T-54/T-55

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 Combat history
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)
No. built	Over 95,000
Variants	See Models
Specifications
Mass	39.7 tonnes 41.5 tonnes for T-55AM-1 44.6 tonnes for T-55AMV
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
Width	3.37 m 3.536 m for T-55AM-1 3.60 m for T-55AMV
Height	2.40 m 3 m for T-55AM-1 2.32 m for T-55AMV
Crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armor	203 mm front of the turret 150 mm sides of the turret 64 mm rear of the turret 39 mm top of the turret 97 mm upper front of the hull 99 mm lower front of the hull 79 mm upper sides of the hull 20 mm lower sides of the hull 46 mm rear of the hull 20 mm floor of the hull 33 mm top of the hull
Main armament	100 mm D-10T series rifled gun for T-54 100 mm D-10TG series rifled gun for T-54A 100 mm D-10T2S series rifled gun for T-54B, T-55AMV, T-55M5 and T-55MV5 100 mm D-10T2G or D-10T2S series rifled gun for T-55 and T-55A 125mm 2A46M tank gun for T-55M6 and T-55MV6 34 rounds for T-54 45 rounds for T-55 51 rounds for T-55A 43 rounds for T-55AMV
Secondary armament	7.62 mm SGMT coaxial machine gun (3500 rounds) (from T-54-1 to T-55) PKT coaxial machine gun (3500 rounds) (T-55A) 7.62 mm hull machine gun (from T-54-1 to T-55} DShK 12.7 mm antiaircraft machine gun (500 rounds) AK-47 assault rifle (200 rounds) (T-55) 9M117 Bastion (NATO code: AT-10 Stabber) ATGM (5 missiles) (T-55M, T-55AM, T-55MD, T-55AMD, T-55MV, T-55AMV, T-55AM2B)
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) V-55U diesel (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) 523 hp (390 kW) for T-54 581 hp (433 kW) for T-55 621 hp (463 kW) for T-55M/T-55AM/T-55AMV 691 hp (515 kW) for T-55M-1/T-55AM-1/T-55MV-1/T-55AMV-1
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-55 392 mm for T-55AM-1
Fuel capacity	215 gal (814 l) for T-54 254 gal (961 l) for T-55
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)
Maximum speed	48 km/h (30 mph) on road for T-54 55 km/h (34 mph) on road for T-55 50 km/h (31 mph) on road and 26 km/h (16 mph) cross country for T-55AMV

The T-54 and T-55 tank series was the Soviet Union's front-line non-amphibious main battle tank from 1947 until 1962. It remains in service throughout the world to this day, particularly in the armies of former client states of the Soviet Union. Over 95,000 tanks were produced, making it the most-produced tank series in history.

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 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.

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.

Production history

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 original T-55 lacked an antiaircraft machine gun mount

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[2] (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. Only about 1,823 T-44s were ever built, while Morozov proceeded with further development.

File:T-54-1.jpg

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

File:T-54-2 Morozov.jpg

The T-54-2 had the more familiar dome-shaped turret, but still with an overhang at the rear

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 1947 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[3]. 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.

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 excellent firepower and protection. 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. 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.

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.

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. The T-55 also had the T-54B's improved two-plane gun stabilization and added night-fighting equipment.

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.

Tens of thousands of T-55 tanks were manufactured in the Soviet Union between 1958 and 1979. The tank was also produced in Poland, Czechoslovakia, and in China (as the Type 59, a copy of the T-54A), and Romania. In China, it was further developed as the Type 69, which is still manufactured for export today, and the Type 79, a version equipped with a 105 mm main gun.

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.

During the 1990s and 2000s, hundreds of refurbished and upgraded T-55s were resold by Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Israel, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine ,Angola, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Latvia, Macedonia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda, Uruguay, and Yemen.

The T-54/55 is considered to be the single most widely produced tank in the world, and the most common one in service today.

Service history

File:Tanks return budapest 3 1956.jpg

A company of T-54s in Budapest, Hungary, 1956

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. 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).

A Polish tank company equipped with T-54 tanks

T-54 tanks served in the 1956 invasion of Hungary, and a few were knocked out by Molotov cocktails and Hungarian antitank guns.

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.

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.

File:0147.jpg

Indian Army's T-55 tanks on their way to Dhaka during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Notice the dummy fume extractor on the barrel, resembling the one on India's Centurions, attached to aid in identification of friendly tanks.

During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, India operated T-55s in the northern sector and eastern sector against Pakistan's Pattons, Chaffees and Chinese T-59s. The individual performance of the T-55 alone is not known, however, as the Indian Army also operated AMX, Chafee, Centurions and PT-76s.

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.

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.

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

File:T-55 pl.jpg

Polish T-55 or T-55A on maneuvers

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

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.

Being the most numerous in 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 has also been used by Ethiopia in the current conflict with the Islamic Courts in Somalia.

The T-55 tank has been used in many war films made in Yugoslav, Serbia, and Hollywood, including an extended chase sequence in the James Bond film Goldeneye, and a T-55AM2 tank in a 2007 Snickers UK advertising campaign starring Mr. T.

Models

• 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. 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.
• 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.
• 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. Also early T-54 lacked a snorkel. The tank is also able to use it's engine exhaust smoke system to create smokescreen. This feature was continued throughout the entire T-54/T-55 series.
• T-54A (Ob'yekt 137G) - 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.
• T-54B (Ob'yekt 137G2) - 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).

