Cruzadore III

This article is about the modern Cruzadore tank. For older tank models, see Cruzadore I and Cruzadore II.

VEPRES 133 Cruzadore III
A Cruzadore III in Tuxtla Martínez, May 2012.
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Creeperopolis
Service history
In service	1998–present
Used by	Creeperopolis Other users El Salvador Gjorka Noundures Pavulturilor Rakhman Sequoyah
Wars	Creeperian Conflicts Mara War Castillianan Insurgency Deltinian Insurgency Desert War CODECO intervention in Sequoyah Dubătemir Regional Insurgency OU intervention in Ajakanistan
Production history
Designer	Venancio López Requena
Designed	1992–1997
Manufacturer	Zaldívar Vehicle Company
Unit cost	₡95,046,000 colóns
Produced	1998–present
No. built	2,080
Variants	133/1, 133/2
Specifications
Mass	69.4 tons
Length	25.7 pi (25.3 ft, 7.7 m)
Width	13.2 pi (12.1 ft, 3.7 m)
Height	10.7 pi (9.8 ft, 3.0 m)
Crew	4
Armor	Composite armor
Main armament	120 mm FEA-133 gun
Secondary armament	2 × 7.62 mm FEA-33s (133/1) 2 × 7.62 mm FEA-35s (133/2)
Engine	RR133 12-cylinder diesel 1,500 PS (1,500 hp) at 2,600 rpm
Power/weight	23.8 PS/t (17.5 kW/t)
Transmission	ZEV C133
Suspension	Torsion bar
Fuel capacity	280 gallons
Operational range	360 ml (310 mi, 500 km)
Speed	60 mch (50 mph, 80 kmh)

The Cruzadore III (Creeperian: Ծրփզադորե ԻԻԻ, literally translated as the "Crusader III"), officially designated as the VEPRES 133 Cruzadore III (ՎԵՊՐԵՍ 133 Ծրփզադորե ԻԻԻ), is a Creeperian-manufactured main battle tank. The tank has been produced by the Zaldívar Vehicle Company (ZEV) since 1998. It was designed by Field Marshal Venancio López Requena during the 1990s to replace the aging Cruzadore II main battle tank which had been in service since 1952.

Two variants of the Cruzadore III have been manufactured: the 133/1, 133/2, and 133/E. The 133/1 and 133/2 variants are only distinguished by the type of machine guns which are equipped on the tank. The 133/1 is armed with two Figueroa-33 7.62 mm medium machine guns while the 133/2 is armed with two Figueroa-35 7.62 mm medium machine guns. It has a crew of four, including a commander, a gunner, a loader, and a driver; the commander and the driver operate the tank's two machine guns.

As of 2023, a total of 2,080 Cruzadore III main battle tanks have been produced. It is currently operated by the Creeperian Army and by the armies of six foreign nations: El Salvador, Gjorka, Noundures, Pavulturilor, Rakhman, and Sequoyah.

History

In the 1990s, the Creeperian Army had been using the Cruzadore II main battle tank since 1952. Many soldiers and junior military officers considered the tank to be too antiquated, especially as the technology dated back to the Creeperian Civil War era (1933–1949) and no new Cruzadore II tanks had been produced since 1978, and made requests to more senior military officers to look into a suitable replacement for the Cruzadore II. In February 1992, Field Marshal Venancio López Requena, who commanded the I Army Corps, officially placed an order to the Zaldívar Vehicle Company (ZEV) to develop a new tank for the Creeperian Army.

Operators

Nation	Operator	In service	133/1	133/2	Total
Creeperopolis	Creeperian Army	1998–present	522	798	1,320
El Salvador	Salvadoran Army	2005–present	4	5	19
Gjorka	Gjorkan Ground Forces	2008–present	20		20
Noundures	Free Noundurian Army	2023–present	1		1
Pavulturilor	Pavulturilori Army	2016–present	340		340
Rakhman	Rakhmani Army	2006–present	120	150	270
Sequoyah	Sequoyan Army	2021–present	10	10	20
Total			1,117	963	2,080

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
• Engine: RR133 12-cylinder twin-turbocharged diesel engine
• Displacement: Bore × stroke: 170 × 175 mm, 47,666 cm³ displacement
• Fuel capacity: 280 gal (1273 l)
• Transmission: Hydro-mechanical control, reversing and steering gear ZEV C133 with combined hydrodynamic-mechanical service brake, 4 forward, 2 reverse
• Suspension system: Torsion bar spring mounted support roller drive with hydraulic dampers

Dimensions

• Length (turret forward): 25.7 pi (25.3 ft, 7.7 m)
• Width: 13.2 pi (12.1 ft, 3.7 m)
• Height: 10.7 pi (9.8 ft, 3.0 m)
• Ground clearance: 2.0 pi (1.8 ft, 0.54 m)
• Wading depth without preparation: 4.3 pi (3.9 ft, 1.2 m)
• Wading depth with snorkel: 14.3 pi (13.1 ft, 4 m)
• Trench passability: 10.7 pi (9.8 ft, 3 m)
• Climbing ability: 3.9 pi (3.6 ft, 1.1 m)
• Empty weight: 60.2 tons
• Combat weight: 69.4 tons
• Turret weight: 16 tons

Performance

• Maximum speed: 60 mch (50 mph, 80 kmh)
• Operating range:

Road: 360 ml (310 mi, 500 km)

Terrain: 240 ml (210 mi, 340 km)

Average: 300 ml (260 mi, 420 km)

• Power output: 1,500 PS (1,500 hp; 1,103 kW), rpm: 2,600/min
• Torque output: 4,700 Nm (3,466 lb·ft), rpm: 1,600–1,700/min
• Rotation time (360°): 10 seconds
• Turret rotation time (360°): 9 seconds

Armament

• Primary armament: Figueroa 120 mm smoothbore gun FEA-133
• Secondary armament: 2 machine guns

133/1: 2 × Figueroa 7.62 mm medium machine gun FEA-33s

133/2 2 × Figueroa 7.62 mm medium machine gun FEA-35s

See also

• List of VEPRES designations