Difference between revisions of "Gepard"

From War Thunder Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Visual (beta)Wikitext
(Added text (except history))
(Restored text from old version of the wiki and adapted content into page. Edits to text with standardization of description starter and tables of info.)
Line 2: Line 2:
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''The '''Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard''' (aka Flakpanzer Gepard)'' is a German rank 6 SPAA in the standard tech tree, based on the Leopard 1 chassis. It possesses 2x35mm Oerlikon KDA cannons with 340 rounds each(680 in total, in 2 continuous belts of ammunition, one for each cannon). The Gepard is equipped with a radar, allowing it to detect and track aerial targets even when they are out of range of it's armament. In real life, the Gepard can track and calculate the lead necessary to effectively engage a target, represented in game by the ability to lock onto a target and display an arcade style lead indicator on the target when they are within effective range, a trait that all radar-guided SPAAs possess.
+
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 +
{{Break}}
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. An anti-aircraft vehicle based on the Leopard 1 chassis, it possesses 2x35mm Oerlikon KDA cannons with 340 rounds each (680 in total, in 2 continuous belts of ammunition, one for each cannon). As in real life, the Gepard is equipped with a radar that can track and calculate the lead necessary to effectively engage a target. This is represented in game by the ability to lock onto a target and display an arcade style lead indicator on the target when they are within effective range, a trait that all radar-guided SPAAs possess. This allows the 35 mm cannons, which have a tendency to cripple enemy plane and helicopters alike with a hit, to maximize its damage potential.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
Common among almost all SPAAs, the Gepard's armor can only withstand heavy machine guns and aircraft cannons and such, even other SPAAs and light tanks will pose a threat. Having 30mm of armor at it's thickest point, in the game, the Gepard can be hull broken by shells of a caliber of 75mm and higher.
+
Common among almost all SPAAs, the Gepard's armor can only withstand heavy machine guns and aircraft cannons and such, even other SPAAs and light tanks will pose a threat. Having 30mm of armor at its thickest point, in the game, the Gepard can be hull broken by shells of a caliber of 75mm and higher.
−
[[File:Shot 2019.02.17 12.49.23.jpg|thumb]]
+
 
−
The Gepard has a crew of 3, consisting of a gunner, a commander and a driver with the first 2 residing in the turret and the third in the hull. The ammunition is stored in it's entirety in the turret basket, below the crew; in practice, the Gepard is rarely ammo racked, and most often it is your crew that will be knocked out or the tank being burned down by chemical munitions fired from enemy aircraft that it faces, such as helicopters and jet attack aircraft which are both a threat and a tricky target.
+
[[File:X-RayImage TopView Gepard.jpg|thumb]]
 +
 
 +
The Gepard has a crew of 3, consisting of a gunner, a commander and a driver with the first 2 residing in the turret and the third in the hull. The ammunition is stored in its entirety in the turret basket, below the crew; in practice, the Gepard is rarely ammo racked, and most often it is your crew that will be knocked out or the tank being burned down by chemical munitions fired from enemy aircraft that it faces, such as helicopters and jet attack aircraft which are both a threat and a tricky target.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 30 (59°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 30 mm (48°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> || 25 mm (40-41°) ''Top'' <br> 20 mm ''Lower'' || 20 mm (6°) ''Top'' <br> 20 mm (49°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm ''Driver/Co-driver port area'' <br> 15 mm ''Everywhere else''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 25 mm (1-30°) || 20 mm ''Turret side'' <br> 10 mm ''Cannon mounts'' || 20 mm (3°) || 15 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
Having the chassis of the Leopard 1, the Gepard is almost identical in mobility to the rank 5 MBT, posessing the same engine power (734HP stock;830HP fully upgraded), making it useful at capturing zones and getting out of harm's way.
+
Having the chassis of the Leopard 1, the Gepard is almost identical in mobility to the rank 5 MBT, possessing the same engine power (734HP stock;830HP fully upgraded), making it useful at capturing zones and getting out of harm's way.
  
