AAD 2018: Olifant Mk2 vehicle mobility demonstration

Olifant Main Battle Tank Mk2 in service with the South African Army as shown at AAD 2018 mobility demonstration.
Video: Patrick Allen, Jane's by IHS Markit

[@IonoTheFanatics]

Centurion... more than 60 years on.... and still lives on in this form with modern parts. if that's not a testament of a great tank, i don't know what is

[@IonoTheFanatics]

i don't know about that, latest model M1A2 SEP2, or Leopard 2A6 and A7? yeah, that will be a problem for Olifant Mk2 though that wasn't the intended opponent. but the older model? like M1A1 or older? Leopard 2A1 to A3 and upgraded M60? I'd favor the Olifant Mk2 in those cases given Olifant Mk2 have CITV, and a system similar to BMS, which effectively gives the tank soft capability roughly analogous to M1A2.

[@raytheron]

None of South Africa's potential African enemies are armed with those tanks. Mk 1 and 1A Olifants saw action in the Border War in Namibia and Angola and frequently destroyed the FAPLA/MPLA/Cuban T-55s with their locally produced 105mm GT3B canon (L7), which gave a bigger and more accurate punch than the Centurion Mk5A’s 84mm. With the present ANC government in power and the exceedingly low possibility of any armed conflict, the Mk 2 is quite sufficient for the SANDF's requirements.

[@IonoTheFanatics]

to be fair, the 105mm shouldn't have a problem with T-72 unless it's the latest version like T-72B3M which even the Russian army don't have in large number on service (but will be now that T-14 is no longer going to be produced in large number) Only the latest T-72 like that model is equipped with CITV and thus would be at least in theory as capable to Olifant Mk2 in actually finding the target first (assuming the thermal sensor is as good)... which in tank combat is usually the most important factor.

[@IonoTheFanatics]

@eddie money With the ammunition available in the 80s, that might have some merit. Though the idiocy of most ppl is thinking that tanks are about having bigger and longer guns and thicker armor... it's amazing how little ppl realize that what matters the most in tank to tank combat is neither. But i digress, we aren't living in the 80s, we happen to live in a time where DM63 APFSDS or also known as the M426 in it's original form is... pretty common. Sure that'll still have trouble against more up to date tanks... But against T-72s? in it's old configuration? I don't think you quite understand just what that'll do to most tanks that isn't equipped with modern composite armor package. And all T-72s now have superior system to Oliphant? MOST T-72 used currently by Russian army DOESN'T EVEN HAVE panoramic sight for the commander or an independent sight unit for him. no seriously, one of the most basic equipment to modern tank... and only the most recent upgrade to T-72 have it, of which most Russian tanks are still in the process of upgrading towards. Similarly, only the more recent upgrade for T-72 (the T-72B3) provide the commander with gun override control, EVERY SINGLE T-72 prior to it... had none, like a WW2 tank. So superior to Oliphant? don't make me laugh, unless you are saying that other T-72 users have better T-72 than Russia's own army.

[@IonoTheFanatics]

@eddie money Perhaps you should tell the US Marines that when they wasted Iraqis T-72 in the 90s with their antique M-60s which were armed with... you guessed it... 105mm... Seems they didn't get your memo... The US Marines incidentally lost a grand total of 1 M60 to the Iraqis tank and their T-72s... that 1 M60 was lost to anti tank mine of all things... And guess what... 105mm ATGM are available as well... but with the DM63, they'll have no trouble punching through T-72 FRONTALLY unless they face a later upgrade version like T-72B or T-72B3... Even then, they still outclass the T-72 thermal sight and ballistic computer (which were crude even by Russian standard until the late upgrade) and none of them have commander independent sight until T-72B4 which even the Russian army are still upgrading towards.

[@murtazamir8706]

@0:55 ,Dat gun depression though?? damn

[@davequinn2369]

Love the commentary.

[@jonny2954]

Supa Kicker.

[@VladislavDrac]

"Why are you gay?"

[@dragonbutt]

Still one of the cooler MBTs in use today.

[@MSkallywagg]

Nice looking Tank

[@butchlester1]

So tell me who designed and built this wonderful “piece of metal”

[@nemo_5450]

Well, South Africa's been under the embargo for almost 30 years, what else would you expect them to do other than making the most of the available technology?

[@Rzymek85]

Seeing what the other countries there have, this is enough especially since the main fighting power of the army are IFVs there

[@jonny2954]

Somehow the shape reminds me of Object 195.

[@asiftalpur3758]

Pov: you're a war thunder player

[@willyct207]

VINTAGE TIN!!!!!

[@eatdriveplay]

That giant commander's E/O will be a nice sniper/sharpshooter target to be destroyed. LOL.

[@fabriciuslan]

That is not how we use tanks in South Africa, it will be difficult to get a shot.