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-55A

• 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-54K, T-54AK, T-54BK, T-54MK were command tanks corresponding to the main production models, with extra communications equipment at the expense of 5 tank rounds. 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.
• T-55 (Ob'yekt 155) - Produced 1955–1963, 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 AA 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 increase the fording depth from 1.27 m to 4.546 m.
• T-55A (Ob'yekt 155A) - 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 machinegun has been removed which gave place for 6 more 100 mm gun rounds. Since 1970, T-55A tanks began to receive a new turret fitting for the 12.7mm DShK antiaircraft machine gun.
• T-55K (Ob'yekt 155K) and T-55AK - 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. 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.
• T-62 – Produced from 1962. A major redesign, with longer hull, larger-diameter turret, and 115 mm smoothbore gun.

Modernization

T-55AM2B in the Panzermuseum Munster. This tank has turret brow armour, laser rangefinder over the main gun, rubber side skirts, and thicker front hull armour than the T-55A seen behind it (compare with the photograph below).

T-55A behind the T-55AM2B in the 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.
• 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. 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).

T-55 tanks received 12.7 mm DShKM 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).

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

• T-55M (Ob'yekt 155M)/T-55AM (Ob'yekt 155AM) - Modernization of respectively T-55 and T-55A with new "Volna" fire control system, improved gun stabilization system "Tsiklon-M1" and sights TShSM-32PV, V-55U engine , improved suspension and RMSh track, increased armour, anti-mine, anti-napalm and improved anti-radiation protection and new radio set R-173/173P. Some tanks have been fitted with the 9K116-1 "Bastion" ATGM system with new 1K13 BOM guidance device/sight. 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).
  • T-55M-1 (Ob'yekt 155M-1)/T-55AM-1 (Ob'yekt 155AM-1) – 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) - 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) - "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 normaly 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) - 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 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.
  • 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. 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.

Variants

MTU-20 bridgelayer in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel.

Russian BTR-T.

Polish ZSU-57-2 in Lubuskie Muzeum Wojskowe

• T-54 Dozer - T-54 fitted with bulldozer blades for clearing soil, obstacles and snow.
• OT-54 (Ob'yekt 481) - T-54 with ATO-54 flamethrower instead of 7.62 mm SGMT coaxial machine gun.
• TO-55 (OT-55, Ob'yekt 482) - This flame-thrower version of the T-55 tank incorporates the ATO-200 flame projector. The flame thrower is ignited by pyrotechnic charges, and 12 charges are the basic load. The stowage tank, which replaces the hull ammunition rack besides the driver, contains 460-litres of flammable liquid, and each burst averages 36 liters. The maximum effective range of the system is 200 meters, with the stream having an initial muzzle velocity of about 100 mps.
• Ob'yekt 483 - Flame-thrower tank prototype, based on the T-54B. This version featured installation of the ATO-1 flame-thrower in short stubby barrel with internal tube instead of the main gun, resulting in a decrease of the tank's firepower. There's also a circular vertical vent on rear of turret and a sight mount level with top of mantlet aperture. Following trials with the prototype vehicle, development work on this ceased.
• ALT-55 - Bulldozer version of the T-55 with large flat-plate superstructure, angular concave dozer blade on front and prominent hydraulic rams for dozer blade.
• T-55 hull fitted with an excavator body and armoured cab.
• T-55 MARRS - Fitted with a Vickers armoured recovery vehicle kit. It has a large flat-plate turret with slightly chamfered sides, vertical rear and very chmfered front and a large A-frame crane on the front of the turret. The crane has cylindrical winch rope feer between legs of crane. A dozer blade is fitted to the hull front.
• MT-55 or MTU-55 (Tankoviy Mostoukladchik) - Soviet designator for Czechoslovakian MT-55A bridge-layer tank with scissors bridge.
• MTU-12 (Tankoviy Mostoukladchik) - Bridge-layer tank with 12 m single span bridge that can carry 50 tonnes. The system entered service in 1955; today only a very small number remains in service. Combat weight: 34 tonnes.
• MTU-20 (Ob'yekt 602) (Tankoviy Mostoukladchik) - The MTU-20 consists of a twin-treadway superstructure mounted on a modified T-54 tank chassis. Each treadway is made up of a box-type aluminum girder with a folding ramp attached to both ends to save space in the travel position. Because of that the vehicle with the bridge on board is only 11.6 m long, but the over all span length is 20 m. This is an increase of about 62% over that of the older MTU-1. The bridge is launched by the cantilever method. First the ramps are lowered and fully extended before the treadways are forward with the full load of the bridge resting on the forward support plate during launch. The span is moved out over the launching girder until the far end reaches the far bank. Next the near end is lowered onto the near bank. This method of launching gives the bridgelayer a low silhouette which makes it less vulnerable to detection and destruction.
  • MTU-20 based on the T-55 chassis.
• BTS-1 (Bronetankoviy Tyagach Sredniy - Medium Armoured Tractor) - This is basically a turretless T-54A with a stowage basket.
  • BTS-1M - improved or remanufactured BTS-1.
• BTS-2 (Ob'yekt 9) (Bronetankoviy Tyagach Sredniy - Medium Armoured Tractor) - BTS-1 upgraded with a hoist and a small folding crane with a capacity of 3,000 kg. It was developed on the T-54 hull in 1951; series production started in 1955. The prototype Ob.9 had a commander's cupola with DShK machine gun, but the production model has a square commander's hatch, opening to the right. Combnat weight: 32 tons. Only a very small number remains in service.
• BTS-3 (Bronetankoviy Tyagach Sredniy - Medium Armoured Tractor) - JVBT-55A in service with the Soviet Army.
• BTS-4 (Bronetankoviy Tyagach Sredniy - Medium Armoured Tractor) - Similar to BTS-2 but with snorkel. In the West generally known as T-54T. There are many different models, based on the T-44, T-54, T-55 and T-62.
• BTS-4B - Dozer blade equipped armoured recovery vehicle converted from the early -odd-shaped turret versions of the T-54.
  • BTS-4BM - Experimental version of the BTS-4B with the capacity to winch over the front of the vehicle.
• BMR-2 (Boyevaya Mashina Razminirovaniya) - Mine clearing tank based on T-55 chassis. This vehicle has no turret but a fixed superstructure, armed with an NSVT machine gun. It is fitted with a KMT-7 mine clearing set and entered service around 1987 during the war in Afghaistan.
  • Improved version of BMR-2 that has been seen fitted with a wide variety of mine roller designs.
• BTR-T - Heavy APC based on T-55.
  • DPM - Convoy escort vehicle.
• IMR (Ob'yekt 616) (Inzhenernaya Mashina Razgrashdeniya) - Combat engineer vehicle. It's a T-55 that had it's turret replaced with a hydraulically-operated 2t crane. The crane can also be fitted with a small bucket or a pair of pincer type grabs for removing trees and other obstacles. A hydraulically-operated dozer blade mounts to the front of the hull; it can be used in a straight or V-configuration only. The IMR was developed in 1969 and entered service five years later.
• SPK-12G (Samokhodniy Pod’yomniy Kran) - Heavy crane mounted on T-55 chassis. Only two were build.
• SU-122-54 (Ob'yekt 600) (Samokhodnaya Ustanovka) - Self-propelled 122mm gun, based on the T-54A and sometimes known as IT-122. Between 1955 and 1957, 77 vehicles were build with minor differences between production lots (different commander's cupola etc.). The SU-122-54 had a modified chassis that was similar to the T-62's and was armed with a 122mm gun M-62-T with 32 rounds.
  • MTP-3 (Mashina Tekhnicheskoj Pomoshchi) - From 1973, several SU-122-54's were converted into a technical support vehicle with light crane. Used to be called ARV M1977 and T-62T in the West. Some MTP-3's were later used as mine-clearing vehicles.
• ZSU-57-2 (Ob'yekt 500) - Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG); significant changes from T-54 such as much thinner armour and one less road wheel, with a new turret armed with two 57mm guns.
• T-55PPM - (protivo-pozharnye mashini - fire fighting vehicle) T-55 converted into a tracked fire fighting vehicle.
• T-55 modified to fight major oil fires. Turret was replaced with twin-jet-engine mount and multiple water nozzles.

