Designation:

T-55AM2

Info
Manufacturer: VOP 025 Novy Jicin, s.p.  
Product type: Armoured Vehicles  
Name: Modernization of the vehicle  

Development/Description

Caliber Prague Limited of the Czech Republic is offering for export the upgraded T-55 series MBT, designated the T-55AM2.

This upgrade incorporates most of the improvements carried out some years ago to some T-55 MBTs operated by the former Warsaw Pact (see T-54/T-55 entry) with the exception of the ability to fire the Russian-designed and built 100 mm laser-guided projectile.

This upgrade retains the 100 mm rifled tank gun but has been improved in the key areas of armour, mobility and firepower.

Additional armour has been fitted to the hull and turret to provide for increased protection against mines and anti-tank guided missiles.

Other modifications include improvements allowing for more accurate firing, in the dynamic and driving qualities of the vehicle, the engine cooling and an increase in protection of the crew from the effects of mines, anti-tank guided missiles and missiles launched from low-flying aircraft and helicopters.

The key areas of modification can be summarised as follows:

The exterior of the vehicle has been improved against inflammable agents. This refers to numerous modifications in the design of vulnerable external parts of the vehicle.

Mounted on either side of the turret rear is a bank of 81 mm electrically operated smoke grenade launchers that fire over the frontal arc of the T-55AM2.

Modifications have been made to the diesel engine, for example changes in the angle of pre-injection and changes in aspiration and exhaust piping have enhanced engine output up to 610 hp.

To improve cross-country mobility, modifications have been made to the suspension including adjustments of the torsion bars, the rocker arms and the shock-absorber levers. In addition new torsion bars have been fitted.

The life of the tracks has been almost doubled by replacing the original all-metal tracks by tracks with rubber-metallic joint. Track guidance has been improved by the addition of a guiding pulley on the rear driving sprocket.

To increase the operational range of the T-55AM2, permanent connection of additional fuel drums to the fuel delivery system has been made.

MT-55A Bridgelayer

This is based on a modified T-55 MBT chassis.

VT-55A ARV

This is also referred to as the MT-55A ARV and is fitted with a main winch with a capacity of 25,000 kg, an auxiliary winch with a capacity of 800 kg, a crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 1,500 kg and a front-mounted dozer/stabiliser blade.

VOP 25 Cancer combat engineer vehicle

VOP 25, the leading upgrade facility in the Czech Republic, is now marketing an upgrade packageforthe T-54/T-55 which is called Cancer 55 (Zenijni Tank 2 Generace - Pioneer Tank of the Second Generation).

The 100 mm gun has been removed and the position plated over. On the right side of the turret roof has been fitted a hydraulically operated crane.

The crane can be fitted with various attachments to carry out specific operations, for example, a shovel with a maximum capacity of 0.6 cubic metres.

To the immediate left of the crane has been fitted a raised commander's cupola with observation devices, single-piece roof hatch that opens to the rear and a roof mounted 12.7 mm machine gun.

Mounted at the front of the vehicle is a hydraulically operated dozer blade designated NBZ 90 which is controlled by the driver and has a maximum capacity, depending on soil conditions, of up to 220 m3/h.

Civil conversions

Prototypes of a number of specialised civilian conversions of T-54/T-55 MBT chassis have been completed including the SDS-214 special construction machine with crane and various firefighting vehicles.

Modernised T-55 MBT

Several years ago the then Czechoslovak Army started to field modernised T-55s in significant numbers as insufficient T-72s were being built to replace the older tanks on a one-for-one basis.

The modifications included full-length track skirts which cover the upper part of the track, a thermal sleeve for the 100 mm gun, additional passive armour protection covering the frontal 180° of this turret (this being very similar to that fitted to Soviet T-62 tanks), 12.7 mm ammunition boxes stowed externally on the right side of the turret and a bank of forward-firing smoke grenade dischargers installed on the right side of the turret to the immediate rear of the turret armour. Lateral protection is also provided for the fuel tanks on either side of the hull above the roadwheels.

To improve the first round hit probability of the 100 mm gun, a new fire-control system has been fitted which includes a laser range-finder mounted externally over the 100 mm gun, a ballistic computer and a meteorological sensor which is mounted on the turret roof at the rear. Most of these improvements are identical to those currently being offered on the export upgraded T-55AM2 MBT.

T-55 Armour upgrade

To improve the battlefield survivability of the widely deployed T-54/T-55 MBTs, a Czech Republic consortium is now marketing an explosive reactive armour (ERA) package.

This consortium includes VOP 025 Novy Jicin armoured vehicle facility, Vyzkumny R Zkusebni Ustav PV 010 and Synthesia who supply the actual explosive element. This Czech-designed ERA package is quite different to that fitted to some Russian T54/T-55 series MBTs.

The ERA armour system for The T-55 comprises ERA boxes and panels attached to the glacis plate, both sides of the tank turret, left and right mud guards and the upper part forward and between the commander's and loader's roof hatches.

Extensive trials in the Czech Republic of a T-55A series tank fitted with this ERA package showed the following:

(1)A 100 to 200 per cent increase in protection against hand held anti-tank weapons and missiles whose penetration effect is more than 650 mm

(2)Increase of 250 to 300 per cent in protection against shaped charge sub-munitions of the top attack type

(3)Increase of 100 to 140 per cent against artillery shaped charge projectiles

(4)It was also evident that there was some increase in ballistic protection against sub-calibre armour piercing projectiles

Specifications:
Property Value
Crew
4
Weight (kg)
38500
Length (mm)
9000
Height (mm)
3030
Width (mm)
3760
Engine power output (h.p.)
610
Max. road speed (km/h)
50
Depth of fording, without preparation (mm)
1400
Fording depth (mm)
5000
Cross-country cruising range (km)
410
Max. road range (km)
650
Firing range (m)
5000


Has folowing part:
Total Amount
9K116-1 Bastion / AT-10 (Anti-tank guided missile launcher)
1
V-46-6 (Diesel engine)
1


Last Contracts:
Qnt Customer Value Add Date
(Close Date)
Unit cost
2
SLOVAKIA
$400.000
Mar 2004
(Oct 2005)
$200,000
1
SLOVAKIA
$200.000
Mar 2000
(Oct 2001)
$200,000
36
SRI LANKA
$7.200.000
Mar 2000
(Oct 2001)
$200,000
132
YEMEN
$26.000.000
Jun 1999
(Oct 2002)
$196,970
3
LATVIA
$600.000
Jun 1999
(Oct 2001)
$200,000
Average Unit Cost:
$197,701

All contracts...


   
T-55AM2
T-55AM2
T-55AM2
T-55AM2