Peters guide to potential nasties.

[akd]

Originally posted by undead reindeer cavalry:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by akd:

[qb] Well, I don't know anything about MiG sales to Iran,

they didn't sell a plane, they sold the design. a small stealth plane.</font>

[Sergei]

Originally posted by akd:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by undead reindeer cavalry:

they didn't sell a plane, they sold the design. a small stealth plane.

That must be the best foreign sale MiG ever made.

"Yes, it will work. We promise." </font>

[Peter Cairns]

Like I say it was a buyers market, the russians were skint so countries like Iran were able to do deals to get access to design and tech transfer at bargin prices.

I think good examples of it continuing are the deals to co produce transport aircraft, one with Iran with Tupolev in the Casa CN, class and one with india and illuysian to produce a twin jet in the class of the C-130 but with bettter performance for half the price.

Peter.

[akd]

It's always been a buyer's market. Some of Iran's most advanced hardware is still U.S. made.

[Peter Cairns]

Not really, Iran was about the only nation that got the F-14, and i am pretty sure others wanted it.

I've no doubt that since the end of the cold war things have loosened up a fair bit. In the East they are desperate for money,

and in the West the fall in defence spending for most countries has made it harder for private companies as competition has become tougher.

Peter.

[GSX]

Originally posted by akd:

It's always been a buyer's market. Some of Iran's most advanced hardware is still U.S. made.

I remember not that long ago, being particulary apprehensive about an Iranian F-14 take-off.

[undead reindeer cavalry]

yes, Iranians have modern Western stuff as well. e.g. the modernized tanks have Western FCS.

[MikeyD]

I remember during the Iran/Iraq war I spotted some old Iranian re-engined diesel M47s still in use, with the M60-style anti-IR engine deck. I actually kit-bashed a decent model of the thing. I don't know the status of international sanctions against Iran, but their old Chieftains are probalby unserviceable by now (unless Jordan's been quietly supplying them with spare parts), and have probably acquiredy one or another flavor of T72, like everyone else.

[Peter Cairns]

MikeyD

This is from Globalsecurity who are usually not bad,

Zulfiqar

The Iranian Zulfiqar [Zolfaqar] main battle tank is believed to be pieced together or developed from major components of the Russian T-72 and American M48 and M60 tanks. This tank, which is claimed to be in production in Irana, is said to be similiar in configuration to the M-48 and M-60. Other reports suggest that it bears a close resemblance to the American M1 Abrams.

One of the features of the Zolfaqar tank which has drawn the attention of the Defense Ministry is that indigenously-made parts have been used in it. The testing prototypes of the tank were tested in 1993. Six semi-industrial prototypes of the tank were produced and tested in 1997.

In April 1997 Acting Commander of the Ground Forces of the Iranian Army, Lieutenant General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani announced that the mass production of Zulfiqar tanks, which began in 1996, was still in progress. He stated that the manufacture of 520 different kinds of tank parts, 600 artillery parts, repair of 500 tanks and armored vehicles have been carried out. In late July 1997 Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani of Iran formally inaugurated a production line for the domestically manufactured Zulfiqar main battle tanks and Boragh tracked armoured personnel carriers. The facility, the Shahid Kolah Dooz Industrial Complex, will also produce the BMT-2 personnel carrier identified.

The Iranian tank is armed with a 125mm smoothbore gun fitted with a fume extractor which may be fed from an automatic loader. It is known that the Zulfiqar uses suspension like that fitted to Western MBTs such as the M48/M60 MBT. The diesel engine is not taken from the T-72 since this has a distinct exhaust outlet on the left side of the hull. This feature is absent on the Zulfiqar.

The most recent T-72 is the 'S' version. The T-72S MBT weighs 44.5 tonnes and is armed with the latest stabilized 125mm smoothbore 2A46M gun, IA40-1 computerised fire-control system (FCS) with laser rangefinder and day/image intensification night sighting system. As well as firing the normal types of 125mm separate-loading ammunition (projectile and charge), the T-72S can also fire a Svir 9M119 (NATO designation AT-11 'Sniper') laser beam-riding guided projectile to a range of 4,000m. The T-72S is powered by the V-84MS diesel engine, which develops 840hp and, with a combat weight of 44.5 tonnes, a power-to-weight ratio of 18.87hp/tonne is obtained. For greater cross-country mobility, the suspension has also been upgraded and mine protection improved.

T-72Z An upgrade has been developed in Iran called the Type 72Z in order to extend the operational life of the T-54/T-55 MBTs, and the similar Chinese Type 59 equivalent used by Iran, all of which are armed with a 100mm gun.

The existing 100mm gun has been replaced by a 105mm M68 rifled tank gun in service with Iran on the M60A1 MBT. The Armament Industries Division of the DIO probably makes this weapon because for some years it has had the capability to bore tank and artillery barrels, such as the 122mm Russian D-30.

To improve first-round hit probability, the Type 72Z has a Slovenian Fontana EFCS-3 computerised FCS. According to the manufacturer, installation of the EFCS-3 FCS enables stationary or moving targets to be engaged while the Type T72Z MBT is static or moving.

The 7.62mm co-axial and roof-mounted 12.7mm machine guns have been retained as has the ability to lay a smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust outlet on the left of the hull. In addition, four electrically operated smoke-grenade dischargers have been mounted on each side of the turret.

At least one example of the Type 72Z has been fitted with a roof-mounted laser warning device, probably coupled to a commander's display and the electrically operated smoke-grenade launchers either side of the turret.

Iranian sources say the upgraded Type 72Z is powered by the V-46-6 V-12 diesel engine developing 780hp. This engine has been integrated into a new powerpack, which also includes the SPAT 1200 transmission for use in automatic or semi-automatic modes. The V-46 V-12 diesel engine is also installed in early production T-72 series MBTs, such as the T-72 and T-72A, and Iran could obtain these from various sources besides Russia.

The Type 72Z's combat weight is quoted as 36 tonnes, power-to-weight ratio 21.66hp/tonne and maximum road speed is 65km/h. This compares with the T-55 MBT, which has a power-to-weight ratio of 16.11hp/tonne and a maximum road speed of 50km/h.

Last year, the Shahid Kolah Dooz Industrial Complex revealed it had developed a new ERA package that can be rapidly fixed to the T-54/ T-55, T-72 and other MBTs to improve battlefield survivability against chemical energy (CE) and kinetic energy (KE) attack. This Iranian ERA package is similar to that being made and marketed by Russia and has been installed on Russian MBTs, such as the T-80BV, for some years. The Iranian ERA armour system comprises one composite layer. This protects against KE and CE projectiles and an extra energetic material that provides protection against KE attack. Iranian sources said this system can be dropped from a height of 5m; will not be activated from small arms fire up to 30mm in calibre or grenades; and is resistant to napalm type weapons.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/images/zolfaghar3-pic1.jpg.

Peter.

[MikeyD]

Wow Peter, you genuinely surprised me with the Zulfiqar. And I thought I was a tank grog!

From a photo I found on the web I'm reminded of that movie eratz T72 in that old Patrick Swaze movie about the invasion of the U.S. Familiar U.S. parts and pieces rearranged in an unfamiliar shape. It seems the old M47 has been reincarnated as a T72!