−
It's top speed is 57km/h forward and 22km/h backwards, with acceleration time and neutral steering speed depending on the installed modules
+
Its top speed is 57km/h forward and 22km/h backwards, with acceleration time and neutral steering speed depending on the installed modules
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
 +
|-
 +
! Weight (tons)
 +
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor<br>weight (tons)
 +
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
| rowspan="2" | 46.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 71 (AB)
 +
|-
 +
|65 (RB/SB)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|1,179
 +
|____
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|734
 +
|___
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="1" | Mode
 +
!Stock
 +
!Upgraded
 +
|-
 +
|''Arcade''
 +
|25.63
 +
|__.__
 +
|-
 +
|''Realistic/Simulator''
 +
|15.96
 +
|__.__
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
The armament consists of 2x35mm Oerlikon KDA cannons with 340RPG with a quick, fixed fire rate and can make use of 3 types of munitions :  
+
{{main|Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The armament consists of 2x35mm Oerlikon KDA cannons with 340 RPG with a quick, fixed fire rate and can make use of 3 types of munitions :  
  
 
* High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying, note that the self-distruction range coincides with the radar's lead indicator maximum distance, making the shell inadequate at longer ranges)
 
* High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying, note that the self-distruction range coincides with the radar's lead indicator maximum distance, making the shell inadequate at longer ranges)
 
* Armor piercing incendiary tracer, which can be used against lightly armored vehicles and enemy SPAAs, though the damage to enemy aircraft is reduced, shell can be used outside radar range since it does not self destruct
 
* Armor piercing incendiary tracer, which can be used against lightly armored vehicles and enemy SPAAs, though the damage to enemy aircraft is reduced, shell can be used outside radar range since it does not self destruct
−
* High velocity armor piercing tracer (APDS), which can be used against targets mentioned above and additionally, can be used to attack the side profile of enemy MBTs with reasonable effectiveness. Use against air targets is possible but the damage output is highly reduced.  
+
* High velocity armor piercing tracer (APDS), which can be used against targets mentioned above and additionally, can be used to attack the side profile of enemy MBTs with reasonable effectiveness. Use against air targets is possible but the damage output is highly reduced.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)|35 mm Oerlikon KDA]] (x2)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity each)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="2" | 680 (340) || 550 || -10°/+85° || ±180° || Two-plane
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
 +
|-
 +
! style="width:4em" |Mode
 +
! style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| ''Arcade'' || 79.3 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 +
|-
 +
| ''Realistic'' || 53.5 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| 1.3 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
=== Ammunition ===
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! data-sort-type="text" rowspan="2" | Ammunition
 +
! class="unsortable" rowspan="2" | Belt <br /> Composition
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
 +
|-
 +
! style="width:4em"|10m
 +
! style="width:4em"|100m
 +
! style="width:4em"|500m
 +
! style="width:4em"|1000m
 +
! style="width:4em"|1500m
 +
! style="width:4em"|2000m
 +
|-
 +
| Default || API-T, HEI-T* || 67 || 64 || 52 || 39 || 30 || 23
 +
|-
 +
| 35x228 MSB/K || HEI-T*, HEI-T*, HEI-T*, API-T || 67 || 64 || 52 || 39 || 30 || 23
 +
|-
 +
| 35x228 PSBH/B || API-T, API-T, API-T, HEI-T* || 67 || 64 || 52 || 39 || 30 || 23
 +
|-
 +
| 35x228 PKLH || APDS, APDS, APDS, APDS || 112 || 110 || 101 || 90 || 71 || 62
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
===Belt types===
 +
{|class="wikitable"
 +
| '''Belts''' || '''Shell composition''' || '''Combat usage'''
 +
|-
 +
|align="left"|'''''Default ''''' ||align="left"| API-T — HEI-T*||align="left"|
 +
|-
 +
|align="left"|'''''Sprgr.''''' ||align="left"| HEI-T* — HEI-T* — HEI-T* — API-T ||align="left"|
 +
|-
 +
|align="left"|'''''PzGr''''' ||align="left"| API-T — API-T — API-T — HEI-T* ||align="left"|
 +
|-
 +
|align="left"|'''''PzGr 40''''' ||align="left"| APDS — APDS — APDS — APDS ||align="left"|
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
=== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] ===
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|x250px|right|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] for the Flakpanzer I Gepard.]]
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
|| '''680''' || 0&nbsp;''(+680)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
Rack empties when all rounds are spent
  
 
== Usage in the battles ==
 
== Usage in the battles ==
Line 29: Line 175:
  
 
Capturing points is also an option thanks to the good mobility of the vehicle, although you will have to make sure the capture point is clear and there is no risk of being attacked by en enemy tank.
 
