Still in service: AMX-13 light tank seen in action in Indonesia

The high cost of developing and producing "fresh" models of military equipment forces the armies of even developed countries to operate outdated products, which have a service life of several decades. However, against this background, stand out individual copies, which in the near future can be celebrated almost a hundredth anniversary.

So, in Indonesia, a French light tank AMX-13 was seen in service. In the photos posted on the Web, he appears in service with the 5th Cavalry Battalion. This armored unit is based in Palembang, is under the command of Regional Military Command II and is the only "cavalry" unit located in southern Sumatra.

The AMX-13, seen in company with the AMX-VCI armored personnel carrier, took part in a company-level tactical exercise.

This light tank was created by French developers in the second half of the 1940s. Having undergone numerous modernizations, it was mass-produced in 1952 - 1964 (in Argentina until 1985). Depending on the specific version, the tank had different main armament: 75-mm, 90-mm and 105-mm guns.

Comments

[pmkemcity]

And they say that thirteen is not a lucky number!

[Reviews]

Quote: pmkemcity

And they say that thirteen is not a lucky number!

This is what the fools say. For example, the Soyuz-T-13 crew saved the Salyut-7.

[Free wind]

The tank has fought a lot. Many people liked the automatic loader very much. True, the tower had to be made, to put it mildly, the original, the vertical aiming angles are small. But he was considered a very reliable kid, with the firepower of an adult tank. Actually now they again come to the light tank.

[Serg koma]

Quote: Free Wind

Actually now they again come to the light tank.

Well forgotten old ...

On July 19, 1943, in the battles for the village of Izotovo on the outskirts of the Zolotarevo station, Trubin destroyed two anti-tank guns with well-aimed shots and suppressed the enemy's mortar battery. In the same battle, a light Soviet T-70 tank, commanded by Trubin, armed with a 45 mm cannon, attacked German heavy tank T-VI ("tiger") with an 88-mm cannon and destroyed it.

Surely everyone knows the case of the destruction of German "Panthers" by a light tank T-70.
The assessment of Bogdanov's light tanks is still relevant today.

During the war, Lieutenant General Semyon Ilyich Bogdanov, the future Marshal of the Armored Forces, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, commander of the Second Guards Tank Army, gave a high assessment of the T-70 during the war. He objected to the discontinuation of the T-70, and believed that light tanks, due to their high speed and maneuverability, perfectly perform the task of pursuing the enemy, and their large losses occur from the illiterate use of light tanks in battle, and not at all from their design flaws.

[Yurahip]

So, as I understand it, he flunked a T-45 heavy tank from a 70mm T-6 cannon?

[Serg koma]

tank T-70, under the command of Sergeant Trubin, along with another T-70, unexpectedly fell into an ambush, the arrangement of 3 !!! German tanks T-VI "Tirg". The second tank was instantly knocked out. Trubin on his T-70, taking advantage of the maneuverability of his tank, realizing that he simply would not be allowed to retreat, attacked !!! 3 German Tigers .... Going "on board" - knocked out 1 Tiger !!! 2 others, seeing this alignment (the T-70 went "into the side" of another, fired several shots, but could not "break through" the side), fled from the battlefield ... Moscow (in Gorky Park), at an exhibition of damaged and captured German equipment!

[mark1]

Quote: Serg Koma

Surely everyone knows the case of the destruction of German "Panthers" by a light tank T-70.

But not everyone knows the case of the destruction of the Kirovets K-700 by the Zaporozhets ZAZ 965. When the tractor left the road on the side of the road, it was attacked by the Zaporozhets hitting the front wheel. Result - "Kirovets" on its side, "humpback" bounced off the wheel slightly hitting the face. He won, however.

[Lopatov]

Quote: Free Wind

Actually now they again come to the light tank.

To the middle, "Harimau" (aka "Kaplan MT") developed jointly with Turkey.

And they do not "come", Indonesia has constantly used the light AMX-13. And also a number of Soviet PT-76 and British "Scorpions"
Only recently did they decide to raise rates and purchase normal MBT, 103 Leopard-2, two modifications

[Far B]

The fighters for the independence of Indonesian Papuan should not attack the army with spears in a bastard, so a tank of the 50-60s of the last century is quite a wunderwaffle

[Dikson]

Exactly so .. I read about the case there, when the natives of one of the islands killed the military with bows, who were trying to protect the builders of the bridge and the road between two remote villages in the jungle ... Well, the inhabitants did not get along with each other .. and shot both the military and the builders. .. from bows ...

[The leader of the Redskins]

Thank you for message. I thought he was only in museums, but he remained in private collections.

[A. Privalov]

As you know, prior to 1967, relations between Israel and the United States were very tense. Israel bought weapons from France in the 50s and 60s. Accordingly, AMX-13 of various modifications fought both during the Suez Crisis and during the Six Day War. By the way, this model was also in service with the Arab armies of those years. However, there is a light tank, there is a light tank and the Israelis got rid of it at the first opportunity.

[APASUS]

There you should still have M113, also the oldest invention.

[A. Privalov]

Quote: APASUS

There you should still have M113, also the oldest invention.

The fact is that part of the US arms and military equipment is transferred to Israel free of charge under the Excess Defense Articles. The program allows the United States to dispose of used equipment, the disposal and further use of which in the United States is associated with high costs. So, "Zelda" is here, in a bunch of different modifications. When a more powerful diesel engine was installed instead of a gasoline engine, the booking was significantly increased. It is easy to maintain and manage. Although, by and large, this is almost antiques, with correct and skillful use, it will still serve and will serve.

[pmkemcity]

Quote: A. Privalov

However, there is a light tank, there is a light tank and the Israelis got rid of it at the first opportunity.

For a long time, maybe even in deep childhood, I read the article "Should a Tank Be on the Battlefield". It was there that the conclusions reached by the Israelis were analyzed - the light AMX-13 in battle showed much less mobility than the heavy "Centurion", because it was forced to constantly seek cover. By the way, a little earlier, the Red Army came to the same conclusion, where the Thirty-fours ousted light tanks even from reconnaissance, which could not destroy a weak enemy, or bind a strong one in battle.

[Yurahip]

He's also very visible in World of Tanks!

[kebeskin]

The main thing is not to stand near your base in the bushes. And then the ally may not understand.

[pmkemcity]

Quote: Avis

For example, the Soyuz-T-13 crew saved the Salyut-7

So I say, Apollo 13 flew the same fun ...

[Reviews]

Quote: pmkemcity

Quote: Avis

For example, the Soyuz-T-13 crew saved the Salyut-7

So I say, Apollo 13 flew the same fun ...

I would not be happy, would not come back.

[Grei]

Recently, there has been a general trend towards the development of light tanks or tank destroyers on a wheeled chassis. And here is a completely run-in technique, proven. And personally, I see no reason why such a technique should not be upgraded and used further. This type of equipment was developed for specific tasks and conditions (airlifting by aircraft, sea) or for a specific theater of military operations. In South Africa, in general, they have long been puzzled by this problem, since there is a problem with weak soils and there is no possibility to use full-size (heavy) military equipment and tanks.