T-55

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T-54/55
Polish T-55A, Poznań Citadel Museum of Arms (front · rear · detail)
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1947 - present
Used by	See Operators
Wars	See Conflicts
Production history
Designer	Morozov Design Bureau
Designed	1945
Manufacturer	Uralvagonzavod (USSR), Kharkov Diesel Factory No. 75 (USSR), Bumar-Łabędy (Poland), ZTS Martin (Czechoslovakia)
Produced	1946 - 1981 (USSR) 1956 - 1979 (Poland) 1957 - 1983 (Czechoslovakia)
Number built	Estimated 86,000-100,000
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	39.7 tonnes[1] 41.5 tonnes for T-55AM-1[2] 44.6 tonnes for T-55AMV[1]
Length	6.45 m (9 m with the barrel in forward position) 6.2 m (9 m with the barrel in forward position) for T-55AMV[1]
Width	3.37 m 3.536 m for T-55AM-1 3.60 m for T-55AMV [2]
Height	2.40 m 3 m for T-55AM-1[2] 2.32 m for T-55AMV[1]
Crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armor	203 mm front of the turret[3][1] 150 mm sides of the turret[3][1] 64 mm rear of the turret[3][1] 39 mm top of the turret [1] 97 mm upper front of the hull [1] 99 mm lower front of the hull [1] 79 mm upper sides of the hull [1] 20 mm lower sides of the hull [1] 46 mm rear of the hull [1] 20 mm floor of the hull [1] 33 mm top of the hull [1]
Primary armament	100 mm D-10T series rifled gun for T-54[1] 100 mm D-10TG series rifled gun for T-54A[1] 100 mm D-10T2S series rifled gun for T-54B, T-55AMV and T-55M5[1] 100 mm D-10T2G or D-10T2S series rifled gun for T-55 and T-55A[7] [8] 125mm 2A46M tank gun for T-55M6 34 rounds for T-54[1] 45 rounds for T-55[7] 51 rounds for T-55A [8] 43 rounds for T-55AMV[1]
Secondary armament	7.62 mm SGMT coaxial machine gun (3500 rounds) (from T-54-1 to T-55)[1][8] PKT coaxial machine gun (3500 rounds) (T-55A)[1][8] 7.62 mm hull machine gun (from T-54-1 to T-55}[8] DShK 1938/46 12.7 mm antiaircraft heavy machine gun (500 rounds[1]) AK-47 assault rifle (200 rounds) (T-55)[8] 9M117 Bastion (NATO code: AT-10 Stabber) ATGM (5 missiles) (T-55M, T-55AM, T-55MD, T-55AMD, T-55MV, T-55AMV, T-55AM2B)[1]
Engine	V-54 12-cylinder 38.88 liter water-cooled diesel (T-54) V-55 12-cylinder 4-stroke one-chamber 38.88 liter water-cooled diesel (T-55)[4] V-55U diesel[3]</ref>[5] (T-55M/T-55AM/T-55AMV) V-46-5M 12-cylinder 4-stroke diesel (T-55M-1/T-55AM-1/T-55MV-1/T-55AMV-1)[3] 523 hp (390 kW) for T-54 581 hp (433 kW) for T-55 [6] 621 hp (463 kW) for T-55M/T-55AM/T-55AMV[5][1][3] 691 hp (515 kW) for T-55M-1/T-55AM-1/T-55MV-1/T-55AMV-1[3]
Power/weight	13.2 hp/tonne (9.8 kW/tonne) for T-54 14.6 hp/tonne (10.9 kW/tonne) for T-55 15.6 hp/tonne (11.7 kW/tonne) for T-55M/T-55AM 13.9 hp/tonne (10.4 kW/tonne) for T-55AMV 17.4 hp/tonne (13 kW/tonne) for T-55M-1 16.7 hp/tonne (12.4 kW/tonne) for T-55AM-1 15.5 hp/tonne (11.5 kW/tonne) for T-55AMV-1
Suspension	Torsion bar
Ground clearance	425 mm for T-54 and T-55 [1] 392 mm for T-55AM-1
Fuel capacity	215 gal (814 l) for T-54 254 gal (961 l) for T-55 [1]
Operational range	401 km (249 miles) for T-54, with extra tanks 600 km (373 miles) 501 km (311 miles), with extra tanks 600 km (373 miles) [1]
Speed	48 km/h (30 mph) on road for T-54 [1] 6.85 km/h in 1st gear[4] 14.66 km/h in 2nd gear[4] 20.21 km/h in 3rd gear[4] 28.99 km/h in 4th gear[4] 55 km/h (34 mph) in 5th gear[1] 6.85 km/h in reverse gear[4] on road for T-55 [1] 50 km/h (31 mph) on road and 26 km/h (16 mph) cross country for T-55AMV[1]

