MechaBay
MechaBay
Discord Mastodon Bluesky Twitter/X
Discord About us Support us

M61A5 Tank Type 5

Advanced main battle tank used by the Earth Federation Forces during the One Year War.
Jenxi Seow Published 23 Jun 2025 Updated 23 Jun 2025
M61A5 Tank Type 5

M61A5 Tank Type 5

The M61A5 Tank Type 5 was an upgraded variant of the Earth Federation Forces’ Type 61 Tank, serving as the main battle tank during the latter stages of the One Year War. Known by the nicknames “Type 61 A+” and “King of the Land”, it represented one of the most advanced conventional ground weapons available to the Federation before the widespread deployment of mobile suits.

History

The M61A5 Tank Type 5 was developed as an improved variant of the Type 61 Tank, incorporating lessons learned from early combat experience during the One Year War. The vehicle was designed to provide enhanced firepower and improved automation to help counter the Principality of Zeon’s mobile suit advantage in ground combat.

The M61A5 entered service in UC 0061 as part of the Federation’s efforts to modernise its armored forces. The tank featured significant improvements over its predecessor, including more powerful armament and reduced crew requirements due to increased automation.

During the One Year War, the M61A5 served with distinction across multiple theatres of operation. The tank saw action in Europe, where one customised unit operated by Herman Yandell was destroyed in combat against a custom-coloured MS-06J Zaku II. The M61A5 also saw service in Southeast Asia with the Kojima Battalion and participated in major operations including the Battle of Odessa and the defence of Jaburo.

Despite its advanced design and powerful armament, the M61A5 faced significant challenges when confronting mobile suits. The tank’s 155 mm cannons, whilst among the most powerful ground weapons available to the Federation, could only penetrate Zaku armor at certain ranges, and the vehicle remained vulnerable to top-attack methods commonly employed by mobile suits.

Design

The M61A5 Tank Type 5 represented a significant advancement over the original Type 61 design, incorporating improved firepower, enhanced automation, and better crew protection. The vehicle featured a longer chassis equipped with six road wheels, compared to the original’s five-wheel configuration.

The tank’s most significant improvement was its automation systems, which reduced the crew requirement from three personnel to just two: a commander/gunner and a driver. This automation included an electronically-powered automatic loader that fed ammunition from a magazine stored under the turret, significantly improving the tank’s rate of fire and reducing crew workload.

The M61A5 was equipped with a satellite-based datalink system that allowed it to share targeting data with other vehicles, dramatically improving accuracy during long-range engagements. Unfortunately, this advantage was largely negated during the One Year War due to Minovsky particle interference, which disrupted electronic systems and restricted combat to visual range.

The tank featured improved protection, including optional additional skirt armor that could be fitted depending on operational requirements. The side skirts provided enhanced protection against shaped-charge warheads and other anti-tank weapons.

Performance

The M61A5’s powerful engine enabled it to achieve a maximum speed of 90 km/h, allowing it to keep pace with a Zaku’s walking speed during mobile suit encounters. This mobility proved crucial in the tank’s ability to engage mobile suits effectively, as it could reposition quickly to exploit firing opportunities or avoid return fire.

The tank’s front-mounted engine drove rear drive sprockets and rubber-block tracks on six road wheels, providing reliable cross-country mobility across various terrain types. Despite its improved mobility, the M61A5 remained vulnerable to mobile suit attacks, particularly top-down attacks where its armor was thinnest.

Armaments

The M61A5 Tank Type 5 carried significantly enhanced armament compared to its predecessor, focusing on improved anti-armor capability and defensive systems.

Main guns

The tank’s primary armament consisted of two 155 mm smoothbore cannons mounted on the turret, replacing the original Type 61’s 150 mm guns. These cannons represented the most powerful ground-based weapons available to Federation forces at the time and could utilise multiple types of ammunition.

The cannons could fire APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot) rounds for maximum penetration against heavily armored targets, flash rounds for suppression effects, concussion rounds for area denial, and HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary) rounds for general-purpose use.

The electronically-powered automatic loader pulled ammunition from a magazine stored under the turret, enabling rapid fire and sustained engagement capability. This system significantly improved the tank’s combat effectiveness compared to manually-loaded systems.

Secondary armament

Two 7.62 mm coaxial machine guns were mounted in the tank’s turret, providing close-range defence against infantry and light vehicles. These weapons were particularly effective against dismounted enemy personnel and unarmored targets.

An M-60 13.2 mm heavy machine gun was mounted on the tank commander’s cupola, offering additional defensive capability and serving as an effective weapon against light armored vehicles and aircraft. This weapon could be operated by the commander whilst remaining under armor protection.

Optional armament

The M61A5 could mount an M-299 5.56 mm machine gun on the stowage basket at the turret’s rear. However, this weapon’s operator was positioned completely outside the tank, making them vulnerable to enemy fire. This limitation made the weapon suitable only for situations where the threat level was relatively low.

Defensive systems

Eight smoke dischargers were mounted on the turret, organised as two 4-tube launchers positioned on either side. These simple, mortar-like launchers fired special grenades that generated smoke upon detonation in mid-air, concealing the tank from enemy observation and targeting systems.

The smoke screen capability proved particularly valuable when engaging mobile suits, as it could disrupt their targeting and provide the tank with opportunities to reposition or withdraw from unfavourable engagements.

Known operators

  • Herman Yandell
  • Laban Surat
  • Morgan
  • Abramov

Variants

European custom

One M61A5 unit operated by Herman Yandell in Europe featured additional customisation in the form of side skirt armor. This modification provided enhanced protection against anti-tank weapons but was destroyed during combat operations against Zeon forces.

Behind the scenes

Yamane Kimitoshi was the original mechanical designer of the M61A5 Tank Type 5. The tank’s design reflected the evolution of conventional armored fighting vehicles in the face of the revolutionary mobile suit technology.

The M61A5’s nickname “King of the Land” reflected its status as one of the most powerful conventional ground weapons available during the One Year War, despite its ultimate limitations when confronting mobile suits.

Appearances

See also