Marconi Marksman 35mm SPAAG Turret
Marksman was an AA gun system developed by Marconi and is able to fit on to most tank chassis with minimal modification. The British "Marksman" double 35mm turret was is a general-purpose modular design product for foreign trade [rather than service with the British Army] which can be matched with a variety of chassis, such as T-55/59, M60\Abrams, Leopard 2, etc. Basically, all major mainstream tank chassis in the world can be matched. Marksman is a British short range air defense system developed by Marconi, consisting of a turret, a Marconi Series 400 radar and two Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm anti-aircraft autocannons. It is similar to the German Gepard system in terms of engine performance, ammunition carried and effective range of the ammunition.
Marksman is a British short range air defense system developed by Marconi, consisting of a turret, a Marconi Series 400 radar and two Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm anti-aircraft autocannons. It is similar to the German Gepard system in terms of engine performance, ammunition carried and effective range of the ammunition. The turret can be adapted to many basic tank chassis to create a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
In June 1985, the Marksman double 35mm anti-aircraft gun turret of Marconi Command and Control Systems was installed on the chassis of a tank for a firing test. Later, the turret was mounted on the body of the Challenger tank with a matching seat, and the installation time was 1h29mim. During the speed test, experimental tracking equipment was used, radar was also involved in the work, and the artillery stabilization system was tested. In the late summer of 1985, the second sharpshooter turret was installed on a Challenger tank hull for durability testing, which proved that the Challenger tank body was fully suitable for the use of the sharpshooter turret.
It is reported that China installed the British "Marksman" self-propelled anti-aircraft gun turret on the 59-type tank chassis around 1985 for testing. Although its price is relatively cheap, its performance is not essential to that of the 88-type dual 37mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. After some trade-offs, the plan to introduce the system was abandoned.
The Marksman twin 35mm antiaircraft gun turret system successfully "downed" a remotely piloted vehicle target during its first manned firing trials against airborne targets in 1995. These recent trials marked a key milestone in a very short and impressive development program. The Marksman, developed by Marconi Command and Control Systems, had progressed from its initial concept to full system firings against airborne targets in two years.
During these trials, the Marksman was fitted on a Centurion main battle tank (MBT) chassis, but it can easily and rapidly be retrofitted to any MBT. Plans include further firings on other tank hulls. The latest trials followed successful radar trials conducted in October 1984 against tactical aircraft flying low-level profiles and successful proof and endurance during trials conducted in November 1984.
The targets used during the current trials were the MATS-B remotely piloted target and a Polytronic towed sleeve target fitted with an acoustic miss distance indicator. The MATS-B targets are less than one-fourth the size of a typical ground attack fighter aircraft. The MATS-B was flown at low level over the sea, and full radar engagement from first detection to "ready to fire” was entirely automatic. The impact range was approximately 1.4 kilometers. Two rounds of the burst of 16 rounds directly hit the target which immediately went out of control and crashed. This was achieved using only training practice-tracer rounds with no high-explosive content.
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