Oerlikon GDF-DO3 35mm 'Escorter' Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system

[Pioneer]

Evening all
As of today I am on leave for 3-weeks
My greatest desire has been to unpack some of the many books I have had in storage, whilst being posted here and there.
Whilst I was flicking through a mag I came across a past project that always impressed me as a kid.
Its the Oerlikon GDF-DO3 35mm 'Escorter' Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system!
This I sore it again this afternoon I have been on the net tonight trying to find out more about it and what ever happend to the project.
What I can tell you is that the vehicle is based on the Hydrokran Corporation's NIBUS all-terrain fire-fighting vehicle. It has a very low profile for rail and air transportation.
It is armed with two-35mm Oerlikon KDF cannons, with a modified rate of fire of 600rpm, with 430-rounds being carried (215-rounds per gun).
The radar system is that developed for the ADATS system. The radar is used to detect targets, ID them, then align guns onto target.
Once guns are aligned, the FLIR unit takes over control of the engagement.

P.S I have attempted to post the two pics of this SPAAG - but am having problems - sorry, will keep trying!!

I would like to know much more about this baby!!

Thanks in advance

 

[JAZZ]

Got this scaned from Miltech magazine -isuspect mid 1980s

 

[Pioneer]

Thanks Jazz - That's the one!
Looks purposeful enough!
Was there any info or technical data in that MilTech?

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Firefly 2]

Impressive beast. I do suspect the cross country abilities would be below par, as it does seem to sit quite low to the ground.

 

[Rickshaw]

Impressive beast. I do suspect the cross country abilities would be below par, as it does seem to sit quite low to the ground.

The cabin elevates. What you're seeing is it when its depressed to the lowered position to allow all round traverse of the turret. Interesting method but one which was I suspect ultimately overly complex.

 

[JohnR]

How did it's performance compare to Gepard, same guns different package?

 

[Just call me Ray]

If I had to guess, it looks like the wheels might be turned towards an "X" position during firing mode.

 

[Abraham Gubler]

From a book from the 80s I have this system also came in a tracked mounting. The Oerlikon GDF-DO3 was mounted on the “HYKA” wheeled truck and the CDF-C03 mounted on an armoured cab variant of the M548 tracked load carrier, itself a variant of the M113 APC. It also mentions that the search radar was from Oerlikon’s Italian subsidiary and would only be mounted on one in three systems. The crew of three were seated in the forward cab of the vehicle and the turret was unmanned. It would appear there is not much more to know about the system as it was never purchased an only produced in prototype form by Oerlikon.

 

[Pioneer]

If I had to guess, it looks like the wheels might be turned towards an "X" position during firing mode.

Interesting observation!

Regards
Pioneer

 

[JohnR]

Looks like there are hydraulic jacks in the rear and front of the wheel arches.

 

[Apophenia]

The cabin elevates. What you're seeing is it when its depressed to the lowered position to allow all round traverse of the turret. Interesting method but one which was I suspect ultimately overly complex.

Might be more workable today, though. The controls for trucks like the Actros are most remote anyway.

 

[Pioneer]

Just a little update, whilst I find them!
There defiantly appears to be a resurgence of wheeled-based SPAAG systems happening!
I can not but help think that the 'Escort' was somewhat ahead of its day!
I am somewhat surprised that the PRC has not introduced a 'take' on this design!!

Enjoy!

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Pioneer]

Ok, this is the 'Tracked' prelude to the GDF-DO3 SPAAG study!

I have no idea of its designation, but it was based on the M548 tracked load carrier's chassis

Sorry about its small size

Regards
Pioneer

 

[xiaofan]

'Tracked' variant of Oerlikon GDF-D03 SPAAG prototype.

 

[Panzerknacker]

Looks quite good, less mobility than a Gepard I guess.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Just a little update, whilst I find them!
There defiantly appears to be a resurgence of wheeled-based SPAAG systems happening!
I can not but help think that the 'Escort' was somewhat ahead of its day!
I am somewhat surprised that the PRC has not introduced a 'take' on this design!!

Enjoy!

Regards
Pioneer

Hmmm. The JGSDF could certainly use something like this as well.

 

[pathology_doc]

The cabin elevates. What you're seeing is it when its depressed to the lowered position to allow all round traverse of the turret. Interesting method but one which was I suspect ultimately overly complex.

