"Cold War Tank Searchlight Ranges?" Topic

In looking at various vehicle overviews, I notice that they frequently give two ranges for their searchlights, with no explanation.

Most Soviet/Russian tanks seem to be in the 800m or 850m range at the low end, to 1300m, or so at the high end.

There's usually no explanation given, though some appear to allude to detection range (presumably the longer value), and engagement range (the vehicle crew can finally identify/distinguish between friend or foe at the shorter range, and not just detect that a vehicle is out there).

However, complicating this is that many/most tank searchlights can work in both the infrared and white light wavelengths, so I was thinking perhaps the shorter range are for I/R detection/engagement, and the longer value is for whitelight spotting.

Other resources mention spotting abilities of 200m – 300m without using their I/R searchlights, and just using natural lighting on dark nights, and the 800m range for moonlit nights.

So, perhaps the 1,300m range is for when the tank's crew turn on their own I/R searchlights to illuminate the target, instead of just using passive moon and starlight to help with detection.

Passive driver detection ranges are even shorter, on the order of 30m – 50m, and up to about 300m, or so, IIRC.

Thoughts?

NATO nation searchlights/detection gear seem to be a bit better, with ranges of about 1,500m, or so mentioned.

So, any clue as to which is which, and what the differing values are really for?

Hello, Mako11!
Take the most reliable source – the instruction manual.
The T-64A maximum sighting range with night thermal sight brand TPN1-49-23 – 800 m. For the purposes of illumination used in illuminator L2AGM (aka Spotlight Luna2 that is installed next to the gun) with an infrared filter. Ie, it is at a distance of 800 meters can confidently distinguish target and hit it with confidence.
The tank commander has a night vision device TKN-3B with a range of 300-400 meters without light.
In the driver – TVNE-4PA device. The passive range of vision – not less than 60 m, the active – more than 120 m.

P.S. Maybe I misunderstood the question a few.

There is a difference between infrared and image-intensifying. IR requires an active IR light source to illuminate the target. IR was standard for most armies by the 1960s. US IR driving devices with IR headlights had a range of up to 50 m, but 25-30 was more realistic. Our IR searchlight had range of up to 1200 m, but 800 m was more realistic. Visible searchlights had a range of up to 1500 m, but accurate friend or foe target identification was difficult beyond 1200 m. Passive image intensifying, or starlight scope, did not require an active light source, but was dependent on ambient light. They worked great under bright moonlight, but were almost useless in overcast conditions. II can see both IR and white light searchlights. However, II could spot a searchlight of any kind at far greater ranges than they could illuminate a target at. Turning on any kind of searchlight was just a big beacon saying "Here I am!"

Kahalani's book "The Heights of Courage" has a good description of a night tank battle pitting white light searchlight equipped Centurians against IR searchlight equipped Syrian tanks.

Thanks for the info and replies.

I really appreciate them.

That's one of the sources I was looking at, UsmanK, but I have noted that some do reference the longer, 1300m range. Seems as if this has pretty much remained the same, from the 1950s, and the introduction of the T-55 through many of the latest tanks for the late, Cold War period.

Excellent stuff, Cold Steel. Yes, I'd read overcast conditions or lack of moonlight would really lower the spotting distances with passive II.

I've read the American and West German ones had a range of 1,500m. Can't recall whether I found ranges for the British S/Ls, but do know I looked for the Centurions and Chieftains.

Do white-light searchlights have a better range than the I/R ones?

I know that turning on either is like turning on a flashlight in a darkened room, easily giving away your position with the white light, and doing virtually the same, if the enemy has I/R detectors.

I was thinking of 3.0X for the range at which the enemy can spot the white, or I/R searchlights if you have a passive I/R detector, when they are turned on. Perhaps 4.0X – 5.0X, or an unlimited range would be better.

As with all weapons systems, never underestimate the training angle. I was the safety officer for night gunnery back in 81. One of McNamara's 100,000 TC'd the next tank up. We repeatedly illuminated the target with white light at about 800 m but the TC kept saying "Cannot identify." Finally in exasperation, the CO asked if he could see the large white circle. "Yes." "Then aim at the center of it an pull the trigger." We watched the round go high and at a right angle to the range, clear off Ft. Riley. Everyone on the range froze in place while I proceeded with my investigation. I climbed into the gunner's position, then stuck my head out the TC's hatch several times to confirm my findings. The CO didn't believe me, so he climbed on the tank to confirm. The idiot had fired at the moon!

LOL.

I've heard of target misidentification, especially at night, but that really takes the cake.

"Passive image intensifying, or starlight scope, did not require an active light source, but was dependent on ambient light. They worked great under bright moonlight, but were almost useless in overcast conditions."
Is there any reason you couldn't shine a searchlight up on the overcast, but out of sight of the enemy that would make these usable in overcast conditions? IIRC the Germans did this during the Ardennes offensive.

Great story, @Cold Steel!

I forgot attach a file:
"T-64A datasheet and user's manual", Voenizdat, 1984
p. 8 – "Пушка", "Наибольшая прицельная дальность стрельбы с помощью ночного прицела ТПН1-49-23, м – 800" (Maximum sighting range using a night sight TPN 1-49-23 – 800 m)

link

Same about T-64B
link
p. 18 – max. range of TPN1-49-23 – 1000 m.

1200-1300 m – range of night singht 1K13 (with IR Luna-2), installed on Т-55М, Т-55МV, Т-55АМ, Т-55АМV, Т-55АD, Т-62М, Т-62МV and T-72B.

And rightly remarked Cold Steel, range still very much depends on training level.

You can't use tank-mounted searchlights bounced off low overcast. Thee light dissipation is too great. We actually tried it once with my tank company in Korea. It just gave away our position and the tanks had to be exposed on a steep hill to aim that high. The Germans at the Bulge used 100+ large anti-aircraft lights with ranges of tens of thousands of meters.

The British used similar tactics of massed searchlights bouncing off cloud in Normandy during Totalize in August 44. They called it 'Montys Moonlight '.

Very useful information.

Thank you all.

Found this on the Chieftain, and other British tanks:

link

Chieftain – W/L Searchlight range = 1,000m
Chieftain – I/R S/L range = 1,500m

No ranges given for the Centurion's searchlight, but presumably it was probably at least in the 800m – 1,000m range, if not equal to the above.