Karrar MBT l Updates, News & Discussion

[Hindustani78]

On Sunday, the Iranian Defense Minister announced that mass production of the Karrar tank has kicked off, according to Iranian media. An official statement was made after the tank was presented at the Organization of Defense Industry.

"The tank can compete with the most advanced tanks in the world in three main areas: power, precision and mobility, as well as maintenance and durability on the battleground… The Karrar has the capability to fire missiles and precisely guide them [towards the target]," Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan said at the presentation.

It is no coincidence that specialists regard the Karrar as some kind of a copy of the Russian-made T-90SM, the most advanced modification of the T-90 platform, according to retired Maj. Gen. Vladimir Bogatyrev, chair of the Board of the Russian National Association of Retired Military Officers.

"Initially, Iran planned to buy Russian T-90SM tanks, and there were several meetings between Russian and Iranian delegations. But finally the Iranian defense minister said that Tehran would develop own tanks. Its technical specifications are kept secret," Bogatyrev told Radio Sputnik.

According to him, there are certain details indicating that the newest Karrar tank is similar to Russian-made tanks.

"For a long time, the Russian T-72 was the main battle tanks with the Iranian military. Currently, they still have some 500 units in service. The Zulfiqar 3 tank was very similar to the latest versions of the T-72 and the T-90, including its gun, transmission and engine. It has similar targeting systems, including laser. The Iranian tank is also capable of firing anti-tank guided shells," the expert said.

Moreover, in addition to Russian tanks, the Karrar also compiles notable details of certain Western-made armored machines.

"It is based on the T-72 platform, but it also has something from the American Abrams and M-60 tanks. Some elements are borrowed from the M-48 and the British Chieftain tank. They took all these elements and tried to design their own tank," Bogatyrev pointed out.

The expert suggested that in terms of certain military capabilities the Karrar is unlikely to match the Russian T-90.

"There is no decades-long tradition of tanks-manufacturing in Iran. So, there can be no breakthrough technologies. I’m not sure that the Karrar is close to the T-90 in certain points, from its armor to some specific features," he said.

However, Bogatyrev highly appreciated the capabilities of the Iranian defense industry.

"The production of tanks and anti-aircraft systems is well-developed in Iran. They are also trying to develop other types of weapons. In the terms of the defense industry, Iran should not be underestimated," the expert concluded.

 

[WordsMatter]

JDW:

Iran has unveiled what it presented as a new tank called the Karrar, but is clearly a T-72 upgraded with a new turret and other systems.

The Karrar was unveiled during a ceremony attended by Minister of Defence Hossein Dehghan on 12 March and presented as a rival to the most modern tank types. Dehghan was quoted as saying the tank is "100% Iranian made" and "even superior to the Russian-made T-90MS in certain aspects".

It was also announced that production of the Karrar has already begun at the Bani-Hashem Armour Industrial Complex east of Dorud in Lorestan province.

 

[Arminkh]

Yes it does look very impressive. The emphasis on armor and ERA reminds me of Iran's mounted warrior (Cataphract) traditions

You nailed it brother. I was thinking about the same.

 

[SOHEIL]

@Nilgiri

 

[Nilgiri]

@SOHEIL @haman10 @Arminkh @AmirPatriot

Any idea how many are expected per year in production and when official production may start?

What is total proposed requirement?

 

[SOHEIL]

when official production may start?

This is the only thing we know:

It's already started !

 

[echo 1]

 

[Arminkh]

@SOHEIL @haman10 @Arminkh @AmirPatriot

Any idea how many are expected per year in production and when official production may start?

What is total proposed requirement?

They will definitely upgrade the 500 and so T-72 they have in inventory. What they may produce beyond that remains to be seen.

I think Iran's observations during recent Iraq and Syrian war with ISIS and how arrival of T-90 in Syria turned things around, has made Iranian commanders firmer in their decision to upgrade Iranian tanks.

 

[AmirPatriot]

Any idea how many are expected per year in production and when official production may start?

What is total proposed requirement?

All we know is that Iran has some 500 T-72s which can be upgraded to Karrar standard. Moreover, it looks like they are making some from scratch as well. Beyond these, we know nothing.

 

[Mark Pyruz]

A number of questions regarding the Karrar:
- Where is the origin of the armor kit? That is to say: turret, ERA modules, armored louvers, etc.
- Where is the origin of the FCS?
- Where is the origin of the digital vehicle instrumentation, and does this indicate a revised powerpack?
- Will there be sufficient funding by IRIG to upgrade T-72 stocks In a timely manner?

There were the usual inconsistencies in the Iran media coverage. In this instance there was an inconsistency related to assembly. Two different orders were filmed. And there was no imagery provided of turret manufacture.

 

[Arminkh]

A number of questions regarding the Karrar:
- Where is the origin of the armor kit? That is to say: turret, ERA modules, armored louvers, etc.
- Where is the origin of the FCS?
- Where is the origin of the digital vehicle instrumentation, and does this indicate a revised powerpack?
- Will there be sufficient funding by IRIG to upgrade T-72 stocks In a timely manner?

There were the usual inconsistencies in the Iran media coverage. In this instance there was an inconsistency related to assembly. Two different orders were filmed. And there was no imagery provided of turret manufacture.