The T-54 and T-55 tank series were main battle tanks designed by the Soviet Union. The first prototype T-54 appeared in 1946 shortly after the end of the Second World War. It was the successor to the T-44 and a direct descendant of the T-34, considered by many to have been the "finest all around tank of the war".^[9] The tank entered full production in 1947 and became a mainstay of Red Army armored units, the Warsaw Pact countries and many other armies as well. T-54's and T-55's were involved in many of the world's armed conflicts.

Following a series of major improvements the T-54 was designated the T-55 in 1955^[3]. The T-55 has been described as the "most popular tank in history"^[10] and is the most widely used of all time. In 1962 it was joined by the T-62; they were both eventually replaced by the T-64 and the T-72.^[9]

The design was so successful that tens of thousands of them were built in the USSR, Poland and Czechoslovakia and a downgraded version was licensed to the Chinese (Type 59).^[11] They were exported to as many as 50 other countries and were continuously upgraded and produced until 1979. The series eventually became the most produced tank in history. Estimated production numbers for the series range from 86,000 to 100,000, and the series is still in use worldwide, having received sophisticated retrofitting.^[9][10][12]

T-54 and T-55 tanks never directly faced their NATO Cold War adversaries in Europe, however, their first appearance in the west in 1960 spurred the United States to develop the M60.^[10]

[edit] Description

Like many post-World War II tanks, the T-54 and T-55 have a conventional layout with fighting compartment in the front, engine compartment in the rear, and a dome-shaped turret in the centre of the hull. Driver's hatch is on the front-left of the hull roof. The commander's hatch is on the turret left—the gunner sits forward and below him—and the loader's hatch is on the turret right. The tank's suspension has the drive sprocket at the rear, and slack track (not suspended by return rollers). Engine exhaust is on the left fender. There is a prominent gap between the first and second road wheel—a distinguishing feature from the derivative T-62 tank, which has progressively larger spaces between road wheels towards the rear.

The T-54 can be recognized by the dome-shaped ventilator on the turret roof, in front of the loader's hatch, which the T-55 lacks

The T-54 and T-55 tanks are outwardly very similar and difficult to distinguish visually. Many T-54s were also updated to T-55 standards, so the distinction is often downplayed with the collective name T-54/55. Soviet tanks were factory-overhauled every 7,000 km and often given minor technology updates. Many states have added or modified the tank's equipment; India, for example, affixed fake fume extractors to its T-54s and T-55s so that its gunners wouldn't confuse them with Pakistani Type 59s.^[13]

The older T-54 can be distinguished from the T-55 by a dome-shaped ventilator on the front-right of the turret and a driver-operated SGMT 7.62 mm machine gun mounted to fire through a tiny hole in the centre of the hull's front. Early T-54s lacked a gun fume extractor, had an undercut at the turret's rear, and a distinctive "pig-snout" gun mantlet.

[edit] Production history

[edit] T-44

When first produced, the Soviet T-34 medium tank of 1940 had the best balance of firepower, protection and mobility of any tank in the world. Its development continued throughout the Second World War and it continued to perform well, but the production rates the war demanded prevented its designers from incorporating the latest technologies.

In 1943, the Morozov Design Bureau resurrected the pre-war T-34M development project and created the T-44 medium tank. Thanks to a space-efficient torsion-bar suspension, a novel transverse engine mount, and the removal of the hull machine-gunner's crew position, the T-44 performed at least as well as the T-34, but with substantially better armour. However, a larger gun was desired which would fire heavier high-explosive rounds and defeat thicker armour. The T-44's turret, a development of the T-34-85 turret, was still incapable of mounting more powerful armament than its predecessor's 85 mm tank gun, a considerably weaker gun than the 88 mm and long 75 mm guns on newer German tanks, because these guns were very-high velocity weapons and had respectively 71 and 70-caliber length, compared to around 50 of the Soviet gun. This latter was more similar to the 88 L56 of Tiger I, but the normal ammunition used was simpler. In fact, its penetration power^[14] (around 100mm at 1000m) was not so different than the 76mm American tank gun (usually rated around 100-120mm RHAe at 900m), and the main difference was the weight of the high-explosive shell, around 9 kg compared to 6 kg of the 75-76.2mm calibers.^{[citation needed]} Only about 1,823 T-44s were ever built, while Morozov proceeded with further development.

