Panzer-4

The Panzer-4 Dragoon (: Panzer-4 Dragoner) is a next-generation main battle tank developed for the Imperial Republican Army by Kaiserliche Waffenkammer in conjunction Trapp Militärtechnik AG, Lautzenhausen Stahlindustrie GmbH, and Pommernschloss AG. Developed as a replacement for the Panzer-2, the Panzer-4 saw the longest development time of a Vazandian tank at 13 years. Combat effectiveness of the PZ-4 is believed to be significantly greater than that of the PZ-2, and easily on-par with or surpassing many contemporary designs as well.

Mass production began in 2012 and continues until today, with all PZ-2s to be replaced in frontline service by 2023, and replaced in reserve service by 2029.

Development
With the rapid development of competing [VSO] and [Vastava Pact|VP] tanks believed to be outclassing the controversial Panzer-2, the General Staff submitted a request for proposals to numerous defense contractors in 1995. In 1997, a full doctrinal review and defense analysis exercise had identified key features that a tank would require for a modern conventional fight against the Vastava Pact. Weaknesses were identified in the PZ-2 and in general Vazandian armored doctrine that could be rectified with a new design that catered to the terrain of Vazandia, hardened and digitized various internal systems, took advantage of new advances in IR and thermal optics, and that made use of a modern autoloader to increase the fire rate of the main gun. By 1998, the General Staff's request for proposal had yielded nothing that offered solutions to the issues identified by 1997's doctrinal review, and state-run Kaiserliche Waffenkammer stepped in to lead a team of private entities in a new, ground-up design.

In early 1998, KW had selected Trapp Militärtechnik and Pommernschloss to cooperate on the new design and Lautzenhausen Stahlindustrie was later contracted for use of their KS19 steel and to assist Trapp with development of the classified Verbundpanzerung-K composite armor. The project was dubbed PZX-2000

Pommernschloss led development of the gunner's and vehicle commander's individual gun sights (including their integrated IR and thermal sights), as well as the integrated communication, IFF, data-link, GPS, and navigation systems. Most internal electronical systems were based on the general IWM (Integrated Resilient Military Systems) architecture in use by all Vazandian Armed Forces, though in 2009 this was brought up to date to make use of the IWM-VF (Integrated Resilient Military Systems - Capability Enhanced) for the production model.

Trapp, who'd submitted two different designs to the original program in 1995, combined a number of lessons learned on that project for their work on PZX-2000. Developing the PG9-120

Current operators

 * Vazandia

Tanks of comparable role, performance and era

 * T-15 Volk: Stasnovan main battle tank