Soviet-made T-55 medium tanks in the Egyptian army turned into ammunition transporters. To do this, turrets with 100 mm guns and paired 7.62 mm machine guns were removed from the tanks and massive armored cabins were erected into which shells are loaded.
Chapter 3: T-54/55 ammunition carriers
Egypt has decided to convert chassis of some of the
phased out T-54/55 tanks into ammo carriers for M109 self-propelled howitzers.
Screenshots are mine from oficially released videos. As usual any info or more photos are welcomed. pic.twitter.com/5PxyS3dENZ
— Buschlaid (@Buschlaid11) January 2, 2022
Their number is unknown, but considering that the US-made analog - M992 FAASV carries 118 shots, then there are probably at least a hundred here.
Interestingly, hatches resembling those on the T-34 and self-propelled guns made on their basis appeared in the frontal part of the hulls in front of the driver mechanics' workplaces. Nearby, you can replace the device that serves to supply ammunition. Doors are also cut in the sides. Judging by the published images, they are not equipped with self-defense means in the form of machine guns.
In this form, tracked vehicles entered service with artillery units armed with American self-propelled howitzers M109A2 and M109A5. They are used together with unarmored cargo transporters M548, also delivered from overseas.
On the basis of the T-54/55 family of tanks, a large number of various special engineering and military equipment have been created in the Soviet Union and foreign countries over decades of operation. For example, you can recall various tank bridge-laying machines, tractors and barrier machines.
In the second half of the 90s, a heavy BTR-T was designed in Omsk, armed with a 2A42 automatic cannon and anti-tank guided missiles "Competition".
Akhzarit and TBHA armored personnel carriers have also appeared in Israel and India. If the first 500 pieces were made, then the second ones remained in the form of prototypes.
Finland was armed with self-propelled anti-aircraft guns on the T-55A chassis with Marksman towers of the British company Marconi. In addition, in this country, together with Egypt, they developed an ACS 155GH52-SP-T55 - as the name implies, with a 155-mm gun.
The above is only a small part of what has appeared since the second half of the 40s. We will tell about other little-known versions of the legendary Soviet tanks in new publications.
Alexey Moiseev
