Philippine Army to receive all Sabrah ASCOD 2 light tanks in 2023.

Elbit Systems received a three-year contract worth $172m to supply Sabrah light tanks to the Philippine Army in January 2021. The entire delivery is expected to be completed by 2023, with the tanks to be assigned to the Philippine Army's sole armored division.
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ASCOD 2 in Sabrah light tank variant for the Philippine army, with a 105mm turret (Picture source: GDELS)

The Sabrah Light Tank is designed by Elbit Systems based on the ASCOD and Pandur 2 platforms. It's a tracked or wheeled light tank manufactured by Elbit Systems, a defense manufacturing company based in Israel. It is designed to complement the fleet of armored fighting vehicles (AFVs) operated by the armed forces worldwide. The tracked light tank configuration is based on the tracked ASCOD AFV platform, which is manufactured by Spanish armored vehicles manufacturer General Dynamics European Land Systems - Santa Bárbara Sistemas — (GDELS-SBS), a part of American aerospace and defense company General Dynamics.

Weighing 30 tonnes, the Sabrah light tank series has a modular design. It is equipped with a common 105mm manned turret for both tracked and wheeled configurations. The vehicle’s fully-electric turret drive provides stabilization in both elevation and traverse. The dual-axis high-performance turret provides a hunter-killer capability. The tank provides an optimal combination of firepower and maneuverability. It can be configured to provide enhanced lethality.

The Sabrah is fitted with armor protection systems to provide ballistic protection up to NATO STANAG 4569 Level 4. The vehicle can be integrated with active protection systems. It includes the company’s TORCH-X battle management system. The vehicle is also installed with electro-optical (EO) sights, fire control systems, and life support systems.

ASCOD 2/Sabrah for the Philippine Army

The Philippine Army categorizes this version as a tracked light tank. The base platform is the ASCOD 2, which has a seven-wheel station chassis and NATO STANAG 4569 Level 4 ballistic protection. It provides advanced mobility and mine protection capabilities due to ongoing technology upgrades, which are possible thanks to the open system architecture of the platform. The vehicle is powered by an 8-cylinder diesel engine coupled to a hydro-mechanical transmission system.

Under the terms of the contract, Elbit Systems will supply several configurations of vehicles, including 18 tracked light tanks based on the ASCOD 2 platform, 10 wheeled light tanks based on the Pandur 2 platform as well as an additional 1 command vehicle and 1 recovery vehicle based on the ASCOD 2 platform. The original Philippine Army requirement calls for a fleet of 144 light tanks/tank destroyers.

ASCOD is available as a platform configurable in several variants (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Defense News April 2023