International derivatives

Argentina

• JT-54 Tensa - upgrade for the 500 T-54s operated Peru made in the late 1980s/early 1990s, by the Argentinian company Tensa. Add-on armour was mounted on the turret, with a laser rangefinder being installed above the gun shield. On the turret's rooftop, there was a mast with weather sensors indicating the presence of the ballistic-computer-based fire control system. Rubber sheet side skirts were fitted.

File:T-55+m-18.jpg

Bosnian T-55 variant with American M18 Hellcat turret.

Bosnia

• SO 76 M-18 Mod - The Bosniak faction used a late T-55 hull and chassis and mated it with the turret of an American M18 Hellcat.
• T-55 with Bofors AA Gun - Bosnian Serb SPAAG modification.

Croatia

• T-55 Minocistac - T-55 fitted with UZR-3 explosive hose type mine clearer system in service with HVO.

Cuba

• T-55 converted into a transporter erector launcher of the S-75 sufrace-air missile.
• T-55 converted into a transporter erector launcher of the S-125 sufrace-air missile.

Czech Republic

• T-55C-1 "Bublina" - Turret-less engineer vehicle with BTU-55 dozer blade.
• T-55C-2 "Favorit" - Czech driver training tank.
• UOS-155 "Belarty" (Univerzálny Odtarasovací Stroj) - Slovak combat engineer vehicle fitted with mine cleaner. The vehicle consist of a T-55 chassis with the armoured turret of the UDS-214 engineer vehicle.
• SPOT-55 (Špecialny Požiarny Tank) - Czech fire-fighting conversion with large tank with chamfered edges placed on T-55 chassis, two spray units mounted on front of tank top and dozer blade fitted to hull front. It was developed by VOP 025 and has two water tanks for a total of 11,000 liter. Weight is 45 tons.

East Germany

• T-54Z (Z for Zusatzausrüstung - additional equipment) - East German modernization of T-54 similar to T-54AM.
• T-54AZ (Z for Zusatzausrüstung - additional equipment) - East German modernization of T-54 similar to T-54AM.
• T-54AMZ (Z for Zusatzausrüstung - additional equipment) - East German modernization of T-54 similar to T-54AM.
• T-54T (Panzerzugmaschine ohne Bergesatz) - East German version of the BTS-2 with recovery and welding equipment. 10 made on Polish-made T-54B chassis. NATO code: T-54(A).
• T-54TB (Panzerzugmaschine mit Bergesatz) - More specialized version with heavy recovery equipment. 10 made on Polish-made T-54B chassis. NATO code: T-54(B).
• T-55AM Minenräumladung - East German T-55A optimised for mine clearance.
• T-55 NAL NRD - East-German modernization of T-55. It wasn't finished because of the political changes in 1990.
• T-55T - Modified VT-55A with push bar in service with the NVA.
• Orchidee (Minenräumladung WLWD) - Prototype mine clearing vehicle developed by the East Germany and equipped with KMT-6 M2, EMT-5 electronic mine clearer and an unidentified explosive hose type lane clearer.
• T-54 M1975/1 - Experimental East German roller/flail combination mine clearing vehicle.
  • T-54 M1975/2 - Flail only variant of the M1975/1.
• T-55TK - East-Germany received 119 Czechoslovakian JVBT-55A's between 1968 and 1979 and called them Kranpanzer T-55TK.
• BLG-60 (Brückenlegegerät) - East German/Polish scissors-type bridge layer. Development started in 1965 (one year after the BLG-34 project was cancelled ) and the first vehicle was delivered in 1967. Almost 200 BLG-60's were build by STAG Genthin and SKET Magdeburg.
  • BLG-60 trainer - Modified training bridge.
  • BLG-60M - Improved BLG-60 that makes it possible to attach 3 bridges together to bridge gaps of up to 52 m. Entered service from 1973.
    • BLG-60M2 - Because of the introduction of the bigger T-72 tank, some 30 BLG-60's had to be widened by 20 cm.

