Swiss Army Orbat

[Perun]

Nice data mate

[bojan]

Fantastic data.

[rohala]

13 hours ago, Junior FO said:

Tank Offering Prices in CHF July 1953

AMX13 400k

Centurion 512'820

Patton47 815'546

Patton 48 759'046

AMX Flab 450'000

 

That is interesting. So the M47 was more expensive than the M48? I thought that the M48 was a more complicated vehicle. 

[bojan]

Possibly because M47s were available immediately while M48s would have delivery delay?

BTW, which verson of AA AMX-13 was intended to be acquired? AMX-13 DCA 30 seems not to have been available that early?

Edit, to compare, Yugoslavia paid for T-55s ~150k$ in 1964. That is about ~132k in 1953. $, and ChF/$ exchange rate was 4.7:1 at that time. So Centurion was actually ~20% cheaper than T-55, and M48 was ~20% more expensive.

Edited August 7, 2023 by bojan

[Junior FO]

...

Edited September 23, 2024 by Junior FO

[Perun]

1 hour ago, Junior FO said:

Not mentioned and it will be a while before I get to those documents. Given the long timeframe (envisioned for late 60's), I'm not even sure it was defined.

 

CHF to $ was 4.3 until the fall of Bretton Woods.

Much too big a time frame to make such comparisons, inflation was a thing and as always with arms deals, without exact knowledge of the details, it's difficult to compare prices.

 

The price of a Centurion in 1950 is given as CHF 625'000, ex spare parts. The UK badly needing foreign currency apparently at least partly led to a reduced price.

https://ufile.io/xgld36ft

 

Below is link to changes in Centurion prices just in 1956-57 (Page 3) when Switzerland was looking to buy a second lot of a 100. By May 1957 Centurion MkVII was up to CHF 563'700, while MkIII had increased to now CHF 522'750.

https://ufile.io/ub9aogtq

 

M48 prices also varied a lot. F.e. apparently the Bundeswehr got it's M48's for USD 140'000 in 1957 but unknown if or how much spare parts ammo etc. were included. M47 by then was down to $80'000, while the M47 price offered to Switzerland in October 1952 was $182'120 (with gun, optics, radio but no ammo or spare parts).

https://ufile.io/y1gwjfz3

 

Switzerland did also look into T54/55 before this was vetoed by the US but I don't know if pricing information is around. The files are available but it will be a while before I get to them.

Could you wrote more about US veto on buying T-55

[Junior FO]

...

Edited September 23, 2024 by Junior FO

[Perun]

Ok mate, thanks. It would be interesting to know more on that

Edited August 9, 2023 by Perun