Type 72Z

Type 72Z
Type - Main battle tank
Place of origin - Iran
Production history
Manufacturer - Defense Industries Organization, Military Industry Corporation
Produced - 1996-present
No. built - about 400
Specifications
Mass - 36 tonnes
Length - 6.45m
Width - 3.37m
Height - 2.40m
Crew - 3-4
Armor - 203 mm front of the turret / 150 mm sides of the turret / 64 mm rear of the turret / 39 mm top of the turret / 97 mm upper front of the hull / 99 mm lower front of the hull / 79 mm upper sides of the hull / 20 mm lower sides of the hull / 46 mm rear of the hull / 20 mm floor of the hull / fitted with ERA
Main armament - 105 mm M68 rifled tank gun
Secondary armament - 7.62 mm coaxial PKT and roof-mounted 12.7 mm DShKM machine guns
Engine - V-46-6 V-12 diesel . 780 hp (630 kW)
Power/weight - 21.66hp/tonne
Suspension - Torsion bar
Operational range - 440 km
Maximum speed - 65 km/h

T-54 / T-55 - Type 59 / Al-Zarrar / Ramses II / T-55AM Merida / T-55AGM / Type 72Z
Variants - IDF Achzarit / Marksman / MT-55 / VIU-55 Munja / WZT / ZSU-57-2 / BTR-T

The Type 72Z tank (also known as the T-72Z and the Safir-74, and the Al-Zubair I in Sudan) is a highly modernized version of the Type 59 and T-54/T-55 tanks, with upgrades carried out by the Iranian Defense Industries Organization.
The tank is not to be confused with an Iraqi modernization also known as T-72Z, said to carry a 125 mm gun.
History
The Type 72Z was first announced by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1996. The upgrades to the Type 59 and T-54/T-55 tanks were carried out by the Vehicle Industries Group of the Defence Industries Organization, in order to extend the service life of tanks already in use with the Iranian army.
Upgrades
The 100 mm gun of the T-55/Type 59 was replaced with an Iranian-produced derivative of the 105 mm M68 gun, capable of firing 9M117 Bastion anti-tank guided missiles as well as NATO standard ammunition. The Slovenian Fotona Electronic Fire Control System (EFCS-3-55) was added, with automatic and manual gun stabilizers, a laser rangefinder, second-generation night sights, a ballistic computer, and an independent viewer and target designation system for the commander. Electric smoke grenade dischargers were also added to provide concealment on top of the existing ability to create a smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the left exhaust outlet.
Explosive reactive armor (ERA) developed by the Shahid Kolah Dooz Industrial Complex can be fitted to the Type 72Z, providing protection against projectiles and napalm-type weapons. Side track skirts similar to those on the Type 59 were added to T-54/T-55 tanks upgraded with ERA.
The engine was replaced with a Ukrainian 780 hp V46-6 diesel engine, together with the SPAT-1200 transmission system. Air conditioning, power steering and a fire suppression system are also believed to have been installed.
Variants
Safir-74 - Iranian T-54/T-55 tanks which have gone through similar upgrades. Safir means "messenger" in Persian.
Al-Zubair I - Sudanese variant of the Type 72Z manufactured by the Military Industry Corporation, with the engine upgraded with a supercharger.
Operators
1. Iran
 - Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
 - Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces
2. Sudan: First purchased in 2006.

Non-state operators
 Kata'ib Hezbollah

Zulfiqar MBT
Karrar MBT