Egypt

• T-54/T-55 fitted with a German AEG infrared/white searchlight to the left of the main armament and a Yugoslav "Iskra" laser rangefinder.
• T-54A modified by Egypt.
• T-54B modified by Egypt.
• T-55A modified by Egypt with DshK AAHMG mount and German AEG searchlight.
• Ramses II is a heavily modified T-55 Tank built by Egypt. The Ramses II has an American-style suspension similar to that of the M-60A3, and uses the same engine, transmission, drive train, and 105 mm gun as the M-60A3. It carries more fuel internally, and has IR vision for the gunner and driver as well as image intensification for the commander and a laser rangefinder with ballistic computer for the gunner. Armor has been added and most of these tanks also carry side skirts. The vehicle has been radiologically shielded, has an NBC overpressure system, and mounts 6 smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret. The hatch layout has been retained, but the Ramses II is nearly one meter longer than the T-55. Probably because of the purchase of the M1A1 Abrams, the programme was halted.

Finland

• T-55M - 70 Finnish T-55 tanks were upgraded to T-55M/MK level with new fire control system FCS-FV/K, new tracks, side skirts, NSVT machine gun, Wegmann 76mm smoke grenade launchers, Lyran 71mm mortar etc.
• KAM-1 - Finnish medium recovery tank build on T-54 hull, developed in 1984. Prototype only.
• KAM-2 - Finnish light recovery tank build on T-54 hull, developed in 1985. Prototype only.

Former Czechoslovakia

VT-55A, Czechoslovak ARV build on T-55 hull at RAF Duxford

• T-54A produced under license in Czechoslovakia. It was of considerably better quality than the Soviet produced version. It was much preferred by non-soviet countries. Among the differences from the standard Soviet version were redesigned engine access plates and three plates fitted to the hull to reduce track shedding. The tank also has oval engine grills in engine decks.
  • T-54AK produced in Czechoslovakia under license. It had a base plate on turret roof for radio mast.
• T-54AR "Rieka" - (Rieka - river), T-54 modernization with fording snorkel. It is similar to soviet T-54AM.
• T-54AM - Polish and Czechoslovak production of the T-54B under license.
  • T-54AMK - Czechoslovakian production of the T-54BK command tank.
• T-55AMB - Czech upgraded T-55A with Czechoslovak-produced laser rangefinder mounted over the barrel and fire control system. It also has wind sensor mast with thickened center section mounted on rear of turret roof.
• T-55AM1 - Czechoslovakian version of the T-55AM with "Kladivo" fire control system and horseshoe armour on the turret. It may be fitted with either the KTD-2 or the KDG-1 laser rangefinders in an armoured box fitted over main armament.
  • T-55AM1K3 - Command tank version of the T-55AM1.
  • T-55AM2 - T-55AM1 fitted with the passive BDD appliqué armour for turret (Horseshoe shape) and hull front (fitted to upper glacis plate), sideplates fitted with extensions protecting catwalk fuel tanks, the improved V-55U engine with an integral supercharger delivering 620hp and the R-173P radio system. The BDD armour panels consist of armoured steel boxes filled with Penpolyurethane. In addition there are cavities which can be filled with water or sand for additional protection.
    • T-55AM2B - As -AM2 but with "Bastion" system (AT-10).
• VT-55A (Vyprošt’ovací Tank - recovery tank) - Czechoslovak ARV build on T-55A hull and fitted with a 1.5t crane and a winch. It was first called MT-55 but this designation was given to the bridge laying tank and therefore the designation had to be changed.
  • VT-55KS (kapitalstické státy) - Export version for non-Warsaw Pact countries like Iraq and Syria. A total of 2,321 was produced between 1967 and 1983.
  • ZS-55A (ženijní stroj) - VT-55A fitted with dozer blade BTU-55.
• MT-55A (Mostni Tank - bridge layer tank) - Czechoslovakian redesigned version of MT-55. According to some Western sources there are two models, namely the basic model - also known as MT-55K - and the MT-55L with a longer bridge. Between 1969 and 1983, 1,278 MT-55A's were build by TS Martin.
  • MT-55KS (kapitalstické státy) - Export version for non-Warsaw Pact countries like India, Iraq and Syria. 183 vehicles build from 1971.
  • PM-55L (Přepravník Mostu) - Lightweight version that uses a Tatra T-813 truck as carrier and launch platform.
• JVBT-55A (Jeřábový-Vyprošťovací-Buldozerový Tank) - Czechoslovakian crane tank, fitted with a big 15t crane, a winch and a BTU-55 dozer blade. Combat weight is 42 tons. From 1967, 508 were produced.
  • JVBT-55KS (kapitalstické státy) - Export version of JVBT-55A for non-Warsaw Pact states like Iraq. 172 produced.

