TIFV AOPV

     Notes:  This version of the TIFV is meant for the artillery observation post (ie, FIST) role.  The turret is removed and an extendible 3-meter mast with sensors is on the roof of the vehicle.  This mast has night vision equipment, day vision equipment, a laser rangefinder, and a laser designator.  Inside the vehicle is a system similar to the US Army's TACFIRE (where fire solutions are produced and transmitted directly to fire support units by secure radio).  This system was upgraded in the early 2000s, installing better, more capable computers and improved vision equipment, as well as the ability to transmit TV transmissions using the input from its vision equipment. The TIFV AOPV is equipped with a GPS system and a surveying system to help properly locate the gun or mortar positions of a battery.  The radio suite includes two long-range data-capable radios, one other long-range radio, one medium-range radio, and a short-range radio.  The TIFV AOPV also carries four digital field telephones and 200 meters of commo wire. Some, but not all, of these vehicles are equipped with air conditioning, but all have a heater.

     The TIFV AOPV, in general, uses a hull similar to the AIFV, though the armor is a bit better than the AIFV, and some additional attention is paid to belly armor. The hull front and sides incorporate spaced armament with ceramic sandwich panels.  The engine remains a Detroit Diesel 6V-53T developing 300 horsepower, along with a fully automatic transmission along with a conventional driver’s station.  The ACV-300 is fully amphibious, propelled in water by its tracks.  The rear of the vehicle has a powered ramp with a door in it.  The interior is extensively reconfigured for the FIST role, carrying the artillery fire direction computers along the right side and some of the radios on the right, some forward, and some on the left.  The three operators sit facing the computers to the right.  The firing points have been deleted and plated over.  Roof hatches have been deleted, with the exception of a manually-rotating cupola with a pintle-mounted machinegun.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: In the Twilight 2000 timeline, perhaps one in ten are of the “Late” variety.

*Belly armor is 4.