Here's a Question for You Military Buffs: Tank Markings...

[Kydoimos 916]

So, I'm looking to do some serious re-texturing on the Arma 3 armoured vehicles. Can somebody inform me, or send me a link, or get me a picture of tank markings - specifically NATO tanks? I'm not sure what all those numbers mean, nor am I sure how NATO armoured units differ from other armies. If at all possible, does some bright spark know how the NATO Reaction Force mark their armoured vehicles? Cheers!

---------- Post added at 21:57 ---------- Previous post was at 21:45 ----------

This is what I've worked out so far: a lot of MBT's use chevrons facing in different directions to indicate their company number. They also sometimes have a letter to represent "Alpha", "Bravo", etc. As well, many bear numbers to indicate the platoon and squad number. There's a digit for the battalion too. Is this true for NATO tanks? And where are these markings located? On the both sides of the hull? The turret? Any help with all this would be appreciated - and good to hear from a personal interest too!

[da12thMonkey 1943]

Don't think there is a NATO-wide standard for tank markings

The US does seem to use chevrons for indicating platoon numbers but I'm not sure that anybody else does. We Brits (and others) have been known to add chevrons when operating alongside the Americans in Iraq (both wars) but my understanding is that they were there to identify vehicles as being friendly rather than relating to the vehicle's formation or callsign. Yellow/white ^ chevrons were painted on NATO vehicles in Kosovo for the same reason IIRC. Traditionally the UK has had our own national standards for marking formation symbols and callsigns on the outside of our vehicles, and I'm pretty sure most other NATO countries have their own as well.

Last time I researched it (with respect to Challenger 2's markings), we used a geometric symbol to indicate the squadron that the vehicle belongs to, and a couple of numbers/letter inside that symbol which indicate the callsign. The symbol is painted on the rear of the turret and towards the back of the turret's flanks.

Read this if you're interested in a more complete description of the markings:

So far as the geometric squadron symbol goes; a triangle = "A" sqn, a square = "B" sqn , a circle = "C" sqn, from what I could tell, regiments with a "D" sqn just have the callsign numbers/letters with no symbol outline, and a diamond = HQ sqn. The alphanumeric callsigns used accross the whole squadron are a bit complicated (because of various sub-elements like the recce troop, LAD, admin troop etc. - but they use vehicles other than MBTs), however I think remember the ones used on tanks:

The Squadron's HQ troop has 0B marked on the OC's tank, 0C is the 2ic's tank and the third tank is 0D (if there is a 3rd tank in the SHQ) other vehicles in the SHQ aren't MBTs. The three remaining tank troops that make up the squadron are numbered 10, 11, 12 in the first troop, 20, 21 and 22 in the 2nd troop and 30, 31 and 32 in the 3rd troop, for the troop leader, troop sgt and troop cpl's vehicles respectively. RHQ (the sqn with the diamond symbol) only has 2 MBTs, with the Callsigns 11B for the regiment's CO and 22B for the 2ic.

We also have a convention for painting rings around the fume extractor on the Challenger 2's barrel, but I can't for the life of me remember what their meaning was (they're definitely not "kill rings" though).

If friznit's about he'll probably correct all of the above info :D

I think the Germans paint APP-6A symbols on the front of their vehicles.

[Kydoimos 916]

Here's what I've got so far (you might have to flick through the screenshots to find the Scorcher): http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198007919065/screenshots/

[instagoat 133]

The only standard that is nato wise is Unit markings. I think everyone paints them somewhere. I've seen these markings on czech and polish, as well as dutch military vehicles. Not in the same locations as indicated below, but on the whole, markings to standard.

http://www.panzer-modell.de/referenz/in_detail/fennek-serie/049g.jpg Front of the vehicle, I do not know which way to read this, but it says Armored Reconnaissance, part of a company element attached to brigade, L may stand for Lehr (Training) company of 90th battalion.

[Kydoimos 916]

Interesting - thanks for that contribution Instagoat. appreciated!

[065tim 10]

For the STANAG tactical signs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_Military_Symbols_for_Land_Based_Systems

The chevrons are mainly used by the US I think. (Maybe only USMC..)

Found this searching the forums, hope digging this up doesn't irritate other members.