T-55AM (Soviet)
In service 1983 - 2000s in export service
Based onT-55 (variant of)
Also known asT-55AM, T-55AMV
The Soviet T-55 brought up to 1980s standard with composite brow armour, a laser rangefinder and a gun-launched missile.
Built byUralvagonzavod and Omsk, rebuilt in service
Photograph pending. No clearly licensed photograph of this vehicle was found.
Development history
Rather than scrap tens of thousands of T-55s, the Soviet Union rebuilt them: the T-55AM added BDD composite applique armour to the turret front and glacis, giving the distinctive brow, plus a Volna fire-control system with laser rangefinder and ballistic computer, side skirts, a new engine and the ability to fire the 9M117 Bastion guided projectile through the old 100 mm gun. The result could threaten far newer tanks at a fraction of their cost, and rebuilt T-55s remain in service in several countries decades later.
Variants
One canonical record, 3 recorded variants.
T-55AM
1983BDD composite brow armour, Volna fire control, laser rangefinder and side skirts.
T-55AMV
1985Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armour in place of the BDD composite blocks.
T-55AD Drozd
1983Fitted with the Drozd active protection system, used by Soviet naval infantry.
Notable actions
- Cold War Warsaw Pact service
- Later Middle East and African conflicts