Strv 103A

From War Thunder Wiki
Revision as of 10:05, 9 February 2021 by LeeyLeey (talk | contribs) (Usage in battles)

Jump to: navigation, search
Rank VI Israel | Premium | Golden Eagles
Merkava Mk.2D Pack
Strv 103A
sw_strv_103a.png
GarageImage Strv 103A.jpg
Strv 103A
AB RB SB
8.0 8.0 8.0
Class:
Research:61 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:340 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Stridsvagn 103A is a rank V Swedish medium tank with a battle rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury". It is a first unique tank in the Swedish tree which is a MBT, although by its appearance it would seem to instead be a tank destroyer. It is also known as S-Tank or Door Stop.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull40 / 30 / 30
Turret0 / 0 / 0
Crew3 people
Visibility73 %

With a superbly sloped front hull armour, incoming kinetic rounds are prone to harmlessly bounce off, though chemical rounds will typically do some damage. Side, rear and top armour of the vehicle are weak, most aircraft can penetrate the roof, especially if they have 20 mm rounds or larger. With a total of three crew members, survivability after taking hits tend to be slim. However, the Strv 103 series are the only tanks that can operate with only one crew member! A major drawback is without transmission/engine you can no longer maneuver the hull to aim left or right.

Armor Composition:

  • Rolled Homogeneous Armor
  • Structural Steel - Storage Boxes
  • Gun Steel - Main Gun, Machine Gus
  • Tracks
  • Structural Steel of Chassis - Suspension
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 40 mm (77°) Upper Glacis

40 mm (74°) Lower Glacis

30 mm +10 mm Upper

30 mm Lower

30 mm 20 mm
Cupola 35 mm 35 mm 35 mm 20 mm

Notes:

  • Main Gun - 25 mm
  • Machine Guns - 5 mm
  • Tracks - 20 mm
  • Suspension - 15 mm
  • The crew compartment is lined with 10 mm RHA
  • Storage Boxes - 4 mm

Mobility

 
Controlled suspension
It is possible to adjust the ground clearance or more complex suspension positions
Speedforward / back
AB56 / 49 km/h
RB and SB50 / 44 km/h
Number of gears7 forward
6 back
Weight36.9 t
Engine power
AB1 030 hp
RB and SB540 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB27.9 hp/t
RB and SB14.6 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 56 49 36.9 732 1,030 19.84 27.91
Realistic 50 44 478 540 12.95 14.63

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 069 → 5 765 Sl icon.png
RB4 532 → 6 421 Sl icon.png
SB6 426 → 9 105 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications96 500 Rp icon.png
161 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training98 000 Sl icon.png
Experts340 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 300 Ge icon.png
Research Aces780 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
140 / 200 / 240 % Sl icon.png
202 / 202 / 202 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 400 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 400 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
5 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 800 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
5 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 800 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
6 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
400 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 400 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement sw.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
5 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 800 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 400 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_usa_HESH_ammo_pack
Research:
4 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
7 400 Sl icon.png
185 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_us_M416_Smoke_ammo_pack
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods night vision device.png
NVD
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
5 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 800 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
5 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 800 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
105mm_sweden_APDS_ammo_pack
Research:
5 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 800 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.

Main armament

Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition50 rounds
Reload4.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 12°
Main article: L74 (105 mm)
105 mm L74 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 50 -10°/+12° N/A N/A 67.2 67.2 81.6 90.2 96.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0
Realistic 42.0 42.0 51.0 56.4 60.0

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
slpprj m/61 APDS 303 302 296 277 257 252
slpprj m/62 APDS 260 258 250 240 231 222
slsgr m/61A HE 23 23 23 23 23 23
slspgr m/61 HESH 127 127 127 127 127 127
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
slpprj m/61 APDS 1,500 4 N/A N/A N/A 75° 78° 80°
slpprj m/62 APDS 1,450 4.5 N/A N/A N/A 75° 78° 80°
slsgr m/61A HE 680 14.4 0.1 0.1 1,830 79° 80° 81°
slspgr m/61 HESH 760 14.85 0.4 0.1 4,780 73° 77° 80°
Smoke shell characteristics
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Screen radius
(m)
Screen deploy time
(s)
Screen hold time
(s)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
rökgr m/61 330 18.7 20 5 25 50

Ammo racks

Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
7th
rack empty
8th
rack empty
9th
rack empty
10th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
50 46 (+4) 41 (+9) 36 (+14) 31 (+19) 26 (+24) 21 (+29) 16 (+34) 11 (+39) (+44) (+49) No
Ammo racks of the Strv 103A

Machine guns

Ammunition1 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Ammunition1 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: ksp 58 (7.62 mm)

The Strv 103A has 3 7.62mm Ksp 58, 2 on the left side in their own mount and one on top of the commander's cupola. All 3 machine guns are fixed to the hull with no traverse.

