Project T-64-55: an interesting hybrid without a future
The international market for armored vehicles has some interesting features. Success among buyers can be achieved not only by the newest vehicles with the highest characteristics, but also by “used” or modernized armored vehicles. Not all countries wishing to renew the park tanks or other machines, can afford big expenses. As a result, there is a noticeable number of potential buyers on the market who want to purchase equipment with the most favorable price-performance ratio.
Seeing the similar needs of potential customers, the designers of armored vehicles create new projects. At the beginning of the two thousandth, employees of the Kharkov Armored Repair Plant (HBTRZ) began developing a new project aimed at meeting the needs of poor customers. The “target audience” of the new project was to become numerous countries, which still carry the Soviet-made T-55 medium tanks. With a profound modernization of this technique, it was proposed to use the aggregates of the main tank T-64 in the most extensive way. A large number of such equipment went to Ukraine during the collapse of the Soviet Union. By the name of the two tanks that served as the basis, the new project received the designation T-64-55.
In recent years, there has been a steady demand for modernization projects for outdated T-55 tanks. Different countries offer projects to upgrade this technology, involving the use of various new units. First of all, the power plant and electronic equipment are replaced. Nevertheless, even such an upgrade does not significantly improve the characteristics of an outdated armored vehicle.
In the course of creating the T-64-55 project, Kharkov engineers determined that the replacement of the engine and transmission units does not make sense. Such a modernization requires updating the mass of the aggregates of both the power plant and the undercarriage. In addition, this approach to updating the tank involves the use of the old hull with insufficient protection characteristics. As a result, updating the T-55 due to the installation of new components and assemblies has dubious prospects.
After analyzing the prospects of various ways of modernization, the HBTRZ staff proposed a more than original project. They offered to keep the turret and the fighting compartment of the medium tank T-55. In this case, the tower was to be installed on a slightly modified chassis of the main battle tank T-64. It was argued that this update method has several positive features. Thus, the chassis of the T-64 tank is already equipped with all the necessary units, and their interaction has been fully worked out during testing and operation. In addition, such an upgrade does not require any refinement of the armored hull, which could adversely affect its protection characteristics.
It was argued that the modernization by completely replacing the chassis will significantly improve the protection performance and mobility of the updated machine. The T-64 was newer and better than the T-55, which should have reflected on the characteristics of the new T-64-55. In particular, the 5TDF 700 hp engine, featuring high power density, was among the advantages of the updated machine. At the request of the customer, the upgraded T-64-55 could be equipped with forced versions of the 5TDF engine with horsepower up to 850.
According to the developers, replacing the entire chassis allowed you to get a noticeable gain in weight. The turret of the T-55 tank is significantly lighter than the turret of the T-64, since it has a less complicated booking structure. When installing the turret of the medium tank on the main chassis, it was possible to get a machine, the combat mass of which was approximately 7 t less than the corresponding parameter of the original T-64. Even after installing a set of new T-64-55 equipment, it turned out much lighter than the base T-64. According to official data, the combat weight of the T-64-55 tank is just 33,8 tons.
Saving weight allowed to increase the specific power of the machine and reduce the load on the engine. In addition, the load on the undercarriage was reduced and, accordingly, its resource was slightly increased. The developers have promised and increased permeability by reducing the specific load on the ground.
It has been reported that weight saving is used to increase the level of defense of a tower with homogeneous armor. To do this, it was proposed to install brackets with mounts for blocks of dynamic protection on the cheekbones of the tower. In the existing photographs of the T-64-55 pilot tank, two “batteries” of dynamic protection units are visible, covering the side of the tower’s forehead. At the same time, however, its central part with the mask of the gun did not receive additional protection.
With the proposed retrofit of the T-64 tank chassis, there should have been some improvements related to the design of the turret used. Thus, the difference in the diameter of the shoulder strap (1816 mm in T-55 and 2245 mm in T-64) forced the designers to take some measures to refine the roof of the hull. In addition, the lack of an automatic loader in the used tower led to some rearrangement of the combat compartment. So, at the starboard side, in front of the turret, a tank rack and additional mounts for 12 shells appeared.
Being a "hybrid" of two tanks, the proposed T-64-55 in its characteristics should have resembled both the T-55 and the T-64. The mobility of the machine was at the level of T-64, and the fighting qualities - at the level of T-55. In its dimensions, the new tank corresponded to the base T-55: length around 9 m, width 3,27 m and height 2,2 m. Combat weight (with a minimum set of additional components) - 33,8 t. The crew was still four people.