There are pictures of turret assembly in post #18 of this thread. Is that what you are looking for?

 

[PeeD]

Iranian deal with the Russians back then was to buy around 500 russian made T-72S and a few years later start local license production, at low rate. 90's Russians didn't help enough for the promised local production but as the license was for up to 1000 T-72S, a number of these must have been produced during this 20 year period. First from kits and by 2005 most of it was produced in Iran (rate of ~50 per year).
Quite possible that the license for 1000 T-72S run out and the Karrar is the production replacement, not bound to a license.

Hence Irans inventory could be as high as 1500 T-72S plus 300-500 less capable (much less) -M/-M1, for a total of 2000.

 

[eagle2007]

ALCON,

I guess I don't see what all this nasty arguing is about.

1) I don't see how anyone can deny the connection between the Karrar upgrade/rebuild and the T-90MS. The turret's external appearance is almost identical, down to the concept/location of the RWS. The visual similarities are FAR too great to simply due to coincidence or mimicking the design.
2) While the connection between the two is clear as day, there are still plenty of differences. The ERA on the hull for example, is completely different than the T-90MS.
3) The Karrar, while an upgrade program, can hardly be properly described that way. We're looking at what appears to be a completely new-built turret (and thus everything IN it and attached OUTSIDE of it), with the only element remaining from the original T-72 being the hull, tracks, and road-wheels.

IMHO, I think it's quite clear Russia is assisting Iran with the Karrar program in some form. Whether that assistance came as a full-blown transfer of technology (NOT Russia's style these days), a partial-transfer (would explain why the hull has a different armor design than the T-90MS), or just a knock-down kit scheme (in which all major components are imported and assembled in country), isn't so clear.

Personally, knowing Russia's stinginess towards promises of full technology transfers (even after a decade of India building the Su-30MKI, the Russians still haven't given them ALL the tech), I suspect the Karrar is the result of a partial-tech transfer, primarily the turret design and Relikt ERA and the placement/concept of the RWS. For Iran, it provides much needed tech and also allows them to do the actual work themselves instead of relying directly on the Russians. Iranian leaders knew, at least for the moment, Russian wouldn't likely be delivering any new tanks anytime before 2020/2021, but with at least a partial tech-transfer, they can start work much sooner in-country and the Russians still get their money.

As the video Arashkamangir posted shows however, the internal kit of the Karrar turret/hull looks a bit more updated than the T-90AM (which is a domestic variant quite similar to the export-model MS), which suggests either Iranian engineers preferred their own tech to the offered Russian tech or the Russians never included that as part of the deal.

So in the end, the Karrar is likely neither a full-blown copy (licensed) of an existing Russian design, nor an entirely Iranian one.

The only "problem" I have with the Karrar is that is such an extensive rebuilt/upgrade that even starting late last year, it's likely going to take some years for all ~500 T-72s in Iran's existing inventory to be upgraded.

Then again, I've already got some ideas of what Iran could do with those "used" T-72 turrets they are replacing with the Karrar's...

 

[PeeD]

A number of questions regarding the Karrar:
- Where is the origin of the armor kit? That is to say: turret, ERA modules, armored louvers, etc.
- Where is the origin of the FCS?
- Where is the origin of the digital vehicle instrumentation, and does this indicate a revised powerpack?
- Will there be sufficient funding by IRIG to upgrade T-72 stocks In a timely manner?

There were the usual inconsistencies in the Iran media coverage. In this instance there was an inconsistency related to assembly. Two different orders were filmed. And there was no imagery provided of turret manufacture.

- T-72B "anti-KE" NERA composite armor which in the 80's caused fear in the west that it could not be penetrated by available munitions. A quite good staring point.
This thick ERA was seen already back in 2012 on parade M60s, obviously Iran has had its own ERA development in the past years (anti-KE and anti-tandem warhead), whether it is more capable or on pair with much more experience based Russian variants, remains open.

- Could still be a EFC-3 evolution or even a Turms-T development from upgraded Syrian T-72. It certainly has a locking feature and uses input like wind speed for automatic ballistic calculations.

- As you suggested yes. The older 840HP engine of the T-72S certainly lacks digital sensors necessary for this system. Good observation.

- A upgrading line, equivalent to the 50 per year rate T-72S license production line which the Karrar is the replacement for is certainly possible. 50 new Karrars and 50 upgraded Karrars per year for now would be a good estimation. Given the mostly Iranian subsystems, costs should be low, possibly as low as 500k $ a shot.

 

[arashkamangir]

Iranian deal with the Russians back then was to buy around 500 russian made T-72S and a few years later start local license production, at low rate. 90's Russians didn't help enough for the promised local production but as the license was for up to 1000 T-72S, a number of these must have been produced during this 20 year period. First from kits and by 2005 most of it was produced in Iran (rate of ~50 per year).
Quite possible that the license for 1000 T-72S run out and the Karrar is the production replacement, not bound to a license.

Hence Irans inventory could be as high as 1500 T-72S plus 300-500 less capable (much less) -M/-M1, for a total of 2000.

but does your model account for the economic hardship during the sanctions era? regardless, i wonder if we are doing engine swaps (as another person pointed out to potential engine upgrade due to digital engine data) that could be a bottleneck in maintaining the guestimated 50 per year production rate.