[@eatdriveplay]

@@fabriciuslan it all depends on the terrain and enemy. Whether there’s concealment and well trained snipers. Maybe not quite the way for your terrain...but in many other situations the sights will be a super easy target.

[@fabriciuslan]

@@eatdriveplay lol you haven't fought in the African bush, with sandf tactics Right? Now can you shoot the commander, yes, but your chance is very slim.

[@eatdriveplay]

@@fabriciuslan if your enemy has drones and ATGM, helicopters with ATGM, your old tanks will have no chance.

[@fabriciuslan]

@@eatdriveplay You are still trying to fight in the rest of the world. The African bush is vast and flat, with very little long range view. All tanks are vulnerable to helicopters and ATGM so I do not get the point there. You were talking about snipers in the beginning? Did you know nuclear weapons will take them out too?

[@niravramdarie9898]

We need new tanks. If we get new tanks I hope it's the abrams tank used by the USA

[@thomasmacdonough288]

I dunno... Export model Abrams are kinda bad, they lack the composite armor of the US versions. The spaced armor on an export Abrams cannot stop an RPG, something the Olifant can do. Plus, armor on the Olifant is easily replaceable. I don't see the point of replacing something with another tank that is arguably worse.

[@niravramdarie9898]

@@thomasmacdonough288. Well at least replace it with a more modern tank if not the abrams than what about the challenger 2e or the leopard 2a6.

[@thomasmacdonough288]

SADF just ordered 200 armored cars from Finland anyway.

[@niravramdarie9898]

@@thomasmacdonough288 which ones? What are they called?

[@thomasmacdonough288]

@@niravramdarie9898 Patria AMV, an IFV that can be used for fire support or as an armored infantry carrier.

[@Ade-mu4zn]

🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@Ade-mu4zn]

🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩

[@smw1279]

pretty impressive for a 80 year old tank

[@sandisobuqa4875]

SANDF must buy Germany leopard this is old we need new weapons

[@JAG8691]

You have excellent taste but the Leopard 2 is about 6 Million $ per unit,the SANDF cannot afford to aquire a MBT of that category.

[@sandisobuqa4875]

@@JAG8691 they must increase the military budget, then we buy 20 each and every year go and look Egyptian army

[@JAG8691]

@@sandisobuqa4875 The Egyptian army receives about 1 Billion $ annually from the USA? Unless we shift allegiance to the USA I don't see the PRC giving us that kind of financial assistance to build up our Army and in this post - COVID 19 Economic Re-Set that is about to happen I don't think that the World recession and in some countries even Depression will allow an expanded Military Budget especially in a Country like the RSA with a small Taxpayer base and Very High unemployment level. We need to grow our Economy and expand our Taxpayer base so that our annual Budget for the Armed forces can be increased.

[@thomasmacdonough288]

SADF doesn't even need MBTs. It's not like a world super power is going to invade. Plus, they just ordered 200 vehicles from Finland.

[@murlocification]

@@JAG8691 totally agree, with $6 million (just over R100 mil) you can build a top rated School to educated the young people of south africa. For the price of 10 of these tanks you could build a University to rival any in South Africa. Wasting money on a Tank that will just cost you more money in upkeep and depreciate in value over time would be a total waste. Rather invest that money in our future and get a bigger portion of South Africa to work and contribute to our GDP instead of just depleting it with social grants.

[@nosugarnocream8465]

Who needs such lemons with the invention of these anti tank weapons....better research on fast moving unmanned aerial vehicles who can act as tank killers as well

[@antoniovojvodic8374]

is this joke?

[@thomasmacdonough288]

No It's a tank clearly

[@Justin-fg2im]

Why does South Africa need an MBT? They sure could of used those back in the Angolan Bush War Lol

[@drossouw2218]

During the last phase of the Bush War they were used very successfully in Angola.

[@nibotkram7743]

Our Abrams will have no trouble with these tracked beer cans. Merica.

[@Bennyer]

Same as our Aussie Abram's.... Straya

[@gideonvanniekerk4252]

not meant to combat your tanks lol! This is Africa mate - so fak off 'Merica!

[@nibotkram7743]

If the South African government keeps appropriating private lands and violating human rights we might send an Abrams or two down there to straighten things out.

[@gideonvanniekerk4252]

nibot kram okay I understand...however, it is a touchy subject. I am a white Afrikaner and fully support the international attention that this subject is getting. However, many of these military machines were built in an era when our fathers were fighting communism in Angola. You can google the “Border War” for more information. We had (back then) one of the best militaries in terms of bush warfare and countering guerilla tactics. Anyway - what I am basically trying to say is that these machines are still close to our hearts.

[@matovicmmilan]

David Ross I would love to see that as well, and would also gladly provide SADF with mines, guided and non-guided AT launchers, MANPADs and even tanks and ifvs if they are willing to fight Murica!!!

[@antoniovojvodic8374]

Gun stabilization is shit