Sabra (battle tank)

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Sabra Mk.III
Sabra tank.jpg

Template: Infobox AFV / maintenance / picture without description

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

Commons : Sabra  - collection of images, videos and audio files