MBT-X Series Tanks

MBT-X Series Tanks
Main Battle Tank
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Production History
Service History
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MBT-X Tigris Tank Series

Generation One

The MBT-X family/series of armored combat vehicles (tanks) is a long-running family of ground combatants manufactured by the defense contractor Mechani Military Industries (MMI) and related companies in the Mechani Union, her allies, and her business partners.

The series' origins date back to the mid-2040s during the modern MU's first real military modernization and arms procurement program, when urgent tenders for main battle tanks, IFVs, and other ground combatant vehicles were put out in the wake of PAKT's rise to global dominance. The early Union began entering into defensive pacts with her allies Solaria, Tekkia, and eventually the rest of early KATO, thus creating a need for armored vehicles.

In the winter of 2047-48 MMI's engineers prototyped and tested the first vehicle, the MBT-133 (MBT-X1 in later, revised nomenclature) Tigris, and submitted it for adoption by the Army in early 2048. The design proved popular and was rapidly adopted by the Army and Marines, where it saw service in both domestic forces and in KATO security operations internationally, followed by the efforts to secure areas of central Kolus in the Granderian War.

The most combat the tank saw outside of MU service was in the Zoke-Sovie War, where despite helping win the war it ultimately was outpaced by the wild successes of the lighter armored and unarmored vehicles of domestic Zokesian production and Mechani export in use in the conflict.

Generation Two

Eventually, as the decades dragged on the the tank began to age, and a new-build successor to it was adopted- the MBT-X2 Tigris II. This model featured enhanced armor protection, a better, lower-profile hull design, and added ATGM launchers in the form of TOW missiles. Additionally, like with the original Tigris, the Tigris II featured a rear-opening internal passenger bay for hauling fireteams of infantry and engineers in combat.

This model proved successful for a time, but was ultimately replaced by the third-gen model, the Tigris III, due to rapid armored vehicle tech developments internationally and internal shifts in doctrine.

Around this time the nation of Krome began to field Tigris tanks through export sales.

Generation Three

The third-gen tank, coded MBT-X3 Tigris III, was a major upgrade from previous designs. Featuring enhanced armor protection, a revised hull and chassis plan, and replacement of the old and ineffective TOW missile ATGMs with modern AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, the Tigris III became the standard armored vehicle of all Mechani forces in terrestrial combat, and saw expanded use by several allied nations. Additionally, the Tigris III also saw a "commander" variant produced for the lead tank in armored convoys, the Tigris III-K, which replaced one of the two independent .50 BMG coax guns with a 30mm autocannon turret.

One fact of note is that the Tigris III is the longest-serving tank in the MU's history, seeing mobilization in both the Great Kerbin War, Kroman Conflicts (the latter ones), the "Great Crusade" (KATO mobilization) and likely other conflicts due to the use of the vehicle by foreign buyers.

Generation Four

The fourth-generation of the Tigris tank series came about in the mid-2090s, following a heavy robotics technology revolution worldwide.

With the advent of reliable, inexpensive heavy robotics tech came about a radical shift in possible tank designs, and the engineers at MMI soon got to work prototyping new designs for armor that make use of the possibilities unlocked by robotics.

The outcome of this corporate program was the MBT-X4 Tigris IV and Tigris IV-B (the latter model using a different 120mm cannon+turret combo) and an IFV derivative of the chassis, the IFV-X4 Silverback. These tanks are radically different from conventional armored vehicles in that they have an advanced robotically-actuated suspension system spread across 4 'mandibles', each with two motorized joint actuators that provide both ride dampening for a smoother driving experience- but also the ability for the tank to convert itself into a quadrupedal walker mech if need be, something that military planners rapidly grew interested in, leading to the design's formal adoption in certain Army armored units.

-Variants and Specifications-

There are four core entries in the series, in addition to variants and derivatives of some of the later models of the tanks:

1. MBT-X1 Tigris (MBT-1.3.3.A1 Tigris):
   

   The Tigris prototype model photographed for KITE 2049, an international arms expo.
   This tank is the first in the series, and came in two variants: a preproduction prototype with a double-barreled cannon (o/u config) and TOWs, and the production model version with a single 120mm cannon in the turret. Secondary armament is twin dual-.50 BMG machine gun turrets at the front of the tank. The rear of the tank features a prominent troop carrying bay.
2. MBT-X2 Tigris II:The Tigris II features several changes from the original MBT, to the point of being a whole new tank from a technical standpoint. It still features a rear troop bay, a 120mm gun, and twin dual-barrel .50s, but also now carries TOW missiles and a lasing system for said missiles on the production model.
3. MBT-X3 Tigris III:
   

   Tigris III-K Commander variant
   The third-gen Tigris tank is by far the longest-serving and most widely known model of the vehicle, featuring a yet-again newly designed and built chassis retaining the core features of the previous models while improving armor protection and updating the vehicle for modern combat. The 120mm gun, .50 BMG MGs, and ATGM launchers are retained, while the ATGMs themselves are Hellfires instead of TOWs. A "-K" model for Commander tanks was also made with an added 30mm autocannon turret.
4. MBT-X4 Tigris IV:The Tigris IV has 3 variants- the core model, the "B" model (utilizing an alternate turret system and 120mm cannon with a faster autoloader but slightly worse optical sights), and an IFV derived from the tank, the IFV-X4 Silverback.

Tigris IV base model

The base model is a 4-'mandible' mecha tank with a centrally-mounted 120mm cannon on its chassis and twin 30mm autocannons for coaxial guns. Additionally, it features a full FLIR targeting system for its ATGM launch rails, which by default are loaded with Hellfires.

Tigris IV-B model

The "B" model uses a 'T-90' turret in place of the traditional 'M1' 120mm cannon turret; the differences being turret design and the autoloader and optics in the T-90 being faster and different than the M1 respectively. The Silverback is an IFV conversion of the chassis featuring a 30mm Millennium Cannon auto-turret in place of the central 120mm gun and turret, resulting in a lighter vehicle with greater anti-air capability.

IFV-X4 Silverback

All of the 'X4'-model vehicles feature the ability to 'walk' on their mandible 'leg' segments when in rough terrain, to avoid obstacles, or gain height for shooting over cover.

The series will likely continue to see service in the Mechani/Solani military as well as those allied to the nation and those who have purchased the tanks through export sales programs.