M8 Thunderbolt II

The M8 Thunderbolt II is a tier 9 Light Tank‏‎ originating from the United States, and is sold by Marat Shishkin. It can be unlocked with a tier 9 Unlock Token, and unlocks a tier 10 Unlock Token, which can be used on the PL-01, T-15 HIFV, T-14 Armata, and FV4034 Challenger 2 ATDU.

Features

 * Invisible movement: motion does not reduce camouflage factor.
 * HESH: can even penetrate armor with large hit angles.
 * Modern APFSDSs : are very effective against ERA

Player recommendations
The second of the two M8 series vehicles, the M8 Thunderbolt lacks an armor upgrade kit, leaving its armor values equal to a stock M8 Buford. But with a larger caliber gun, the Thunderbolt trades in rapid firepower for more alpha and penetration, allowing for a harder first hit on a target. It relies on mobility, view range, and camo rating to survive, instead of armor protection.

Pros

 * Very good penetration
 * Good mobility
 * Excellent accuracy and rate of fire

Cons

 * Minimal armor
 * Large target

Upgrade suggestions
The DDC 8V92TA Diesel Engine will improve freedom of movement around the battlefield, making rapid hit and run tactics easier. The Improved Gun Stabilizer and Improved Autoloader, along with the various ammunition upgrades, will increase the effective lethality, and upgrading to the Rapid-fire Smoke Launchers Mk.2 will decrease effective incoming damage. Upgrading to the Improved Tracks will also improve movement across the battlefield.

Retrofit suggestions

 * Improved Gun Breech
 * Advanced Muzzle Reference System
 * Electro-Optical Absorbing Paint
 * Augmented Optics

Commander and crew skill suggestions

 * Commander: Sabrina Washington, for improvements to camo rating, view range, and accuracy
 * Driver: Smooth Ride, Off-Road Driving
 * Gunner: Quick Draw, Sharpshooter

History
Class: Light Tank (Prototype) Developed: 1992-1996 Service: N/A Vehicles Built: 6 Operators: N/A From the 1970s to the 1990s, the standard light tank of the U.S. Army was the M551 Sheridan. Although it performed reasonably well in the conflicts it took part in; the Sheridan was not the most successful American vehicle ever developed. Its protection level was very poor, and it suffered mechanical issues early on. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that, starting in the late 1970s, the U.S. military was actively looking to purchase another such light vehicle to replace the rapidly aging Sheridan. This was especially true for the U.S. Airborne forces (82nd Airborne Division), which was in need of light, mobile, and air-transportable firepower. Throughout the 1980s a number of light tank prototypes appeared as parts of the Armored Gun System program, but none have been as successful as the XM8. The XM8 was designed by FMC as part of the abovementioned Armored Gun System program to replace the M551. The main goal of the project was to provide the U.S. Army with a vehicle with sufficient firepower and the ability to withstand artillery shrapnel impacts and infantry-operated anti-tank weapon fire. Arguably the most important feature, however, was the ability to deploy such a vehicle by the means of low-velocity airdrop from a C-130 or a C-17 in order for the vehicle to be attached to the 82nd Airborne. To make the vehicle suitable for multiple types of operations, the XM8 could be configured with three possible armor options that influenced the vehicle’s weight but increased the protection. The vehicle was armed with an experimental, automatically loading Watervliet M35 105mm low recoil gun in its FMC-developed turret. The FCS was based on a Raytheon system developed for the LAV-105. The vehicle was generally well-designed, but military budget cuts of the 1990s proved to be its undoing. The vehicle contract was initially assigned to FMC, and six prototypes were built and tested. All of them reportedly still exist in various states of disrepair. In September of 1993, FMC presented the vehicle to the military, and there were plans to produce 297 vehicles from 1997 onwards, but the project was ultimately canceled in 1996.