[edit] T-54

The original T-54-1 had a turret reminiscent of the T-34-85's, with prominent, undercut shot traps. This example has had the fender machine-gun boxes replaced with fuel tanks

Before this point was reached, Morozov had already decided to proceed with a new generation of main battle tanks. Having moved back to Ukraine from the Urals (the design bureau and factory had been evacuated from Kharkov (Kharkiv, Ukraine) to Nizhny Tagil during the German advance in 1942), he began development which would lead to the T-64. The Kartsev design bureau at UVZ took over responsibility for the T-54, starting with the T-54A, which added single-plane gun stabilization and night-driving equipment.

The T-54B started production in 1957, with a new D-10T2S gun and 2-plane stabilizer. Active infrared "night-fighting" equipment for the gunner and driver were installed on new tanks and retrofitted to older ones, starting in 1959. In addition, modern APFSDS ammunition was developed, dramatically enhancing the penetrative performance of the gun to keep it competitive with NATO armor developments.

A series of experiments on the T-44 hull led to the T-54 tank. It mounted the same 100 mm D-10 tank gun used in the World War II SU-100 tank destroyer (modified for the tank's fighting compartment as the D-10T, but with identical performance). The gun was housed in a new turret with bigger turret ring and very well-protected mantlet, incorporating 200 mm of front-facing armour. Steering was made easier by the new V-54 engine's two-stage reduction gearbox. The T-54 replaced the T-44 in production from 1949 at Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) in Nizhny Tagil, and from 1948 at Kharkov Diesel Factory No. 75 (KhPZ).

Though based on design and prototype work begun in 1943, the T-54 had superior armor protection to many late-war German tanks. Its 100 mm L53 gun produced less effective armor penetration than the 88 mm L71 gun on the Tiger II but was superior to the 88 mm L56 gun on the Tiger I, and comparable to the 75 mm L70 gun of the Panther medium tank^[15]. Due to its revolutionary design, this performance was achieved in a tank weighing four-fifths that of the Panther, two-thirds that of the Tiger I, and only just more than half that of the Tiger II. The T-54's light weight, powerful engine, and robust suspension gave it excellent cross-country mobility.

[edit] T-55

The original T-55 lacked an antiaircraft machine gun mount

In 1958, The T-54 was redesigned for the nuclear battlefield as the T-55, with a thicker turret casting, more powerful engine, and very basic NBC protection (protecting against the deadly blast overpressure of a nuclear explosion, but not against radiation or fallout). The roof-top antiaircraft machine gun was dropped, because it was deemed worthless against high-performance jets. It was reintroduced in the 1970s to deal with helicopters although Polish tankers said that it was useless even for that since even from the range of 400 m the accuracy was fairly poor.^[16] The T-55 also had the T-54B's improved two-plane gun stabilization and added night-fighting equipment.

The T-55 was also significantly superior to the IS-2 Heavy Tank in all respects, included the rate of fire of the gun (at least four compared to less than three rounds per minute). Despite somewhat thinner frontal turret armor (200 mm rather than 250 mm), it also compared favorably with the IS-3, thanks to its improved antitank gun and better mobility. Heavy tanks soon fell from favor, with only 350 IS-3s produced and future Soviet heavy tank designs remaining prototypes. The old model of highly mobile medium tanks and heavily armored heavy tanks was replaced with a new paradigm: the "main battle tank". Parallel developments in the West would produce similar results.

