The VCA-155 (Vehículo de combate de Artillería, Artillery Combat Vehicle) is a self-propelled 155 mm gun/howitzer, manufactured by TAMSE (Tanque Argentino Mediano Sociedad del Estado) which entered service in the late 1990s.[1]

TAM VCA
TAM VCA in Buenos Aires
TypeSelf-propelled artillery
Place of originArgentina
Production history
No. built17
Specifications
Mass40 t
Length10.33 m (33 ft 11 in)
Width3.31 m (10 ft 10 in)
Height3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
Crew5

Caliber155 mm (6.1 in)

Main
armament
Oto Melara "Palmaria" L41 155 mm (6.1 in) howitzer
Secondary
armament
1× 7.62 mm (0.3 in) machine gun
8× smoke dischargers
EngineMTU-MB 833 Ka-500 6-cylinder 22.4 L (1,370 cu in) diesel
540 kW (720 hp)
SuspensionTorsion bar
Ground clearance0.45 m
Operational
range
470 km (290 mi)
Maximum speed 60 km/h (37 mph)

Description

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It uses a TAP chassis (Tanque Argentino Pesado, Argentine Heavy Tank), an abandoned project derived from the TAM (Tanque Argentino Mediano, Argentine Medium Tank). It weighs 40 tonnes, and has 7 rolling wheels.

It has a 155-mm howitzer "Palmaria" turret of Italian origin. It has a vehicular communications equipment SEM 180 and 193, which allows voice communication (within and outside the vehicle), but also operates in digital form.

In total, 17 units were built.[citation needed]

Usage

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SPG TAM VCA Palmaria 155mm; Argentine Army exhibition; May 2008.

In conjunction with the VCCDT (Vehiculo de Combate Centro de Direccion de Tiro - Combat Vehicle, Fire Control Centre) it makes up a modern system of artillery weapons. It also operates an integrated system for artillery fire campaign called "TRUENO", which enables it to direct artillery fire in an automated mode.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ "TAM VCA 155-mm Self-Propelled Howitzer". Military-Today.com. Retrieved 2022-08-20.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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