Germany

• T-54 upgrade developed in 1991 by Jung Jungenthal to meet the requirements of the Egyptian army (but was never purchased). The upgraded T-54 is equipped with additional passive armour, a new transmission LSG 3000, an improved cooling system, a new all-electric gun control system, under-armour fuel tanks "Superflexit" on either side of the hull and 76mm smoke grenade discharges. The original 100mm gun is retained.

Great Britain

• T-54A, a proposal by Royal ordnance to upgrade the T-54A's of the Egyptian Army to the standard NATO 105mm gun.
• T-55 upgrade package made by A F Budge, FFG and Perkins it included a Perkins Condor V8 800TCA engine, XTG-411-5 transmission, new cooling system oil cooled brakes, Pilkington fire control system, IR25 thermal sight, and L7 105mm gun.
• T-55 Marksman - a T-55 SPAAG version equipped with the British Marksman turret. In Finnish service.
• ItPsv 90 - a Marksman turret on a T-55AM chassis.

India

• T-54/T-55 with sheet steel tubes placed on 100mm barrels to distinguish them from Pakistani Type 59s.
• T-54B modified by India.
• T-55A upgraded with 105mm gun.

Iraq

A curious example of the so called Enigma, an Iraqi Command vehicle widely reinforced with appliqué armor, 1991.

• T-55 Enigma - T-55, Type 59, and Type 69 tanks used by Iraqi Brigade commanders had appliqué armour on turrets and hulls composed of several layers of spaced armour (the technique of choice for the Iraqi Engineers) plates enclosed in steel boxes. Intended to, and in many cases successful at, defeating shaped charge warheads (one example is reported to have survived several hits from MILAN missiles before being dispatched by a helicopter).
  • T-55 Enigma with smoke grenade discharges.
• T-55QM - had NATO-standard 105 mm L7 or M68 gun installed replacing the old 100 mm gun, along with a French laser range-finder, upgrades done in mid to late 1980s.
• T-55QM2 - T-55 upgraded by Soviet technicians with a Soviet 125 mm/L52 smoothbore gun and French laser range-finder, 1986-1991.
• T-55 modified to fire 122 mm rockets by removing the main armament and fitting an multi-barrel-rocket launcher on the rear of the turret. Reloads appear to have been stowed in the turret and passed out through a crudely-cut access on the rear of the turret. It has a square sided platform mount with drop down sides and rear.
• T-54 fitted with 160mm mortar.
• T-55 fitted some T-55 with the S-60 anti-aircraft gun in a square sided platform mount with drop down sides and rear.
• BTS-2 - Rebuilt late production BTS-2 fitted with AAHMG pintle mount and additional stowage boxes.
• BTS-Saddam - Iraqi produced armoured recovery vehicle based on obsolete T-54 chassis. It's equipped with small fixed turret on left of driver fitted with AAHMG, large winch in fighting compartment covered with metal sheet framework, earth anchor on rear of hull. Like most Iraqi produced equipment it was named in honour of Saddam Hussein.

Iran

• T-72Z Safir-74 - Iranian modernization of Iraqi captured T-54/55 and Type-59 (Chinese copy of the T-54A). Includes new fire control system, laser rangefinder, ERA package, etc...
• Safir-86 - Standard T-55 fitted with an ERA kit developed by Iran.
  • Safir-86 with improved ERA layout.

Israel

Tiran-5 at the Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel

IDF Achzarit heavy armored personnel carrier

T-54/Tiran APC based on T-54 tank's chassis in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel. 2005. The vehicle was used by the South Lebanon Army.

File:BTS-2-latrun-2.jpg

VT-55KS armored recovery vehicle based on T-55 tank chassis in Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel.

Tiran-5 with a dozer blade

• Tiran-1 - Virtually unmodified T-54 in Israeli Army service.
• Tiran-2 - Virtually unmodified T-55 in Israeli Army service.
• Tiran-4/5 - upgraded Israeli version built on tanks captured in 1967 and 1973. Some of the modifications included the replacement and/or installation of additional track storage and included replacing existing armament. The new armament included 105mm M68 rifled gun, 7.62mm Browning machine gun(s) and 12.7mm Browning M2 HB machine gun. No longer in service in Israel but many were sold off. Sometimes known as the TI-67
  • Tiran-4 - upgraded T-54.
    • Tiran-4Sh - upgraded T-54, fitted with Sharir 105 mm gun.
  • Tiran-5 - upgraded T-55.
    • Tiran-5Sh - upgraded T-55, fitted with Sharir 105 mm gun.
    • Tiran-5 with a dozer blade.
• Achzarit - T-55 tank converted into heavy armored personnel carrier.
• VT-55A captured from Egyptians or Syrians and modified to meet the needs of Israeli Army.
• VT-55KS captured from Egyptians or Syrians and modified to meet the needs of Israeli Army.
• T-54 converted into an improvised APC. Rebuilt/modified by the Israeli Army who quickly passed them on to the South Lebanon Christian militias. It has the armour screens around turret ring and armour shields on either side of drivers hatch. Known as the Tiran or T-54 APC, it consists of 5 crewmembers and an unknown number of transported troops.

Pakistan

• Al-Zarar - Even though it is a Type 59 upgrade, Pakistan provides suitable upgrade facility for foreign armies equipped with T-54/55 or Type 59 tanks.

