Zulfiqar 3 Zolfaqar main battle tank technical data sheet specifications description pictures video

: Posted On Sunday, 03 February 2013 15:53

Zulfiqar or Zolfaqar 3 main battle tank

Description

Technical Data

Specifications

Details view

Pictures - Video

Description

The Zulfiqar 3 is a modernized variant of the Zulfiqar 1. The development of this tank has been completed late in 1999. The Zulfiqar 3 was showed for the first time to the public in 2011 during a military parade in Tehran. This new generation of Iranian-made main battle tank is a new concept compared to the previous series of the Zulfiqar family. New features include new suspension, powerpack, armament and armour.

Variants

- Zulfiqar 1: first variant of the Zulfiqar family
- Zulfiqar 2: upgraded version of Zulfiqar 1 with new powerful engine, new armour protection for the hull an turret

Technical Data

Armament

The Zulfiqar 3 is armed with a fully-stabilized 2A46M 125 mm smooth-bore cannon with autoloader, manufactured locally under the name HM-50. The cannon can fire a wide range of ammunition including HE-FRAG (High Explosive - Fragmentation), APFSDS (Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Tracer) and HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank). The cannon is also able to fire AT-11 ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) named in Russia 9K119 Svir. The use of this laser guided missile enables targets to be engaged beyond the normal effective range of the 125 mm main armament of the tank. Russian sources give the missile a hit probability of at least 80 per cent with a maximum range of 4,000m. The commander hatch is armed with DShK 12.7mm machine gun and another MG3 machine is mounted to the hatch of the loader. A remote weapon station armed with a 7.62mm machine is mounted at the front of the turret, just above the barrel. Mounted either side of the turret is a bank of six electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers.

Design and protection

The layout of the Zulfiqar 3 is very similar to the U.S. main battle tank M1 Abrams, with the driver at the front of the hull, the turret in the middle and the powerpack at the rear. The commander sits to the right of the turret and the gunner at the right. The hull and the turret is mad in steel armour, but include also ceramic or composite armour. The hull and turret are longer and wider compared to the previous version of Zulfiqar. One stowage basket is mounted on each side and on the rear of the turret.

Propulsion

The Zulfiqar is powered by a new 1,000 hp. power engine with two exhaust outlets in the rear of the hull. The torsion bar suspension consists on each side of seven dual rubber-tyred roadwheels, idler at the front and drive sprocket at the rear and five tracks return rollers. The upper part of the suspension is protected with armour plates.

Accessories

The Zulfiqar 3 is equipped with a new computerized fire control including control over turret alignment and target designation. Standard equipment of the Zulfiqar 3 includes also second generation of passive image-intensifier, a stabilized day/night sight, NBC protection system, and digital ballistic computer. A spare wheel is mounted on each side of the stowage basket at the rear of the turret. Two jerrycans for water or fuel are fixed at the rear of the stowage basket.

Specifications