During the 1950s, the T-55 remained a significantly smaller and lighter tank than its NATO contemporaries—the U.S. Patton and British Centurion tanks—but with comparatively reasonable firepower but inferior protection. Its light armor protection made it vulnerable. In the Vietnam war its armor proved vulnerable against the 76mm gun of South Vietnamese M41 Walker Bulldog, which outperformed the T-54 in tank to tank battles. The 100mm D-10T tank gun was considered a strong point of T-54 for a short period of time because none of the western medium tanks of the time used a tank gun of such high caliber and length of the barrel.^[8] However it eventually fell behind Western developments, and its kinetic-energy penetrator soon ceased to be competitive. Due to the round's low velocity and the tank's simple fire-control system, however, the T-54 was able to rely on HEAT shaped-charge ammunition to engage tanks well into the 1960s, despite the relatively inaccuracy of this ammunition at long ranges. The Soviets considered this acceptable for a potential European conflict, until the development of Chobham armor began reducing the effectiveness of HEAT warheads.^[13]

T-54 and T-55 tanks continued to be upgraded, refitted, and modernized into the 1990s. Advances in armour-piercing and HEAT ammunition would improve the gun's antitank capabilities in the 1960s and 1980s.

A wide array of upgrades in different price ranges are provided by many manufacturers in different countries, intended to bring the T-54/55 up to the capabilities of newer tanks such as T-72s, at a lower cost. Upgrades include new engines, explosive reactive armour, new main armament such as 120 mm or 125 mm guns, active protection systems, and fire control systems with range-finders or thermal sights. These improvements make it a potent main battle tank (MBT) for the low-end budget, even to this day.

One of these upgrade packages was produced by Cadillac Gauge Textron and a prototype named the Jaguar was produced. The Jaguar looked quite different from its predecessors. A newly-designed turret was formed by flat armour plates installed at different angles. The hull top was also new. the engine compartment and fuel tanks on the shelves over the tracks were also armour-protected. The Soviet-made 100mm gun was replaced with the American M68 105mm rifled gun fitted with the thermal sleeve. A Marconi fire control system which was originally developed for the American light tank Stingray was also fitted. The vehicle incorporated a Cadillac-Gauge weapon stabilizer and gunner's sight equipped with an integral laser rangefinder. The powerpack inherited by the Jaguar from the Stinger underwent only minor alterations and comprised the Detroit Diesel 8V-92TA engine and XTG-411 automatic transmission. In 1989, two Jaguar tanks were manufactured. The chassis were provided by PRC, while the hull tops, turrets and powerplants were manufactured by Cadillac Gauge Textron.^[17]

Another prototype upgrade package was produced by Teledyne Continental Motors (now General Dynamics Land Systems) for the Egyptian Army and was known as the Ramses II.^[18].

[edit] Service history

[edit] Soviet Union to Russian Federation

The T-54/55 and the T-62 were the two most common tanks in Soviet inventory—in the mid-1970s the two types together comprised approximately 85% of the Soviet Army's tanks.

T-54 tanks served in the 1956 invasion of Hungary, and a few were knocked out by Molotov cocktails and Hungarian antitank guns.^[13] The T-62 and T-55 are now mostly in reserve status; Russian active-duty units mainly use the T-80 and T-72, with a smaller number of T-90 tanks in service (the T-90 in a few units only).

[edit] Middle East

An abandoned T-55 in South Lebanon

An Iraqi T-55 disabled by coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During the 1967 Six-Day War, U.S. M48 Patton tanks, Centurion tanks, and even upgunned World War 2 era Sherman tanks, were faced against T-55s. This mix of Israeli tanks, combined with superior planning of operations, proved to be more than capable of dealing with the T-54/T-55 series.^[19]

By the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the T-54A and T-55's gun was starting to lose its competitive effectiveness over to the 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7 gun mounted in Israeli Centurion Mk V and M60A1 tanks. Even the newer T-62, a modernised T-55, were out-performed in battle. By the end of the war, anti-tank missiles accounted for most of Israel's tank losses instead of enemy tank fire.^[19] Israel captured many T-55s from Syria and Egypt in 1967 and 1973, and kept some of them in service. They were upgraded with a 105 mm NATO-standard L7 or M68 main gun replacing the old Soviet 100 mm D-10, and a General Motors diesel replacing the original Soviet diesel engine. The Israelis designated these Tiran-5 medium tanks, and they were used by reserve units until the early 1990s. Most of them were then sold to assorted Third World countries, some of them in Latin America, and the rest were heavily modified, converted into heavy armoured personnel carriers designated the IDF Achzarit.

[edit] Other conflicts

Column of Yugoslav T-55 tanks in Slovenia.