Peru

• T-55M1 "Léon 1" - Peru has been trying to upgrade its (mostly non operational) fleet of T-54s which it received in the 1970s. At least two upgrades were tried, one made in Argentina in the late 1980s and a simpler one consisting of replacing the V-55 engine with a Caterpillar diesel which didn`t work as expected. In the last couple years there has been another try, in this case by the Peruvian engineer/industrialist Sergio Casanave. The project name is DIEDE 2005 and refits the T-54's to T-55M1 standard with a new FCS, laser RF, twin 9M14 "Malyutka" (NATO code: AT-3 Sagger) ATGM launchers on each side of the turret and the ability to fire APFSDS ammo (supposedly also produced by Casanave).
• T-55M2A1 "Léon 2" - New fire control system and optics but no "Malyutka" launchers. Photo

File:Type 69 tank.JPG

Type 69-II main battle tank that sits in front of Cox Hall.

File:ChineseType59Tank.jpg

Type 59-II

File:Chinese Type 79 Tank.jpg

Type 79

People's Republic of China

• Type 59 - copy of T-54A
• Type 69 - redesigned Type 59
• Type 79 - Type 69 with 105 mm gun
• Jaguar - During the 1980 and 1990s the joint efforts of PRC and American engineers resulted in a comprehensive redesign of the T-54 into the Jaguar tank. The Jaguar looked quite different from its predecessor. 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. The vehicles were tested but the cooperation was aborted because of the veto on the military cooperation with PRC imposed by President George Bush.

Poland

T-55AM "Merida" in running condition kept in the Museum of the Polish Army in Warsaw, Poland

T-55AM "Merida"

T-54 fitted with stand-off armour plates fitted to hull front and wire mesh screens around the turret to provide protection against ATGM.

File:WZT-2.jpg

WZT-2

IWT

T-55AM "Merida" in running condition kept in the Museum of the Polish Army (Muzeum Wojska Polskiego, MWP) in Warsaw, Poland

T-55A engineer tank

T-55A engineer tank

• Polish-produced tanks often have different stowage arrangements. The arrangement includes a rectangular box mounted on the left side of the turret, a smaller square stowage box on the left side of the turret-rear, and a slightly different rear decking.
• T-54AD - Polish T-54A command tank with additional radios and a radio range of 100 miles.
• T-54AM - Polish and Czechoslovak production of the T-54B under license.
• T-55U - Polish T-54 upgrade.
• T-54 fitted with stand-off armour plates fitted to hull front and wire mesh screens around the turret to provide protection against ATGM.
• T-55L - New-build polish versions of the T-55A.
• T-55LD - Polish T-54 tanks rebuilt to T-55A standard.
• T-55AD-1 - Polish T-55A command tank with additional R-130 radio and reduced ammo storage to 38 rounds.
• T-55AD-2 - Polish T-55A command tank with additional R-123 radio and reduced ammo storage to 38 rounds.
• T-55AM "Merida" - Polish modernization of T-55A. Upgrades the T-55A with "Merida" fire control system, larger gunners sight hood, laser rangefinders conjugated with gun's sights, large cluster of 8 smoke grenade dischargers on each side of the turret, additional passive armour on the hull and horse-shoe armour on front of turret and hammer head cross-wind sensor on front of turret. Considered to be a second generation MBT because of the high degree of modernisation.
  • T-55AD-1M - T-55AM "Merida" command tank with additional R-130 radio and reduced ammo storage to 38 rounds.
  • T-55AD-2M - T-55AM "Merida" command tank with additional R-123 radio and reduced ammo storage to 38 rounds.
  • T-55AMS - T-55AM "Merida" tank with mine roller.
• T-55AM2BP - Polish licence version of the Czech T-55AM2B. For export only.
• W-125SC - T-55A, or WZT-1 and BLG-67, converted into a transporter erector launcher of the S-125SC "Newa-SC" air-defence missile system. A fully rotating launcher for 4 missiles 5V27 is replacing the turret. Outer launcher arms fold against inner when moving and because of that two missiles are carried when moving and four when the vehicle is holding position.
• WZT-1 (Wóz Zabezpieczenia Technicznego - Armoured recovery vehicle) - Polish ARV based on soviet BTS-2. It was build on T-55 and later T-55A hull. It was produced between 1970 and 1978.
• WZT-2 (Wóz Zabezpieczenia Technicznego - Armoured recovery vehicle) - Polish ARV build on T-55 hull. It was build to perform repairs on T-55 and T-55A tanks. When it entered service in 1973 it was not only the best ARV in the whole Warsaw Pact but probably in the whole world. It is still able to carry out tasks that NATO gives ARVs of its class. Unlike the T-55 and the WZT-1, the WZT-2 is still the basic ARV of the Polish army used for field repairs. It's able to perform repairs not only on Soviet tanks like the T-54/T-55 and T-72 but also on Polish PT-91 and German Leopard 2A4. However because all tanks currently in Polish service weigh more than 40 tons it is unable to tow them. It is used to tow lighter vehicles like BWP-1 and 2S1. A number of those vehicles is used by Ratownictwo Kolejowe (Railroad emergency respond services).
• T-55A engineer tank, with KMT-4 mine plow on the front and boxes containing PW-LWD rapid explosive breaching system (similar to Giant Viper).
• IWT (Inżynieryjny Wóz Torujący) - Polish combat engineer vehicle, based on the WZT-2 and fitted with a hydraulic dozer blade, a hydraulic arm and mine-clearing systems PW-LWD and KMT-5. Entered service in very small numbers in 1978.
• BLG-60 - East German/Polish scissors-type bridge layer.

