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Re: AL-Zarrar...

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Pakistan Type 59 MBT Upgrades
Development/Description

Outside China, Pakistan is the largest user of the China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) Type 59 (or T-59 as it is also referred to) Main Battle Tank (MBT) with an estimated 1,200 vehicles in service.
The Type 59 is itself a further development of the Russian T-54 MBT and is almost identical in appearance and retains the 100 mm rifled gun as its main armament. A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted coaxially with the main armament and a 12.7 mm machine gun is mounted on the turret roof for air defence purposes.
While more recent MBTs have been introduced into service with the Pakistani Army, including the NORINCO Type 69-II and Type 85-IIAP, a decision was made to upgrade a significant part of the Type 59 MBT fleet at the Heavy Industries Taxila facility in three phases.
In 1993, the Phase I upgrade of the Type 59 MBT started, during which some 28 improvements were carried out to improve the combat effectiveness of the Type 59 MBT under day and night conditions. The most significant of these was the installation of a 105 mm rifled tank gun which would fire standard natures of ammunition, computerised fire-control system for improved first round hit capability, two-axis stabilisation system for the 105 mm main armament and image intensification sights for the tank commander, gunner and driver. A total of 500 Type 59 MBTs were upgraded to the Type 59 Phase I configuration.
The new gunner's thermal sight installed in the Phase II and Phase III could be the locally developed by Al-Technique Corporation of Pakistan (ATCOP). Two versions of this thermal sight have been developed, uncooled and cooled. Both these include the gunner's thermal sighting system, associated electronics and a monitor for the tank commander so that he can see the same thermal picture of the target as the gunner.
Earlier optical systems developed by ATCOP include the TR-2 and TR-3 laser range-finders, GNS 1 image intensification gunner's night sight and the DNS-3 drivers image intensification night periscope. All these have been developed for the T-series MBTs. The company has also developed the LTS laser threat warning system.
From 1998, a further 300 Type 59 MBTs were upgraded to the Phase II standard. This included all the features of the Phase I with the addition of the installation of a more powerful diesel engine and thermal night vision equipment rather than image intensification night vision devices.
The Phase III Al Zarrar is the most ambitious upgrade ever attempted on the Type 59 MBT or its Russian equivalent, the T-54. It has now been disclosed that three different prototypes of this were built for extensive user trials:


Prototype 1
This is fitted with the 125 mm smoothbore tank gun as installed in the T-80U MBT supplied to Pakistan by the Ukraine. For this application the turret has been raised 100 mm off the chassis. A new power pack has been installed that includes the Ukrainian 5TDF five-cylinder diesel, developing 700 hp. It shares many common components with the 6TD-1 six-cylinder diesel developing 1,000 hp which is already installed in the 320 T-80UD/T-84 MBTs, recently supplied by the Ukraine to Pakistan.
The suspension has been upgraded and reinforced to take into account the higher combat weight of the vehicle. This includes the installation of stronger torsion bars. The vehicle is now fitted with track return rollers and new double-pin tracks with rubber pads have been installed.
Battlefield survivability is enhanced by the introduction of additional passive armour to the turret with a fully enclosed stowage box now being installed on the turret rear. Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) has been installed over the frontal arc. A new computerised fire-control and sighting system has also been installed.


Prototype 2
This retains the 100 mm gun of the Type 59 but is fitted with the V46-5M 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine that develops 690 hp coupled to a modified manual transmission. The suspension has been improved. For increased survivability an anti-mine bottom plate has been installed and ERA can be fitted.


