Amx-30 Family

Book excerpt: The AMX-30 was used as the basis for a range of armored vehicles that have seen extensive service in the French army and elsewhere. In this Photosniper, which completes the study of the AMX-30 series by M.P. Robinson, the stories of France's specialized artillery and engineer variants are explained. The AMX-30D recovery vehicle, the GCT and Au-F1 series of self-propelled guns, the AMX-30R Roland and AMX-30SA Shahine antiaircraft missile launchers, the AMX-30 Bitube DCA antiaircraft tank, the AMX-30H Bridgelayer and the EBG armored engineers vehicle are all covered in text and photographs. France's comprehensive rebuilding programs that resulted in the development of the Au-F1TA, of the improved EBG versions and of sophisticated mine clearing versions of the AMX-30B2 in the decades since the end of the Cold War are also described. This work is an excellent reference for the modeler with over 180 photos; these include examples chosen from GIAT's archives, photos of vehicles in everyday service, vehicles seen on the parade ground and in the desert wastes of Iraq.