American Apex specializes in live-fire gunnery training for main battle tanks. Leading the way with the Advanced Inbore Marksmanship Training Enhancement System for Tanks (AIMTEST), American Apex Corporation has been setting the standard in innovation and design for more than a decade.
AIMTEST TANK-GUN TRAINING SYSTEM
The caliber .50 AIMTEST is manufactured by American Apex to provide high quality gunnery training at a cost that any organization can afford. AIMTEST is now available for all NATO standard 105mm or 120mm main tank guns.
AIMTEST is designed to duplicate the ballistics of several types of standard tank ammunition in calibers 105mm and 120mm, through the substitution of easily available caliber .50 ammunition types. The trajectory of caliber .50 SLAP-T (Saboted Light Armor Penetrator-Tracer), M962 ammunition is an excellent match to 2,000m, sufficient to exercise the tank crew with the standard half-scale or full-scale targets. 1,500m capability can be achieved with the use of caliber .50 APIT,
M20 ammunition.
ADVANTAGES OF AIMTEST GUNNERY TRAINING
AIMTEST enhances the training standards for the crew, as all functions performed during normal operational use of the tank must be performed using the system. The main gun electrical and manual firing circuit operates the firing mechanism of AIMTEST, and all main gun safeties are operational.
In addition, the range safety fan is reduced to 6,700m, and the noise of firing is reduced to small arms level because of the ‘muffling’ effect of the long, main gun tube. As a result, the crew is subjected to very low sound-pressure levels.
Both the range safety fan and noise levels are important in many countries, due to restrictions being placed upon military activities in populated areas. Very realistic practice can be achieved with vastly reduced costs.
AIMTEST has all the characteristics that are sought after in military acquisition today, and will bridge the gap between simulators and live firing with 105mm / 120mm practice ammunition.
Acquisition and deployment of AIMTEST will permit armed forces to maintain operational readiness in areas where standard ammunition cannot be fired, and to retain forces, through reduced training costs, that would otherwise be lost to funding attrition. In this age of cost-conscious armed forces, AIMTEST is the right tool at the right time.
AIMTEST COMPATIBILITY CHART
AIMTEST types:
73mm ‐ BMP-1, BMD-1
76mm ‐ Scorpion, Cougar
90mm ‐ AMX-13, Ikv-91, M47, Panhard-90, LAV-90, Dragoon, Pandur, SIBMAS, URUTU, ENGESSA EE-9, ERC-90, VBC-90, Ratel 90 FSV
100mm ‐ T55
105mm ‐ Leo 1 – A5, M60, AMX 30, Steyr, Type 80, OF-40, Type-74, K1, Px-68, Centurion, M48A5, Stingray, AMX-30RC, Centauro, Rooikat
115mm ‐ T62
120mm ‐ Leo 2 – A6, Arjun, Ariete, Type 90, Challenger 1 and 2, Chieftan, M1A1/M1A2
125mm ‐ T-64, T-72, T-80, T-84, M-84, T-90, Type -85, Al Khalid, PT-91
BUSHMATE ‐ LAV-25, Bradley (M2/M3), Desert Warrior, VEC Scout Car, Mk38 naval gun
BUSHMATE GUNNERY SKILL TRAINING DEVICE
The BUSHMATE is a training device that allows users of the Boeing 25mm chain gun (Bushmaster) to use sub-caliber weapons for gunnery skill training. It consists of a weapons mount that replaces the 25mm Bushmaster barrel, a wiring harness and ? currently ? two firing solenoids.
One solenoid is used for the M2HB .50 cal Browning machine gun, the other fires the M240 7.62mm machine gun. This allows the crew to train on full or half scale targets at combat ranges at a fraction of the cost of 25mm ammunition. The crew can therefore use their vehicle and full-up fire control, a primary consideration in realistic combat training.
A simple, rugged device, the BUSHMATE gunnery skill training device is inexpensive to purchase, operate and maintain. The complete cost of a Bushmate sub-caliber training device is quickly recovered by significant savings in expenditure on main gun training ammunition, and a reduction in main gun wear.
The BUSHMATE gunnery skill training device is compatible with the M242 (25mm) cannon, and all Bushmaster turret vehicles.
BUSHMATE GUNNERY SKILL TRAINING DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS:
Maximum effective range: 2,000m with M962 SLAP-T; 1,500m with M20 API-T / M17 tracer
Length: 51in
Width: 4in without ammo stowage box; 13.8in with ammo stowage box
Height: 8.8in
Weight: 65lbs