Initial work on the AMX-10 RC began in 1970, derived of the
AMX-10P. Prototypes testing began in 1976. The first production vehicle was delivered in 1979 to the 2nd
Regiment de Hussards in
Sourdun. The vehicle features a powerful GIAT 105 mm gun mounted in a welded aluminum turret. The TK 105 turret houses three crew members, while the driver sits in the front of the hull. A COTAC
fire control system is provided for gun aiming. It has a
six wheel drive. The AMX-10 RC uses
skid steering to turn the hull.
Engine The AMX-10 RC initially used the
Hispano-Suiza HS 115-2, multi-fuel, liquid-cooled, supercharged V8 engine with at 3,200 rpm. In 1985, the
Baudouin 6F11 SRX supercharged
diesel engine was selected to equip the last production AMX-10 RC vehicles as a production cut-in, as well as for eventual retrofit to all AMX-10 RC vehicles of the French Army. This engine has , but governed at at 3,000 rpm in the French army. A 24 volt electrical system with six 12-volt/100-ampere-hour batteries is standard. Two waterjets are used for water propulsion, mounted on each side of the hull at the rear.
Transmission The AMX-10 RC vehicles use an unspecified preselector gearbox with four forward and four reverse gear ratios. The clutch is electro-magnetically operated and the gearbox is fitted with a torque converter. A power take-off unit operates the two waterjets. The AMX-10 RC is skid steered and can perform a pivot turn.
Suspension and running gear The 6x6 AMX-10 RC is fitted with a hydropneumatic suspension system with variable ground clearance and tilt, provided by Messier Auto-Industry. A centralized lubrication and tire inflation system is fitted. A shock damper is mounted at each wheel station.
Armament The AMX-10 RC is fitted with a 105/47 F2 MECA 105 mm medium-pressure gun, mounted in a GIAT Industries TK 105 three-man turret. The F2 cannon fires 105×527R proprietary ammunition. The turret uses a SAMM CH49 electrohydraulic gun control system. No stabilization system is fitted. An ANF1 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted coaxially to the main armament. Two electrically operated smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side of the turret. 38 main-gun rounds, 4,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, and 16 smoke grenades are carried. The F2 105 mm medium-pressure rifled gun fires four types of 105×527R ammunition: OFL 105 F3
APFSDS, OE 105 F3
HE, OCC 105 F3
HEAT-FS and the BSCC 105 F3 target practice round. The APFSDS, which uses the penetrator from the GIAT OFL 90 F1 mm APFSDS round, is capable of defeating a
NATO single heavy tank target at a range of 1,200 metres and the NATO triple heavy tank target at a range of 2,200 metres. The AMX-10 RC has been upgraded many times. The DIVT-13
LLTV was replaced by using DIVT-16, 18 and 19 CASTOR thermal sights taken from decommissioned
AMX-30B2 MBTs. For the 1991
Gulf War, the AMX-10 RC was provided with extra-high-hardness steel add-on armour and an EIREL infrared jammer. The original muzzle brake was replaced by a more efficient one, with a 10% recoil reduction, after the introduction of the OFL 105 F3 APFSDS in 1987. The flotation barrier and the water pump jets were removed, with their intakes sealed. The AMX-10 RCR introduced a FINDERS C2R battlefield management system. One improvement considered, but not implemented, was the installation of the TML 105 modular light turret, armed with a more powerful 105 mm G2 high-pressure gun, as the F2 gun was not compatible with NATO munitions. A central tire inflation system is available for added traction over soft terrain. The AMX-10 RC is equipped with an
NBC (Nuclear/Biological/Chemical) protection system and may conduct reconnaissance in
radioactive environments. == AMX-10 RCR modernisation ==