Ramses II (tank)

Ramses ii
Egyptian modified T-55
General properties
crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
length	7.05 m (without tube) 9.6 m (with tube in 12 o'clock position)
width	3.27 m (without aprons)
height	2.4 m (without Fla-MG)
Dimensions	45.8 t
Armor and armament
Armor	Armored steel + optional reactive armor
Main armament	1 × 105 mm M68
Secondary armament	1 x 7.62 mm coaxial; 1 × 12.7 mm Fla-MG M2HB
agility
drive	TCM AVDS-1790-5A turbo diesel 668/908 kW / PS
Top speed	65 km / h (road) 42 km / h (off-road)
Power / weight	19.8 hp / t
Range	530 km (road)

Ramses II is a combat upgrade of the Egyptian T-54 and T-55 tanks . In 1984 the Egyptian army commissioned Teledyne Continental Motors Inc. ( TCM , today General Dynamics Land Systems ) to develop this combat value enhancement for their outdated T-54 / T-55 fleet. This resulted in a prototype (T-54E), which was a hybrid of the M48 / M60 and the T-54, because apart from the classic turret and tub front, a lot was redesigned from components of the M48 / M60 .

Development history

In 1984 Teledyne Continental Motors Inc. (TCM, today General Dynamics Land Systems) received a T-54 from the Egyptian Army, with the order to develop a combat upgrade in order to later increase the mobility and firepower of the rest of the Egyptian T-54 / T-55 arsenal improve. A prototype called T-54E (E for Egypt) was then brought from the United States to Egypt in January 1987, which was tested there and was given the name Ramses II (after the Pharaoh of the same name ). One of the main features of the Ramses II is the extended tub , which now has six rollers on each side (also installed in the M48 ) to make room for the: AVDS-1790-5A turbodiesel built by TCM .

The actual modernization did not begin until 2004. Overall, the improvement of 425 T-54 / T-55 was planned, but the upgrade was stopped after 260 tanks. It was not until 2013 that the increase in combat value began for a further 160 to 180 T-54 / T-55.

technology

The built-in improvements make the Ramses II a tank that is superior to the original T-54 / T-55 in many ways:

Armament

The modified armament consists of the following systems:

• The SABCA Titan Mk I fire control system
• A 105 mm M68 tank cannon main armament (this weapon system is also installed in the Egyptian M60A3 )
• A 7.62 mm SGMT as a coaxial MG and a .50-Cal (12.7) mm M2HB MG
• A stabilization system from HR Textron Inc
• A floodlight attached to the tower
• Infrared for shooters and drivers
• A ballistic computer ( Avimo TLIO-T ) with an integrated laser rangefinder for the shooter
• A Muzzle reference system is built in as standard

drive

Added drive components:

• A AVDS-1790-5A turbodiesel of TCM
• A Renk RK-304 gearbox
• Two exhaust pipes in the rear area on both sides of the pan
• The fuel capacity has been increased from 812 to 1312 liters
• 6 Model 2880-poor in hydropneumatic suspension of General Dynamics Land Systems
• 12 type M48 rollers

protection

The protection was modified by the following components:

• A new fire extinguishing system in the engine compartment
• 6 electric smoke grenade launchers were attached to the tower
• A new air filter system
• Attached respectively on both sides tank aprons

User states

•  Egypt
  • Egyptian Army: 260 and plans for 160–180 more

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Alexander Lüdeke: Type compass battle tank . 2nd Edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2015, ISBN 978-3-613-03566-9 , pp. 8-9 .
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m} Ramses II. Accessed June 21, 2017 (English). 
3. ↑ ^{a b} T-54E Ramses II. Accessed June 22, 2017 (English). 
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Ramses II (T-54E) Main Battle Tank (MBT). Retrieved June 22, 2017 (English).