Capturing points is also an option thanks to the good mobility of the vehicle, although you will have to make sure the capture point is clear and there is no risk of being attacked by en enemy tank.
 +
 +
Against enemy threats:
 +
* Arcade: Keep your head on a swivel, and when enemies start air battles be prepared to react very soon; jets can reach the battle in seconds. Try to fire as soon as the enemy reaches within 2 kilometres, any closer and you risk the aircraft being able to open fire on you or even ram you and induce Hull Break. Helicopters should be treated with a similar deal of respect, so try to limit the amount of time they have within firing range by coating them in a blank of anti-air fire as soon as the lead indicator appears.
 +
 +
* Realistic/Simulator: If using the Gepard in higher rank games, be mindful of aircraft such as the [[AH-1Z]] and [[FJ-4B VMF-232]]. Their long range guided missiles allow them to attack you outside of the range of your lead indicator or even out of the range of your guns themselves. Stay hidden until they draw closer, and then attempt to "ambush" them as they are pre-occupied attacking other allies. Stay away from common traffic areas if your only goal is to take out these aircraft, and try to sneak as close as possible to them so that you can re-acquire the lead indicator. Thanks to the fact the Gepard is vulnerable to being Hull Broken, it only takes a missile landing near to completely disable the anti-aircraft vehicle.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
 
<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
−
 
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
 
+
* Has the mobility of the Leopard tank
−
* Has the mobility of the Leopard
 
 
* Very fast turret rotation
 
* Very fast turret rotation
−
* Mobility of the Leopard tank
 
 
* Good stock grind
 
* Good stock grind
−
* Can kill most of the tanks from the side using its default belt
+
* Can penetrate most of the tanks from the side even with the default belt
−
* High penetration with DM23 belt it's also cheap
+
* High penetration with DM23 belt that is also cheaper to restock than other belts
−
* Twin 35 mm cannons are very deadly against both aircraft and tanks
+
* Twin 35 mm cannons are very deadly against both aircraft and tanks with high rate of fire and accuracy
 
* Has stabilizer can shoot targets while on the move
 
* Has stabilizer can shoot targets while on the move
−
* Good amount of ammo
+
* Good amount of ammo in reserve
 +
* Radar ability grants a lead indicator to aerial targets
 +
* Low repair cost in RB and SB
 +
* Low spawn point cost in RB
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
 
+
* Relatively high profile, and a spinning radar atop the vehicle
−
* Very thin armour can be easily destroyed
+
* Very thin armour that can be easily destroyed with hull-break
−
* Cannons are mounted on the sides of the turret shooting weak spots at close range almost impossible  
+
* Cannons are mounted on the sides of the turret that can make shooting weak spots at close range almost impossible
 +
* Low rate-of-fire compared to the [[M163]] and [[ZSU-23-4]]
 +
* Incredibly long reload time when all ammo is expended
 
* Can only take 40 x DM23s to battle
 
* Can only take 40 x DM23s to battle
 +
* Expensive unlockable ammo belts (except the DM23 belt)
 +
* High repair cost in AB
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''TBD''
+
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''-->
 +
===Development===
 +
Development began on a dedicated self-propelled anti-aircraft gun for the German Bundeswehr in the 1960s. The first pilot models were produced in 1969 testing 30 and 35 mm auto cannons for the armament. The decision to use a 35 mm auto cannon as the basis of the anti-aircraft armament came on 25 June 1970. In 1971 the second phase of pilot models was tested, the Dutch Army expressed interest in the project and ordered a few models once completed. It was around this phase that the [[Leopard I|Leopard 1]] was chosen as the chassis of the vehicle, and a modified variant was produced. In September 1973, the order was made to Krauss-Maffei manufacturer to produce 432 turret and 430 hulls. The Bundeswehr accepted the vehicle as the '''Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard''' (''Anti-aircraft cannon tank "Cheetah"''), or better known as the '''Flakpanzer Gepard'''. At least 430 Flakpanzer Gepard units were produced in total from 1973 onwards.
 +
 
 +
===Design===
 +
The Flakpanzer Gepard uses the 35 mm Oerlikon KDA auto cannon, which was a dual-mounted cannon that each can fire around 550 rounds per minute. The Gepard has a search radar on the back, a tracking radar in front, and a laser range finder in the front to track air targets. The Flakpanzer Gepard uses a modified Leopard chassis, modified by different wheel spacing and battery placement. The vehicle was powered by a multi-fuel engine capable of pumping around 819 horsepower. There was also an auxiliary engine that powers the turret functions so the main engine can run the vehicle unhindered by additional energy requirement. The Gepard as a whole actually cost three times more than a standard Leopard 1 tank, possibly due to all the guidance system and radars needed to make the Gepard an effective anti-aircraft gun.
 +
 
