Tiam 105-mm M47 tank upgrade (original) (raw)

The �Tiam� is the optimized version of the �Sabalan� tank with a 105-mm gun. Persian name of uncertain meaning maybe "eyes" or "my eyes", or "Beautiful eyes", or "shining eyes" (?). Tiam is a common name among immigrants from Iran, which in Persian culture translates into "darling" or "most loved".

The �Tiam� is armed with American M68 105-mm rifled gun. The �Tiam� is fitted with new fire control system. The tank is also fitted with new communication system. This tank has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, loader and driver. There is a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. It is likely that a 12.7-mm machine gun can be fitted.

In the 1950s and 1960s Iran received 400 M47 tanks. Their propulsion system and fire control were upgraded to M60 Patton tanks. During the Iran-Iraq war, the tanks were deployed in combat. Iranian attempt to modernize the American tank M47M was originally equipped with a propulsion unit from the M60A1 tank. The so-called reconstruction is not much known, but it is clear that the turret of the M47M tank was replaced by a modified turret of the Chinese tank T-59/69. The rearmament used the L7 (M68) 105mm caliber tank cannon , including a licensed fire control system. Iranian Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said on April 13, 2016 that upgraded Tiam tanks will soon be put into service.

In Iran during an April 2016 ceremony participated by Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan the �Tiam� battle tank was unveiled. The Tiam tank turret remarkably resembles the Chinese version of Type 69-II, which was developed for the installation of western provenance 105mm and 120mm caliber guns. The electronic fire control and battlefield control systems used are not of pure Iranian origin, but have been made in the Slovenian company Fotona, or in the Bosnian city of Zrak.

On the Internet video is available with a taxiing tank, which showed increased smoke, so the question arises whether during the "modernization" was or was not replaced by the original drive unit available Chinese, Russian, or Ukrainian engine.