TSAMTO, April 28. The Command of the Romanian Land Forces has decided to modernize the fleet of main battle tanks (MBT) T-85M1 Bizonul ("Bison").
As reported by Janes.com This was stated by the head of the Armored Directorate of the Romanian Ground Forces Headquarters, Major Suhan Ionut, at the Future Armored Vehicles Situational Awareness (FAVSA) 2023 conference, held in London from April 24 to 25.
According to S. Ionut, due to the modernization of the TR-85M1, the gap will be filled until more modern MBT is obtained, and tests of the upgraded machine can begin as early as 2023.
Although, as noted Janes.com, the scope of the modernization program is still in the process of approval by the CB management, it is expected that it will include improvements in the situational awareness of the platform, as well as the installation of an automatic fire extinguishing system and a new gun stabilization system.
Recall that the Armed Forces of Romania against the background of the conflict in Ukraine in December last year announced their intention to replace the outdated MBT T-85M1 Bizonul with more modern tanks. Three possible applicants were considered. These are the new American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams, the German Leopard-2 (probably Leopard-2A7), as well as the South Korean K2 Panther.
As a result, on April 5, 2023, the Ministry of National Defense of Romania requested preliminary approval from the leadership of the Parliament for the purchase of 54 upgraded M1A2 Abrams tanks from the presence of the US Armed Forces. Now it has also announced its intention to modernize the T-85M1 MBT fleet.
The TR-85 is a third–generation main battle tank developed for the Romanian Armed Forces. Based on the TR-77-580 (the successor of the T-55), the TR-85 tank was developed from 1978 to 1985 and produced from 1986 to 1990.
In March 1994, the Romanian General Staff initiated a program of modernization of TR-85 tanks by Order No. 1429. The modernization program was approved by the Supreme Council of National Defense on April 14, 1994. The implementation of the modernization program of the tank, which received the official designation TR-85M1 Bizonul, began in 1996 with the receipt of two prototypes. The goal of the program was to upgrade the TR-85 to NATO standards by improving firepower, protection, mobility, communication systems and reliability of the engine, transmission and braking systems.
The modernization program involved both foreign companies (most of them from France), such as Aerospatiale Matra, Sagem, Kollmorgen-Artus, Racal, and local defense companies, such as the military consortium ROMARM, METRA, Electro Magnetica, FAUR, Elprof, Aeroteh, IOR, Prooptica, Artego, Arsenal Resita, Metav, Forsev, Anticorozivul, IEMI, Rolast, Aerostar and IOEL. The result of the modernization program was the TR-85M1 tank, which meets NATO standards.
Although the TR-85M1 is a further development of the T-55, it uses a T-shaped powerplant (similar to the one used in the Leopard-1) based on a German V8 diesel engine with a capacity of 830 hp (620 kW). The tank has an improved turret, a Cyclops fire control system of its own design, new 100 mm armor-piercing feathered BM-412 Sg (APFSDS-T) projectiles. The suspension has been completely redesigned. The combat weight of the upgraded MBT was 50 tons .
