A v a l a n c h e

C o n t r o l ,

R e s c u e

a n d

E d u c a t i o n

MAJOR COMPONENTS

General:

The tank is divided into three sections.The front section
containsthedriver'scompartmentwithall controlsand
instruments necessary to drive the tank.The centersec-
tioncontainstheturretwhichhousesthecontrolsand
instruments used to traverse the turret, elevate anddepress
the main gun, sight and firethe main gun.The rear section
contains the engine, transmission,fuel tanks, and related
automotive equipment.

Turret:

The turret is operated by the gunner and loader.Manual
and power controls are provided foroperation of the gun
elevating and turret traversing system.The 105mm gun is
mounted to the 360-degree rotatable turret.

Sighting and Fire Control:

Two typesofsightingequipmentareprovidedtolayon
targets.The first type, called conventional, is used in day-
light.The second type is called passive.Passive sights or
tank thermal sights (TTS) electronically increasedim light
and are used fornight viewing.Also included is a laser
rangefinder to provide accuraterangedata for the ballistic
computer.The computerincreasesfirst-round-hitprob-
ability by compensatingfor the effectof gravity, drift, cross-
wind,horizontal target motion,altitude,air temperature,
gun wear, trunnion cant, and gun sight parallax.

Pre Authorization Planning

BeforepermissionwasgrantedbyDOTheadquartersa
meeting was heldwith state legislators andrepresentatives
on the feasibility of a tank foravalanche control and the
public perceptionof such a vehicle being heldby the DOT.

It was first thought avalanchecontrol was going to run
up and down the road blasting away as we went.(Not a
good impression on the public.)However,afterexplain-
ing the tank would be placed at a fixed site,at the latest
possible moment in the Fall, usedfrom this site during the
winter,and removed the first possible time in the Spring,
they now understood the project.
Duringthissametimeconcernswhetherthevehicle
would operate with ourenvironmental factors were also
voiced.Inanticipation ofsuch questionswe askedper-
sonnel whohadeither workedon or werepart of tank crews
in cold regions,ifthe vehicle would operate in a snowy
winter type condition. They describedto usthat thevehicle
andgunwouldperformtoourstandar dsinthese
conditions, however they did express a good maintenance
programwouldenhancethereliabilityofthegunand
vehicle.
Breakingdowntheseproblems,andaddressingeach
concern in a maintenanceplan, we felt a vehicle could be
brought into top shape over time, our operatingconditions
would be very easy on components.The tank would not
maneuver in rough dustyterrain driving 7 miles in the Fall
and 7 in the Spring, on paved highways and under cover
during off seasons.
Asotherequipmentbreaks,TACOMhasgranted per-
mission to cannibalize 30 tanks slated fortargets.Wecan
have anything that can be removed priorto hauling them
down range.A finite amount of parts but enough to keep
usinstockformanyyears.Engines andtransmissions
continue to be used in a bridge layer still in production, so
packswillbeavailableforyearstocome,howeverthey
may have to be bought at market price of $100,000.00 per
unit.

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