Referenz-Foto CD "M113 RATAC-ABRA"

Photo CD with reference photos for the military / vehicle enthusiasts and modellers.
Overall views and details from all areas of vehicle.
73 photos in JPG format (playable in any standard PC with CD drive and many current DVD players)

The M113 ABRA is a tracked, armoured artillery observation radar system of the Bundeswehr, designed for battlefield surveillance, target acquisition and target location under all weather and lighting conditions. The first ABRA systems were created between 1976 and 1978, when 62 M113 chassis were equipped with the Franco-German RATAC radar. During the 1990s, this was followed by the significantly modernised and more capable RATAC-S version, with 35 vehicles upgraded to this standard. At the heart of the system is the radar antenna mounted on a telescopic mast that can be raised to approximately six metres; during movement, the antenna is stowed inside a characteristic protective housing on the vehicle roof. RATAC-S operates on the pulse-Doppler principle and can automatically monitor sectors of roughly 28 to 140 degrees. Depending on target size, detection ranges extend from about 14 kilometres for individual personnel, through 24 to 30 kilometres for vehicles, to around 38 kilometres for larger vehicle columns. Artillery projectiles and low-flying helicopters can also be detected or tracked. The acquired target data is processed inside the vehicle and passed on for fire-control purposes or to artillery command posts.
The vehicles remaining in service were also extensively modernised under the Nutzungsdauerverlängerung 2 (NDV 2) service-life extension programme. This included, among other changes, installation of a new MTU diesel engine rated at 220 kW (300 hp) as well as revised driving, steering and braking systems, allowing the increasingly heavy specialised vehicle to remain safely operable. The ABRA has a combat weight of around 13.2 tonnes, a top speed of approximately 62 km/h and a road range of roughly 620 to 650 kilometres. The crew consists of four soldiers; for self-defence, the vehicle is equipped with a 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun and a smoke grenade discharger system. A separate 1.9 kW auxiliary generator mounted at the rear provides independent electrical power for the radar system.
The RATAC-S/ABRA differs significantly from a dedicated artillery locating radar such as COBRA. Its primary role is not to calculate the firing positions of hostile artillery from projectile trajectories, but rather to provide continuous surveillance of movement and activity across the battlefield. Typical tasks include monitoring flanks and areas with limited visibility, detecting and tracking moving ground targets, and observing the effects of friendly artillery fire. By combining the compact M113 tracked chassis, a high-elevation sensor mast and the capable RATAC-S radar, the system remained an important reconnaissance asset of the German artillery arm for many decades.