Fennek

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The Fennek LRS in Steel Beasts Professional

Fennek: Light Reconnaissance Vehicle


Statistics

Commander's Machine Gun: .50 cal M2HB (vehicle dependent)
Ammunition Stowage: 100 ready/900 stowed
Default Ammunition: 100/900 .50 cal M2 AP-T


Grenade Dischargers: Grenades
Ammunition Stowage: 6 ready/12 stowed*
Default Ammunition: 6/12 Smoke
*These numbers represent single rounds which are fired as salvos of 3 using the left and right dischargers.


Armor protection:
Frontal Turret Armor: N/A
Frontal Hull Armor: Light, Composite. Protected against 7.62mm AP


Combat Weight: ~10 tonnes
Length: 5.71m
Width: 2.49m
Height: 1.79m (3.29m with mast extended)
Engine Power: 239hp Deutz Diesel
Top Speed: 115kph

General

Initially developed as a private venture by the SP Aerospace Company, the Fennek is a 4x4 light armored reconnaissance vehicle that entered Dutch and German service in 2003. Beginning with revision 4.156 Steel Beasts Professional models a number of specialized versions armed with either a .50 cal M2 Browning heavy machine gun or 40mm automatic grenade launcher all of which possesses excellent on and off-road mobility and very quiet operation.

Model Number of dismounts Primary Armament Optional Armament Comments
Fennek FO* 2 man FO team M2 HMG M240 or MG3
Fennek Mortar 2 man 60mm mortar team M2 HMG M240 or MG3
Fennek TACP* 2 man TACP team M2 HMG M240 or MG3
Fennek AD 0 M2HMG M240 or MG3 This is a Command and Control Vehicle (Dut: Allgemeine Dienste “Command Vehicle”). As currently simulated, this command vehicle carries no troops, and provides no appreciable tactical benefit, beyond its role as a high-value target.
Fennek MRAT 2 man ATGM team (SPIKE MR/LR) M2 HMG M240 or MG3
Fennek Recce* (AGL) 2 man scout team 40mm AGL M240 or MG3 This represents the German reconnaissance version armed with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
Fennek Recce* (HMG) 2 man scout team M2 HMG M240 or MG3 This represents the Dutch reconnaissance version armed with the standard M2HB HMG.
Fennek SWP 0 4 Pedestal Mounted Stingers (PMS) [4 ready/4 stored] M240 or MG3 The Fennek "Stinger Weapon Platform" is similar in function and role to the M998 Avenger anti-aircraft system.

Beginning with revision 4.250 all Fennek vehicles except SWP version are fully modeled and crew-able at the Commander's (F7), Gunner's (F6), and Driver's (F9) positions. The Fennek SWP is not crew-able and can be used from observer’s position (F8) only.

*Fennek FO, Recce, and TACP vehicles are equipped with a retractable mast-mounted sensor pod (BAA - Beobachtungs und Aufklärungsausstattung [Observation and reconnaissance equipment]) and have an associated control station, which can be shared between commander and gunner. Developed by Rheinmetall Defense Electronics, the BAA is the primary intelligence gathering tool carrying high-definition day/thermal optics and a laser rangefinder. This coupled with extensive communications equipment, a GPS enabled land navigation system, and an integrated C3I network, allows the relay of information in real time. The Fennek AD, Mortar, and MRAT are essentially personnel carriers without sophisticated reconnaissance optics and associated gear.

All in-sim Fennek-series vehicles can be configured with a pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun at the commander’s position with the available options being either an MG3 or M240/FN MAG.

Note: When under AI control Fennek FO, Recce, and TACP vehicles equipped with sensor pods will deploy their masts whenever they stop, and, despite the sensor pod being functional, the Fennek will position itself so that the AI “crew” will have adequate fields of observation. Against AI opponents, this has no repercussions, since the AI will identify the vehicle regardless of overall exposure, but against human players, users must be mindful to place the Fennek in positions that avoid skylining the unit.