Looks like it caught some spillover from Concorde's end of the gene pool! A truck with droop-snoot nose! Does make it look very cool and futuristic - sort of like a revved up version of the "Original Battlestar Galactica" Landram.

Ultimately it's all about the guns and targeting systems. How did THEY perform?

Pioneer - maybe all it means is that we haven't seen the PRC's take on it yet!

 

[Pioneer]

Just a few more pictures and drawings I've found....

Regards
Pioneer

 

[Extrem]

Evening all
As of today I am on leave for 3-weeks
My greatest desire has been to unpack some of the many books I have had in storage, whilst being posted here and there.
Whilst I was flicking through a mag I came across a past project that always impressed me as a kid.
Its the Oerlikon GDF-DO3 35mm 'Escorter' Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system!
This I sore it again this afternoon I have been on the net tonight trying to find out more about it and what ever happend to the project.
What I can tell you is that the vehicle is based on the Hydrokran Corporation's NIBUS all-terrain fire-fighting vehicle. It has a very low profile for rail and air transportation.
It is armed with two-35mm Oerlikon KDF cannons, with a modified rate of fire of 600rpm, with 430-rounds being carried (215-rounds per gun).
The radar system is that developed for the ADATS system. The radar is used to detect targets, ID them, then align guns onto target.
Once guns are aligned, the FLIR unit takes over control of the engagement.

P.S I have attempted to post the two pics of this SPAAG - but am having problems - sorry, will keep trying!!

I would like to know much more about this baby!!

Thanks in advance

I worked at Hydrokran in the 90s and Nimbus and Escorter were amazing piece of equipments and way ahead of their time. Sadly I never had the opportunity to see them in action, but standing behind the building they amazed and inspired me. Mr. Baiker owner and main designer was truly a engineering genius! one of the stories I picked up was that the Escorter was equipped with supports extending legs to become a fixed platform, but the precision was even better without since the wheels worked as dampeners.
You could individually control the air pressure for each tire. Combined with the possibility to controls the tilt and height of each axis it was a monster in the terrain. Truly made to be able to follow ground troops in the Swiss alps in any terain. I am not sure it if it also had the semi active lean control as the Nimbus did. The Nimbus axis controls made it lean in fast curves. It could drive 110kmh through the tight corners of the village of Hohentengen in the south of Germany fully loaded with 16 000 liter of water. Unintentionally tested in real life because the breaks were not demintioned for the weight and speed and over heated and became useless during the test run. The Nimbus had two 550hp Diesel engines connected through a clever clutch system powering the machine. It had two water canons, each driven by one of the Diesel engine. So 2x 550 hp water cannons. It took 45 seconds to empty the water tank. As far as I know the Escort had the same engine but just one. The Escorter (internally called Lizard if I remember it correctly) was impossible to drive without the Oerlikon turret. The automatic transition gave you such a punch in the back when it changed gear due to the power and lack of weight, otherwise they might have kept it running just for fun.

 

[Extrem]

If I had to guess, it looks like the wheels might be turned towards an "X" position during firing mode.

Both axis could be controlled individually and the direction was not important when firing.

 

[Jgwilymp]

If I had to guess, it looks like the wheels might be turned towards an "X" position during firing mode.

As far as I’ve been able to determine, the four wheel steering is what’s making it appear to be in a braced firing position. Having each axle capable of toeing its wheels in or out would add more complexity which wouldn’t be compensated by a more stable platform; the tires are quite big, and presumably bouncy.

 

[Chazley8871]

Wow... I worked on the Escorter 35. Went to Saudi for a demonstration. I was an involved in the design of the turret mounted IR Sensor from Parks Jaggers Aerospace in Orlando FL. I worked in Rome Italy at Contra Aves on the Radar and Sensor Integration in 1985. The vehicle was incredible. I have to go back in my mind to remember all that I know about that time in my life.

 

[Voltzz]

Ok, this is the 'Tracked' prelude to the GDF-DO3 SPAAG study!

I have no idea of its designation, but it was based on the M548 tracked load carrier's chassis

Jane's armour and artillery 1983-84 explains the designation system:
- GDF-CO2: Tracked version (FMC 548) without an integral search radar
- GDF-CO3: Tracked version (FMC 548) with an integral search radar (Contraves Alerter)
- GDF-DO2: Wheeled version (Hyka) without an integral search radar
- GDF-DO3: Wheeled version (Hyka) with an integral search radar (Contraves Alerter)