T-55D

The T-55D are a serie of tanks designed and produced in East Germany for the National Volksarmee as various modernization upgrades or auxiliary support vehicles based on the Soviet T-55A.

## **History**

The T54/55 serie of tanks and its subsequent modernization have formed the bulk of the NVA's armored forces from the 1950s to the late 1980s. While an excellent tank at the time of its introduction, it was outpaced by multiple generations of new tanks over its prodigiously long service life. While the NVA began plans to acquire new T-72s as the new workhorse of the army in the 1980s, only a few hundreds were acquired and their numbers were dwarfed by those of the increasingly obsolete T-55s. Concurrently, programs were made to modernize these vast fleets of T-55 to adequately modern standards at low cost. The T-55D was the first official upgrade package and target for the mismatched variety of T-54/55 patterns in use then and was introduced in 1982. Over fifteen years later, a further modernization package followed with the objective of increasing performance and commonality of parts with the Pz.IX Jaguar, which had by then became the new main battle tank of the NVA.

While its gun's performance was drastically upgraded, the base chassis of the T-55A and variants created significant difficulties in updating its armor with appliqué or ERA plates, which made it impossible to enhanced its survivability as much as would have been desirable compared to modern composite armor designs. As such, it was always understood that a modernized T-55 would not fit a role of main battle tank, but rather a supporting role. The T-55's good mobility, light weight and small size make it adequate for ambushes and engagements at brawling ranges. This paradigm was not well understood when the T-55D was first designed and a number of unsuccessful attempts were made, but this role was firmly defined by the 1990s.

## **Description**

### **Mobility**

The T-55D basic package features the same basic components as the T-55A with 5 large road wheels, high strength torsion bar suspensions, a rear drive system and an automatic transmission. It uses the second generation tracks with 14 teeth instead of 13 which boasts twice the range of that of the base T-55 tracks, with similar drive train upgrades. The base V-55 model V-12 diesel engine is replaced by the more modern V-46-5M engine derived from the T-72, uprating its horsepower from 500 to 690.

### **Protection**

The T-55 base hull featured rolled steel and a cast turret, which made it inadequate by modern standards. A stop-gap measure to add ceramic applique armor to the frontal armor was devised, but sub-optimal. Side-skirts were added to cover the wheels while a spall liner was added inside. Finally, ERA bricks were added to the front, the turret and the skirts. A reworked turret design was created with modern construction methods and a sharper shape better able to be protected. This turret design was to organically be used to replace older turrets that needed replacement or extensive maintenance.

### **Armament**

The primary armament of the T-55D is the 12.5cm KwK 48 smoothbore gun. It provides the updated T-55 with striking power equivalent to 2A46 125mm gun used in modern Soviet battle tanks from the T-62 to the T-90. Its accuracy is also vastly increased as the original D-10 gun lacked adequate stabilizers. It houses up to 28 shells and 8 missiles in wet storage, with the reworked turret including blow-out panels to prevent catastrophic detonation. Finally, a 12.7mm Kord is mounted co-axially.

### **Electronics**

The T-55D features a laser rangefinder and lowlight cameras for use in low visibility and night time conditions. Starting in 1992 it was also refitted with a FuG-KK-2 compact radio.

## **Upgrades**

### **T-55DM (Ausf.B)**

The T-55DM also known as the Ausf.B was a 1997 modernization undertaken by the Alscher government to both increase performance and simply logistic trains. The most major modification is the substitution of the Soviet diesl engine for an indigenous light EFW-B-050 turboshaft engine developping 960 horsepower, giving the T-55DM outstanding speed and mobility for such an old tank as well as allowing it to run on low-quality fuels at the expense of operational range. Its protection against vehicle and hanf-fired ATGMs was improved by the addition of a Sthora electo-jammer and smoke dischargers. Finally, its radio was upgraded by a more secure FuG-KK-3.

### **T-55DM2 (Aus.C)**

Unconfirmed sources exist about a yet further modernization of the T-55D currently under development. Rumors of its development suggest the tank would be able to equip ZP-1 protection, giving it MBT-levels of survivability, as well as about new camouflage coating expected to reduce visibility in the non-optic spectrum.

## Variants

### T-55DF - Flammpanzer

Flamethrower variant of the T-55D, it replaces the main gun and co-axial machinegun and replaces it by a twin-nozzle napalm projector with external fuel tanks. Contrary to popular belief, it is not designed for armed conflict and is mostly used in the Charlie Site containment zone. T-55DF were instrumental in cleansing the Xeno flora outbreaks during the Charlie Site Reclamation Initiative.

### T-55DS - Strafverfolgung

A variant of a variant, law enforcement modification of the T-55DF that replaces the flamethrowers with far less lethal water cannons. It is part of the RJO's most heavy riot control arsenal and is also fitted with smoke grenade launchers. It can also be fitted with a dozer blade.

### T-55DI - Ingenieurwesen

Engineering variant of the T-55D, the designation is an umbrella term for every vehicle from bridge-laying to armored recovery.

### T-55DMi - Minenräumung

Mine-clearing variant of the T-55D, it is recognizable by its heavy rollers at the front of the vehicle.

### T-55DPj - Panzerjager

A tank destroyer prototype, only one was made. It consists of a turretless casemate mounting a 12.5 KwK 58 gun used in Jaguars. It possesses extremely small silhouette and is capable of defeating modern armor at several kilometers, but has not entered production and exists more as a concept vehicle.