T-54/55 MBT of the Vietnamese People's Army

T-55 main battle tanks (all photos : Dat Viet)

Few people know that the Vietnam T-54/55 tanks can be fired anti-tank missiles, laser guided down the barrel.


Currently, the main battle tank T-54 and T-55 is considered the "backbone" force increased - armored Vietnam. The T-54B is equipped with a 100mm main gun D-10T2S, stable system with two center longitudinal axis flavor - STP-2 Tsyklon horizontal, effectively has a range of 1,000 meters straight.

T-54 and T-55 is called a generation tanks manufactured in the Soviet Union and equip its troops from 1947 to 1962. This form is the most produced tank with a total of 95,000 vehicles shipped.

The layout of the T-54 tank-style convention, with the main weapon consists of a helical grooved 100mm gun. T-54 is used more than any other tank since the Second World War.

T-55 include a high speed gun with a long barrel unusual. T-55 crawler, wheel chasis year with a short body and circular turret.


Army increased - armored military Vietnam is still using a large number T54/55 tanks. This is the generation tanks have proven effective in the war against the U.S., Specifications features, weight, design pretty much consistent with the mountainous terrain, narrow roads or muddy fields as in Vietnam.

There have information about Israel to help Vietnam upgrade, improvement of power T54/55 increased firepower, electronics, armor ... match the new battlefield conditions. There are also other alternatives "to life" an epic tank line this time.

D-10T main gun of the T-54 and T-55 can use multiple ammo types including:

Explosive blast fragmentation UOF-412

UOF-UOF-412 and 412U are the two old pieces explosive blast from the 2nd world war, heavy 30.2 kg warhead OF-412 and OF-412G, not 15.6 kg high explosive F-412 .

UOF explosive blast fragmentation UOF-412U-412 and T-54/55 tanks were used primarily to cover ap colleagues, the enemy infantry, more than against any increase.

UBR-412 armor-piercing bullets

In the task of combating rising, T-54/55 tank armor piercing bullets use the UBR and UBR-412-412D.

The word "iron" of Vietnam T-54/55. (photo : Dat Viet)

UBR-412 armor-piercing bullets weigh 30.1 kg, can carry armor piercing high explosive warhead (APHE) BR-412, or armor piercing warhead ballistic cap (APBC) BR-412B weighs 15.88 kg.

Dan UBR-412D heavy armor 30.4 kg, can carry armor-piercing warhead loaded striker BR-412D weighs 15.88 kg.

In our tests, with slow corner 60 degrees, BR-412 warhead with a velocity 880m / s, can penetrate 500mm RHA armor at distances 125m, 1,000 mm armor piercing RHA in coolie 110m, 1,500 mm armor piercing RHA in Cu li 95m, 2,000 mm armor piercing RHA in 87m distances. With slow corner 90 degrees, respectively, the numbers on the 155m, 135m, 115m and 100m. At this distance, 80% of the armor-piercing rounds fired were successful.

As a result, pre-modern tank armor day, T-54/55 tank in Vietnam will be at a particular disadvantage when bullets UBR-412 may only armor at close range, so must ambush, pressed surprise the enemy to attack main float.

Vietnam T-54/55 firing 100mm cannon in live-fire drills in 2013. (photo : Dat Viet)

Concave anti-tank ammunition (HEAT) 3UBK4

This is not armor piercing bullets with kinetic energy, which use explosives concave, convenient for both anti-tank and pressure the regime of enemy fortifications. Indented bullet warhead anti-tank 3UBK4 3BK5M, is stabilized ammunition tailplane. Then, anti-tank ammunition concave 3UBK4 be replaced by bullets with bullets 3UBK9 3BK17M.

The following bullet muscle or patten panels which heat trail (APDS-T) 3UBM6

This type of ammunition designed with an arrow piercing KE (Kinetic Energy Penetrator) diameter smaller caliber, the DNA clogs thrown after firing, the bullets do not carry explosives that only fire-guided dose.

APDS-T ammunition for T-54/55 Research Institute NII-24 developed in 1964, 3BM6 warhead capable of piercing armor 260mm RHA at 1000m distance. Then 3BM6 warhead is replaced by the payload 3BM8 with tungsten carbide core.

Under sized bullet had clogs lined barrel stabilizing fins (APFSDS) 3UBM11

APFSDS ammunition to overcome born on APDS love points. Due to the cross-bar APDS rounds KE on small diameter and length so small rotational inertia, gyroscopic effects achieved in small air designers should switch to stable instead of stabilizing tail rotor gyro.

Bullets 3UBM11 be put into use in the 1980s, with warheads 3BM25 tungsten carbide core.

100mm main gun of the T-54/55 can fire anti-tank missile through the barrel, increasing range increased to 4-6km away. (photo : Dat Viet)

Anti-tank guided ammunition (ATGM)

To increase the strength of the tank - armored Russian army, a series of anti-tank missile was fired through the barrel manufacturing. The T-55, T-62, MT-12 anti-tank guns and infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3 can use this combination, but with different ammunition.

The T-55 can be equipped with anti-tank missile fired through the barrel, laser beam steering grip follows:

- 9M117 Bastion: firing anti-tank guided 3UBK10-1, 600 mm armor piercing RHA distances from 4,000 meters

- 9M117M Kan firing anti-tank guided 3UBK10-M1, armor piercing 650mm RHA distances from 4,000 meters

- 9M117M1 Arkan: firing anti-tank guided 3UBK23-1, have tandem warheads, armor piercing 750mm RHA from 6.000m distance

- 9M117M2 Boltok: firing anti-tank guided 3UBK23M-1, trans-850mm RHA armor from distance 6.000m.

Theoretically, the T-55 and T-62 that Vietnam has the equipment can be equipped with anti-tank ammunition control.

(Dat Viet)