Jagdpanzer Kanone 90 mm
Jagdpanzer Kanone 90 mm, later known as Kanonenjagdpanzer, was similar in layout to the Jagdpanzer IV of World War Two: a relatively cheap turretless armoured vehicle with a standard tank gun, good cross-country mobility, and a low silhouette. The Kanonenjagdpanzer was primarily designed as a tank destroyer, but its 90 mm tank gun could provide infantry support when needed. Like the Sturmgeschütz or Panzerjäger of WW2, Bundeswehr Kanonenjagdpanzer were deployed in independent battalions or batteries attached to Jäger and Panzergrenadier brigades, or in tank destroyer platoons attached to the 5th (heavy) company of a Jäger or PzGren battalion.
In the late 1960s, the Bundeswehr adopted a new organisation, called Heeresstruktur 3, in order to reduce defense spending. As a result, the 2nd and 4th Panzergrenadier divisions were converted to light infantry Jäger division in 1970. These divisions had fewer armoured vehicles; the infantry was motorized, but fought on foot. To provide these Jäger divisions with additional anti-tank capabilities, the armoured infantry battalions lost their attached Panzerjäger platoons who were formed into Panzerjäger battalions for the new Jäger divisions. The majority of Kanonenjagdpanzer were eventually handed down to territorial defense regiments, some were converted to artillery forward observation vehicles, then converted back to Kanonenjagdpanzer, and finally scrapped when the reunited Germany reduced its armed forces.
Available Scale Model Kits
- 1:87 ROCO 173
- 1:285 GHQ N44
- 1:300 Heroics & Ros GM07
Technical Specifications
- Jagdpanzer Kanone 90 mm
- Speed: 70 km/h on roads
- Range: 385 km, or 12–15 operating hours
- Length: 8750 mm
- Width: 2980 mm
- Height: 2080 mm
- Weight: 25700 kg
- Armament: 90 mm Tank Gun, co-axial MG 3, AA MG 3
- Crew: Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver
Bibliography
- Anweiler, Karl: Rad- und Kettenfahrzeuge der Bundeswehr.
- Gau, Lutz-Reiner: Deutsche Militärfahrzeuge. Bundeswehr und NVA.
Historical Employment
- Bundeswehr Panzerjägerzug – 5 Kanonenjagdpanzer
- Bundeswehr Panzerjägerzug attached to the 5th (heavy) company of the PzGren Btl – 4 Kanonenjagdpanzer
Jagdpanzer Kanone was an interesting modern combat vehicle, obviously descendant of WW2 German Sturmgeschütz III and IV, Jagdpanzer IV and Panzerjäger Hetzer. The deployment was similar as well: JagdPzK operated in support of motorized, mechanized and armoured infantry of the Bundeswehr.