Editing AMX-30 (section)

{{Short description|1966 French main battle tank}}
{{Featured article}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name               = AMX-30
| image              = AMX-30B U.S. Army Armor & Cavalry Collection.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = A former French AMX-30B at the [[U.S. Army Armor & Cavalry Collection]]
| origin             = France
| type               = [[Main battle tank]]
| is_vehicle         = yes
| service            = 1966–present
| used_by            = See ''[[#Operators|Operators]]''
| wars               = [[Iran–Iraq War]]<br/>[[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]]<br/>[[Saudi Arabian–Yemeni border conflict (2015–present)|Saudi Arabian–Yemeni border conflict]]
| design_date        = {{Start date and age|1959}}
| production_date    = 1966-1994
| number             = 3,571
| spec_label         = 
| length             = {{convert|9.48|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (gun forward)
| width              = {{convert|3.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| height             = {{convert|2.28|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight             = {{convert|36|t|ST LT|lk=out}}
| suspension         = Torsion bar with shock absorbers
| speed              = {{convert|65|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| vehicle_range      = {{convert|600|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| primary_armament   = [[105 mm Modèle F1]] [[tank gun]]
| secondary_armament = 1× [[20 mm modèle F2 gun]]<br/>1× 7.62 mm NF1 [[machine gun]]
| armour             = {{convert|80|mm|abbr=on}} maximum<ref>Foss (2006), p. 30</ref>
| engine             = Hispano-Suiza HS-110 multi-fuel
| engine_power       = {{convert|680|hp|kW|abbr=on}}-{{convert|720|hp|kW|abbr=on}}
| pw_ratio           = 18.9 hp/tonne
| transmission       = Manual on AMX30B<br/>Semi-automatic SESM ENC200 on AMX-30B2
| crew               = 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
}}

The '''AMX-30''' is a French [[main battle tank]] designed by [[Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux]] (AMX, then [[Nexter|GIAT]]) and first delivered to the [[French Army]] in August 1966. The first five tanks were issued to the 501st ''Régiment de Chars de Combat'' (Tank Regiment) in August of that year. The production version of the AMX-30B weighed {{convert|36|MT|ST|sp=us}}, and sacrificed protection for increased mobility. The French believed that it would have required too much armour to protect against the latest anti-tank threats, thereby reducing the tank's maneuverability. Protection, instead, was provided by the speed and the compact dimensions of the vehicle, including a height of 2.28 metres. It had a 105&nbsp;mm gun, firing a then advanced [[high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) warhead known as the ''Obus G''. The ''Obus G'' used an outer shell, separated from the main charge by ball bearings, to allow the round to be spin stabilized by the gun without spinning the warhead inside which would disrupt jet formation. Mobility was provided by the {{convert|720|hp|kW|sp=us}} HS-110 [[diesel engine]], although the troublesome [[Transmission (mechanics)|transmission]] adversely affected the tank's performance.

In 1979, due to issues caused by the transmission, the French Army began to modernize its fleet of tanks to AMX-30B2 standards, which included a new transmission, an improved engine and the introduction of a new OFL 105 F1 fin-stabilized [[kinetic energy penetrator]]. Production of the AMX-30 also extended to a number of variants, including the AMX-30D [[armoured recovery vehicle]], the AMX-30R [[anti-aircraft gun]] system, a bridge-layer, the [[Pluton (missile)|Pluton]] [[tactical nuclear missile]] launcher and a [[surface-to-air missile]] launcher.

It was preceded by two post-war French medium tank designs. The first, the [[ARL 44]], was an interim tank. Its replacement, the [[AMX 50]], was cancelled in the mid-1950s in favour of adopting the [[M47 Patton]] tank. In 1956, the French government entered a cooperative development program with [[West Germany]] and [[Italy]] in an effort to design a standardized tank. Although the three nations agreed to a series of specific characteristics that the new tank should have, and both France and Germany began work on distinctive prototypes with the intent of testing them and combining the best of both, the program failed as Germany decided not to adopt the new French {{convert|105|mm|in|adj=on}} [[tank gun]] and France declared that it would postpone production until 1965. As a result, both nations decided to adopt tanks based on their own prototypes. The German tank became the [[Leopard 1]], while the French prototype became the AMX-30.

As early as 1969, the AMX-30 and variants were ordered by [[Greece]], soon followed by [[Spain]] ([[AMX-30E]]). In the coming years, the AMX-30 would be exported to [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Venezuela]], [[Qatar]], the [[United Arab Emirates]], [[Cyprus]] and [[Chile]]. By the end of production, 3,571 units of AMX-30s and its variants had been manufactured. Both Spain and Venezuela later began extensive modernization programs to extend the life of their vehicles and to bring their tanks up to more modern standards. In the 1991 [[Gulf War]], AMX-30s were deployed by both the French and Qatari armies. Qatari AMX-30s saw action against Iraqi forces at the [[Battle of Khafji]]. France and most other nations replaced their AMX-30s with more up-to-date equipment by the end of the 20th century.