Description:
The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer (FlakPz) Gepard is a twin 35mm caliber automatic gun turret mounted on the Leopard 1 chassis. It provides anti-aircraft fire against hostile aircraft in support of ground armored forces deployed in the battlefield. It was first deployed in the 1980s. In 1998, the German Army introduced the improved Gepard 1A2 variant featuring a new fully digital fire control system and enhanced sub-systems including GPS.
The Gepard consists of two MK 35 automatic 35mm turret-mounted guns, the guns cooling system, a search radar, a spot-tracker laser, the fire control system, and the high mobility Leopard 1 chassis. The search radar is coupled to an IFF system is capable of detecting, tracking and identifying flying targets at up to 15 kilometers. The 35mm projectiles are expelled at different speeds depending on ammunition type, for example: HE-T (1,175 m/s), HVAPDS-T (1,385 m/s) and FAPDS (1,400 m/s).
It accommodates a crew of three-man and more than 600 rounds of ammunition. Despite the Gepard 1 air defense system primary targets are low and medium altitude aircraft, the weapon can be employed against armored vehicles at ranges of 1,500 meters. Gepard 1A1 was reported to be capable of shooting down flying targets ranging 3,500 meters, but apparently the improved Gepard 1A2 rose this mark to 5,000 meters.
The Armies of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands ordered the Gepard anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) system to support their Leopard-based armored units. In the early 2000s, Germany sold around 10 Gepard mobile air defense systems to Romania, which became the fourth Gepard 1 operator.
Specifications Accommodation: Crew 3
Guns: Main Gun Caliber 35 mm
Number of Weapons: 640
Weights: Max Weight 46,030 kg (101,477 lb)
Performance: Main Gun Max Range 5,000 m (16,404 ft), Max Range 560 km (302 nm), Top Speed 17 mps (34 kt)
Belgium
Germany
Netherlands
Romania