T-55 tank of Army of Republika Srpska

During the Vietnam War, the T-54 was employed by North Vietnam, notably in the 1972 Easter Offensive and the 1975 Ho Chi Minh Offensive. After being driven back by overwhelming American air power in the first campaign the Vietnam People's Army recovered to decisively defeat the ARVN and its armored forces (largely composed of worn-out American M48s and M41s) in part due to improved training in combined arms tactics. ^[20][21]

T-54 tanks were also used during the Cambodian civil war

During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, India operated T-55s in Chaamb against Pakistan's Patton, Chaffee and Chinese Type 59 tanks. The Indian's benefited from infrared night vision and better AP rounds, but according to one account the "honours were roughly even"^[22]. However the Indian Army also operated AMX, Chafee, Centurions and PT-76 tanks and it is possible that most M48s lost were due to 105mm guns of AMX and Centurion.

Polish T-55L tanks were also used during Martial law in Poland as a propaganda to suppress the anti-communist atmosphere among the population.

Being the most numerous tank in the former Yugoslavia's military (JNA) inventory, it was the mainstay of armoured combat units during the Yugoslav Wars where it proved vulnerable to infantry equipped with anti-tank rockets, misemployment in urban areas and unfriendly terrain, but was unreplaceable due to its high numbers. During the battle of Vukovar alone, where the JNA grouped most of its tank force, many were destroyed almost exclusively by infantry-carried Anti-Tank weapons. THe T-55 tanks were the main tanks in armies of ex-Yugoslavia. They were also used in combats against insurgents in Kosovo.

China sold thousands of Type 69 tanks to both Iran and Iraq during their war in the 1980s. Some saw action in the 1991 Gulf War and the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The T-55 has also been used by Ethiopia in the current conflict with the Islamic Courts in Somalia.

Gallery In action

A company of T-54's, Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

Indian Army T-55's on their way to Dhaka, Bangladesh Liberation War.

T-55A on the streets, Martial law in Poland.

T-54 of the Vietnam People's Army, Fall of Saigon.

The remains of destroyed Iraqi T-55's West of Diwaniyah, near Al Qadisiyah, Iraq.

Polish T-55 or T-55A on maneuvers.

T-54-2's.

Wreck of T-55 - target on Biedrusko Poligon, near Poznań, Poland.

[edit] Operators, models and variants

For a more comprehensive list, see T-54/T-55 Operators and variants

[edit] Operators and variants

The T-55 has been used worldwide by as many as 50 countries and quasi-armies. They have been subject to numerous improvements throughout their production history and afterwards and many are still in service today. In addition the tank has been modified in many different ways to serve other roles such as air defense and combat engineering vehicles among others.

T-54, T-55 operators in light red and Type 59 operators in dark red.

[edit] Models

[edit] T-54

• T-54-1 (Ob'yekt 137) or T-54 Model 1946 – Produced 1946–1948. With streamlined turret and wide gun mantlet, similar to T-44, new V-54 engine, unstabilized D-10T 100 mm main gun, and two SG-43 machine guns in bins on the fenders. ^[23] Only a small number was build for trials that were a fiasco; as a result, the production of the T-54 series was halted until the implementation of modifications.^[24]
• T-54-2 (Ob'yekt 137R) or T-54 Model 1949 – Produced 1949–1952. It incorporated a number of improvements to the turret as well a wider track. It had a new dome-shaped turret with flat sides inspired by the IS-3 heavy tank's, similar to later T-54's but with a distinctive overhang at the rear and hull machine gun replacing the fender bins. It also had a shorter bustle.^[23][24]
• T-54-3 (Ob'yekt 137Sh) or T-54 Model 1951 – Produced 1952–1954, in Poland 1956–1964. Adopted the familiar, fully egg-shaped turret and new TSh-2-22 telescopic gunner's sight instaed of the TSh-20.^[23]ref name=SVR1/>Also early T-54 lacked a snorkel. The tank is also able to use it's engine exhaust smoke system to create smokescreen by injecting vaporized diesel fuel onto the exhaust system. This feature was continued throughout the entire T-54/T-55 series.^[1][17]
• T-54A (Ob'yekt 137G)^[25][23] - Produced 1955–1957, in Poland 1956–1964, in Czechoslovakia 1957–1966, and in China as the Type 59. Added STP-1 "Gorizont" vertical-plane gun stabilizer to D-10TG gun. Originally had a small muzzle counter-weight, which was later replaced with a fume extractor. Also introduced OPVT wading snorkel, TSh-2A-22 telescopic sight, TVN-1 infrared driver's periscope and IR headlight, new R-113 radio, multi-stage engine air filter and radiator controls for improved engine performance, an electrical oil pump, bilge pump, automatic fire extinguisher and extra fuel tanks.^[17]
• T-54B (Ob'yekt 137G2)^[25][26]ref name=SVR1/>- Produced from 1957 to 1958. With improved D-10T2S gun and STP-2 "Tsyklon" 2-plane stabilization. From 1959, infrared night-fighting equipment was added: L-2 "Luna" infrared searchlight and TPN-1-22-11 IR gunner's sight, OU-3 IR commander's searchlight. NATO code: T-54(M).^[17]

