ADATS
Contents
Description
The Missile, Air Defence Artillery, Self-Propelled, ADATS is a rank VIII American tank destroyer with a battle rating of 11.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy".
The ADATS is essentially an M3 Bradley with a heavily modified turret. The crew was moved away from the turret and controls it via interface in the back of the tank. The turret is fully automatic and now carries two enormous missile racks, a radar and the same old gun is tweaked to fire three times faster.
While designations for this tank go all over the place, the ADATS can be simply called a multi-purpose tank, as it can fight fast jets and heavier tanks alike with missiles, while dealing with lightly armoured tanks and slower aircraft by using a gun and/or missiles.
General info
Survivability and armour
The ADATS boasts the same protection as the regular M3 Bradley hull-wise, with one key difference being that the side armour is thinner by 19 mm. High-calibre machine guns such as the 20 mm on French MBTs will easily penetrate the sides and at times even the front part of the hull. It's not advisable to use the ADATS as a front-line vehicle but rather as a second-line support vehicle by setting up in key-points around maps.
The ADATS has a completely unmanned turret, meaning that any armour-piercing shells will over-penetrate with no injuries to the crew at all (be aware that explosive shells can cause the missiles to explode and instantly destroy the vehicle). However, two autocannon ammo racks are in the top of the unmanned turret and a few fragments are sufficient to detonate them and blow your whole crew up. The three crew members are situated in the hull with a massive empty space between the loader/gunner and the driver when approached from the side. Every enemy you face will most likely over-penetrate that section and do minimal damage to the vehicle itself.
Overall, the ADATS can be quite a 'meme' vehicle as it can sometimes sustain 5-7 direct hits even centre-hull, seeing as most rounds just pierce and exit the armour without generating shrapnel, over-penetrating and forcing enemies to snipe for crew members.
Armour type:
- Aluminium alloy 5083 (Hull front, turret)
- Aluminium alloy 7039 (Hull sides, rear, optics, Left side hull vents)
- Rolled homogeneous armour (Applique armour, rear hatch, engine vent)
- Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 25.4 mm + 6.35 mm (39-60°) Upper glacis 25.4 mm (7-39°) Lower glacis |
25.4 mm + 6.35 mm 5 mm Vents |
25.4 mm + 6.35 mm | 25.4 mm 5 mm Engine vent |
| Turret | 12.7 mm Turret front 25.4 mm Gun mantlet 19 mm Optics housing |
12.7 mm | 6.35-12.7 mm | 12.7 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
- Side skirts are 6 mm thick.
- Applique armour plates are 6.35 and 9 mm thick.
- There is a 6 mm internal RHA screen separating the driver from the engine and the transmission.
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 | 72 | 16 | 25 | 720 | 967 | 28.8 | 38.68 |
| Realistic | 66 | 14 | 448 | 507 | 17.92 | 20.28 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
The main armament of the ADATS is the M242 25 mm automatic cannon, the same as found on the M3 Bradley, but enjoys a faster rate of fire (500 rounds per minute, compared to the Bradley's 201 rounds per minute). When stock, like most AA vehicles, it starts with a belt of equal parts armour-piercing and high-explosive, though it is worth mentioning the AP rounds are sabot rounds with 101 mm of penetration at 100 m against flat armour. This allows it to easily and effectively take on both air and ground threats simultaneously without needing to worry about ammunition costs. However, should you wish to use this vehicle in a dedicated anti-aircraft role, you can unlock a belt with three parts HE to one AP in Tier I modifications. This must be unlocked in order to unlock M791, the AP belt. With this belt, dealing with any and all lightly armoured vehicles and even quite a few of the MBTs is possible from the side. In regards to how much you should take, you may as well take a full ammunition load. At any range, this vehicle can and will be penetrated by any vehicle that looks in its general direction, so it's not like your armour is going to stop you from being ammo-racked by fin-stabilized sabot anyway. Also, due to the cannon's rather high rate of fire and ammunition count of 600 rounds, it's worth taking as much as you can carry.