Prototype 3
This features the power pack of the NORINCO Type 85-IIAP MBT with the suspension upgraded. The 125 mm smoothbore gun of the Type 85 has been installed. The fire-control system consists of image stabilised sights and an upgraded computerised fire-control system. Armour protection is the same as Prototype 1.
The 125 mm smoothbore gun is not fed by a fully automatic loader as installed in the Type 85 and Al Khalid MBTs so the upgraded Al Zarrar MBT retains its four-man crew consisting of commander, gunner, loader and driver. The 125 mm ammunition, already manufactured by the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) is of the separate loading type, projectile and charge with its semi-combustible cartridge case.
All of the upgraded vehicles retain the 7.62 mm coaxial and 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns and have a bank of electrically operated smoke grenade launchers either side of the turret, firing forwards.
The different Al Zarrar configurations were built to give the user the maximum possible flexibility in making a decision on which systems to install in production vehicles.
Different sources of key subsystems also allow for increased competition. The ERA, for example, could be supplied by NORINCO or from two sources in Pakistan, the Dr A Q Khan Research Laboratories or the National Development Complex (NDC).
The final configuration of production Al Zarrar is now being decided.
It has also been disclosed that the HIT built a batch of 45 NORINCO Type WZ 653 armoured recovery vehicles and proposals have been made to upgrade this vehicle enabling it to recover the heavier Al Khalid MBT. The Type 653 ARV was originally developed to recover the Type 59 and Type 69 MBTs but the Type 85-IIAP and Al Khalid are heavier, hence the requirement for an improved recovery vehicle.
A key part of these upgrades has not only been to improve the combat capabilities of the Type 59 but also to improve the overall realiability of the vehicle and reduce maintenance.
Most of the new subsystems installed in the Type 59 MBT upgrade are also used in the Type 69 and/or Type 85 series MBTs used by Pakistan. This reduces the number of spare parts in the supply chain and has a significant impact on logistics and training as so many parts are common across the whole fleet.

Fire-control upgrade

In 2001, it was stated that the Al Technique Corporation of Pakistan (ATCOP) was to improve the combat capability of about 200 NORINCO Type 85-IIAP series MBTs in service with the Pakistani Armoured Corps.
It is estimated that Pakistan took delivery of almost 500 of these vehicles from China between 1991 and 1996, with additional vehicles being built/assembled at the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) facility under a co-production agreement.
The Type 85-IIAP gunner currently has an image intensification night sight with limited night/poor weather capabilities and a UK BAE Systems, Avionics (previously GEC-Marconi) thermal imaging camera has been installed in one example of the Type 85-IIAP MBTs for trials purposes.
The BAE Systems, Avionics thermal imager has been designed for installation in MBTs such as the Type 85-IIAP and is claimed to have a detecting range of 7,000 m and a recognition range of 3,000 m.
The installation of a thermal imaging gunners sight will enable targets to be engaged with greater accuracy and at a longer range than the current image intensification sight. The tank commander will retain an image intensification sight and the driver can replace his standard day periscope by an image intensification periscope for driving at night.


Specifications

(Type 69IIMP)

Crew: 4
Combat weight: 36,700 kg
Power-to-weight ratio: 15.80 hp/tonne
Ground pressure: 0.823 kg/cmІ
Length:
(gun forward) 8.589 m
(hull) 6.243 m
Width: 3.27 m
Height: (to axis of AA MG) 2.807 m
Max road speed: 50 km/h
Range: 300 km
Verticle obstacle: 0.50 m
Trench: 2.50 m
Gradient: 32%
Side slope: 30%
Fording: 1.4 m
Engine: water-cooled diesel developing 580 hp
Transmission: manual
Armament:
(main) 1 Ч 105 mm rifled gun
(coaxial) 1 Ч 7.62 mm MG
(bow) 1 Ч 7.62 mm MG
(anti-aircraft) 1 Ч 12.7 mm MG
(smoke grenade launchers) 2 Ч 6
Ammunition:
(105 mm) 44
(12.7 mm) 500
(7.62 mm) 3,000

Gun control equipment
Turret power control: powered/manual
(by commander) yes
(by gunner) yes
Gun stabiliser:
(vertical) yes
(horizontal) yes
Range setting device: yes (laser)
NBC system: yes
Night vision equipment: yes


Status

In service with Pakistan Army. Upgrades are continuing.

Manufacturer

Heavy Industries Taxila.


Type 59 MBT upgraded to the latest Phase III standard clearly showing the additional passive armour on the turret and hull and the 125 mm smoothbore gun (HIT)
(2000)


Prototype 1 of the Al Zarrar MBT clearly showing the 125 mm gun and turret with additional external stowage at rear and ERA fitted to the hull and turret (Christopher F Foss)
(2001)


Prototype 3 of the Al Zarrar MBT with turret armed with 125 mm smoothbore gun fitted with ERA to the hull and turret (Christopher F Foss)
(2001)

С уважением, Venik