Thermal Signature

Fennek TIS image, front-right Fennek TIS image, rear-left

Crew Positions

Vehicle Commander's Position F7

TC's unbuttoned view

In Steel Beasts Professional the vehicle commander's (VC) position on the Fennek is fully crew-able. The VC's position is accessed by pressing F7.

VC's interior view

From this position the user can raise and lower their perspective (and exposure level) by holding the Q key (to go up) and the Z key (to go down). The VC can also button or unbutton (close and open the VC's hatch) by pressing the B key (toggle). While unbuttoned, the VC may also wish to use binoculars to get a closer view on a distant area by pressing the N key (toggle).

From the F1 interior view, the N key is also used for getting a closer look/access different panels in the turret.

Commander's Machine Gun

The Fennek has an optional 7.62mm machine gun (MG3 or M240) mounted on the commanders cupola. The weapon is intended for air defense and against infantry and is accessed with the ALT + F2 key.

The gun sight view is the machine gun's standard iron sights and has no provision for range determination. Once in the gun sight view you are able to slew the gun and manipulate elevation using the mouse or joystick. The MG is fired with the SPACE BAR.

VC's 7.62mm MG3, sight view.
Control Station

The control station (specific to Fennek FO, Recce and TACP only) is composed of the BAA control panel with display, SBP (System Bediener Panel [System Control Panel]), and a battle management system (BMS) terminal; by default it is located at commander’s station, but the entire assembly can be moved to gunner’s station or returned back with O key. During a network session, if both the commander’s and gunner’s stations are manned by users, only the user occupying commander’s station can “give” the control station to the gunner or “take” it back. While in offline session it is up to the user to decide at which position he needs this station, no matter if he or she is at the commander’s or gunner’s position at any given moment. If vehicle is under AI control, e.g. not occupied by the human user, the AI TC will always move control console to his position.

BAA display view

The BAA display shows the feed from the BAA’s day TV or from the OPHELIOS thermal imaging camera and is accessed with F3 key while at commander’s position. If operated from the gunner’s station the BAA display view can be accessed with ALT + F1 key combo, or by left clicking the display itself.

Users can switch between day TV and thermal imaging camera with Numpad + key, change thermal image polarity with Numpad – key, toggle high and low magnification while in thermal imaging camera view with N key (note, that changing the magnification in thermal imaging camera view also affects the day TV camera), and - while in day TV camera view - smoothly adjust zoom with the N key (zoom-in) and Shift + N key combo (zoom-out).

BAA pod (camera views) can be panned with mouse or joystick; to lase target in order to obtain range and coordinates the user should press Ctrl key or the right mouse button. It is important to note that lasing is possible only if high magnification is enabled.

Also, if multiple targets are lased in successive order, only data for the 1st target will be displayed and the user needs manually cycle through the targets with the “+” and “-” buttons found on the control panel under BAA screen, which also contains additional controls.

BAA menu
This menu provides some very important options like laser return selection etc:

  • “Zielposition”. If selected, toggles strip with lased target data to appear on the screen.
  • “Justierung”. Not implemented.
  • “LEM echo”. LRF return; provides “Erstecho” (1st return) and “Letztecho” (last return) selection options.
  • “BIT”. Not implemented.
  • “Service”. Not implemented.

User can utilize Up, Down, Left, and Right arrow keys while in the BAA display view or, in eye view (F1), clickable controls to navigate through this menu.

BAA control panel
BAA control panel.











  1. Reticle color adjust knob.
  2. BAA cameras control rotary with the following settings:
    1. Off - BAA cameras are unpowered.
    2. Stand-by.
    3. IR/TV - Both thermal imaging and day TV cameras are enabled; user can select which camera to use with + key or by left clicking on IR/TV switch located at the right-front of control handle.
    4. TV - Enables power for day TV camera only.
  3. Focus - Toggles auto/manual focus control.
  4. Thermal image polarity toggle switch.
  5. BAA Menu button. Opens on-screen menu and navigates menu level up.
  6. “-“ button. Navigates list up, cycles enabled options, etc.
  7. “+“ button. Navigates list up, cycles enabled options, etc.
  8. “Confirm” button. Confirms selection.
  9. IR image brightness.
  10. IR image contrast.
  11. Day TV image brightness.
  12. Day TV image contrast.

