WEAPONS
In order to increase the firepower of the T-55AGM tank, modernisation of
the fighting compartment is offered. The modernisation consists in
installation of a 125 mm KBM1 smoothbore gun or 120 mm KBM2
smoothbore gun, coaxial machine gun, and automatic loader located in
an armoured compartment in the turret bustle.
The offered 120 mm smoothbore gun (KBM2) is a
re-designed KBM1 gun and meets the requirements of NATO standards.
Use of enhanced performance conventional ammunition and barrel-launched
guided missiles makes it possible to defeat modern tanks by means of
armour-piercing projectiles at distances of 2000-3000 m and by means
of guided missiles at distances of up to 5,000 m.
Gun
| Model |
KBM1 |
KBM2 |
| Calibre (mm) |
125 |
120 |
| Gun weight (kg |
2,500 |
2,630 |
| Barrel length (mm) |
6,000 (48 calibres) |
6,000 (50 calibres) |
| Type |
Smoothbore |
| Normal recoil length (mm) |
260-300 |
| Maximum recoil length (STOP) (mm) |
310 |
| Loading |
Automatic, semi-automatic, manual |
| Ammunition types |
APFSDS, HEAT, HE-FRAG |
All types of ammunition that
meet the requirements of NATO standards, Ukrainian-made guided
missile |
|
Number of rounds
|
At least 30 (18 in automatic
loader) |
Coaxial
machine gun
| Model |
KT-7.62 or PKT-7.62 |
| Calibre (mm) |
7.62 |
| Location |
On the right of the main gun |
| Unit of fire |
3,000 rds |
| |
|
Anti-aircraft machine gun
Anti-aircraft machine gun system that can be fired from within the turret under
complete armour protectionThe
anti-aircraft machine gun system is installed on the commander's
cupola and is intended to fire at air and ground targets.
Main
characteristics of the anti-aircraft machine gun system
Основные
характеристики зенитно-пулеметной установки
| Type |
self-contained |
| Armament model |
KT-12.7 or NSVT-12.7
machine gun
|
| Calibre (mm) |
12.7 |
| Скорострельность,
выстр/мин |
700 |
| Unit
of fire (rds) |
450 (150х3) |
| Conditions of firing |
from either stationary or moving
tank |
| Aimed fire distance (m)
|
|
up to 2,000 |
|
up to 800 |
| Elevation
(up/down to rigid stops) (degrees) |
-5 to +70 |
| Traverse (degrees) |
±85 |
| Control remote anti-aircraft machine gun system |
- automatic, stabilised in the vertical axis control mode (by using the TKN-5 sight)
- semi-automatic (by using the PZU-7 sight)
|
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Automatic loader
Automatic
loader is an electric-and-mechanical complex of units with digital
control system and is intended to load the gun with any available
type of ammunition from the automated ammo storage (conveyor) of the
automatic loader. The automatic loader is located in an armoured
compartment in the turret bustle.
Components of the automatic loader:
- chain-type conveyor (for storing and moving rounds to the loading line)
- gun lock (for locking the main gun at the loading angle)
- ramming mechanism (for ramming rounds into the main gun)
- feed tray (for providing support for rounds when they are rammed)
- cartridge case stub removal mechanism (for catching the
cartridge case stub after shot and removing it out of the fighting
compartment of the tank)
- automatic loader compartment lifting mechanism
- automatic loader control system
- automatic loader compartment.
Technical characteristics:
| Operating modes |
Automatic, semi-automatic (step-by-step), emergency (manual) |
| Number of rounds in the automatic loader |
18 rds |
|
Duration of one loading cycle in the automatic mode
|
6.5-7 s |
Installation of the automatic loader in the T-55AGM tank
results in the following:
-
reduction in the size of crew down to three
-
increase of the rate of fire up to 8 rds/min
-
improvement
of the turret crew comfort due to automatic removal of spent
cartridge cases out of the tank
-
loading the main gun without the need to stop the tank.
This makes it possible to deliver aimed fire on the move (in so
doing, rate of fire does not depend on the terrain or crew fatigue).
The T-55AGM tank can be fitted with an automatic loader
either for 125 mm rounds or 120 mm rounds (NATO standard) with
interchangeability being ensured.
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