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High Survivability Test Vehicle - Lightweight - HSTV-L

The HIMAG test bed was followed by the construction of the High Survivability Test Vehicle - Lightweight, or HSTV-L. The HSTVL was a "concept" or test vehicle of advanced systems and armor. It had a turbine engine of around 900 hp, a governed top speed of 60, VERY special aluminum armor, a 75mm gun that fired Hyper-Velocity rounds in 3 round bursts, and hydraulic suspension.

The turret was designed to be full of rounds and the auto-loader with around 150 to 175 rounds, but the Army insisted on a TC, which slashed the ammo capacity to less than 66 rounds, which would be only 23 engagements. It was very compact and would be a difficult target to hit. Users called this vehicle "Tweaky" because the show "Buck Rogers In The 25th Century" was somewhat popular at the time. Buck had a little sidekick robot named "Tweaky" in the show.

The HSTV(L) prototype was completed in 1980. It used the same 75mm main gun and autoloader as the HIMAG in a very low profile turret. The gunner and driver were located in the front of the hull and had driving controls with semi-reclined seating positions.

This 21 ton test bed mounted a 75MM medium caliber anti-armor automatic cannon, The HSTV-L was developed to allow the Armor & Engineer Board to test a lightweight system (capable of being atrategically or tactically transported in C-141B or C-130) which combined all the features necessary to make it an effective anti-aruor assault or defensive system. Results of HSTV-L testing were combined with HIMAG teaLs and used in future lightweight system requirements such as the Mobile Protected Gun System Program.

This test bed vehicle was intended to complement the HIMAG test bed by incorporating additional features that could not be included in the latter. The HSTV-L also came to be regarded, albeit incorrectly, as a prototype for the Mobile Protected Weapon System (MPWS) required by the US Marine Corps. As a prototype the HSTV-L left much to be desired, but as test bed it served a useful purpose and it demonstrated at least one possible solution to the Army's and the Marine Corps' need for a lightweight combat vehicle with an effective gun.

HSTV-L was a a test bed that closely resembled, from the crew's point of view, a lightweight armored combat vehicle of the type that might be fielded by the Army or Marine Corps. HSTV-L testing wase more operational than engineering. It would test the ability of two and three man crews to perform their tests in a variety of environments, examine the contribution to target servicing of a hunter-killer fire control system, and gather engineering data peculiar to a lighter welght vehicle (16-20 tons) than HIMAG.

HSTV-L also experienced delays in development, though not so severe as HIMAG. Delays in hardware and instrumentation availability were not been unexpected. Uncertainties and risks are associated with any high technology endeavor. The challenge was to accept them early enough to be able to deal with them. This is better than pursuing a "success only" philosophy that ultimately results in a succession of "fire brigade" actions and a magnified effect on schedules and resources. This problem highlighted the need for early candid sincerity on the part of all participants. government and contractor alike, rather than merely assuring results and pronouncing forecasts derived through rose-colored glasses.

Three maio objectives in the High Survivability vehicle -Lightweight (HSTV-L) program were: (1) Evaluate the feasibility of utilizing a highvelocity, kinetic energy, medium caliber antiarmor automatic cannon (MC-AAAC) on a lightweight chassis and determine the optimum configuration, (2) determine the best weapon/fire control/chassis combination for offensive and defensive roles and overall system survivability, and (3) determine appropriate actions to be taken by the US Army and USMC regarding the future development of lightweight combat High Survivability Test Vehicle vehicles.

The HSTV-L was a full track, lightweight armored combat test vehicle operated by a three-man crew consisting of the ccnmander, gunner, and driver. The vehicle is powered by a 650-hp gas turbine engine coupled through a special gear box to an X-300 transmission. A fixed hydropneumatic suspension with improved T138 track is used.

The main weapon integrated in the HSTV-L is a cleft turret-mounted 75mm high-velocity automatic cannon. The fire control system gunner's primary sight and a hunter sight capable of rotating 360° continuously, independent of turret rotation. Each sight has forward-looking infrared (FLIR) capability. A C02 laser rangefinder is integrated into the gunner's primary sight. The fire control system computer provided the appropriate signals to drive the stabilization system. The HSTV-L instrumentation system has the capability to simultaneously record 96 separate data channels.

The vehicle did not enter service but was further developed in to the RDF/LT.