The ''Spähpanzer'' Ru 251 is a German light tank based on the

Kanonenjagdpanzer The Kanonenjagdpanzer (''KanJPz''; also known as Jagdpanzer Kanone 90mm, "tank destroyer, gun 90mm") was a West German Cold War tank destroyer. Its design was very similar to that of the World War II Jagdpanzer IV. History The first prototypes ...

tank destroyer. It was proposed to replace the

M41 Walker Bulldog The M41 Walker Bulldog, officially 76-mm Gun Tank, M41, was an American light tank developed for armed reconnaissance purposes. It was produced by Cadillac between 1951 and 1954 and marketed successfully to the United States Army as a replaceme ...

History

The Ru 251 was one of the projects created by the

Bundeswehr The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...

during the Cold War. In this connection, a new project began—the ''Europanzer'', which led to the creation of the

Leopard 1 The Leopard 1 (also styled Leopard I, before the Leopard 2 simply known as Leopard) is a main battle tank designed and produced by Porsche in West Germany that first entered service in 1965. Developed in an era when HEAT warheads were thought t ...

for the West Germany or the

AMX-30 The AMX-30 is a main battle tank designed by Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX, then GIAT) and first delivered to the French Army in August 1966. The first five tanks were issued to the 501st ''Régiment de Chars de Combat'' ...

for France. In the early 1960s, the Bundeswehr still used American M41s as reconnaissance tanks. In 1960, a program was launched to develop a new light reconnaissance tank. Prototypes were built in 1963 and 1964.

Design

The Ru 251 is based on the

tank destroyer and uses the same 90 mm Rheinmetall BK 90/L40 main cannon. As a light reconnaissance tank, the Ru 251 is not used for intense combat, due to its light armor. The Ru 251's 20mm of armor can easily stop large caliber machine gun bursts, but becomes very vulnerable to higher caliber fire. The Ru 251 was designed as a light reconnaissance tank, to move quickly and stealthily and attack targets of opportunity, before repositioning itself using its high mobility: Any excess armor would hamper the speed of the tank. The Ru 251 had remarkable mobility and firepower with its 650 hp Daimler-Benz MB 837 A engine and its Rheinmetall BK 90/L40 90mm cannon, but had no significant anti-tank shell protection. In 1964, the Ru 251 prototype underwent intensive operational trials, but at the same time the Leopard 1 main battle tank with its 105 mm cannon was prepared for series production.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spahpanzer Ru 251 Light tanks of Germany Cold War tanks of Germany Light tanks of the Cold War

History

Design

See also

References