The L13A1 was afforded 40 projectiles of 105mm caliber with shells and cartridges loaded separately. Shells generally consisted of High-Explosive (HE) types though smoke, illumination, marking (red or orange coloring) and High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) varieties were added. The HESH round was of particular note for it was designed to defeat fortified structures and could even be used to engage enemy armor. A well-trained, disciplined and experienced crew could reach a rate-of-fire of up to eight rounds per minute. Secondary armament (beyond any crew-carried personal weapons) included the 7.62mm L4A4 machine gun, this with 1,200 7.62mm NATO-standard rounds allocated. The L4A4 was a modernized form of the World War 2-era BREN light machine gun (0.303 British) featuring a chrome-plated steel barrel for prolonged firing. The vehicle also carried smoke grenade dischargers along the sides of the turret which allowed for a self-screening action when activated.
Power for the Abbot was served through a Rolls-Royce K60 Mk 4G multi-fueled opposed piston engine installation developing 240 horsepower at 3,750rpm. This provided the vehicle with a maximum road speed of 29 miles per hour and operational range of 300 miles (assuming ideal surfaces like roads). The hull was suspended atop a torsion bar suspension system which aided cross-country-travel and the vehicle was completed with a basic amphibious capability, propelled through water sources by the movement of its own tracks (up to 3 knots speed however). Following suit, the ammunition carrier was equally amphibious. Due to the persistent threat of nuclear weapons in the period, the Abbot crew was protected by an integral NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) system. Ballistics protection was achieved through 12mm armor plate thickness at critical facings.
In 1992, the British Army began accepting delivery of the all-modern AS-90 SPA system, thus bringing about a formal end to usage of the FV433 Abbot.
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