TR-85 M1 at BSDA 2007, Bucharest-Romania.

Romania

• T-55AM - General designator for three different models in Romanian service: the Russian T-55AM "Volna", the Czech T-55AM2 "Kladivo" and a localy upgraded model with "Ciclop" fire control system of the TR-85 (sometimes incorrectly called T-55AM2R ).

TR-85 M1 at Expomil-2005, Bucharest-Romania.

• TR-580 - Romanian variant of the T-55 with a new hull and stretched chassis with 6 road wheels and metal side skirts. The TR-580 was developed from 1974 and some 400 were build between 1979 and 1985. The tank's official designator is TR-77-580 (Romanian tank Model 1977 with 580 hp engine) but initially it was simply called TR-77 or M1977 in the West.
  • TCZ-580 - Recovery variant with the same specialised equipment as the Slovak VT-55A.
• TR-85 - Heavily modified T-55 copy with new (but similar) turret, new suspension, and German engine.

File:Serbian T55H upgrade.JPG

Serbian highly modernized version of T-55 tank.

VIU-55 Munja, Serbian combat engineering vehicle based on T-55.

Serbia

• T-55H - highly modernized version. Mobility improvement is: engine of increased power by building-in new, domestically produced, high pressure pump, building in new water cooler and oil cooler and modification of transmission by building-in new toothed wheels.

Firepower improvement: building-in antiaircraft machine gun 12,7mm M-87 and building-in coupled machine-gun 7,62mm M-84. Protection improving in: building –in explosive protective armor, building –in anti cumulative shields, building –in new fire extinguisher using halon, modernization of device for nuclear protection, building –in of smoke scren laying active protection system (active masking) and building –in assembly block for fixing crewis cupola lid partly closed. Other improvements are building –in device for self-entrenching, building –in device for digging and deactivating mines KMT-6, building –in assembly block for fixing crewi's cupola lid, partly closed and modernization of active IR (infrared) devices and converting them into passive.

• VIU-55 Munja - T-55 converted into engineering IFV, similar to Israeli IDF Achzarit

Slovenia

• M-55 S-1 - Heavily upgraded T-55, fitted with an L7 105mm gun, additional “Super Blazer” armour package, a modern fire control system Fontana EFCS 3-55B (with sights COMTOS and CODRIS), smoke grenade launchers IS-6, a laser-warning system LIRD-1A, a modified suspension with rubber side skirts and new tracks. Optionally a 850hp turbocharged diesel engine from MAN can be fitted. The first tank was ready in 1998.
  • M-55 S-USP - Driver trainer vehicle.

Sudan

• Digna - Sudanese produced T-55 copy.

Ukraine

• T-55 version modernized by Mozorov fitted with 4 SGD cluster fitted to each side of turret front and laser rangefinder fitted above main armament.
• T-55 fitted with 125mm KBM1 smoothbore gun.
• T-55AGM - Ukrainian T-54/T-55 modernization.
• T-55-64 - With T-64 suspension and hull.

United States of North America

File:T55-tzi.jpg

T-55TZI of Serbian Army.

• Jaguar - During the 1980 and 1990s the joint efforts of PRC and American engineers resulted in a comprehensive redesign of the T-54 into the Jaguar tank. The Jaguar looked quite different from its predecessor. 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. The vehicles were tested but the cooperation was aborted because of the veto on the military cooperation with PRC imposed by President George Bush.

Yugoslavia

• TZI-JVBT - Czechoslovak JVBT-55A in service with Yugoslav Army.
• T-55TZI - Yugoslavian modification of the VT-55A armoured recovery vehicle.

Combat history

File:Saigon T-54.jpg

T-54 of the North Vietnam Army featured in this iconic photo of the Fall of Saigon.

T-55 of the Croatian Defence Council.

Still in flames, a destroyed Russian made T-55 Main Battle Tank (MBT) north of the An Nu'maniyah bridge on Highway 27, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Photo shoot on 2nd April 2003

• Hungarian Revolution, 1956 (by the Soviet army)
• Vietnam War, 1957–75 (by the North Vietnamese Army)
• 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 Yugoslav Army 1996 - 1998)
• 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
• 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 )
• War in Somalia (2006-present) (by the Ethiopian Army)

Operators

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

Ethiopian army T-55 tank near Mogadishu, 2006.

Although it is far from a state-of-the-art tank, T-54/55 remains in service with nations which don't expect to participate in intensive armoured warfare, and as second-line equipment.

• Abkhazia
• Afghanistan - 600
• Algeria - 275
• Angola - 100
• Azerbaijan - 123
• Bangladesh - 60
• Belarus - 29
• Bosnia and Herzegovina - 150
• Bulgaria - 160
• Cambodia
• Central African Republic - 4
• Chad - 60
• Croatia - 202 by 1997, the number decreased to 192 in 2005, now withdrawn while some are considered as a reserve
• Cuba - 1,100
• Democratic Republic of the Congo - 20 T-55
• Ecuador - 30
• Egypt - 1,650, of which 650 active (390 T-55)
• Equatorial Guinea - 3
• Eritrea - 10
• Ethiopia - 250
• Georgia - 270
• Guinea - 8
• Guinea-Bissau
• Hungary - 597
• India - About 200, being phased out due to age.
• Indonesia - used VT-55A recovery vehicle
• Iran - 540, some captured from Iraq (100 in 1990, 110 in 1995, 500 in 2000 and about 250 in 2002) Iran is dismantling them and biulding T-72Zs out of them.
• Israel - 488 (126 in service both Tiran 6 & Tiran 5)
• Laos - 30
• Latvia - 3
• Lebanon - 205
• Libya - 460
• Malawi - 1
• Mauritania - 35
• Morocco
• Mongolia - 350
• Mozambique - 80
• Montenegro - 62, currently being scrapped. One will be preserved for a museum.
• Namibia - 1
• Nicaragua - 31
• Nigeria - 50
• North Korea - 1,600 T-54 in 2000
• Peru - 375
• Romania - 210 TR-580 and 315 TR-85
• Rwanda - 12
• Slovenia - 30 M-55 S1
• Slovakia - 206
• Somaliland - 85
• South Yemen
• Sudan - 250
• Syria - 2,150
• Togo - 2
• Uganda - 20

