AL-97B-var Hannibal

AL-97B-var Hannibal
Factory Designation	AL-97B-var
Codename	Hannibal
Manufacturer	Hishii Heavy Industries
Rollout Date	1997
Affiliation	JGDSF, UN
Armament(s)	20mm Gatling Gun 3-Tube Missile Launcher movable sensor infrared searchlight smoke discharger ATM launcher

The AL-97B-var Hannibal is a military labor manufactured by Hishii Heavy Industries. It has been adopted by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the UN, among other military organizations, as a frontline labor.

Design & Development

The AL-97B-var is an updated version of Hishii's earlier AL-97B Samson military labor. Much of the Samson's basic design elements were left unchanged, with few major visual differences between it and the Hannibal. However, the types are still very different, and the various upgrades made to the Hannibal make it an overall more capable combat machine.

Armor upgrades

The Hannibal's armor system is highly similar to that of the Samson, with only minor changes. The most obvious visual difference is the revised cockpit section, which has been streamlined and smoothed to improve its anti-penetration capabilities. Other areas of the torso have been up-armored as well, as have the shoulder joints. However, to improve mobility, the knee armor has been revised and now sacrifices overall protection for range of motion.

Weapon Upgrades

The Hannibal's weapons loadout has been simplified from that of the Samson. The gun has again been moved and replaced, this time by a 20mm machine gun mounted underneath the cockpit. This relocation further increases weapon stability and ease of use, furthering the combat effectiveness of the Hannibal. On its left forearm, a three-tube missile launcher has been mounted to bolster the labor's combat utility and versatility.

Electronics Upgrades

The Hannibal labor includes several electronics upgrades that make it more effective in combat. On the previously bare right shoulder, a sensor pod has been mounted, but the exact sensors within this pod and their specs are still unknown. The fixed searchlight of the Samson has been removed in favor of a hardpoint, which can be used to mount a searchlight, so that dead weight is reduced during daytime operations.

Armaments

• 20mm gatling x1
• 3-tube missile launcher x1
• Infrared searchlight x1
• Smoke Discharger
• Anti Tank Missile launcher

Gallery

Tsuge's Hannibal squad using the "Gong" callsign

UN Hannibal Closeup

Internal view of the Hannibal cockpit and pilot

UN Hannibal dodging missles after launching flares

JGSDF Hannibals booting up during the Coup d'etat

JGSDF Hannibal and snowfall

JGSDF Hannibal closeup with the cockpit open

JGSDF Hannibal stationed near a bridge

A group of school children interacting with the JGSDF soldier

Hannibal Reference Sheet 1

Hannibal Reference Sheet 2

Trivia

• The Hannibal's main weapon seems to be the M197 Electric Cannon which was designed by General Dynamics in America. It has been in use since 1967 and has been adopted by other countries for armored vehicles or helicopter gunships.
• The white colored Hannibal's seen during the southeast asia incident have "UN" markings, this represents the United Nations an intergovernmental organization that was founded since the end of WW2. Their purpose is to maintain peace and security across the world and prevent future world wars.