XM247 Sergeant York

The XM247 Sergeant York is a tier 5 premium armored fighting vehicle originating from United States. It can be obtained from Last Patriot Battle Path campaign.

Features

 * Auto Cannon Only : vehicle is armed with an auto cannon only.
 * PELE : good penetration potential and can deal major damage to crew and internal modules.

History
Class: Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun Developed: 1978-1985 Service: 1981-1985 Vehicles Built: 65 Operators: USA The XM247 Sergeant York stands today as one of the most infamous armored vehicle development programs in the history of the U.S. Army. In the beginning, there was the U.S. Army need to have an armored self-propelled anti-aircraft gun that would be able to accompany mechanized American units and provide protection against enemy helicopters and low-flying attack planes. This requirement eventually led to a program called DIVAD. Several companies applied to develop such a self-propelled gun, including Ford, General Dynamics, General Electric, Raytheon and Sperry. In 1978, two most promising designs, General Dynamics’ XM246 and Ford’s XM247, were declared the winners of the program. Ford’s design was originally named the Gunfighter and was, like the other DIVAD designs, built on an M48A5 chassis. It was armed with two 40mm L/70 Bofors guns with a combined rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute. These weapons were both a blessing and a curse. On the downside, they were quite old and obsolete. On the upside, this meant that not only were they tried and true and the U.S. forces were familiar with them, but also the fact that ammunition was readily available. Both guns were installed in a large, boxy two-man steel turret and targeted by a radar system derived from the Westinghouse radar used in the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets. Both companies received a contract for two prototypes each on January 13, 1978, and were delivered until July 1980. At that point, they underwent several rounds of extensive testing, including their participation in actual army training exercises and mock battles. The tests were, however, rigged and the XM247 prototype won in 1981 despite suffering from many problems. It subsequently received an official name “Sergeant York” after one of the most famous and most decorated American soldiers of the Great War, Alvin C. York. The production was launched in 1982, beginning one of the truly infamous chapters in the U.S. military history. The program was mired in corruption, result falsification and bribery. It quickly became a national scandal after several leaks indicating that the vehicle could not even properly target helicopters. In one widely cited instance, its on-board FCS aimed at a nearby spinning latrine fan instead of the intended helicopter target. As a result of a major U.S. Department of Justice investigation, the program was terminated in 1985. 65 vehicles were built between 1982 and 1985. The U.S. Army, eager to quickly sweep this embarrassment under the rug, turned most of them into gunnery range targets. Several still exist today.