Wolverine E82

The Jerven E82 (Meriadni: 'Wolverine") is a Meriadni currently in service with the Army of Meriad. It was designed by Northern Dynamics and the Polaris Corporation in 1995, and has been updated two times to improve compatibility with evolving Meriadni battlespace management systems. Prototypes were tested from 1992 to 1997, with the first units being delivered in 1999. The latest vehicle update, completed in 2013, added newly developed optical and digital-imaging fire-control systems, enabling the vehicle to fire while traversing difficult terrain and regardless of weather conditions.

History


The Wolverine was designed beginning in 1990 as a replacement to aging Kolish-made, as well as serving as a base for the introduction of technical specifications and system requirements unique to the Meriadni armed forces. Initial designs were fraught with flaws, and the tank was entirely redesigned in 1991 around a gas turbine engine which offered more horsepower. The completed prototype design was submitted to the army for testing in 1992, and was updated numerous times over the next three years before the design was finally approved by the army. The tank went into production in 1997, and the first completed E82 units were delivered in 1999.

In 2005, the E82 was overhauled in order to integrate newly-developed military hardware, and the tank was redesignated the E82A1. The E82A1 featured an increased shell capacity, as well as adding night-vision and infrared sights specific to the commander and gunner, instead of being shared with the driver. The armor was also redesigned in order to increase survivability against large mines and s.

The current Wolverine variant in service with the Meriadni army, designated the E82A2, is a significant step forwards in technology, and was put into service in 2013. While hardware changes were made, including the addition of the TRACER II in place of the pintle-mounted commander's gun and upgrades to optics, the most significant changes were made within the tank's onboard battlespace-management system. The commander now has the ability to independently target strikes from other tanks, aircraft, and artillery batteries on the same network, as well as sharing sensor and radar data with other units.

Design
The E82 design was based off of a range of second-generation tanks, mainly Kolish and Khorneran, and has a layout closely resembling these, with the driver near the front of the hull and and engine compartment in the rear.

Armament
The E82's primary armament is a 120mm Hrangir smoothbore gun, originally designed by Hrothgar Metalworks in the 1970s. The barrel is stress-hardened to reduce warping and other negative ballistic effects during extended periods of intense fighting, and is optimized for use with and  rounds. The turret basket contains a magazine with a capacity of 33 rounds, with an additional 25 rounds stored behind a blast door in the rear of the hull. The barrel of the gun is stabilized in elevation and azimuth by an electro-hydraulic drive system, and has an elevation range of +23 degrees to -10 degrees with a traverse rate of 22 degrees per second.

The secondary armaments of the E82 are a coaxial 12.7mm RT 18 machine gun and, since 2013, a turret-mounted TRACER II. The TRACER II can be operated manually by either the commander or the gunner, and also has an automated target acquisition, tracking, and termination function that allows it to operate independently of crew input.

Crew and Tank Protection
The Wolverine's armor is an advanced steel and ceramic composite armor similar to that common on modern 3rd-generation main battle tanks, and has exterior mountings for explosive-reactive armor blocks and slat armor. The Wolverine is also protected by two turret-mounted side-facing grenade launchers that can be fitted with smoke or chaff grenades, as well as infrared exhaust baffles that mix the engine's exhaust plume with cold air in order to mimic environmental conditions and reduce the vehicle's visibility to infrared devices. The tank also features a full.

Mobility


Tactically, the Wolverine was designed to enable it to traverse mountainous terrain in relatively close quarters, and to travel on unimproved and rutted roads as easily as paved highways. The relatively high ground clearance, as well as the lack of front track armoring, enables the E82 to climb vertical drops up to 2.2 ft at low speeds, and the tank's light weight enables it to travel cross-country in southern Meriad, where peat bogs and lakes are common. The tank is designed to be able to ford 2.6 ft of calm water.

Strategically, the relatively light weight of the tank enables it to be airlifted by a variety of fixed-wing transport aircraft, and the tank can be transported battle-ready aboard a cargo ship with minimal preparation.

Infantry Support
The 2013 update of the Wolverine included a large number of features that enable the tank to work more efficiently with ground troops. The Integrated Combat Communications System, which allows close cooperation between Meriadni army units in the field, allows dismounted individuals to communicate with the tank commander by radio, and the rear of the tank features several jacks which allow properly-equipped soldiers to connect directly to the tank's intercom system. The gas turbine's exhaust baffles also enable dismounted troops to follow closely behind without interfering with a dangerous exhaust plume.

Variants

 * MAVP3: The prototype variant of the E82, prior to receiving the Meriadni Army military vehicle designation of E82.
 * E82: The original service variant, in service from 1999 to 2005.
 * E82A1: The first upgrade to the Wolverine, completed in 2005, which redesigned armor, fire control systems, an additional sight for the gunner and commander, and increased capacity for ammunition in the turret basket.
 * E82A2: (Baseline) The E82A2 is the standard variant of the Wolverine in service with the Meriadni Army and Royal Marines since 2013, which differs from the A1 variant in the addition of the turret-mounted TRACER II and fire control system and optics upgrades.
 * E82B: The E82B is built in the E82 chassis, and is designed to rapidly deploy an armor-suitable 52 ft scissor bridge. It was tested from 2014 to 2015 by the army, but the project was scrapped due to lack of funding.
 * A12: The A12 Longbow is a lightly-armored prototype variant of the Wolverine which centers around a howitzer, currently undergoing field testing. There are four prototypes vehicles, numbered A12-1 through A12-4.

Operators

 * Meriad - 181
 * Army of Meriad - 169
 * Royal Marines - 12