 +
===Usage===
 +
The Gepard entered service in the German Bundeswehr in 1973 and made up a core of West Germany's anti-aircraft power. The Gepard was constantly upgraded with better guidance systems and other electronic hardware. From the 1980s onward, the Gepard units were attached to Stinger surface-to-air missile systems to exploit the Gepard's extended tracking system to locate targets for the Stingers. A proposal was made to combine these two units into one vehicle with a dual Stinger launcher mounted onto a Gepard, but budget restrictions prevented this. The Flakpanzer Gepard still sees use today in the storage of the Bundeswehr, although in reduced numbers from 377 originally to just 94. They are expected to be replaced by the SysFla project, which is a stationary and mobile platform armed with the MANTIS gun system and the new LFK NG missiles.
 +
 
 +
The Gepards were successful on the export market. The first to order were Belgium and the Dutch, 55 and 95 units respectively. When the Bundeswehr started the downsize their forces, their Gepards were sold to various countries such as Brazil, Romania, and Chile; though Chile returned their Gepards due to the high costs maintaining them. The Dutch also sold 60 of their surplus stock to Jordan. Belgium and the Dutch have recently withdrawn the Gepards from military service.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 +
<!--''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''-->
 +
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=spaa&vehicle=germ_flakpz_I_Gepard '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Gepard from live.warthunder.com.]
  
−
[[File:Shot 2019.02.17 12.47.41.jpg|thumb]]
+
[[File:GarageImage Gepard (2).jpg|thumb]]
  
 
== Read also ==
 
== Read also ==
 +
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader''-->
 +
* [[Leopard I]]
  
−
* [[Leopard I]] '''Similar SPAAs:'''
+
'''Similar SPAAs:'''
 
* [[ZSU-23-4]]
 
* [[ZSU-23-4]]
 
* [[Chieftain Marksman]]
 
* [[Chieftain Marksman]]
Line 66: Line 235:
 
* [[M163]]
 
* [[M163]]
  
 +
'''Devblog'''
 +
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/4241-development-flakpz-i-gepard-the-second-and-last-of-its-name-en/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Flakpanzer I Gepard - The second and last of its name]
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
 +
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
  
−
* ''www.wikipedia.com''
+
{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}
−
* ''War Thunder''
 

Revision as of 17:46, 17 February 2019

RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
Gepard
germ_flakpz_i_gepard.png
Gepard
Germany flag.png Germany
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.3 8.3 8.3
Class:
Research:135 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:380 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage Gepard.jpg


The Flakpanzer I Gepard is a Rank VI German self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle with a battle rating of 8.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters". An anti-aircraft vehicle based on the Leopard 1 chassis, it possesses 2x35mm Oerlikon KDA cannons with 340 rounds each (680 in total, in 2 continuous belts of ammunition, one for each cannon). As in real life, the Gepard is equipped with a radar that can track and calculate the lead necessary to effectively engage a target. This is represented in game by the ability to lock onto a target and display an arcade style lead indicator on the target when they are within effective range, a trait that all radar-guided SPAAs possess. This allows the 35 mm cannons, which have a tendency to cripple enemy plane and helicopters alike with a hit, to maximize its damage potential.

General info

Survivability and armour

Common among almost all SPAAs, the Gepard's armor can only withstand heavy machine guns and aircraft cannons and such, even other SPAAs and light tanks will pose a threat. Having 30mm of armor at its thickest point, in the game, the Gepard can be hull broken by shells of a caliber of 75mm and higher.

X-RayImage TopView Gepard.jpg

The Gepard has a crew of 3, consisting of a gunner, a commander and a driver with the first 2 residing in the turret and the third in the hull. The ammunition is stored in its entirety in the turret basket, below the crew; in practice, the Gepard is rarely ammo racked, and most often it is your crew that will be knocked out or the tank being burned down by chemical munitions fired from enemy aircraft that it faces, such as helicopters and jet attack aircraft which are both a threat and a tricky target.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 30 (59°) Front glacis
30 mm (48°) Lower glacis
25 mm (40-41°) Top
20 mm Lower 		20 mm (6°) Top
20 mm (49°) Bottom 		30 mm Driver/Co-driver port area
15 mm Everywhere else
Turret 25 mm (1-30°) 20 mm Turret side
10 mm Cannon mounts 		20 mm (3°) 15 mm

Mobility

Having the chassis of the Leopard 1, the Gepard is almost identical in mobility to the rank 5 MBT, possessing the same engine power (734HP stock;830HP fully upgraded), making it useful at capturing zones and getting out of harm's way.

