as are available. As German stocks thin, [1] Kyiv turns to stored Dutch and Belgian
Gepard turrets. While German turrets go onto available
Leopard 1 hulls, the Dutch and Belgian turrets are mounted on adapted T-72 hulls. [2]
Гепард 72 - An Eastern 'Cheetah'When not positioned to defend Ukraine's cities and infrastructure,
Hepard 72s are deployed with non-
Leopard-based armoured formations. The
Hepard 72s' Dutch and Belgian turrets are identical to the German type but differ in radar types. This is deemed acceptable until Kyiv's budget permits a fleet-wide modernization of radar - both search and tracking types. Until then, the T-72-based
hollands'ki harmaty will continue to use their obsolescing Signaal sensors.
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[1] Rather belatedly, BAAINBw Koblenz realized that stored
Gepard turrets could be easily mounted on the
Bundeswehr's older and un-updated
Leopard 2 hulls - the
Gepard/
Leo 1 and
Leo 2 having exactly the same turret ring diameters.
[2] The T-72 has a somewhat larger turret ring than the
Gepard/
Leopard, which necessitated the fitted of adapter discs sized for the
Leopard turret race.
