NORINCO Type 80/Type 85/Type 90, PRC

T-55AM

In 1984 the the Czechoslovakia!! Army fielded an upgraded T-55AM version of the Soviet T-55 MET. Designed to be the equivalent of the German Leopard 1A4, French AMX-30B2 or American M60A3, the T-5SAM featured:i) an indigenously designed and built Kladivo fire control system which is characterised by a single wavelength laser rangefinder mounted above the

Former Czechoslovakia

main gun in an external container, a ballistic fire control computer, a wind velocity sensor and an armoured folding mast on the rear of the turret roof rear contains ambient temperature and air pressure sensors and a laser warning device to alert the tank crew if they are being lased by enemy tanks, aircraft, helicopters or artillery observers. With this fire control package the effective target engagement capability is increased from 1000 to 1600 metres, ii) full track skirts which keep the dust down during vehicle movements and provide some additional armour side protection against light anti-tank weapons, iii) metal side shields (horseshoe-shaped) of homogeneous spaced armour on either side of the turret front for added protection against light anti-tank weapons

T-SSAM showing turret armour package, fire-control meteorological sensor and thermal sleeve for main gun.