Sabra (battle tank)
| Sabra Mk.III | |
|---|---|
|
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader) |
| length | 6.95 m |
| width | 4.05 m |
| height | 3.37 m |
| Dimensions | 59 t |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | (officially secret) composite armor and reactive armor |
| Main armament | 120 mm smoothbore IMI cannon |
| Secondary armament | 7.62mm MG M240 coaxial, 12.7mm MG M85 , integrated 60mm mortar |
| agility | |
| drive | Turbodiesel MTU 881 KA-501 > 735 kW (1000 PS) |
| suspension | Trailing arm suspension |
| Top speed | 55 km / h |
| Power / weight | 12.5 kW / t (17.0 hp / t) |
| Range | 450 km |
The Sabra Mk.III or M60T is an upgraded Israeli further development of the US main battle tank M60 and was part of the tank modernization program of the Turkish army .
Development and modernization program
From 2006 to 2009, the main maintenance command of the Turkish 2nd Army equipped 170 of its M60A1 tanks with a modular armor set that had been developed by Israel Military Industries (IMI) and, as part of a technology exchange, is now partly assembled and licensed in Turkey was mounted.
The first prototype was completed and tested in May 2006. Several other prototypes were tested in Israel and Turkey as part of a $ 688 million contract signed between the two states on March 29, 2002. The modernization program should be completed in April 2009. M60A1, which are not covered by this program, are to be modernized in a similar way, but on the Turkish side.
According to the Israeli military , the Sabra Mk. III (M60T) should look more like a completely new and independent development, rather than like another version of the M60.
technology
The Sabra Mk. III has an additional 12.7 mm M85 turret with an integrated, independent thermal imaging device (Commander's Independent Thermal View - CITV) for the commander only, which can be operated from inside. The increase in combat value includes an electrically controlled tube and tower stabilization from Elbit Systems as well as an integrated fire control solution from Aselsan for the 120 mm smooth -barreled cannon from MKEK .
The tank is also equipped with a thermal imaging system for the main weapon, an automatic fire extinguishing and explosion suppression system, a threat warning system, a smoke-throwing system and an integrated Soltam -60 mm mortar .
The increase in combat value also includes the reactive armor of the Israeli Merkava Mk.IV , a 1000 hp turbodiesel engine from MTU Friedrichshafen , a complete modernization of the electrical systems and fire control electronics , including an infrared system and an AC detection and NBC protection system.
Web links
- Tank Modernization Project ( Memento from June 10, 2009 in the Internet Archive )
- Jane's Defense Weekly Issue 06, 2007 ( Memento from December 22, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
- army-technology.com (English)
- fas.org (English)