FV4005 "JS-KILLER" 183MM ON CENTURION HULL

The FV4005 was a prototype British tank destroyer from the post-war period. The drive was to be provided by a single Rolls-Royce engine Meteor with a power of 650 hp. Two prototype units were built - the machine never entered mass production. The armament was to consist of a single 183mm L4 QF tank gun and two 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine guns. In the 1950s, the British Army command was afraid of a confrontation with heavy Soviet tanks, which were to replace the IS-2 and IS-3 vehicles in the line. To this end, they decided to create a vehicle that would be armed with a powerful 183mm cannon. The first attempt to create such a vehicle was the completely unsuccessful FV215 project. However, while working on it, it was decided to launch another, in some way correlated with it, called the FV4005. In order to shorten the research and development time, it was decided to adapt the chassis of the Centurion Mk. III tank for new purposes, and not - as in the FV215 - of the Conqueror tank. However, as early as 1957 - like the FV215 - the entire program was discontinued. The main reasons are the large mass of shells for the 183 mm cannon, which was over 100 kilograms and had a terrible impact on the rate of fire of this weapon, but also the intensive development of anti-tank missiles, which, thanks to HEAT warheads, were able to penetrate the steel armor of IS series vehicles as well. effective as the powerful FV4005 cannon.