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AMX-30 ACRA: Luxury à la Française

The special modification AMX-30 ACRA of the AMX-30, is a French rank VI tank equipped with a unique smooth bore gun capable of launching laser guided ACRA missles.

AMX-30 ACRA, medium tank, France, VI rank.

Pros

  • Excellent ACRA guided missiles
  • Decent mobility

Cons

  • Poor protection
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History

The ACRA (Anti-Char Rapide Autopropulsé) research and development program launched in France in 1961 and designed as a supersonic anti-tank laser-guided missile, which was to be equipped in any of the tanks in service with the French armed forces, or one of those under development at the time. By the final stage of testing the laser guidance system, (which was the first of its kind in the world), state funding for the program was suspended due to high associated costs. Work, however, was continued by GIAT at its own expense, which hoped it would receive government orders in the future. Engineers chose the AMX-30 as a platform to carry the missile. The relevant turret equipment included a new smoothbore tank gun-launcher, a sight, and a guidance device. Tests for the new complex anti-tank targeting equipment were successfully completed by 1974, though it was never accepted and placed in service. The main reason being the prohibitive associated costs of the targeting equipment in the missiles, as well as the inability to use the guided missiles without a tank gun. Preference was instead given to the HOT ATGM system which, by then, was in the final stages of testing.

The French government may not have agreed to pay the required 1,000,000 francs for the guidance complex and 30,000 for each missile, but in War Thunder, players will be able to afford these luxuries much more easily! The AMX-30 ACRA is arriving in War Thunder with update 1.93 as one of the rank  VI tanks in the French tech tree. The tank is equipped with a unique cannon launcher, a 142 mm smoothbore gun, developed under the ACRA program. Players get two types of ammunition to choose from - a HE fragmentation round, and the ACRA ATGM itself, capable of penetrating up to 800 mm of armour. Munitions tests showed that the laser was able to guide the missile toward targets at distances of more than 3 km, at supersonic speed. The turret’s frontal section is amended to fit a new sight and guidance device, and as for the remaining aspects - the protection, crew, mobility and maximum speed - the new tank shares components with the AMX-30 (1972) already familiar to French tank enthusiasts.

Download Wallpaper:

We have recreated the AMX-30 ACRA for the game with minor differences from photos of the prototype. In particular, some elements correspond to serially produced tanks, and equipment necessary for guided missiles to fully function has been added

The AMX-30 ACRA, with regard to gameplay, competes with the American M551 “Sheridan” in that it is very dynamic ATGM carrier with excellent missile firepower. Among the advantages mentioned, first of all the guided missile itself has very competitive armor penetration, speed and range. The ATGMs rate of fire is approximately four missiles per minute, which is very good. Another advantage is the good, but not outstanding dynamic qualities. Disadvantages include the lack of any decent protection that are inherited from rank V tanks. It is capable of protection from bullets, fragments and shells from small-calibre guns, but nothing more.The AMX-30 ACRA has no anti-aircraft rapid fire gun, and the machine gun on the commander's cupola is of a rifle calibre.

In short, the AMX-30 ACRA is a good and interesting tank of rank VI, with its pros and cons. It feels fine even in a setup with the Leclerc MBT, and its feels completely comfortable in any battles of the V-VI ranks. Meet the new high tier French vehicle in the War Thunder update 1.93 “Shark Attack”!


Major update 1.93 devblogs:

 

 

 

 

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