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T-55AMV

If there are any true icons of the Cold War, then the T-55 must be one of them. Like it's airborne comrade, the Mig-21, It symbolised the armed forces of the Eastern Bloc. T-55AMV (T-55A upgraded to "Wave / Volna", 1985) is the basic model of the modernization of the T-55A. A KB factory "Omsktransmash", adopted in 1985 was carried out by Modernization remzavodov USSR Ministry of Defense. Tanks got a set of guided weapons, new equipment including ASUO "Wave", additional armor hull with substitution of ERA for the bra armor, side rubber screens, hinged dynamic protection turret and hull, upgraded engine for the T-55AM / T-55M type, etc. Variants ending with -1 denote replacement of the engine w/V-46 engine from T-72 MBT. The Ukraine and Syria upgraded to the T-55AMV standard.

The Russian T-55A tank is an upgraded version of the T-54 tank, introduced during the years following the Second World War. The T-55A eventually became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of the Warsaw Pact countries, and have seen in service with many of the world’s armed conflicts since the later part of the 20th century. The t-55A is armed with a D-1oT 100 mm rifled main gun, a 7.62mm SGMT coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun on the turret.

The Russian T-55AM tank is an upgraded version of the T-55A tank, which added a long list of upgrades. The T-55AM was equipped with an upgraded engine; the “Volna” fire control system with the 1K13 sight allowing the use of anti tank guided missiles through the main gun with the help of the KDT-2 laser rangefinder; a thermal sleeve for the D-10T2S gun; an upgraded main gun stabilization system; belly and passive armor for increased protection; eight “Tucha” smoke grenade launchers; side skirts; and RMSh tracks like those used on the T-72. The T-55AM is considered as one of the latest T-55A variants, still serving in armies across the globe to this date. The t-55AM is armed with the newer D-10T2S 100 mm main gun, a 7.62mm SGMT coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun on the turret.

The Russian T-55AMV tank is an upgraded version of the T-55AM tank, which carried the Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA) instead of the passive BDD armor. The ERA bricks were mounted on the turret’s front, hull front and the hull sides. Armed with the same D-1oT 100 mm rifled main gun, a 7.62mm SGMT coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm DShK heavy machine gun, the T-55AMV saw action on various battlefields dating from the former Soviet Union to recent conflicts such as during the Syrian civil war.

This modification, which appeared in the mid-80s, differs from other "fifty-fifths" in the presence of the "Kontakt" dynamic anti-cumulative protection, developed at the Steel Research Institute. This option provides invulnerability against the most common types of ammunition used by hand and heavy grenade launchers, recoilless rifles, as well as anti-tank guided missiles produced in the 60-70s. Such ATGMs are often found in the countries of the so-called third world.

In addition, an improved fire control system with a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer was installed on the tank, a 100-mm gun was adapted to launch guided projectiles. Engine power was increased to 620 hp.

Initially, no one thought to supply such tanks abroad. However, after the collapse of the USSR, some of them ended up on the territory of the former Soviet republics, whose military departments organized their deliveries to foreign armies, including the Uganda People's Defense Forces. As part of the African Union contingent, such T-55AMVs participated in a long peacekeeping mission in Somalia. Several cars were lost during the repulse of terrorist attacks in Mogadishu.