Al-Zarrar MBT | News,Updates & Discussions.

[Kompromat]

Al-Zarrar MBT

The Al-Zarrar is a modern MBT (main battle tank) developed and manufactured by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) of Pakistan for the Pakistan Army.

A re-built, upgraded variant of the Chinese Type 59 tank, Al-Zarrar is supposed to be a cost-effective replacement for the Type 59 fleet of the Pakistan Army. Equipped with modern armament, fire control and ballistic protection, the Al-Zarrar upgrade is also offered by HIT to the armies of foreign countries to upgrade their T-54/T-55 or Type 59 tanks to Al-Zarrar standard. 54 modifications made to the Type 59 make the Al-Zarrar effectively a new tank.
The Al-Zarrar development programme started in 1990 and the first batch of 80 upgraded tanks were delivered to the Pakistan Army on 26 February 2004.

Armament and fire-control


Al-Zarrar's primary armament is a 125 mm smoothbore tank gun with an autofrettaged, chrome-plated gun barrel. It is capable of firing APFSDS, HEAT-FS and HE-FS rounds as well as anti-tank guided missiles and a Pakistani DU (depleted uranium) round, the 125 mm Naiza. Naiza is capable of penetrating 550 mm of RHA armour at a distance of 2 km. Reloaded by a semi-automatic autoloader, the gun has a dual-axis stabilisation system and thermal imaging sights for the commander and gunner. integrated into the fire-control system. The image stabilised fire-control system includes a laser range-finder for accurate range information and ballistics computer to improve accuracy.An improved gun control system is also fitted.
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 mm coaxial machine gun.

Mobility

The Al-Zarrar is powered by a liquid-cooled 12 cylinder diesel engine, giving a power output of 730 hp and torque output of 305 kg.m at 1300-1400rpm. A combat weight of 40 tonnes gives Al-Zarrar a power to weight ratio of 18.3 hp/tonne and a top speed of 65 km/h. Crew comfort is improved over the Type 59 by a modified torsion bar suspension system.

[ProtectionAl-Zarrar uses modular composite armour and explosive reactive armour to 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 a laser range-finder or laser 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.

 

[FreekiN]

Mortal Kombat music = automatic win.

 

[Sayyaf]

Here's more videos

 

[Ron S]

That's an impressive tool of war... no doubt about that..

 

[Adios Amigo]

nice, but can anyone provide some info about the type-85 IIAP later upgraded to 85 III varient,as very less is known about this monster, so guys like epool and bezerk pour in some much needed info.














regards

 

[Kompromat]

Al-Zarrar Main Battle Tank (MBT), Pakistan

Al-Zarrar is the main battle tank (MBT) of the Pakistani Army, developed and produced by Pakistan's Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT). The Al-Zarrar tank was developed by modernising and rebuilding the obsolete Chinese Type 59 tank. The tank weighs 40t and can accommodate a crew of four.

The Al-Zarrar development programme began in 1990. Pakistan is reported to have ordered 400 Al-Zarrar tanks in total and the first batch of 80 tanks was delivered to the army in February 2004. In October 2008, the Bangladeshi Army formed a joint venture with Pakistan to rebuild its Type 59 MBTs to the new Al-Zarrar tank standard. Pakistan will transfer the relevant technology to Bangladesh under the joint venture. About 300 tanks are expected to be modernised under the project, which will be carried out in Bangladesh at the 902 Heavy Workshop of the Bangladeshi Army.

Al-Zarrar main battle tank development

The Type 59 MBT was in use by the Pakistan Armoured Corps for more than 30 years. The upgrade and rebuilding of the T-59 to Al-Zarrar was considered to be economical against replacement of the large fleet in the Pakistani Army with modern MBTs.

The first phase of the upgrade programme was completed in 1997 and the second phase began in 1998.
In the second phase, HIT rebuilt a tank by modifying 50 features of the old T-59. It incorporated some of the HIT's systems, originally developed for the Al-Khalid MBT.

HIT developed three prototypes of the Al-Zarrar and several technical and operational trials were conducted. Production of the selected version of the tank began in 2003. Future upgrades of the third phase Al-Zarrar development programme are also planned to keep it compatible with modern tanks. HIT also aims to upgrade the T-54 and T-55 to Al-Zarrar standards.

Al-Zarrar design

Al-Zarrar incorporates about 54 modifications to the original Type 59 main battle tank. The main modifications include improvements to armament, ballistic and armour protection, the fire control system, mobility and GPS. The fire control system features semi-automatic loading, computerised image stabilisation and thermal imaging for day and night combat.

Armament

'Al-Zarrar incorporates about 54 modifications to the original Type 59 main battle tank'

The primary armament of Al-Zarrar is a 125mm smoothbore gun with chrome-plated, auto-frettaged gun barrel. The secondary armament includes a 12.7mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun – mounted on the turret roof, which allows the crew to fire at targets from inside the tank – and two 7.62mm coaxial machine guns.

Al-Zarrar can fire armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS), high explosive anti-tank fin-stabilised warheads (HEAT-FS), HE-FS and anti-tank guided missile rounds. The tank can also fire 125mm Naiza, a depleted uranium round developed by Pakistan. The Naiza can penetrate rolled homogeneous armour up to 550mm-thick from a distance of 2km.

Armour protection

The armour protection of the T-59 has been upgraded with an add-on composite armour, explosive reactive armour and anti-mine armour. The tank is also fitted with the LTS-1 laser threat warning system, developed by Al Technique Corporation (ATCOP). The ATCOP LTS-1 warns the crew when the tank is the target of a laser designator or a laser rangefinder. The sides of the turret are fitted with smoke grenade launchers. The tank also has explosion suppression and an automatic fire-extinguisher system for crew survivability.

Mobility

Mobility of Al-Zarrar has been increased by replacing the 520hp power engine of the T-59 tank with a liquid-cooled, 12-cylinder diesel engine with a power output of 730hp. The engine provides a torque output of 305kgm at 1,300rpm-1,400rpm. The rubber tracks and modified bar torsion suspension system provide agility and crew comfort stable. The transmission and power to weight ratio (18.3hp/t) were also improved to give the tank a maximum speed of 65km/h.

Pakistan's Al-Zarrar MBT | Army Technology.Com

 

[Kompromat]

@Ulla

You are right, i was suspicious too by the looks of the turret design.

Removed.

 

[Tacticool]

How many t-59s left to be upgraded to al-zarrar standards?

 

[Zarvan]

@Aeronaut When all Tanks would be upgraded to Al Zarrar I mean T-54 and t-55 and T-59

 

[Dazzler]

How many t-59s left to be upgraded to al-zarrar standards?

they had 1200-1300 of type-69/ 59s, almost 700 are upgraded with AZ config, remaining are Type-59M2 and 69IIMP models, likely to be upgraded with AZ config too. All have thermal imager, FCS and other systems like armour are modern.

 

[Viking 63]

The only question is how will they stand up against Indian T-90s in combat !!!!

 

[wakapdf]

These beauties will plow through Indian armored core like a knife through butter.

 

[Tacticool]

The only question is how will they stand up against Indian T-90s in combat !!!!

Just like Shermans managed to stand against tigers

 

[jupiter2007]

The only question is how will they stand up against Indian T-90s in combat !!!!

Pakistan also has Al-Khalid/MBT-2000, Ukrainian T-80UD and Type 85-III.

 

[razgriz19]

Just like Shermans managed to stand against tigers

Yeah because of 1:25 ratio
for every tiger, they had 25 Sherman.

we don't enjoy that luxury.