7.62 mm ksp 58
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Hull 1,375 (250) 500 N/A N/A
Hull 1,375 (250) 500 N/A N/A
Pintle 1,375 (250) 500 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The Strv 103A is an amazing tank to take in defensive positions and snipe with. Although its mainly used for the sniping role, it can do close quarters combat quite well if one needs to push out to a capture point. Due to the armour design of the Strv 103, surviving conventional shells that can be found on the early cold war soviet tanks is easy. The only challanges with the tank is to learn key positions to lock down with the rapid firing 105mm L7 derived cannon and learning the shooting mechanics of hull aim. On some terrain, the hull aim can get "stuttery" due to a bug that happens, with it the aim becomes very stuttery and is almost impossible to aim at longer ranges. Thats why its important to keep on a flat ground when playing this tank.

While the 103 can easily hold its own against conventional shells, against chemical and new age kinetic rounds it starts to lose its points. HEAT-FS shells can easily penetrate the frontal armour, going through both the armour and engine, killing the crew behind it (this gets remedied with the later 103C, which has slat armour at the front). If one gets into a full uptier and verses 8.7 tanks its highly likely they would also get shot at by APFSDS shells, which ignore the armour completely. Thats why when versing against these vehicles, one should take full utility of the smoke launchers and smoke rounds they have, to create a quick escape out and avoid getting shot at.

If the tank does get shot at, the survivability is quite high due to the crew all located behind the transmission and the engine. And since the tank can be operated by only one crew member left, the tank is mostly killed by getting set fire due to the fuel tank and engine in the front of the tank.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Low profile
  • Fast reload
  • Effectively sloped front armour
  • Can be controlled by one crew member
  • Extremely survivable
  • Gunner and Commander perform the same roles, so there is no crew switch if either is knocked out

Cons:

  • Hull aiming (must turn the entire tank to aim left or right)
  • Slow aiming
  • Vulnerable to flanking
  • Only three crew members
  • Gun is prone to damage
  • Catches fire often when shot from the side and sometimes from the front

History

After 6 months of trial with the Strv 103-0 and the goal settings for requirements that the tank needed to pass were done in 1963 it was not till Autumn 1964 that the first order for the Strv 103 came in to AB Bofors. 1967 the Strv 103A started to deliver to the army, a total of 70 Strv 103As were ordered to the army as the first series production. Strv 103A had a 300hk powered gasturbine that during delivery proved to be not quite effective and would be required a change in the upcoming version of the Strv 103. Directly when the S tank got delivered instructor courses began and it was not till 1968 that the first conscripts go the education on the Strv 103 "S" systems.

Devblog

In the immediate postwar years, Sweden began looking for a replacement to the Centurion tanks, then in service with its army. The most straightforward solution was to once again look into the export market for potential candidates, although engineers were already working on a domestic design - the Kranvagn. While this process was ongoing, an engineer by the name of Sven Berge came up with a radical new tank design in 1956.

This new vehicle featured a turretless design with a cannon fixed to the hull, which would be trained onto its targets with the precise use of an adjustable suspension system. The design was based on results from a study on tank crew casualties during WWII and the Korean War, which showed a correlation between tank height and hit probability. As such, the 'S-Tank' was kept very small in dimensions and low in profile, while also utilizing some innovative new engineering solutions, such as a mixed power plant consisting of a diesel engine and a gas turbine.

In 1959, the Swedish government approved the construction and testing of two prototypes. In 1960, a pre-production batch of 10 vehicles of the '0-serie' was ordered for field trials, which went on into the mid '60s. Generating more than favorable test results, the vehicle was formally ordered into production and procured as the 'Stridsvagn 103'.

Despite its original purpose being to replace the Centurion tanks in the Swedish Army, the Strv 103 ended up serving alongside it for a number of decades, until it was ultimately decommissioned in the late 1990s. By that time, 290 Strv 103s were built, spanning over five variants.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on the tank;
  • other literature.


Sweden medium tanks
Strv m/42  Lago I · Strv m/42 EH · Ikv 73 · Strv m/42 DT · Pvkv IV
Centurion derivatives  Strv 81 · Strv 81 (RB 52) · Strv 101 · Strv 104 · Strv 105
Strv 103  Strv 103-0 · Strv 103A · Strv 103С
Strv 121/122  Strv 121 · Christian II · Strv 122A · Strv 122B PLSS · Strv 122B+
Other  Sherman III/IV · T 80 U
Finland 
WWII  ▄T-28 · ▄T-34 · ▄Pz.IV · ▄T-34-85
Post War  ▄Comet I · ▄Charioteer Mk VII · ▄T-54 · ▄T-55M · ▄T-72M1 · ▄Leopard 2A4 · ▄Leopard 2A6
Norway  Leopard 1A5NO2