RakJPz 2 (HOT)
This page is about the German tank destroyer RakJPz 2 (HOT). For the other version, see RakJPz 2. |
Contents
Description
The Raketenjagdpanzer 2 (HOT) is a rank VI German tank destroyer with a battle rating of 8.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters". Compared to its predecessor, this variant has an upgraded missile known as the HOT (High Subsonic Optical Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) that is aimed by simply sticking the gun's sight onto the desired target.
Due to its relatively low profile, the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 HOT is able to completely conceal itself behind hills and rocks and fire over them. This allows for quick hit and run strikes, and ambushes are made much easier. According to several commanders, the reverse rate of this vehicle is outstanding, allowing retreat if needed. The ATGM itself is rather glitchy in long-range flight but is outstanding in mid to close range engagements. However, it cannot fire directly in front of it, nor does the ATGM perform well in vertical manoeuvring.
General info
Survivability and armour
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour | Front | Sides | Rear | Roof |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hull | 50 mm (51°) Front glacis 50 mm (54°) Lower glacis |
30 mm (35°) Top 30 mm Bottom |
30 mm (44°) Top 30 mm (41°) Bottom |
10 mm |
Turret | 20 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
- Turret has a very low profile, but is very vulnerable
Mobility
Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
Arcade | 77 | 77 | 23 | 710 | 954 | 30.87 | 41.48 |
Realistic | 71 | 71 | 442 | 500 | 19.22 | 21.74 |
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Main armament
HOT-K3S ATGM | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
Arcade | 20 | -5°/+10° | ±15° | N/A | 22.0 | 30.5 | 37.0 | 40.9 | 43.5 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 |
Realistic | 14.9 | 17.5 | 21.3 | 23.5 | 25.0 |
Ammunition
Penetration statistics | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
HOT | ATGM | 700 | 700 | 700 | 700 | 700 | 700 |
Missile details | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Range (m) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | ||||
0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
HOT | ATGM | 250 | 4,000 | 23 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 3.8 | 80° | 82° | 90° |
Ammo racks
Full ammo |
Visual discrepancy |
---|---|
20 | No |
Notes:
- It is not possible to select how many missiles to bring into battle.
- Missiles are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
- Missiles deplete from rack 1 then 2. Rack 3 represents the ATGM launcher.
Machine guns
7.62 mm MG3A1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
Pintle | 2,500 (1,000) | 1,200 | -5°/+25° | ±45° |
Usage in battles
The RakJPz 2 (HOT) is a very deadly vehicle if played correctly. The vehicle is extremely lightly armoured and has to be mainly played in defensive positions. The location of the launcher and sight give it the ability to hide the hull of the vehicle and only expose the launcher keeping you protected while still being able to destroy oncoming enemies.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Low profile
- Good horizontal control of the ATGM
- Amazing penetration
- Fast and manoeuvrable
- HOT missile can penetrate Rank VI special armour
- Can fire on the move
Cons:
- Almost non-existent armour
- Poor vertical control of the ATGM
- If flanked, cannot return fire easily
- Fires up initially, preventing the tank from firing directly in front of it
- Due to the offset between the gunners sight and the missile launcher, missiles shot at close targets will be offset to the left.
- Missile launcher has limited traverse, requiring to turn the entire vehicle or make the missile turn sharply
History
Development
In the 1960s, development of a missile carrier acting as a tank destroyer. The result came in 1961 with the Raketenjagdpanzer 1, which features the French SS.11 anti-tank missile. The Raketenjagdpanzer 1 features two mounts for the missiles, but only one is available at a time as while one remains ready to fire, the other is reloading inside the vehicle. The vehicle can hold 10 missiles inside on a Hispano-Suiza HS-30 chassis. The vehicle carried lots of problems with the HS-30 chassis so only a limited amount was made at only 95 vehicles produced from 1961 to 1962. A second version was produced alongside the Jagdpanzer 4-5 between 1963 and 1965, and the two were designed on the same chassis. The finished model was designated the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 and this was accepted into service in 1967 for the German Bundeswehr. The Raketenjagdpanzer 2 was produced from 1967 to 1968 with a total of 318 units produced.
Design
Though slightly larger than the Raketenjagdpanzer 1, the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 had better automotive performances with a newer chassis and using a 500 hp diesel engine and a torsion bar suspension. The new vehicle chassis design allowed for increased missile storage for 14 SS.11 missiles. The Raketenjagdpanzer 2 features two rails for the missiles, both ready to fire and reloads are done automatically by each mount inside the vehicle. The SS.11 missiles allow the vehicle to engage enemy armour up to 3 kilometres away, with the missiles strong enough to take out most Soviet armour at the time. MG3 machine guns were added onto the vehicle for anti-infantry and anti-aircraft defence purposes.
Usage
The German Bundeswehr used the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 from 1967 as far as to the early 2000s. The Raketenjagdpanzer 2's purpose was to engage enemy armour in the ranges between 1.5 to 3 kilometres away, which tank armaments accuracy and power are reduced at the distances. The SS.11 missile's range and lethality made the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 perfect for its role as it could defeat the main Soviet tanks such as the T-54/55 and T-62. The Germans organized the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 in tank destroyer companies attached to Panzergrenadier brigades and Panzer brigades, with eight vehicles per company in the Panzergrenadier brigades and 13 vehicles per company in the Panzer brigades. When the manual-guided SS.11 missiles became obsolete, the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 underwent an upgrade between 1978 and 1982 in armour and in its missile armament from the SS.11 to the HOT (High Subsonic Optical Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) missiles with improved lethality and guidance system. The upgraded Raketenjagdpanzer 2 was called the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 HOT. This saw an improvement again between 1993 and 1995 when some extra armour, a new optic, and thermal imaging system were installed into the vehicle. This upgrade was called the Raketenjagdpanzer 3 Jaguar 1A3. The Raketenjagdpanzers were retired from the Bundeswehr in 2005 and the Austrian army in 2006, never seeing combat in the Cold War.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
External links
Germany tank destroyers | |
---|---|
Pz. I Derivatives | Panzerjäger I |
Pz. II Derivatives | 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl |
Pz. 38(t) Derivatives | Marder III · Marder III H · Jagdpanzer 38(t) |
Pz. III Derivatives | StuG III A · StuG III F · StuG III G · StuH 42 G |
Pz. IV Derivatives | Jagdpanzer IV · Panzer IV/70(A) · Panzer IV/70(V) · Dicker Max · Nashorn · Brummbär · VFW |
Pz. V Derivatives | Jagdpanther G1 · Bfw. Jagdpanther G1 |
Pz. VI Derivatives | Sturer Emil · Elefant · Ferdinand · 38 cm Sturmmörser · Jagdtiger |
Wheeled/Half-track | 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl. · Sd.Kfz.251/9 · Sd.Kfz.251/10 · Sd.Kfz.251/22 · Sd.Kfz.234/3 · Sd.Kfz.234/4 · 15 cm Pz.W.42 |
ATGM Carrier | RakJPz 2 · RakJPz 2 (HOT) · Wiesel 1A2 |
Other | Waffenträger · M109G · JPz 4-5 · Raketenautomat · VT1-2 |