The panel shown above can be accessed by zooming-in (hotkey is “N”) with center of ‘”eye” view aimed at it.

Additional BAA controls
Additional BAA controls.














  1. Control handle. Pans BAA left and right, up or down (mouse or joystick).
  2. LRF trigger.
  3. IR/TV switch. Toggles thermal and day TV camera views (Numpad + key) if rotary knob on the panel below BAA screen was set to TV/IR position.
  4. WFOV/NFOV toggle switch. Simultaneously toggles wide and narrow FOV for IR and TV cameras.
  5. Zoom knob. Provides smooth adjustment of day TV camera zoom. To manipulate - left mouse click + mouse wheel. Note also that reticle is not displayed if knob was activated (manipulated).
System Control Panel (SBP)

This panel is a spinal cord of entire system, since it controls a large number of mission-essential functions; the TC can access it with Alt + F2 key combination, or by clicking its display.

System Control Panel.











  1. Power ON/OFF switch. Toggles on and off power for BAA, mast, and SBP.
  2. BAA stow button. Retracts BAA for travel.
  3. Mast up button. Deploys BAA for operation and extends mast (e.g. elevates BAA).
  4. Mast down button. Lowers the mast (BAA).
  5. NAV button. Toggles navigation system on and off .
  6. SBP screen. Provides UI for interaction with vehicle systems and mission equipment.
  7. Exit button. Used to navigate to higher level of menu.
  8. and...
  9. Navigate through options list up or down, or adjust a value.
  10. CONFIRM button. Confirms user’s selection, opens lower level of menu for selected item.
  11. Lamps test button. Makes all panel lights to illuminate briefly for test.
  12. Increase brightness. Turns on panel lights and increases their brightness if pressed.
  13. Decrease brightness. Reduces brightness of the panel lights.
  14. SBP status indicator. Green light- operational, red light- general error state.
BAA mast operation (Fennek FO, Recce and TACP only)
  • In order to deploy a stowed BAA pod the user needs to left click and hold for ~1 second the “Mast up” button and the BAA pod will be erected. If user desires to elevate it further they should click and hold for ~1 second the ”Mast up” button again - this will make mast to fully extend.
  • To immediately stop mast when it’s moving up, the user should briefly press (e.g. click) the “Mast down” button. If mast is moving down, it can be stopped by briefly pressing “Mast up” button.
  • To lower fully a elevated mast with BAA pod, the user needs click and hold for ~1 second “Mast down” button; the mast will go down, but optics will remain deployed.
  • To stow BAA pod for travel the user should left click and hold for ~1 second the “BAA stow” button; the BAA pod will be automatically retracted to stowed position.

Note: when BAA pod is being deployed, “Mast down” button will blink green - this is normal behavior.

SBP screen main menu
SBP main menu.

Not all features of this menu are simulated, and the availability of functions depends of vehicle’s model and role.

The main menu lists the following 1st level entries:

  • “Navigatie”- Navigation. Provides UI for interaction with navigation system.
  • “Doelgegeven”- Target data. Provides UI for handling of target coordinates and feeding them to BMS, present if vehicle is BAA-equipped (FO, TACP, Recce).
  • “Uitrusting grondsensoren”. Unattended ground sensors, present if vehicle is BAA-equipped (FO, TACP, Recce). Not implemented.
  • “Afzetprocedure”. Present if vehicle is BAA-equipped (FO, TACP, Recce); not implemented.
  • “Functietest”. Function test. Not implemented.
  • “Foutenlokalisatie”. Error localization/isolation(?). Not implemented.
  • “Systeemconfiguratie”. System configuration. Not implemented.
  • “Batterij, motor start/ stop”- Battery, engine start/ stop. Provides the user with controls to start or stop engine and to monitor status of the batteries. Note: battery discharge is not simulated.



SBP "Navigatie" menu.

