Military Defense Industry Technology - T-55M8A2 Typhoon

Morozov of Ukraine upgrade package for T-55 named T-55M8A2 Typhoon.

The Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (KMDB) is a state enterprise, which is now Ukraine's leading design authority for armoured fighting vehicles and used to play a key role in the development of armoured tracked vehicles in the former Soviet Union.

The KMDB mostly specialises in the design, development and manufacture of armoured fighting vehicles. This capability is comprehensive and coves the whole life of a vehicle, from initial concept to post-design services.

The KMDB's range of tracked vehicles include Oplot MBT, Yatagan MBT, T-80UD MBT, BTMP-84 heavy infantry fighting vehicle, and BREM-84 armoured repair and recovery vehicle.

The upgraded T-55 is designated T-55M8A2 Typhoon. This upgrade package makes it possible to enhance the main characteristics of the T-55 almost up to the level of up-to-date tanks.

The new T-55M8A2 Typhoon is is armed with 125mm calibre main. Second armament includes a remotely weapon station armed with 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun that can be can be aimed and fired from within the turret under complete armour protection.

The T-55M8A2 is motorized with a 5TDFMA engine, two-stroke liquid-cooled multi-fuel diesel with boxing pistons, and with supercharging. This MBT can run at a maximum road speed of 75 km/h.

To increase the protection of the old T-55, the new T-55M8A2 uses new additional passive protection and explosive reactive armour.

Standard equipment of the T-55M8A2 includes optronic, new automatic fire control system, countermeasures system and new fire suppression system.