Al-Zarrar tank
| Al-Zarrar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | Pakistan |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2004–present |
| Used by | Pakistan Army |
| Wars | War in North-West Pakistan |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Heavy Industries Taxila |
| Designed | 1990s |
| Manufacturer | Heavy Industries Taxila |
| Produced | 6 May 2003 |
| Variants | None |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 44 t (97,000 lb)[1] |
| Length | 31.17 ft (9.50 m)[1] |
| Width | 10.83 ft (3.30 m)[1] |
| Height | 8.20 ft (2.50 m)[1] |
| Crew | 4[1] |
| Shell | 125mm smoothbore |
| Calibre | 125 mm[1] |
| Armour | Modularcomposite armour Explosive reactive armour[2] |
Main armament | 125 mm smoothbore ammunition[2] |
Secondary armament | 12.7 mmexternal anti-aircraft machine gun[2] 7.62 mmcoaxialmachine gun 8 × smoke grade dischargers |
| Engine | 1xKMDB12 cylinderliquid cooleddiesel[2] 730hp[2] |
| Power/weight | 18.3 hp/tonne[2] |
| Suspension | High-hardness-steel torsion bar[1] |
Operational range | 450 km (280 mi)[1] |
| Maximum speed | 65 km (40 mi)/h[1] |
TheAl-Zarrar(Urdu:الضرار), is asecond generationmain battle tank(MBT), currently in the services of thePakistan Armysince 2004. The tank is named after Muslim warriorZarrar bin Al-Azwar.[3]
It is a highly upgraded version of Pakistan's ageing ChineseType 59tanks (a design that in turn was based on the SovietT-54Afrom the mid-1950s), developed with Ukrainian assistance[1]and manufactured by theHeavy Industries Taxila(HIT) – the hub of Pakistani tanks and tracked vehicles, featuring a 125 mm smoothbore gun as primary weapon.[3]The Al-Zarrar can achieve a maximum speed of 65 km (40 mi) per hour, weighs around 44 tons and has a four-man crew: commander, gunner, loader and driver.[1][4]
Although the upgrade program started in 1990 the Al-Zarrar did not enter military service with thePakistan Army Armoured Corpsuntil 2004, gradually replacing the Type 59s. It is the most plentiful tank in Pakistan's arsenal, with over 500 units in service[5]and an additional 600 Type-59s to be upgraded. Attempts were made to export the Al-Zarrar to theBangladesh Armyin 2008 to replace its massive fleet of Type 59 tanks through thetechnology transfer.However, Bangladesh Army later upgraded its Type-59 tanks toType 59 Durjoy,Pakistan Army remained its sole operator.[6]
History[edit]
It was decided by thePakistan Armythat their inventory of Chinese origin Type 59 tanks was too large to be discarded and replaced, so a phased upgrade programme was started by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) in 1990.[3]The idea was to upgrade the firepower, mobility and protection of the Type 59 to allow it to compete on the modern battlefield at a fraction of the cost of a modernmain battle tank (MBT).The first phase of the upgrade programme was completed in 1997. The second phase started in 1998 when HIT began development and testing of a new tank, a Type 59 re-built with over 50 modifications, resulting in three prototypes with slightly differing specifications (different fire-control systems, for example). Many systems originally developed for HIT'sAl-KhalidMBT were incorporated. The prototypes underwent extensive testing by HIT and the Pakistan Army, who selected the final version of the tank, dubbed Al-Zarrar.