Its top speed is 57km/h forward and 22km/h backwards, with acceleration time and neutral steering speed depending on the installed modules

Mobility characteristic
Weight (tons) Add-on Armor
weight (tons) 		Max speed (km/h)
46.0 N/A 71 (AB)
65 (RB/SB)
Engine power (horsepower)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 1,179 ____
Realistic/Simulator 734 ___
Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Mode Stock Upgraded
Arcade 25.63 __.__
Realistic/Simulator 15.96 __.__

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)

The armament consists of 2x35mm Oerlikon KDA cannons with 340 RPG with a quick, fixed fire rate and can make use of 3 types of munitions :

  • High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying, note that the self-distruction range coincides with the radar's lead indicator maximum distance, making the shell inadequate at longer ranges)
  • Armor piercing incendiary tracer, which can be used against lightly armored vehicles and enemy SPAAs, though the damage to enemy aircraft is reduced, shell can be used outside radar range since it does not self destruct
  • High velocity armor piercing tracer (APDS), which can be used against targets mentioned above and additionally, can be used to attack the side profile of enemy MBTs with reasonable effectiveness. Use against air targets is possible but the damage output is highly reduced.
35 mm Oerlikon KDA (x2)
Capacity (Belt capacity each) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance 		Stabilizer
680 (340) 550 -10°/+85° ±180° Two-plane
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 79.3 __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__
Realistic 53.5 __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
1.3 __.__ __.__ __.__

Ammunition

Ammunition Belt
Composition 		Penetration in mm @ 90°
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
Default API-T, HEI-T* 67 64 52 39 30 23
35x228 MSB/K HEI-T*, HEI-T*, HEI-T*, API-T 67 64 52 39 30 23
35x228 PSBH/B API-T, API-T, API-T, HEI-T* 67 64 52 39 30 23
35x228 PKLH APDS, APDS, APDS, APDS 112 110 101 90 71 62

Belt types

Belts Shell composition Combat usage
Default API-T — HEI-T*
Sprgr. HEI-T* — HEI-T* — HEI-T* — API-T
PzGr API-T — API-T — API-T — HEI-T*
PzGr 40 APDS — APDS — APDS — APDS

Ammo racks

Ammo racks for the Flakpanzer I Gepard.
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
680 0 (+680) no

Rack empties when all rounds are spent

Usage in the battles

The Gepard performs best when stalking enemy aircraft, scanning the sky for a target and waiting until it gets in range of the radar, and only attacking when the radar can provide a lead estimation, thus preserving ammunition which is critical since the cannons will expend it quickly in combat situations. Helicopters will more than often chose to keep a reasonable distance, usually outside your radar's range but this can be countered by using the API-T rounds in short burst, until the range of the enemy has been deduced, it only takes a few rounds to destroy an enemy aircraft.

Engaging ground vehicles comes with the risk of being destroyed without doing any significant damage so weigh your options carefully, unsuspecting light tanks are fair game but most tanks will pose a threat even when attacking their side without the appropriate ammunition belts.

Capturing points is also an option thanks to the good mobility of the vehicle, although you will have to make sure the capture point is clear and there is no risk of being attacked by en enemy tank.

Against enemy threats:

  • Arcade: Keep your head on a swivel, and when enemies start air battles be prepared to react very soon; jets can reach the battle in seconds. Try to fire as soon as the enemy reaches within 2 kilometres, any closer and you risk the aircraft being able to open fire on you or even ram you and induce Hull Break. Helicopters should be treated with a similar deal of respect, so try to limit the amount of time they have within firing range by coating them in a blank of anti-air fire as soon as the lead indicator appears.
  • Realistic/Simulator: If using the Gepard in higher rank games, be mindful of aircraft such as the AH-1Z and FJ-4B VMF-232. Their long range guided missiles allow them to attack you outside of the range of your lead indicator or even out of the range of your guns themselves. Stay hidden until they draw closer, and then attempt to "ambush" them as they are pre-occupied attacking other allies. Stay away from common traffic areas if your only goal is to take out these aircraft, and try to sneak as close as possible to them so that you can re-acquire the lead indicator. Thanks to the fact the Gepard is vulnerable to being Hull Broken, it only takes a missile landing near to completely disable the anti-aircraft vehicle.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Has the mobility of the Leopard tank
  • Very fast turret rotation
  • Good stock grind
  • Can penetrate most of the tanks from the side even with the default belt
  • High penetration with DM23 belt that is also cheaper to restock than other belts
  • Twin 35 mm cannons are very deadly against both aircraft and tanks with high rate of fire and accuracy
  • Has stabilizer can shoot targets while on the move
  • Good amount of ammo in reserve
  • Radar ability grants a lead indicator to aerial targets
  • Low repair cost in RB and SB
  • Low spawn point cost in RB

