TAM

The Tanque Argentino Mediano (TAM) originated from a 1973 Argentine Ministry of Defense requirement to replace the army's fleet of Sherman Firefly tanks and M3A1 half-tracks. Following the denial of equipment requests by the United States, Argentina implemented "Plan Europa" to foster domestic industry through European technology. The Argentine government contracted the West German firm Thyssen-Henschel to collaborate on the project. The design utilized a strengthened Marder infantry fighting vehicle chassis to support the requirements for a low silhouette and compatibility with national infrastructure, such as bridges and railways. Prototypes were completed between 1976 and 1977, and production began at the TAMSE facility in 1979. Manufacturing occurred in two primary phases, concluding in 1995.

The TAM features a turret design derived from the Leopard 1A4 and Leopard 2. Protection consists of steel armor plating capable of defeating projectiles up to 35mm. The primary armament is a 105 mm FM K.4 Modelo 1L rifled gun, a locally manufactured version of the Rheinmetall Rh-105-30. This gun fires armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and high-explosive squash head (HESH) ammunition. Secondary armament includes two 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns, one mounted coaxially and another on the turret roof for anti-aircraft defense. The fire control system integrates a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer. Mobility is provided by an MTU diesel engine and a Renk automatic transmission. The TAM chassis serves as the basis for a family of vehicles, including the VCTP infantry fighting vehicle, VCA 155 self-propelled howitzer, and VCTM mortar carrier. Modernization programs, such as the TAM 2C and TAM 2C-A2, have introduced thermal imaging, three-axis stabilization, and hunter-killer capabilities. The TAM 2IP variant incorporates passive composite armor based on the Iron Wall design.

Argentina is the sole operator of the TAM. While the vehicle has no combat history, the VCTP variant was deployed to Croatia as part of the United Nations UNPROFOR peacekeeping mission. Several export attempts were unsuccessful. A contract with Malaysia for the tank and its derivatives was terminated before delivery. Peru initially ordered a batch of vehicles, but budgetary constraints led to the cancellation of the contract, and the completed units were integrated into the Argentine Army. Other export efforts involving Panama, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, and Iran were also canceled due to financial issues or diplomatic pressure from third parties.