T-55A. This Polish or Czech-built tank can be recognized by the more oval-shaped gunner's sight aperture, and zip storage box on the turret side

• T-54M (Ob'yekt 139) - Not to be confused with the T-54M modernization program. This was a testbed for new D-54T and D-54TS 100 mm smoothbore guns, "Raduga" and "Molniya" stabilization systems, which would later be used in the T-62. These were not completely successful, so further T-55 development continued to use the D-10 series guns.
• Ob'yekt 137ML - Prototype of the T-54 with 9M14 "Malyutka" (NATO code: AT-3 Sagger) ATGM.
• T-54K1, T-54K2, T-54AK1, T-54AK2, T-54BK1, T-54BK2, T-54MK1, T-54MK2 were command tanks corresponding to the main production models, with extra communications equipment at the expense of 5 tank rounds.^[26] K1 version had a second R-113 (or R-123) radio for company commanders, K2 version had 10m semi-telescoping antenna mast, for battalion and regimental commanders, and regimental chiefs-of-staff.^[17]

[edit] T-55

• T-55 (Ob'yekt 155)^[27] - Produced 1955–1963^[3][4], in Poland 1958–1964, in Czechoslovakia from 1958 to 1983. New turret with floor, PAZ nuclear-blast protection and over-pressure NBC system, gamma ray detector, improved V-55 engine and power-assisted clutch, greater fuel and ammunition load, TDA exhaust smoke generator, deleted the DShK 1938/46 antiaircraft heavy machine gun from loader's hatch. T-55 also lacks a turret dome ventilator. Early units had flush loader's hatch. "Starfish" road wheels replaced earlier "spider" style. Also a snorkel can be placed on T-55 (unlike it's predecessors) to allow it to cross 5.5 m depths at a speed of 2 km/h (without preparation T-55 can cross 1.4 m depths). This equipment takes about 30 minutes' preparation, but can be jettisoned immediately on leaving the water. ^[28][1][17]
• T-55A (Ob'yekt 155A)^[27] - Produced 1963–1981, in Poland 1964–1979. The T-55A MBT was primarily developed to incorporate a new antiradiation lining and full PAZ/FVU chemical filtration system. One of the major internal additions were the use of a plasticized lead sheeting for antiradiation protection. This was evident externally due to use of an enlarged driver's hatch and enlarged combings over the commander's and loader's hatch to accommodate the new material. Improved POV anti-radiation protection (leading to visibly protruding turret hatches) and NBC filtration, dispensed with bow machine gun. SGMT coaxial machine gun was replaced with PKT coaxial machine gun. Hull machine gun has been removed which gave place for 6 more 100 mm gun rounds^[8] Since 1970, T-55A tanks began to receive a new turret fitting for the 12.7mm DShK 1938/46 antiaircraft heavy machine gun. ^[29]
• T-55K1 (Ob'yekt 155K1), T-55K2 (Ob'yekt 155K2), T-55K3 (Ob'yekt 155K3), T-55AK1 (Ob'yekt 155AK1), T-55AK2 (Ob'yekt 155AK2), T-55AK3 (Ob'yekt 155AK3), T-55MK1 (Ob'yekt 155MK1), T-55MK2 (Ob'yekt 155MK2), T-55MK3 (Ob'yekt 155MK3) - Command tanks, fitted with additional radio sets. Sub-versions are the K1 and K2 models with two R-123 (or R-123M) and used at company and battalion level respectively. They carry 5 tank rounds less than the standard tanks. The regiment commander's K3 is equipped with an R-130M, an R-123M, a 10-metre antenna mast and a generator AB-1-P/30 at the expense of 12 100mm rounds.^{[27] [30]} Early models had the R-113 and R-112 sets instead of the R-123 and R-130, the upgraded M series is fitted with R-173 and R-143T2 sets respectively.
• Ob'yekt 155ML - Prototype of the T-55 with launcher for three 9M14 "Malyutka" (NATO code: AT-3 Sagger) ATGM mounted on the turret rear.^[27]