Cons:

  • Relatively high profile, and a spinning radar atop the vehicle
  • Very thin armour that can be easily destroyed with hull-break
  • Cannons are mounted on the sides of the turret that can make shooting weak spots at close range almost impossible
  • Low rate-of-fire compared to the M163 and ZSU-23-4
  • Incredibly long reload time when all ammo is expended
  • Can only take 40 x DM23s to battle
  • Expensive unlockable ammo belts (except the DM23 belt)
  • High repair cost in AB

History

Development

Development began on a dedicated self-propelled anti-aircraft gun for the German Bundeswehr in the 1960s. The first pilot models were produced in 1969 testing 30 and 35 mm auto cannons for the armament. The decision to use a 35 mm auto cannon as the basis of the anti-aircraft armament came on 25 June 1970. In 1971 the second phase of pilot models was tested, the Dutch Army expressed interest in the project and ordered a few models once completed. It was around this phase that the Leopard 1 was chosen as the chassis of the vehicle, and a modified variant was produced. In September 1973, the order was made to Krauss-Maffei manufacturer to produce 432 turret and 430 hulls. The Bundeswehr accepted the vehicle as the Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard (Anti-aircraft cannon tank "Cheetah"), or better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard. At least 430 Flakpanzer Gepard units were produced in total from 1973 onwards.

Design

The Flakpanzer Gepard uses the 35 mm Oerlikon KDA auto cannon, which was a dual-mounted cannon that each can fire around 550 rounds per minute. The Gepard has a search radar on the back, a tracking radar in front, and a laser range finder in the front to track air targets. The Flakpanzer Gepard uses a modified Leopard chassis, modified by different wheel spacing and battery placement. The vehicle was powered by a multi-fuel engine capable of pumping around 819 horsepower. There was also an auxiliary engine that powers the turret functions so the main engine can run the vehicle unhindered by additional energy requirement. The Gepard as a whole actually cost three times more than a standard Leopard 1 tank, possibly due to all the guidance system and radars needed to make the Gepard an effective anti-aircraft gun.

Usage

The Gepard entered service in the German Bundeswehr in 1973 and made up a core of West Germany's anti-aircraft power. The Gepard was constantly upgraded with better guidance systems and other electronic hardware. From the 1980s onward, the Gepard units were attached to Stinger surface-to-air missile systems to exploit the Gepard's extended tracking system to locate targets for the Stingers. A proposal was made to combine these two units into one vehicle with a dual Stinger launcher mounted onto a Gepard, but budget restrictions prevented this. The Flakpanzer Gepard still sees use today in the storage of the Bundeswehr, although in reduced numbers from 377 originally to just 94. They are expected to be replaced by the SysFla project, which is a stationary and mobile platform armed with the MANTIS gun system and the new LFK NG missiles.

The Gepards were successful on the export market. The first to order were Belgium and the Dutch, 55 and 95 units respectively. When the Bundeswehr started the downsize their forces, their Gepards were sold to various countries such as Brazil, Romania, and Chile; though Chile returned their Gepards due to the high costs maintaining them. The Dutch also sold 60 of their surplus stock to Jordan. Belgium and the Dutch have recently withdrawn the Gepards from military service.

Media

Skins and camouflages for the Gepard from live.warthunder.com.

GarageImage Gepard (2).jpg

Read also

Similar SPAAs:

Devblog

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:


Germany anti-aircraft vehicles
Wheeled  Sd.Kfz.222
Half-track  Sd.Kfz.251/21 · Sd.Kfz. 6/2
Flakpanzer IV  Wirbelwind · Ostwind · Ostwind II · Kugelblitz · Zerstörer 45
Other Flakpanzers  Flakpanzer I · Flakpanzer 38 · Flakpanzer 341
Wiesel AWC  Wiesel 1A4 · Ozelot
Radar SPAAG  Gepard · Gepard 1A2
Missile SPAA  FlaRakPz 1 · FlaRakRad

Retrieved from "https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?title=Gepard&oldid=15350"