“Navigatie” 2nd level entries:

  • “Navigatiepositie”. If selected, opens 3rd level screen with compass, vehicle’s speed, coordinates, UTM zone and heading to the active waypoint (handling of waypoints by NAV system is not simulated).
  • “Navigatie- bedrijfsmodi”. Navigation mode selections. Opens 3rd level screen with options to select hybrid (inertial + satellite), inertial only, or satellite only navigation mode. Please note, this particular menu is a visual representation only in Steel Beasts Professional, and any setting changes made here will have no effect during the session.

The rest of “Navigatie” 2nd level entries are not implemented.







SBP "Doelgegeven" menu.

“Doelgegeven” 2nd level entries:

  • “Doelgegevens tonen” - “Show target data”. Opens 3rd level menu containing list of all lased targets.
  • “Doelgegevens per stuk verwijderen” - “Delete targets individually”. Not implemented.
  • “Alle Doelgegevens verwijderen” - “Delete all targets”. Deletes all lased targets from memory.









Example targets under “DP tonen”.

Handling of target coordinates in Steel Beasts Professional:

In the case of Fennek FO and TACP vehicles, the coordinates of any lased target are automatically imported in to the Call-for-Fire dialog, which can store data for up to 3 targets with most recently lased target coordinates marked as “Laser range finder 1”. Since the SBP can store coordinates for many dozens previously lased targets, the user can manually select and feed data for any of such target in to the CFF dialog. In order to do this, user should go to the SBP view with Alt + F2 (valid for both CDR’s and DRV’s positions), then pick the "Doelgegeven" entry by left clicking the "+" and "-" buttons on the SBP and confirming the selection by left clicking the “CONFIRM” button - this will bring up the 2nd level menu (screen) in to view. “Doelgegevens tonen” is already selected there, so the user just needs to confirm the selection. The 3rd level “DP tonen” menu displays a list of lased targets, 2 targets per screen, and the sub-screens of further target lists are cycled with the “Verder” selection. Once the user has selected the correct target, confirm selection with “CONFIRM” button and the coordinates of the selected target will be added to the CFF dialog as “Laser range finder 1”.

Data set per for each target as shown in “DP tonen” list includes:

  • First line- Vehicle’s (OP) coordinates.
  • Second line- Target’s coordinates.
  • Third line- Target’s elevation (“H”), range to target (“R”), and bearing to target in mils.
  • Fourth line- Time and date of lase.


BMS terminal (Fennek FO, Recce, and TACP only)

Steel Beasts Professional does not simulate any specific battle management system, therefore the BMS terminal provides a real-time visualization of the map view (F5) while user is in the eye view (F1). Note, the BMS terminal power can be toggled on and off with button at its left-upper corner.

Gunner’s position F6

The gunner's (system operator’s) position is accessed by pressing F6. From this position the user can raise and lower their perspective (and exposure level) by holding the Q key (to go up) and the Z key (to go down). The gunner can also button or unbutton (close and open the gunner's hatch) by pressing the B key (toggle). While unbuttoned, user can use binoculars by pressing N key (toggle). In offline sessions users occupying the gunner’s position of FO, reconnaissance, or TACP versions of Fennek can slide the control station for mission equipment to his position with O key.

Eye view of gunner’s position.

Type 1530 weapons station

For the purpose of self-defense the Fennek series vehicles, depending of model, are equipped with either the Type 1530 overhead weapon station or FLW200 remote controlled weapon station. All in-sim Fenneks except for the SWP (which have only a launch unit for missiles) use the Type 1530 overhead weapon station exclusively. The Type 1530 weapon station can be traversed 360 degrees and elevated from -10 to +40degrees; it is manually controlled with hand cranks without gunner’s exposure to enemy fire or NBC agents. The Fire control system consists of simple day optics and an un-cooled thermal imaging module; both have a fixed 3x magnification. Due to its un-cooled nature, the quality of image and detection range of the thermal imaging module is rather low. There is no laser rangefinder or ballistic computer, only a simple ballistic reticle is used to apply proper superelevation and lead.

The weapon station, depending of vehicle’s role and version, may be armed with either a 12.7mm machine gun or 40mm AGL. Most in-sim vehicles have the weapon station outfitted with the 12.7mm M2HB HMG, while one of reconnaissance Fenneks is armed a MK 19 40mm AGL to simulate the German version of this vehicle. The thermal imaging module view is accessed with F2 key and the day optics with the F3 key.

