The modern Iranian Carrar tank largely repeats its Russian prototype, Hamshahri writes. Readers of the newspaper appreciated the characteristics of armored vehicles and compared which tank is better.
The Karrar tank is currently the most modern armored combat vehicle of the Iranian Armed Forces. It was first presented in 2016, and during the presentation it was stated that the tank has an optoelectronic fire control system, a laser rangefinder, a ballistic computer and the ability to fire at static and moving targets. These capabilities allow the tank to attack enemy positions at any time of the day and in any geographical conditions.
The Carrar was designed based on the design of three of the most advanced tanks in the modern world — the Russian T-90, the American M1 Abrams and the British Challenger 2. The Carrar tank uses a new engine of optimized design, which has a capacity of 1000 to 1200 horsepower. It is possible that Russia will supply and service the engine for this car. There is also a possibility that the tank will use a domestic engine with a capacity of up to 1300 horsepower, the production of which was launched not so long ago.
Intensive work on the project of the new Carrar tank began immediately after the purchase of the Russian T-90 was abandoned in 2015. The tank is armed with a standard 125 mm cannon, which is a reliable and proven weapon and can fire a wide range of ammunition at a variety of targets. The tanks ordered by the ground units of the elite troops of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps are equipped with a 12.7 mm NSVT commander's machine gun with remote control, which the operator can use from inside the armored vehicle. The tank is also armed with a PKT machine gun, coaxial with the main caliber.
The main armament of the tank is, as already noted, a 125 mm cannon developed for the T-64 tank back in the 60s of the last century. Since then, it has been armed with T-64, T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks. In addition, it is used by the armed forces of some other States. This gun can also fire 9M119 Sniper anti-tank missile systems, with a range of one hundred meters to six kilometers, and its armor penetration is equivalent to 950 mm sheet steel. It can also be used against aerial targets, in particular, against helicopters. Of course, these complexes are quite expensive, and therefore only special units are equipped with them. As in the case of the similar Russian T-90 tank and other Russian armored vehicles, starting with the T-64, the Iranian tank uses automatic guidance, and the crew consists of three people (a driver mechanic, a commander and an artillery gunner). The automatic machine gun of the tank has a ready-to-fire ammunition pack of 22 shells, the duration of a typical queue of which is from 5 to 8 seconds.
This tank is equipped with a gun automation system for firing from inside the combat corridor, is adapted for passing hard-to-reach areas, pits and rivers, moves underwater and has the ability to mask from anti-tank weapons. According to some officials from the Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Republic, the tank is even more advanced in some respects than the Russian T-90, but in general it has similarities with the T-90MS.
The fact that the Carrar has a lot in common with the Russian T-90 was reported by the National Interest last summer. And this Russian tank, it should be recalled, is one of the best in the world, along with advanced military products from other countries, such as the German Leopard, the British Challenger, the American Abrams M1A2, and the South Korean Black Panther.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the Carrar tank
Type: main offensive battle tank
Production: Iran
On combat duty: from 2017 to the present
Manufacturer: Bani Hashem Armor Industries
Number of units produced: 800
Weight: 51 tons
Length: 9.5 m (with gun barrel), 7 m — body length
Width: 3.7 m
Height: 2.3 m
Crew: 3 people — mechanic-driver, commander, gunner-gunner
Hamshahri readers' Comments:
Mojtabi
It looks like they just took a Soviet T-72 and repainted it…
Naser X-I
I was involved in the construction of the tank myself. Participated in the process. Of course, there is a lot of the Soviet T-72, but a lot has been changed. What is left is the body and the 125 mm cannon, it is standard for everyone, and everything else, from the engine to the surveillance and firing system, is modern and almost perfect.
Guest
Yes, it was at the heart of the T-72, but it was upgraded and updated. Taking something else's as a model is better than just sitting and dreaming about something of your own, anyway, there was a lot of work here, let their hands not get tired!
The servant of God
Helicopters, missiles, tanks, satellites and their production are in the hands of dedicated revolutionaries, while car manufacturing, banking and some branches of civilian industry are in the hands of Western traitors, and as long as this is the case, there will be problems. People should know this, until they realize it, the situation will not improve.
Iman Soltani
I really don't know why the growing power and authority of Iran is so unbearable for some people who are trying to lie and humiliate our country here. What do you think is the reason?
Hossein Z.
Four things are responsible for the strength of the Iranian nation: faith in God, hypersonic missiles, modern fighter jets and a strong economy