By mid 2004, it was expected that 50 AL-Zarrar tanks would be exported to other countries.[3] TheAl-Zarraris a modern MBT developed and manufactured by HIT of Pakistan for the Pakistan Army. An upgraded variant of the Chinese Type 59 tank, the Al-Zarrar is cost-effective modern replacement for the Type 59 fleet of the Pakistan Army. Equipped with modernarmament,fire controland ballistic protection, the Al-Zarrar upgrade is also offered by HIT to the armies of foreign countries to upgrade theirT-54/T-55or Type 59 tanks to Al-Zarrar standard. 54 modifications made to the Type 59 make the Al-Zarrar effectively a new tank.[3][6]
The Al-Zarrar development programme started in 1990. HIT began mass production of Al-Zarrar on 6 May 2003 under a renowned project manager, Engineer Mahmood Khan. The first batch of 88 Al-Zarrars were delivered to the Pakistan Army on 26 February 2004 and GeneralPervez Musharrafattended the delivery ceremony.[7][4]
Design[edit]
Armament and fire-control[edit]
Al-Zarrar's primary armament is a 125 mmsmoothboretank gunwith anautofrettaged,chrome-plated gun barrel. It is a Chinese non-licensed clone of2A46capable of firingAPFSDS,HEAT-FS andHE-FS rounds as well asanti-tank guided missilesand a PakistaniDU (depleted uranium)round, the 125 mm Naiza. Naiza is capable of penetrating 550 mm of RHA armour at a distance of 2 km. The gun has a dual-axis stabilization system and thermal imaging sights integrated into the fire-control system for the commander and gunner, giving it enhanced night-time target acquisition capabilities. The image stabilized fire-control system includes alaser range-finderfor accurate range information and ballistics computer to improve accuracy. An improved gun control system is also fitted.[3][7]
The secondary armament consists of an external 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the roof of the turret, which can be aimed and fired from inside the tank, and a 7.62 mmcoaxialmachine gun.[3]
Mobility[edit]
The Al-Zarrar is powered by an upgraded version of the Type-59's original liquid-cooled 12-cylinderdiesel engine,boosting the power output from 580 horsepower to 730 hp (540 kW) and torque output of 305 kg.m at 1300–1400 rpm. A combat weight of 40 tonnes gives Al-Zarrar apower-to-weight ratioof 18.3 hp/tonne and a top speed of 65 km/h. Crew comfort is improved over the Type 59 by a modifiedtorsion barsuspension system.[4]
Protection[edit]
Al-Zarrar uses modular composite armour andexplosive reactive armourto give improved protection from anti-tank missiles, mines and other weapons. The Pakistani ATCOP LTS-1 laser threat warning system is fitted to inform the tank crew if the tank is targeted by alaser range-finderorlaser designator.Smoke grenade launchers are fitted to the sides of the turret. An automatic fire-extinguishing and explosion suppression system is installed to improve crew survivability.
Operators[edit]
Current operators[edit]
See also[edit]
- Related development
- Comparable tanks
- Ramses II– (Egypt)
- T-55AGM– (Ukraine)
- Tifon 2a– (Peru, Ukraine)
- Type 59G(BD) Durjoy– (China, Bangladesh)
- Type 72Z– (Iran)
- Related Lists
References[edit]
- ^abcdefghijk"HIT Al-Zarrar Main Battle Tank".MilitaryFactory website.Retrieved2 October2021.
- ^abcdef"Al-Zarrar Main Battle Tank (MBT)".ArmyTechnology website.Retrieved2 October2021.
- ^abcdefg"50 Al Zarrar tanks to be exported this year".Dawn (newspaper).15 January 2003.Retrieved2 October2021.
- ^abcAl-Zarrar tank is a modified version of Tank T-59GlobalSecurity.org website, Retrieved 2 October 2021
- ^ab"The Military Balance 2024".The Military Balance 2024.87(2024): 223–246. 1987.doi:10.1080/04597228708459639.ISSN0459-7222.
- ^abArthur, Gordon (15 April 2013)."Main Battle Tanks in Asia".Defence Review Asia website.Archived fromthe originalon 10 July 2017.Retrieved2 October2021.
- ^ab80 Al-Zarrar tanks handed over to armyDawn (newspaper), Published 27 February 2004, Retrieved 2 October 2021
External links[edit]
- Heavy Metal - Pakistani AFVs, by Usman Ansari
- GlobalSecurity.org - Pakistan Army gets first consignment of 80 Chinese-origin tanks
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