Pakistan has received the first batch comprising of 100 modernized T-55 tanks from Serbia which further consolidates the former’s defensive capabilities.
According to a Serbian defense news portal, Borbeni Effektivi, Serbia has dispatched the first 100 of 282 up to date T-55 tanks to Pakistan.
Although T55 is a Soviet-era defensive vehicle, the Serbian state-owned company, Yugoimport SDPR, has transformed the tanks for modern-day combat.
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During the upgradation, Yugoimport SDPR installed an enhanced engine, modern-day case protection, and a full range of electronic equipment in the T-55 tanks.
According to reports, the tanks will be stationed straightaway at the western border to enhance the strength of Frontier Corps to quell any possible infiltration from Afghanistan.
More on T-55
First introduced after WWII, the T-55 tanks hold significant importance in the defensive arsenal of many countries to this day.
Besides Serbia, China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Egypt, and Bangladesh are few of the countries which use T-55 to augment their defense. An estimated 100,000 of these tanks are present worldwide.
Weighing around 36 tons, the T-55 tank is 9 meters long with gun forward, 3.37 meters wide, and 2.4 meters high. 4 crew members can fit into the modernized tank. The T-55 tank has a ground clearance of 0.425 meters and a top speed of 48km/h.
Not a world beater in terms of Armour and Armament. Why splash out money on old hardware when you can locally produce a better variant of a tank namely Al-Khalid. Also please note that Serbia with its more modern T-80 tank was defeated in the Kosovo war by baktar-Shikans provided by PA. T-55 is a child for it and I think a modern RPC aimed correctly (which the Afghan army might have or the terrorist might have, after snatching it from Afghan army) can have it blown into pieces. Seriously I think the FC needs helicopters that can move fast and deploy their ammunition on the intruders/BLA much better than a lumbering tank.
We didn’t lose a single battle during the 1998-99 Kosovo War and we indeed used the T-55s while the M-84 tanks were kept on specific locations to be used in case of a ground invasion by NATO.
cost effectiveness in the light of limited financial resources look to be the main reason for this deal.
completing number game
Will be used on western borders by FC, We dont need costly tanks against militants and Afghan intruders.
Itne paiso k 1 lakh ventilators ajaate.
Lol, kya karskty hen humaray paros mein aik badmash, mast hathi betha hwa hae jo roz, roz apne Muscle, dekhanay ki koshis krta hae aur continent ka ghunda P.M hae to aisay haalat mein hum bhookay rahengy magar apni sovereignty aur dignity par compromise nae karengy.
Serbia, A country of merely 7 million people exporting Tanks to Pakistan who is standing there with over 200 million people. Alas! where we are. Honestly i’m feeling ashamed that what our elders turned this country to and still what we following. Education was never and still not priority of our rulers and also we don’t demand for good education budget.
Industrial & technological development/research was never a priority for our ruling class. They were more interested in Sugar Mills, Cotton Mills, Coke & Pepsi Plants, etc. Such Mills & Plants give quick & hefty returns. To hell with the motherland.
agree with your comments,its a point of shame for an atomic power holding country,having 6th largest population in the world.once upon a time countries like Germany and China asked helps from Pakistan but now due to poor governance and poorer management we have been falling into the dungeons of poverty and chaos.
Shahbaz brother, Serbia has these tanks since former USSR era. Their defense industry was established since then. Our defense industry is producing state of the art Alkhalid n Alzarar tanks alongwith many other Armoured Vehicles and Artillary guns. But ur point about education reforms is important. No one has been and no one still is serious for education system’s reform.
Inclusion of reactive armour, electronic gadgets and upgraded engine has made this tank capable of fighting in any scenario along International border, may it be Western or Eastern. Tank with described capabilities vis-a-vis cost is excellent choice. This addition with not only increase operational capabilities of Frontier Corps along Western border, but can also be employed along Eastern border…
Why we’re purchasing these junks, we have hundreds of Al zarar and t69 tanks, why we are not using these on western front, because both are not state of the art tanks, remaining amount can spend on more modern tanks( VT4 or altay) tanks,