The Turkish company Roketsan demonstrated its modular turret called MZK for the M60A3 tank, which, despite its age, remains in service with the country’s armed forces.
It should be noted that the M60 tank itself was produced in 1978-1983 and is a modernization of the machine developed in the early 60s. But despite this, Turkey has in service, according to Military Balance, approximately more than 800 M60A3 tanks in updhttps://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/m60tm.htmated versions, including 165 M60TM Firat and even about 750 even older M48A5 T2 Pattons. Therefore, the issue of maintaining the combat capability of such vehicles is an important aspect for Turkey and is implemented within the framework of the TİYK-M60A3 program.
At the same time, Roketsan’s decision is quite pragmatic – increasing the combat capabilities of the machine by completely replacing the turret.
While retaining the 105-mm gun, the tank received an automatic loader, which made it possible to reduce the crew and the overall height of the machine.
The tower itself is welded and has a moderate basket size, while its weight is less than the original design – 13 tons versus 14.5 tons.
Despite this, it has advanced protection with the active use of dynamic protection and NERA elements. Ammunition storage in the rear of the tower was created with the use of ejector panels. TLUS laser radiation sensors and Yamgoz video inspection systems are placed on the tower’s cheekbones.
At the same time, the objective disadvantage of the design is that the tower, which is larger in size, hangs over the driver’s hatch in such a way that he has no way to get out of it.
And the only option is to unfold the tower by 90 degrees, which will provide adequate access to the hatch of the driver’s mechanic. But, of course, there is the question of the standard position of the tower when the car is parked.
Of course, modern sighting devices, a new digital fire control system and a remote machine gun module must be integrated into the MZK tower.
But at the end of the day, we are talking about a tank with a 105 mm gun that weighs 45 tons and remember the requirements of the US Army for its light tank, which eventually received the name M10 Booker and is now not classified as a tank.
But in any case, the M60A3 MZK is ahead
is still in the stage of testing and experimental operation, so changes may still be made to the design of the tower, but the very approach of the Turkish defense industry is definitely worth a detailed analysis.
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