SOURCE: AFI
The Cockerill 3105 turret, developed by John Cockerill Defense, is a modular and lethality-focused weapon system designed to equip modern armored vehicles. Currently integrated into the DRDO’s Zorawar Light Main Battle Tank, developed with Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the 3105 turret offers a potent combination of firepower, crew protection, and advanced technology.
The Cockerill 3105 prioritizes reliability and efficiency. It utilizes mature, in-production components, minimizing technical risks and accelerating deployment timelines for combat vehicles.
The turret boasts a suite of advanced targeting and fire control systems. Integrated target acquisition sights allow for rapid threat identification, while the proprietary fire control system ensures accurate engagement at the maximum effective range of the armament.
The 3105 turret features a highly reliable autoloader system, significantly reducing the need for manual ammunition resupply. This allows crews to remain focused on combat operations for extended periods. Additionally, the turret offers a high main gun ready round capacity, further contributing to sustained firepower.
The main gun’s impressive elevation capability of +42 degrees provides a crucial advantage in urban environments. This allows crews to engage threats positioned on upper floors of buildings, offering greater flexibility and effectiveness in close-quarter combat situations.
Technical Specifications
- Vehicle Integration: Compatible with both wheeled and tracked chassis.
- Turret Construction: Welded ballistic aluminium for a balance of weight and protection.
- Crew: 2 crew members (commander and gunner)
- Main Armament: Cockerill® 105mm High Pressure (HP) Gun (NATO Standard)
- Secondary Armament: Options include a 7.62mm co-axial machine gun, a pintle-mounted machine gun (7.62mm, 12.7mm), or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
- Ammunition Loading: Auto-loader with a capacity of 12-16 rounds.
- Anti-Tank Capability: Can integrate turret-launched anti-tank guided weapon systems.
- External Situational Awareness: 360° coverage provided by external cameras.
- Gun Elevation: -10° to +42° for a wide range of firing positions.
- Traverse Rate: D 10,000°/sec, R 6,000°/sec, I 3,300°/sec (where D indicates the maximum traverse speed, R is the acceleration rate, and I is the deceleration rate).
- Ballistic Protection: Up to Level 5 of STANAG 4569 ballistic protection standard.
- Additional Protection Features:
- 8 smoke grenade launchers for laying smoke screens.
- Optional integration of Active Protection Systems (APS) for defense against incoming projectiles.
- Anti-sniper detection systems for enhanced crew awareness.
- Driver Alert System (DAS) to monitor driver fatigue.
- Fire Fighting System (FFS) for extinguishing onboard fires.
- Laser Warning Device (LWD) to detect laser targeting.
- Sights: Identical commander and gunner sights with hunter-killer capability, stabilized dual-axis day/night sights for all-weather operation.
- Modern Features:
- Support for hunter-killer mission profiles.
- Integrated co-axial machine gun.
- Compatibility with various sights from multiple manufacturers.
- Designed with soldier ergonomics in mind.
- Electric turret drives for smooth operation.
- Compartmentalized ammunition storage for safety.
- Precision fire control system for accurate targeting.
- Intuitive Man-Machine Interface (MMI) for ease of use.
- High probability of hit for effective combat performance.
- “Steel on Target” philosophy for swift target engagement.