For the 12.7mm machine gun, both day and thermal reticles are zeroed at 200m with marks at 400, 800, 1000, and 1200m. Flanking the 800m mark are five 1mil lead lines on each side with 1mil spaces in between. For the AGL version the sight is marked on the right from 100 to 1000m with range indicators at 100, 300, 500, 700, 900, and 1000m. Just below and to the left of the AGL sight's 500m cross is a secondary reticle for an alternate 7.62mm machine gun. As modeled, this reticle serves no purpose.

While in OHWS thermal imaging module view, user can toggle image polarity (White-Hot/Black-Hot) with the Numpad - key or put the thermal imager in to stand-by mode with the Numpad + key. Note that the day optic does not have reticle illumination. Since overhead weapon station lacks powered elevation or traverse, user should use the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW and LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW keys to aim the gun. In all cases where the arrow pad is used for elevation and traverse, quicker taps of the arrow keys will result in faster sight movement. To fire the gun user should use SPACE BAR.

Note that it is possible to aim and fire gun from both sight views (day and thermal) and the buttoned “eye” view; while in unbuttoned “eye” view, it is possible to manually fire the gun (since gun is fired manually, no safety inhibitors are applied in this case), but not aim it.

In order to prevent damage to BAA, there is a “No fire zone” where the mast is. The user can override this firing inhibition by throwing a circuit breaker to his lower right (on the panel between seat backrest and crew compartment access door).

BAA circuit breaker position.

The overhead weapon station also has two vision blocks, which can be accessed with F4 key.

Gunner's vision block view.
OHWS sight controls
OHWS sight control panel.












  1. Day optics eyepiece.
  2. TIM eyepiece.
  3. TIM power ON/OFF toggle switch.
  4. TIM focus adjustment knob.
OHWS electric power controls
OHWS electrical panel.















  1. OHWS power ON/OFF switch. Basically, in game, if set to OFF (adjacent green LED will not be lit), inhibits firing of the gun. Note that if the firing circuit is on ARMED and you turn off the power altogether, then turn it on again, you’ll have to set the switch SAFE and then ARMED for it to be really enabled.
  2. Firing circuit ON/OFF switch. If set to OFF (low position) firing of the main gun will be inhibited. Note that system's status not reflected by “S” and “F” LEDs above (those seems to be wired to the mechanical safety); the adjacent red LED showing status may be dimmed by switch 3.
  3. Light ON/OFF. Dims some status LEDs on this panel
  4. Test lights pushbutton. If pressed, lights-up all status LEDs for test.

Driver’s position (F9)

In Steel Beasts Professional the driver's position on the Fennek is modeled and crew-able. The driver's position is accessed by pressing F9.

Driver’s position of the Fennek.

Although simplified, the driver’s position of the Fennek, unlike most vehicles, has an animated speedometer and fuel gauge. Also, a clickable master power button is available on the dashboard at right of the steering wheel, back-up camera display to the right of that, and a smoke grenade launcher control box is mounted on the roof above the right window.

Functional driver controls.
  1. Master power switch. If turned off, will disable all electric power for OHWS and mission equipment (BAA pod, mast, and associated control panels).
  2. Rear view camera display. The red button at display unit’s lower left corner toggles power ON and OFF, while green button at lower right corner toggles stand-by mode ON and OFF. The display view can be accessed with F2 key, or by zooming-in with N key when looking directly at the screen
  3. SGL control box. Smoke grenade launchers can be fired with TAB key, or by clicking the big red buttons on the faceplate of control box. Note that due to their placement, the launchers can not be fired while any crew hatches are open!
Driver’s rear camera view (F2).

As is traditional for crewable vehicles in Steel Beasts Professional users in the driver’s position can drive vehicle by using either the joystick or W, A, S, D, and X keys. He also can also raise and lower their perspective (and exposure level) by holding the Q key (to go up) and the Z key (to go down) and button or unbutton (close and open the drivers's hatch) by pressing the B key (toggle).

Links

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