| 25 mm M242 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 600 (300) | 500 | -9°/+59° | ±180° | N/A | 61.6 | 85.3 | 103.6 | 114.6 | 121.9 | 0.26 | 0.23 | 0.21 | 0.20 |
| Realistic | 41.6 | 49.0 | 59.5 | 65.8 | 70.0 | |||||||||
Ammunition
- Default: APDS · HEI-T*
- M792: HEI-T* · HEI-T* · HEI-T* · APDS
- M791: APDS · APDS · APDS · HEI-T*
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| APDS | 81 | 80 | 74 | 67 | 61 | 56 | |
| HEI-T* | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| APDS | 1,345 | 0.13 | - | - | - | 75° | 78° | 80° | ||||
| HEI-T* | 1,100 | 0.19 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 54.4 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|
| Belts: 2 Rounds: 600 |
0 (+2) 0 (+600) |
No |
Additional armament
The secondary armament of the ADATS (or primary, depending on how you choose to play it) are the MIM146 beam-riding dual-purpose guided missiles. You can effectively use these against any target you can point them at, due to the facts that they air-burst the aircraft within 6 m of trigger radius, usually one-hit killing them with the 7.86 kg of TNT equivalent, and have 900 mm of penetration against armoured targets. With a velocity of 1,027 m/s, aiming these things and tracking moving targets isn't an issue whatsoever. You point, you click, and the target usually dies in a single hit. In the event that, by some miracle of God himself, the target persists in clinging to their life, you can fire the MIM146 as fast as you'd like to, meaning follow-up shots are quick and easy, and with the aforementioned 900 mm of penetration, anything you shoot these at will be penetrated, unless the angle of impact is extreme.
The high velocity, brilliant 10 km of effective range, and decent 20 G of maximum overload make the MIM146 very efficient to catch high-speed jets even when they are evading. It never leaves any vapor trail and smoke in its path, and its long exhaust plume disappears a few seconds after launch. The ADATS has the capability to guide multiple MIM146s at once yet cannot be fired whilst in motion. Two launchers are a bit spread out, and the first 4 shots will launch from the left one. Remember to check whether your next missile might get blocked by the cover or not so you won't waste any of them.
| MIM146 missile | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer |
| 8 | 0°/+85° | ±180° | N/A |
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 | ||
| MIM146 | ATGM | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 | 900 |
| Missile details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Range (m) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | ||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| MIM146 | ATGM | 1,027 | 10,000 | 51 | 0 | 0.1 | 300 | 6 | 7.86 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
Radars
As an ATGM carrier, the ADATS is equipped with an ADATS Search Radar and an electro-optical targeting system with TV and Forward Looking Infrared. The search radar is mounted on top of the turret at the rear and the barrel-like tracking optics is located at the front of the turret. The search radar has a brilliant 25 km of maximum detection range and can switch to 10 km, which is exactly the effective range of the MIM146. However, its scanning degrees of elevation is quite limited, making trouble to detect those jets that chose to opt for a very high entrance altitude. The lock from the electro-optical tracker shows the distance and the relative velocity of the target, not triggering the LWS of the locked hostile aircraft which gives it the advantage to fight modern jets compared to other top-tier SPAAs. However, you will heavily rely on thermal sight to find the hostile aircraft because the electro-optical tracker can't automatically lock the target in your plan position indicator.
| ADATS - Target Detection Radar | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Detection Range |
Minimum Detection Range |
Max Azimuth Scan Angle |
Max Elevation Scan Angle |
Minimum relative speed |
| 25,000 m | __ m | 360° | 18° | __ m/s (__ km/h) |
| Electro-Optical Target Tracking Radar | ||||
| Maximum Tracking Range |
Minimum Tracking Range |
Azimuth Tracking Angle |
Elevation Tracking Angle |
Minimum target speed |
| 10,000 m | __ m | ±__ | -__°/+__° | __ m/s (__ km/h) |
Usage in battles
Stock Gameplay:
As with any vehicle, the ADATS finds itself at a disadvantage while stock. Without access to the thermal vision devices, players will need to be more alert in order to spot enemies. While other modifications like artillery or smoke grenades can be helpful, the lack of thermals is a much larger issue. However the ADATS is relatively well off stock compared to most high tier vehicles, as the stock 25 mm belts include APDS rounds, and the radar is capable of spotting air targets for you.