[edit] Modernization

T-55AM2B (left) and T-55A (right)
The T-55AM2B has turret brow armour, laser rangefinder over the main gun, rubber side skirts, and thicker front hull armour than the T-55A. Panzermuseum Munster

• T-54-2 fitted with the ZET-1 vehicle protection system. It has net structure centered on vehicles main armament and flipper-type side plates.^[17]
• T-54M (Ob'yekt 137M) (mid-1960s) – Upgrade program to bring T-54s up to T-55 standard.
• T-54M (Ob'yekt 137M) (1977) – Additional upgrades, including OPVT snorkel and KTD-1 laser rangefinder.
• T-54AM (Ob'yekt 137M) (mid-1960s) – Further upgrades, including increased ammunition, new radios, new V-55 engine. Some received new RMSh track and drive sprocket developed for T-72 tank in late 1970s and early 1980s.^[26] Similar programs were carried out in other countries (T-54Z, T-54AZ, T-54AMZ for Zusatzausrüstung, 'additional equipment' in East Germany, T-54AR Rieka, 'river', with fording snorkel in Czechoslovakia).

DShK 1938/46 antiaircraft heavy machine gun on T-55 MBT.

T-55 tanks received 12.7 mm DShK 1938/46 loader's anti-aircraft machine guns starting in (Model 1970, or sometimes T-55AM), and older tanks were retrofitted starting in 1972. Laser rangefinders KTD-1 or -2 were added to older tanks starting 1974 (Model 1974).^[27]

• T-55 fitted with the ZET-1 vehicle protection system. It has net structure centered on vehicles main armament and flipper-type side plates.^[17]

• T-55M (Ob'yekt 155M)/T-55AM (Ob'yekt 155AM)^[27] - Modernization of respectively T-55 and T-55A with new "Volna" fire control system, 9K116-1 "Bastion" ATGM system with new 1K13 BOM guidance device/sight, improved gun stabilization system "Tsiklon-M1" and sights TShSM-32PV, V-55U engine ^[8], improved suspension and RMSh track, increased armour, anti-mine, anti-napalm and improved anti-radiation protection and new radio set R-173/173P. Visual differences include laser range-finder in an armoured box fitted over the main armament, side skirts, 81mm "Tucha" smoke grenade launchers, turret brow armour BDD and glacis appliqué, and rear RPG screens (only used rarely in Afghanistan).^[17]
  • T-55M-1 (Ob'yekt 155M-1)/T-55AM-1 (Ob'yekt 155AM-1) ^[27] – The "-1" suffix was applied to later modified tanks which are powered by the 691 hp (515 kW) engine V-46-5M which was derived from the T-72's 780 hp (582 kW) V-46-6.
• T-55AD "Drozd" (Ob'yekt 155AD)^[27][31] - T-55A fitted with Drozd ('thrush') active protection system (KAZ - kompleks aktivnoj zashchity). Soviet Naval Infantry saved money by installing "Drozd" on a small number of tanks instead of opting for appliqué armour, or acquiring newer T-72s. About 250 were kept in stores for secrecy, but later switched to simpler reactive armour. T-55AD is also fitted with the radio set R-173, sight TShSM-32PV, "Tsiklon-M1" stabilizer etc. of the T-55AM.
  • T-55AD-1 (Ob'yekt 155AD-1) - Version powered by the 691 hp (515 kW) engine V-46-5M which was derived from the T-72's 780 hp (582 kW) V-46-6.
• T-55MV(Ob'yekt 155MV)/T-55AMV (Ob'yekt 155AMV) ^{[27] [31]} - "V" for vzryvnoj ('explosive') designated tanks which carried explosive reactive armour (ERA) "Kontakt-1" instead of the passive BDD armour. The ERA bricks (EDZ or elementi dinamicheskoj zashchity) are normally mounted on the turret front, hull front and the hull sides. This was adopted by Soviet Naval Infantry first, and by the Russian Army after the collapse of the Soviet Union. T-55MV is a modernized T-55M and T-55AMV is a modernized T-55AM.
  • T-55MV-1 (Ob'yekt 155MV-1)/T-55AMV-1 (Ob'yekt 155AMV-1)^[27] - Versions powered by the 691 hp (515 kW) engine V-46-5M.
• T-55M5 (Ob'yekt 155M5) - This modernization kit adds convex explosive reactive armour "Kontakt-5" panels around turret front, armour panel on glacis plate, a longer hull, a new style fire control equipment with stabilized TVK-3 and TKN-1SM sights for the gunner and commander, an improved V-55U engine (or V-46-5M) and a main gun stabilization system. The original 100 mm D-10T2S gun is maintained. Combat weight is less than 40 tonnes.^[17]
  • T-55M6 (Ob'yekt 155M6) - More radical upgrade with longer chassis with 6 road wheels each side, a 690 hp diesel engine V-46-5M and with the complete turret with automatic loader and 2A46M 125mm main gun of the T-72B. Also the protection was increased to T-80U level. Optionally the tank can be equipped with the fire control system 1A40-1 with ATGM system 9K120 "Svir" (as T-72B) or with the 1A42 and 9K119 "Refleks" systems (as T-80U). Combat weight is 43 tonnes.^[17]

