TR-85

TR-85
Romanian main battle tank TR-85M1
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Romania
Specifications
Mass	47.2 tonnes
Length	9.96 m (32.7 ft)
Width	3.435 m (11.27 ft)
Height	3.10 m (10.2 ft)
Crew	4
Armor	580 mm (23 in) against KE
Main armament	100 mm gun A-308
Secondary armament	7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, machine gun, 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun
Engine	Model 8VS-A2T2M 8-cyl. diesel 860 hp (640 kW)
Power/weight	17 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	400 km (250 mi)
Maximum speed	60 km/h (37 mph)

The TR-85 is a Romanian main battle tank based on the TR-77-580 (Romanian-built successor of the Soviet T-55 tank) with a T-block powerpack (similar to the one used in the Leopard 1) based on a license-built V8 German 830 hp diesel engine, a locally-designed fire control system "Ciclop" with cross-wind sensor and LRF, and a completely redesigned suspension with 6 road wheels on each side, protected by metal side skirts. Combat weight is 47.2 tons. It was developed from 1978 to 1985, series production started in 1986. The tank was featured on BBC Three series 'The World's Toughest Driving Tests' in April 2010.

Variants

• TR-85M - Improved TR-85 with bustle added to turret.
• TR-85M1 "Bizonul" - This is a modernized version of the TR-85, fitted with a more powerful engine, a new fire control system "Ciclop-M1", a muzzle reference system and thermal sleeve and laser and thermal acquisition system. The tank is equipped with laser warning receivers, which are able to pick up reflected laser radiation, so even if the tank is not illuminated but there are LRF/LD in the area, the crew will be warned. It is equipped with twelve smoke grenades and a thermal trap. The newly designed 100 mm APFSDS round BM-412Sg gives the main gun a penetration of 450 mm of RHAe at over 1,000 meters range. The TR-85M1 also has a new, bigger turret with additional armour. Companies involved in the project were :Aerospatiale Matra, Sagem, Kollmorgen-Artus, Racall and Electromagnetica, Faur, Elprof, UM Resita, Aeroteh, IOR si IOEL
• TR-85M2 - Still in tests.
• DMT-85M1 - Armoured engineer vehicle with a new, fixed superstructure, a 6.5t crane and a Pearson's TWMP mine clearing plough. The commander has a cupola with RWS. An unknown number was ordered by the Romanian armed forces in 2009.

Operators

Romanian Land Force

• 259 TR-85's in service
• 56 TR-85M1's in service

Gallery

DShK Machine Gun & Laser Acquisition System

View of the turret system

Turret System with DShK Machine Gun

TR-85M1

TR-85M1

TR-85M1

TR-85M1

TR-85M1

DShK Machine Gun

TR-85 tank column

External links

• (Romanian) TR85-M1 on the Romanian Land Forces website
• (Romanian) http://www.defense.ro/download/
• (Romanian) http://www.armyacademy.ro/reviste/3_2000/art25.html
• (Romanian) http://www.ziua.ro/display.php?data=1999-12-09&id=35386