Thread:Captain rudder guy Kevin1/@comment-12494172-20151119203637

The crew reports that the vehicle is nicely spaced and has an outstanding ergonomics design reporting that it was spacious, comfortable and would not at all cause crew injury. The hull height was not very good, but the vehicle had reclined seating for the driver and spotter. The turret crew reported that it was "a bit excessive in open space and perhaps the spotter should be moved in with the turret crew. After all, it was easier for him to communicate in this manner. Mobility was staggering, reaching speeds of up to 80 kph! Full hull turn time was 7 seconds and the turret 5 seconds. Visibility and target acquisition rate are unparalleled! The commander commented that his job was much easier after the addition of a dedicated spotter. Accuracy was very good, however the vehicle tended to lose accuracy if firing above a rate of 14 rpm. Though B&K reported that 12.5 rpm was "more reasonable". Vehicle electronics were very good greatly reducing the load on the gunner with computerized sights and making the tank more automatic, such as the tank being able to report it's own overall condition. All in all it is a great vehicle.

However B&K engineers themselves have expressed the concern that the Number 17 would suffer from shorter operational range, poor performance in urban combat (except for the the "U" model) due to the excessively long gun, lack of transportability due to a great mass and a high production cost.

Note that the spotter is also there to support the crew in other tasks as B & K believes that while a 3 man crew is economical it's not as effective as a 4 or 5 man crew. 