The T-55 tank had an upper front hull detail in the form of an 100-mm steel plate. The T-64 was equipped with a more advanced protection, consisting of an external 80-mm steel sheet, two sheets of fiberglass in 52 mm and an 20-mm rear steel sheet. Thus, the replacement of the entire chassis together with the hull has significantly increased the level of frontal projection protection. The installation of dynamic protection on the forehead of the hull and the cheekbones of the turret further enhanced the characteristics of the tank.
Due to the more powerful 700-powerful engine 5TDF T-64-55 tank had a specific power at the level of 20,7. This allowed him to accelerate to the highway to 65 km / h, and to overcome at one refueling to 600 km. In terms of overcoming obstacles, the T-55, T-64 and T-64-55 tanks have similar characteristics. They are able to climb the slope of the 32 ° steepness, move with a heel to 30 °, climb a wall of 80 cm height and overcome ditches up to 2,7 m wide. Wading through water obstacles up to 1,8 m forged and underwater driving equipment was provided.
Having a tower of the medium tank T-55, the new T-64-55 retained its weaponry. The main weapons This machine remained threaded gun D-10T2 caliber 100 mm. In the turret and front tank-rack, 55 unitary shells of the 100 caliber mm were positioned. The range of ammunition remains the same. The T-64-55 could use the entire range of ammunition for the D-10T cannons. Additional armament - 7,62 caliber mm machine gun coupled to a cannon.
According to the developers, the upgraded T-64-55 tanks could receive various additional equipment that enhances their combat performance. The tank could be equipped with optoelectronic suppression systems for protection against various anti-tank systems, the Zaslon active protection system, the Knife dynamic protection system and even a mobile radio-electronic suppression system for protection against radio-controlled explosive devices. At the request of the customer, the updated tanks could be equipped with mine trawls of various types and a camouflage system with the Contrast network, hiding the machine from various enemy detection devices.
In the production of the upgraded T-64-55 tanks, the towers of the T-64 tanks and the T-55 chassis were to be freed. Kharkiv designers took this into account and proposed projects for the use of unnecessary units. Thus, the T-55 tank chassis was proposed to be converted into heavy infantry fighting vehicles BMP-55. The freed turrets of T-64 tanks with weapons could be re-designed according to the BM-125-64 project. The result was an automated combat module suitable for use in the construction of fortified areas or coastal antiamphibious defense. In the course of such modernization, the tower received a set of remote control equipment and could be controlled by an operator located at a great distance from it.
First news about the construction and testing of an experienced T-64-55 tank appeared in 2007 year. In the future, HBTRZ repeatedly published articles and news on the progress of the project, which described its positive aspects. However, the T-64-55 tank has not yet become the subject of a contract for the modernization of armored vehicles. At the end of the last decade, there were reports that Kharkov specialists had no right to present their new development at international exhibitions of weapons and military equipment. Thus, for a long time, the T-64-55 project actually remains unknown among potential foreign customers.
Due to certain specific reasons, the T-64-55 tank modernization project did not lead to real results. It was built one (according to some, more) experienced tank, which was used in the tests. Due to the lack of orders from potential buyers, further production of such tanks was not conducted.
Even at the level of the basic concept, the project for the modernization of T-55 tanks with extensive use of T-64 units is of great interest. The used approach to modernization really allowed to significantly improve some characteristics of the new machine in comparison with the basic T-55. According to some estimates, the mobility of the tank increased by 40%, and the protection of the hull forehead - 3 times. In addition, there was a marked reduction in the cost of work. Installing the T-55 turret on the T-64 chassis should have cost a quarter less than installing a new engine and other units on the T-55 chassis.
Nevertheless, the positive qualities of the T-64-55 project were accompanied by a number of specific drawbacks. The first is the need to find the use of the T-64 towers and the T-55 chassis remaining after the upgrade. If there were orders for BMP-55 or BM-125-64, this would not be a problem, however, such equipment needed to be promoted in the market. Otherwise, Ukrainian enterprises risked acquiring unclaimed products that occupy space in warehouses and storage sites. In addition to the advantages of the T-64-55, “inherited” a whole range of problems inherent in both base tanks. Finally, despite the increased security, the firepower of the upgraded machine remained at the level of the outdated T-55.
As a result, the T-64-55 tank might really interest some foreign buyers who need to upgrade their fleet of outdated armored vehicles. Several dozen foreign countries still exploit T-55 tanks, and some of them could well become HBTRZ customers. Nevertheless, an interesting new project faced bureaucratic problems. The developers had no opportunity to advertise their project and promote it on the international market, as a result of which all efforts were wasted. As a result, a large number of T-55 are still in need of modernization in foreign countries, and unclaimed T-64 continue to stand idle at Ukrainian storage bases.