Spaded Gameplay:
The ADATS is an excellent multi-purpose support vehicle when spaded. Being able to target both enemy tanks and enemy aircraft, it can be a great tool for the team. However, there are some limitations to the vehicle, namely the low missile count and lack of armour. While survivability is decent due to the empty turret, the armour is very thin and the missiles can sometimes explode when hit. This means that the ADATS does best sitting behind friendly tanks, in a support role. Additionally the missiles can run out quickly, as there are only 8 to engage both air and ground targets. ADATS players should try and conserve their missiles, as they are very valuable.
Close Range Engagements:
The ADATS is capable at close range, but it will die very easily to enemy fire. The 25 mm bushmaster autocannon can penetrate the side armour of most enemy tanks, but it will not disable the enemy as quickly as their large cannons are capable of killing the ADATS. The ADATS missiles can be useful at close range as well.
Long Range Engagements:
The ADATS is more capable at long range, where it can rely on thermal vision and the very fast ADATS missiles to disable enemy targets. The only issue at long range is the low amount of missiles, so shots should be taken with care. Additionally, the ADATS can be quickly disabled if the hull is exposed, so staying hull down is advised. The radar should also be turned off and on as needed, as it provides a good indicator of where you are for enemy ground vehicles, but is very useful in spotting air targets.
Gameplay summary:
The ADATS is an excellent support vehicle, able to defend teammates from both enemy air and ground threats. The ADATS missiles are excellent at disabling any target, although the low ammo count should be considered. The ADATS is also capable of locking an enemy aircraft without alerting their RWR, by turning off the radar. One must take excellent care in their method of positioning. The ADATS has a playstyle similar to the M3 Bradley if you choose to use it against ground vehicles.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Has access to 8 x fast multi-purpose missiles, can efficiently and swiftly eliminate both aircraft and tanks without reloading
- Missiles can penetrate up to 900 mm of armour and can cause overpressure with 7.9 kg TNT equivalent
- High rate of fire 25 mm cannon with good APDS for ground targets and HE ammunition for use against air targets
- Can fire 131 rounds before overheating
- Gunner operates the turret and weapons from behind protective hull instead of being in the turret itself
- Built on the chassis of M3 Bradley- good mobility and acceptable armour
- Modifications are researched fairly quickly
- Effective radar with good range
- Can lock on to aircraft with the radar disabled as the ADATS tracks using an electro-optical targeting system, making sneak attacks easy
- Missiles can even be fired without lock on and retain their proximity fuse against aircraft
Cons:
- Thin armour is not effective against larger cannons and bullets from jets
- High profile makes it hard to conceal, it is easily spotted
- The three crew members are all situated within the hull, and can all be rendered unconscious if a shot penetrates the hull
- The 25 mm autocannon cannot reliably penetrate MBTs frontally
- The missiles and autocannon ammos are volatile and easy to get aimed at, especially in hull-down battles
- Lack of stabilizer makes firing on the move difficult and increases the time to aim the weapons when suddenly braking
- No commander fire control
- Vulnerable to the overpressure mechanic
- ERA defeats the MIM146 ATGM
- Requires the player to actually find and look at the intended aircraft to lock-on
History
The ADATS was developed at the end of the 1980s as a general-purpose weapon capable of bringing down low-flying airborne targets as well as armoured opponents. Hence the abbreviation: Air Defence Anti-Tank System. The system was comprised of radar for detecting and tracking targets, a complex radio kit for coordinating multiple vehicles, and eight MIM-146 guided missiles in transport and launch containers. The US Army version was built on the Bradley IFV chassis and fitted with a 25 mm autocannon. Notwithstanding the fact that it was selected after a US Army competition for the Forward Area Air-Defence program, it was found to be excessively expensive to manufacture and never made it to serial production on the Bradley chassis.
-From Devblog
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
External links
| USA tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| M10 | M10 GMC |
| M36 | M36 GMC · M36B2 |
| T95 | T28 · T95 |
| M109 | M109A1 |
| ATGM | LOSAT · M901 |
| Wheeled | M3 GMC · T55E1 |
| Other | M8 HMC · M50 · M56 |
| China | ▃LVT(A)(4) (ZIS-2) |
