 The Sheridan is the most versatile armored reconnaissance vehicle known. It is amphibious and air-droppable. It is fast, highly maneuverable, and mounts a weapon system that will destroy any known armor. The Sheridan mounts an M2 caliber 50 machine gun in its commander's power assist cupola and an M73 7.62 millimeter coax machine gun in its turret. Its 152 millimeter gun launcher fires conventional ammunition as well as facility guided missile. Driver, stop. Gunner, coax, troops, 800, up. Identified. Fire, driver, move out. On the way, sir, heat, bunker, 800. Identified. On the way. On the way. Cease fire. Gunner, heat, bunker, 1200. Identified. On the way. Lost. Over. Drop 100. Fire. On the way. Cease fire. Missile. Moving tank. Identified. On the way. The Sheridan can defeat a great variety of targets including the heaviest armor on the battlefield, but only if the skill of its crew matches the capability of their weapon system. What did each man do in those few crucial moments of combat to make a piece of fine hardware into a winning fighting unit? What did it take? Before the mission begins ammunition is loaded aboard the Sheridan. Unlike conventional ammunition the missiles are carried horizontally and loaded into the vehicle base first. Inside the Sheridan each missile is secured with care, the key pointing out to prevent damage. Similar care must be taken with the heat round. Its combustible cartridge case is fragile, highly inflammable, and must be protected by a moisture barrier bag and a nine-ply nylon ballistic baggie. It is carried like conventional ammunition and loaded into the vehicle with its nose pointed down. Care must be taken not to break the cartridge case. When the round is fired the cartridge case burns. No hot brass is ejected back into the turret. Before the Sheridan approaches its area of combat the gunner conducts a pre-fire test of the Shaleili missile system. This test is performed after any period of rough transport or inactivity. In action it is required at least once a day. It takes less than four minutes, but it can guarantee your missile system will work for you when you need it. With the fire control selector in the missile mode the test checkout panel can test the condition of every component of the Shaleili guidance and control system. The transmitter, the tracker, and a system self-test will terminate in 34 seconds with a red no-go light if a component is bad. If the system is functioning properly a green go light will illuminate. Turret power will be switched on when enemy contact is imminent as it takes 20 seconds for full power to be applied to the turret. Now you are ready for combat. Gunner, coax, troops, 800. Now wait a minute. Let's slow this down and see exactly what it takes for each man to do his job right. Gunner. At the command Gunner the Gunner immediately ensures that the turret power is switched on. This permits the vehicle commander to use his turret override to lay the gun launcher for direction. The command coax announces that the coax machine gun will be used. The Gunner switches to the coax mode. Then he switches the stabilizer switch on to permit the vehicle to fire accurately while on the move. At the same time the loader checks the loading of the coax machine gun. He switches the safety switch to the fire position. When the gun is ready to fire he steps back and announces troops, 800. This part of the fire command establishes the target and its approximate range. When the Gunner sees the target he announces identified. The commander then releases control of the turret to the Gunner and commands fire driver move out. The Gunner makes a final precise lay on the target using the Gunner's turret control announces on the way and squeezes the firing trigger. The loader checks the ammunition feed into the coax gun. The Gunner continues to fire in 20 to 25 round bursts until he receives the command target cease fire. Now let's see what happens when a main gun engagement is ordered firing a conventional round. Gunner, heat. The Gunner ensures that turret power is switched on. Then he switches to the conventional mode of operation. The 152 millimeter heat round is normally fired from a stationary position. When the loader hears the command heat, he selects a round of heat ammunition from its rack. He removes the nine-ply nylon baggy and the moisture barrier bag from the cartridge case and carefully loads the round into the gun launcher. He never slams a round of heat ammunition home as he could easily break the combustible cartridge case which is consumed when the round is fired. He ensures the eject lever is in the non-eject or up position. He switches the breach open-close switch to close and holds it in position until the breach closes and locks. He checks the safe to fire indicator. He checks that the path of recoil is clear. Then switches the safe ready switch to ready, checks for a gun ready light and announces In the meantime, the driver has found a level area with some cover and concealment and has stopped the vehicle. Bunker, 800. This part of the fire command identifies the target. When the Gunner finds the target in his telescope, he announces Identified. The commander releases control of the turret and the Gunner positions the target properly in the stadia reticle and ranges to the target. Fire. The Gunner makes a final precise lay on the target and announces On the way. He pauses one second to allow the crew to brace for the recoil. After the recoil, the Gunner observes the effect of his firing in the telescope. When he sees where the round burst, he applies the primary method of adjustment, burst on target. He places the point where he saw the burst over the center of vulnerability of the target. In the meantime, the loader has loaded another heat round. On the way. Gunner fails to see any effects of the round within his telescope field of view. He announces Lost. The alternate method of adjustment is used. The commander senses the round and directs the Gunner to his new aiming position. Over. Drop 100. Fire. The standard range correction for 1,200 meters and less is add or drop 100 meters. For ranges over 1,200 meters, the standard correction is add or drop 200 meters. On the way. How does the Sheridan engage the enemy with the caliber 50 machine gun? The commander alerts the crew by announcing Caliber 50. Then he brings his machine gun to bear by switching the cupola power on and using the traversing switches mounted on the machine gun handles. He opens fire when he is on target. He is finished. He announces the completion of the engagement. Cease fire. First stop. The Shaleili missile is reserved for tank or tank like targets at ranges greater than 800 meters. Gunner. Missile. Moving tank. The Gunner ensures turret power is on then switches to the missile mode. This automatically overrides the stabilizer if stab is on and illuminates the missile reticle in the Gunner's telescope. When the loader hears the command Gunner missile, he selects a missile and carefully keys the missile into the open launcher, taking care that the missile key aligns with the launcher keyway. He pushes the eject lever down into the eject position to ensure that the missile aft cap is ejected to the turret floor after firing. He closes the breach electrically, switching the open close switch to close. He checks the safe to fire indicator, ensures a free path of recoil for the launcher, switches the safe ready switch to ready, checks for a ready light and announces, Up! The Gunner searches in his telescope for the enemy tank. When it comes into view, the Gunner announces, Identify. The commander releases control of the turret to the Gunner and orders. Fire. The Gunner makes a final precise lay on the target, centering the crosshairs of his missile reticle on the center of vulnerability of the tank. He applies no lead element. When his aim is correct, he announces, On the way. And immediately squeezes the firing trigger. The missile is guided in flight by the vehicle's guidance and control system, directly to the point where the crosshairs are aimed. When a smoke screen is required, the commander announces, Grenade. Eight smoke grenade launchers are mounted four on each side of the turret. The commander aims the turret and fires the grenades using the grenade projector control box. He removes the master switch guard and switches the master switch on. The grenade launchers can be fired one at a time in white or left salvoes of four or in a full salvo of eight. A full salvo is selected. The pin is removed from the firing switch. The fire switch is activated. All weapons used. All weapons effective. The skill of the crew made them effective. The commander recognized the targets quickly. He gave his fire commands clearly and in time. Gunner, missile, moving tank. The gunner kept his weapons in firing condition. He sharpened his own skill to match their precision. The loader handled his ammunition and weapons swiftly and with care, knowing that their safety and speed of operation largely depended upon him. The driver maneuvered his vehicle in action, finding a level gun platform with cover and concealment when needed. Identified. Fire. On the way. By a crew that knows how to use their weapons, the Sheridan can defeat any known armor on the battlefield.