On the materials of the sites:
http://otvaga2004.ru/
http://alternathistory.org.ua/
http://andrei-bt.livejournal.com/
http://btvt.narod.ru/
http://vestnik-rm.ru/
Seeing the similar needs of potential customers, the designers of armored vehicles create new projects. At the beginning of the two thousandth, employees of the Kharkov Armored Repair Plant (HBTRZ) began developing a new project aimed at meeting the needs of poor customers. The “target audience” of the new project was to become numerous countries, which still carry the Soviet-made T-55 medium tanks. With a profound modernization of this technique, it was proposed to use the aggregates of the main tank T-64 in the most extensive way. A large number of such equipment went to Ukraine during the collapse of the Soviet Union. By the name of the two tanks that served as the basis, the new project received the designation T-64-55.
In recent years, there has been a steady demand for modernization projects for outdated T-55 tanks. Different countries offer projects to upgrade this technology, involving the use of various new units. First of all, the power plant and electronic equipment are replaced. Nevertheless, even such an upgrade does not significantly improve the characteristics of an outdated armored vehicle.
In the course of creating the T-64-55 project, Kharkov engineers determined that the replacement of the engine and transmission units does not make sense. Such a modernization requires updating the mass of the aggregates of both the power plant and the undercarriage. In addition, this approach to updating the tank involves the use of the old hull with insufficient protection characteristics. As a result, updating the T-55 due to the installation of new components and assemblies has dubious prospects.
After analyzing the prospects of various ways of modernization, the HBTRZ staff proposed a more than original project. They offered to keep the turret and the fighting compartment of the medium tank T-55. In this case, the tower was to be installed on a slightly modified chassis of the main battle tank T-64. It was argued that this update method has several positive features. Thus, the chassis of the T-64 tank is already equipped with all the necessary units, and their interaction has been fully worked out during testing and operation. In addition, such an upgrade does not require any refinement of the armored hull, which could adversely affect its protection characteristics.
It was argued that the modernization by completely replacing the chassis will significantly improve the protection performance and mobility of the updated machine. The T-64 was newer and better than the T-55, which should have reflected on the characteristics of the new T-64-55. In particular, the 5TDF 700 hp engine, featuring high power density, was among the advantages of the updated machine. At the request of the customer, the upgraded T-64-55 could be equipped with forced versions of the 5TDF engine with horsepower up to 850.
According to the developers, replacing the entire chassis allowed you to get a noticeable gain in weight. The turret of the T-55 tank is significantly lighter than the turret of the T-64, since it has a less complicated booking structure. When installing the turret of the medium tank on the main chassis, it was possible to get a machine, the combat mass of which was approximately 7 t less than the corresponding parameter of the original T-64. Even after installing a set of new T-64-55 equipment, it turned out much lighter than the base T-64. According to official data, the combat weight of the T-64-55 tank is just 33,8 tons.
Saving weight allowed to increase the specific power of the machine and reduce the load on the engine. In addition, the load on the undercarriage was reduced and, accordingly, its resource was slightly increased. The developers have promised and increased permeability by reducing the specific load on the ground.
It has been reported that weight saving is used to increase the level of defense of a tower with homogeneous armor. To do this, it was proposed to install brackets with mounts for blocks of dynamic protection on the cheekbones of the tower. In the existing photographs of the T-64-55 pilot tank, two “batteries” of dynamic protection units are visible, covering the side of the tower’s forehead. At the same time, however, its central part with the mask of the gun did not receive additional protection.
With the proposed retrofit of the T-64 tank chassis, there should have been some improvements related to the design of the turret used. Thus, the difference in the diameter of the shoulder strap (1816 mm in T-55 and 2245 mm in T-64) forced the designers to take some measures to refine the roof of the hull. In addition, the lack of an automatic loader in the used tower led to some rearrangement of the combat compartment. So, at the starboard side, in front of the turret, a tank rack and additional mounts for 12 shells appeared.
Being a "hybrid" of two tanks, the proposed T-64-55 in its characteristics should have resembled both the T-55 and the T-64. The mobility of the machine was at the level of T-64, and the fighting qualities - at the level of T-55. In its dimensions, the new tank corresponded to the base T-55: length around 9 m, width 3,27 m and height 2,2 m. Combat weight (with a minimum set of additional components) - 33,8 t. The crew was still four people.
The T-55 tank had an upper front hull detail in the form of an 100-mm steel plate. The T-64 was equipped with a more advanced protection, consisting of an external 80-mm steel sheet, two sheets of fiberglass in 52 mm and an 20-mm rear steel sheet. Thus, the replacement of the entire chassis together with the hull has significantly increased the level of frontal projection protection. The installation of dynamic protection on the forehead of the hull and the cheekbones of the turret further enhanced the characteristics of the tank.
