WZT WZT ( " Wóz Zabezpieczenia Technicznego " – armoured recovery vehicle ) was a Polish post - World War II armoured recovery vehicle series . It consists of five versions . The first two , WZT - 1 and WZT - 2 were built on T - 55 / T - 55A hull , the WZT - 3 was built on T - 72 M hull , the WZT - 3M was built on PT - 91 hull and the WZT - 4 was built on PT - 91M hull for Malaysia . WZT - 1 . History . In the early 50s USSR started developing an ARV built on the hull of T - 54 that was just entering production . A prototype vehicle was completed after a short while and was named BTS - 1 ( BTS - Bronirowannyj Tjagacz Sriednij ) . Production was launched and it became the basic ARV of the Soviet army . In 1955 BTS - 1 was upgraded with a hoist and a small folding crane . This upgraded version was given the name BTS - 2 . It was built on the T - 54 hull and later on the T - 55 hull . In the end of the 60s Poland and Czechoslovakia bought the BTS - 2 . Basing on BTS - 2 technical data the " Zakład Produkcji Doświadczalnej Zakładów Mechanicznych " Bumar - Łabędy " " ( Experimental Production Institute of " Bumar - Łabędy " ) prepared a prototype of WZT - 1 ARV . It was accepted into the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie and became its basic ARV replacing the older designs . Production started in 1970 in " Bumar - Łabędy " and continued until 1978 when it was completely replaced by WZT - 2 . The WZT - 1 were used in the upgrade of Newa SAM system to Newa - SC standard . The launcher was mounted on a WZT - 1 chassis ( many sources claim the vehicle to be T - 55 tank but as a matter of fact vehicles never had tank turret in the first place ) . Upgrade replaced many analogue components with digital ones for improved reliability and accuracy also improving mobility and also adds IFF capability and data links . Unlike oryginal ARV variant the Newa launcher is still in use in the armed forces of Poland . WZT - 2 . Polish ARV built on T - 55 hull . It was built to perform repairs on T - 55 and T - 55A tanks . When it entered service in 1973 it was probably the best ARV in the Warsaw Pact . It is still able to carry out tasks that NATO gives ARVs of its class . Unlike the T - 55 and the WZT - 1 , the WZT - 2 is still the basic ARV of the Polish army used for field repairs . It can carry out repairs not only on Soviet tanks like the T - 54 / T - 55 and T - 72 but also on Polish PT - 91 and German Leopard 2A4 tanks . However because all tanks currently in Polish service weigh more than 40 tonnes it is not able to tow them . It is used to tow lighter vehicles like BWP - 1 and 2S1 . A number of those vehicles are used by " Ratownictwo Kolejowe " ( Railroad emergency response services ) . WZT - 3 . History . When the T - 72 entered service with LWP in 1978 a need for a new ARV appeared . It was decided that T - 72M hull will be used . Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej ( Military Institute of Automobile and Armour Technology ) from Sulejówek pointed out the main requirements of the vehicle and Ośrodek Badawczo - Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych in Gliwice made two prototypes caring out the " Bizon " ( Bison ) program . Tests and trials were carried out from 1986 to 1988 and it was immediately accepted into the Polish Army . During a short production run 20 of those vehicles were made until 2003 when they were all upgraded to the WZT - 3M standard . WZT - 3M . History . When PT - 91 entered service in Polish army it was decided that the WZT - 3 which was based on T - 72M should be upgraded with elements from PT - 91 . The upgraded variant was given WZT - 3M designation . The main difference was the engine . The original WZT - 3 had a 780 hp ( 582 kW ) 12 - cyl . diesel engine from T - 72M . The WZT - 3M has a 850 hp ( 634 kW ) PZL - Wola S12U 4 - cyl . 38 . 9 litre diesel from PT - 91 . During initial production run 9 vehicles were made before 2003 when 20 of the old WZT - 3 were upgraded to the WZT - 3M standard .