[edit] Conflicts

• Hungarian Revolution, 1956 (by the Soviet army)
• Vietnam War, 1957–75 (by the North Vietnamese Army)
• The Kurdish-Iraqi War, 1961–75 (by the Iraqi Army and Kurdisch Peshmerga)
• Rhodesian Bush War, 1966-1979 (by the Rhodesian Army)
• Six-Day War, 1967 (by Syria and Egypt)
• Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, 1968 (by Warsaw Pact forces)
• Indo-Pakistani War, 1971 (by India)
• Yom Kippur War, 1973 (by Syria and Egypt)
• Angolan Civil War, 1974–2002 (by the Angolan and Cuban Army)
• Lebanese War 1975-1990 (by the Syrian Army)
• Ogaden War 1977-1978, First used by Somalian armed forces, later on by Ethopia
• Soviet war in Afghanistan, 1979–89 (by the Afghan army and Soviet Army)
• Iran-Iraq War 1980–88 (by both Iran and Iraq))
• Martial law in Poland 1981-1983 (by Ludowe Wojsko Polskie)
• Sri Lankan civil war 1983- (by the Sri Lankan army)
• Persian Gulf War 1990–91 (by the Iraqi army)
• Nagorno-Karabakh War 1990–91 (by all sides)
• Yugoslav wars 1991–1999
  • Slovenian War 1991 (by Yugoslav Army)
  • Croatian War of Independence 1991-1995 (both sides)
  • Bosnian War 1992-1995 (all sides)
  • Kosovo War 1996 - 1999 (by both sides)^[32][33]
• First Chechen War, 1994–96 (by the Russian Army)
• First Congo War, 1996–97 (by the DR Congo army)
• Second Congo War, 1998–2002 (by all sides)
• 2001 Macedonia conflict (by all sides "Albanians used captured Macedonian tanks")
• Ethiopian-Eritrean War (by both sides)
• Second Chechen War, 1999–2005 (by the Russian Army)
• War in Afghanistan, 2001 (by the Northern Alliance)
• Iraq War (2003-present) (by the Iraqi Regular Army until May 1, 2003 and the New Iraqi Army since 2004 ^[34])
• War in Somalia (2006-present) (by the Ethiopian Army)

[edit] Gallery

Gallery Additional images

TR-85 M1 at BSDA 2007, Bucharest-Romania.	T-55AGM	T-55AGM	T-55AGM
Two Croatian Defense Council (HVO) Army T-55's pull into firing position during a three day exercise held at the Barbara Range in Glamoc.	Members of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) Army, 2nd Guard Brigade, fire the 12.7mm machine gun.	T-55 of 1st Iraqi Mechanized Brigade Taking up a position while conducting route security patrol near Taji, Iraq.

[edit] See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

T-55

• M60 Patton
• 125mm Smoothbore Rounds

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] Additional resources

• Cockburn, Andrew The Threat: Inside the Soviet Military Machine. New York: Random House. 1983-05-03 ISBN 0-394-52402-0.
• Foss, Christopher F., ed (2005). Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006, 26th edition. 2005-08-15 ISBN 0-7106-2686-X.

[edit] External links

• T-54-1, T-54-2, T-55AM, T-55AM2 Additional photos
• Cuban T-55
• Technical data sheet and pictures T-55 from ArmyRecognition.com
• T-55 Variant walk arounds and photos on Prime Portal