Due to the more powerful 700-powerful engine 5TDF T-64-55 tank had a specific power at the level of 20,7. This allowed him to accelerate to the highway to 65 km / h, and to overcome at one refueling to 600 km. In terms of overcoming obstacles, the T-55, T-64 and T-64-55 tanks have similar characteristics. They are able to climb the slope of the 32 ° steepness, move with a heel to 30 °, climb a wall of 80 cm height and overcome ditches up to 2,7 m wide. Wading through water obstacles up to 1,8 m forged and underwater driving equipment was provided.
Having a tower of the medium tank T-55, the new T-64-55 retained its weaponry. The main weapons This machine remained threaded gun D-10T2 caliber 100 mm. In the turret and front tank-rack, 55 unitary shells of the 100 caliber mm were positioned. The range of ammunition remains the same. The T-64-55 could use the entire range of ammunition for the D-10T cannons. Additional armament - 7,62 caliber mm machine gun coupled to a cannon.
According to the developers, the upgraded T-64-55 tanks could receive various additional equipment that enhances their combat performance. The tank could be equipped with optoelectronic suppression systems for protection against various anti-tank systems, the Zaslon active protection system, the Knife dynamic protection system and even a mobile radio-electronic suppression system for protection against radio-controlled explosive devices. At the request of the customer, the updated tanks could be equipped with mine trawls of various types and a camouflage system with the Contrast network, hiding the machine from various enemy detection devices.
In the production of the upgraded T-64-55 tanks, the towers of the T-64 tanks and the T-55 chassis were to be freed. Kharkiv designers took this into account and proposed projects for the use of unnecessary units. Thus, the T-55 tank chassis was proposed to be converted into heavy infantry fighting vehicles BMP-55. The freed turrets of T-64 tanks with weapons could be re-designed according to the BM-125-64 project. The result was an automated combat module suitable for use in the construction of fortified areas or coastal antiamphibious defense. In the course of such modernization, the tower received a set of remote control equipment and could be controlled by an operator located at a great distance from it.
First news about the construction and testing of an experienced T-64-55 tank appeared in 2007 year. In the future, HBTRZ repeatedly published articles and news on the progress of the project, which described its positive aspects. However, the T-64-55 tank has not yet become the subject of a contract for the modernization of armored vehicles. At the end of the last decade, there were reports that Kharkov specialists had no right to present their new development at international exhibitions of weapons and military equipment. Thus, for a long time, the T-64-55 project actually remains unknown among potential foreign customers.
Due to certain specific reasons, the T-64-55 tank modernization project did not lead to real results. It was built one (according to some, more) experienced tank, which was used in the tests. Due to the lack of orders from potential buyers, further production of such tanks was not conducted.
Even at the level of the basic concept, the project for the modernization of T-55 tanks with extensive use of T-64 units is of great interest. The used approach to modernization really allowed to significantly improve some characteristics of the new machine in comparison with the basic T-55. According to some estimates, the mobility of the tank increased by 40%, and the protection of the hull forehead - 3 times. In addition, there was a marked reduction in the cost of work. Installing the T-55 turret on the T-64 chassis should have cost a quarter less than installing a new engine and other units on the T-55 chassis.
Nevertheless, the positive qualities of the T-64-55 project were accompanied by a number of specific drawbacks. The first is the need to find the use of the T-64 towers and the T-55 chassis remaining after the upgrade. If there were orders for BMP-55 or BM-125-64, this would not be a problem, however, such equipment needed to be promoted in the market. Otherwise, Ukrainian enterprises risked acquiring unclaimed products that occupy space in warehouses and storage sites. In addition to the advantages of the T-64-55, “inherited” a whole range of problems inherent in both base tanks. Finally, despite the increased security, the firepower of the upgraded machine remained at the level of the outdated T-55.
As a result, the T-64-55 tank might really interest some foreign buyers who need to upgrade their fleet of outdated armored vehicles. Several dozen foreign countries still exploit T-55 tanks, and some of them could well become HBTRZ customers. Nevertheless, an interesting new project faced bureaucratic problems. The developers had no opportunity to advertise their project and promote it on the international market, as a result of which all efforts were wasted. As a result, a large number of T-55 are still in need of modernization in foreign countries, and unclaimed T-64 continue to stand idle at Ukrainian storage bases.
On the materials of the sites:
http://otvaga2004.ru/
http://alternathistory.org.ua/
http://andrei-bt.livejournal.com/
http://btvt.narod.ru/
http://vestnik-rm.ru/
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