Latest Iranian-made Zolfaqar main battle tank will be equipped with new modern fire-control 1204121

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Defense News - Iran

 
 
Thursday, April 12, 2012, 08:56 AM
 
Latest Iranian-made Zolfaqar main battle tank will be equipped with new modern fire-control.

Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, underlined the army's high capability to produce different hi-tech military tools and weapons, including a modern fire-control system mounted on the home-made Zolfaqar Tanks.

     

The first version of Iranian-made main battle tank named Zolfaqar or Zulfiqar.
     
The new fire control system of Zolfaqar tank has been manufactured and unveiled and the laser telemetry devices have also been mounted onto the tanks. Zolfaqar can now rival with the world's most advanced tanks," Pourdastan told reporters on Wednesday, April 11, 2012.

Zolfaqar is a second generation of Iran's main battle tank (MBT). The test prototypes of the tank were evaluated in 1993. Six semi-industrial prototypes of the tank were produced and tested in 1997. The tank has a distinctive box-shaped, steel-welded turret of local design. Zolfaqar combat weight is reported to be 36 tons and has a 780 hp diesel engine; the tank has a 21.7 hp per ton ratio.

Zolfaqar is operated by a crew of three personnel. The automatic loader is believed to be the same one from the T-72 tank.

The Zolfaqar-1 uses a fire control system which enjoys a 'fire-on-the-move' technology. The Zolfaqar mounts a laser-warning pod on the turret. Its design enables the tank to use an Iranian-made package of reactive armor.

Zolfaqar-2 is a prototype tank used as a test bed. The Zolfaqar-3 also features considerable upgrades to the fire control system, chassis, engine and main gun, with a 125mm autoloader.

As regards other achievements, the Iranian Army commander said that Akhgar machineguns have been manufactured by Iran's Self-Sufficiency Jihad and have been supplied to military units.

Akhgar is a Gatling type machine gun. it has 7.62 caliber and an effective range of more than 2km and has a fire rate of 4000 to 6000 rounds per minute.

Pourdastan further announced that the army has also built and started using the country's first home-made Vertical Wind Tunnel, adding that the tunnel is a new and unprecedented project in Iran and even in the region.

A vertical wind tunnel (VWT) is a wind tunnel which moves air up in a vertical column. The wind tunnel, frequently advertised as "indoor skydiving" or "bodyflight" is also a popular training tool for skydivers.

     

Iranian-made main battle tank Zolfaqar-2
     

Iranian-made main battle tank Zolfaqar-3