File:T-55 Iraq 2.jpg

T-55 of 1st Iraqi Mechanized Brigade Taking up a position while conducting route security patrol near Taji, Iraq.

• Ukraine - 112
• United States - The US Army used a number of models of the T-54 in the OPFOR role for training.
• Uruguay - 15
• Uzbekistan - 80
• Vietnam - 900
• Yemen - 700
• Zambia - 10
• Zimbabwe

Current operators

File:T-55 Iraq.jpg

T-55 of 1st Iraqi Mechanized Brigade conducting a route security patrol near Taji, Iraq.

• Iraq - 22 in service with New Iraqi Army since 2004. 1,500 T-54 and T-55 in service with Iraqi Regular Army in 1990 and 406 T-54 and T-55 in service with Iraqi Regular Army in 2003. All destroyed or scrapped except for four which are now in service with the New Iraqi Army.

• Peru Around 300 in service with the Peruvian Army. An unclassified number have received telemetric systems and 4 anti-tank missiles to increase fire power.

Former operators

• Czech Republic - Last 247 phased out in early 2000s
• Czechoslovakia - 2,700 T-54A produced between 1957 and 1966. 8,300 T-55 produced between 1958 and 1983 (most of them for export). Passed on to successor states.
• East Germany - Passed on to the unified German state.
• Finland - 70, withdrawn from service
• Macedonia - 94 (scrapped)
• Poland - 3,000 T-54 and T-54A produced between 1956 and 1964. 5,000 T-55 and T-55A produced between 1958 and 1979. Some T-54A upgraded to T-55 standard. Eventually all have been upgraded to T-55AM "Merida" standard. Last 839 were withdrawn from service in 2002. All Polish T-54 and T-55 that were withdrawn from service were either used as shooting targets at proving grounds, sold to other countries or given to the museums.
• Romania - 647 T-55A/AM stored.
• Serbia - 510 T-55 and 1-2 T-55H withdrawn from service. All tanks are up for sale.
• Soviet Union - 35,000 T-54-1 (T-54 Model 1946), T-54-2 (T-54 Model 1949), T-54 (T-54-3 or T-54 Model 1951), T-54A, T-54B, T-54AK, T-54BK and T-54MK produced between 1946 and 1958. 27,500 T-55, T-55A, T-55K, T-55AK and T-55MK produced between 1958 and 1981. Passed on to successor states.
• Russia - 1010, withdrawn from service in 1994.
• Sri Lanka - 140 all tanks modernized to Al Zarar with new fire control system, explosive reactive armor and 120mm smoothbore gun.
• West Germany/Germany - taken from GDR's army, all scrapped, sold to other countries or given to museums.
• Yugoslavia - 1000, passed on to successor states.
• Yugoslavia - Passed on to the successor state.

See also

• M60 Patton - US answer to the appearance of soviet T-54.
• 125mm Smoothbore Rounds
• List of tanks
• List of Soviet tanks

References

• Cockburn, Andrew (1983). The Threat: Inside the Soviet Military Machine. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-52402-0.
• Foss, Christopher F., ed (2005). Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006, 26th edition. ISBN 0-7106-2686-X.
• GlobalSecurity.org (2005). "Syria - Army Equipment". URL accessed 2007-06-06.
• Grandolini, Albert (1998). Armor of the Vietnam War 2: Asian Forces. Concord.
• Green, Michael, and Peter Sarson (1996). Armor of the Vietnam War 1: Allied Forces. Concord.
• Mulcahy, Paul (ND). "Egyptian Tanks." Self-published. URL accessed 2007-06-06.
• Saferworld (2002). Arms production, exports and decision-making in Central and Eastern Europe. London. ISBN 0-948546-87-5.
• Zaloga, Steven J. and Samuel Katz (1996). Tank Battles of the Mid-East Wars 1: The Wars of 1948–1973. Concord. ISBN 978-962361-612-6.
• Zaloga, Steven J. and Hugh Johnson (2004). T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks 1944–2004. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-792-1.
• Hull/Markov/Zaloga (1999). Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices: 1945 to Present. Darlington Productions. ISBN 1-892848-01-5
• "The T-54 MBT with M18 Hellcat Turret" in The Tankograd Gazette, no 16, pp 21-22. Tankograd Publishing.
• Gau L-R., Plate J., Siegert J. (2001) Deutsche Militärfahrzeuge - Bundeswehr und NVA. Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02152-8
• A.V. Karpenko (1996) Obozreniye Bronetankovoj Tekhniki (1905-1995 gg.) Nevskij Bastion

External links

• Photos: T-54-1, T-54-2, T-55AM, T-55AM2
• Cuban T-55
• Technical data sheet and pictures T-55 from ArmyRecognition.com
• T-55 Variant walk arounds and photos on Prime Portal
• History of British Centurion Tank from diggerhistory.info
• Valka forum, about MT-55A/-KS