The ground forces of Turkey have a fairly specific fleet of tanks, in which you can find both modern and long-dated samples. Along with relatively new German-built Leopard 2 tanks, old American M48s are in operation. At the same time, however, the command is making attempts to update the fleet of armored vehicles, including by modernizing existing models. The result of this approach was the emergence of the M60T Sabra project, thanks to which the troops received 170 deeply modernized tanks.
The Sabra project started at the beginning of the 2000s and was intended to carry out a deep modernization of the available equipment. Unable to build their own modern tanks or purchase foreign samples, the Turkish command was forced to seek help from foreign specialists. The development of a project for the modernization of existing equipment in 2002 was ordered by the Israeli company Israel Military Industries (IMI), which had extensive experience in creating and updating armored vehicles. The contractor was required to develop a project for a deep modernization of the existing American-built M60A3 Patton tanks, which would significantly improve their characteristics. The project received the designation Sabra.
Due to the great age and the corresponding technical appearance of the existing M60A3 tanks, the terms of reference for the Sabra project involved the processing of all the main features of the technology. It was required to improve the characteristics of the power plant, enhance protection and install new weapons of increased power. Thus, IMI specialists had to actually create a new tank based on existing units. At the same time, however, the existing units should be widely used, since the construction of tanks from scratch was not planned. Fortunately, IMI already had experience in modernizing armored vehicles of the M60 family. Previously, she had to develop similar projects in the interests of the Israeli army.
Battle tank M60T Sabra. Photo Militaryedge.org
Initially, the Turkish military was offered the existing modernization option, which was being created for the Israeli army. In this case, the Turkish armed forces could receive a slightly modified tank of the "Magah" series of version 7C. The Israeli industry already had experience in modernizing American tanks, and it was this type of equipment upgrade that was originally offered to the customer. Subsequently, a variant of the Sabra project based on the Magah 7C received the additional designation Mk 1.
After reviewing the Sabra Mk 1 project, the Turkish side demanded to make some changes to it related to the design of the power plant, turret, etc. All these wishes were taken into account in the updated project Sabra Mk 2, which retained the basic features of the basic Mk 1, but had a lot of relatively small differences that affect the characteristics.
The upgraded M60 tank had to retain the main units, such as the hull, turret and chassis, which should not have been modified to simplify and reduce the cost of the upgrade process. Nevertheless, in order to improve certain characteristics, it was proposed to install various additional equipment on the basic parts. Thus, the overall architecture and layout of the tank during the modernization remained the same. The control compartment remained in the front of the hull, the fighting compartment remained in the center, and the feed was still given to the engine and transmission.
A characteristic feature of the tanks of the M60 family, including the M60A3, is the hull and turret made of homogeneous armor, which does not meet modern requirements and does not allow providing an acceptable level of protection against currently existing anti-tank weapons. For this reason, the Sabra project envisaged strengthening the armor protection of the base tank by installing additional elements. In the draft version of the Mk 1, it was proposed to use additional hinged armor modules installed on top of the tank's own armor. The modules were planned to be mounted on the upper frontal part and on the side skirts of the hull. In addition, frontal and side modules for the turret were offered, and an open basket was placed at its stern.
Exhibition sample. Photo Wikimedia Commons
In the future, the development of additional protection systems continued through the installation of new equipment. The Mk 2 project provided for the reinforcement of the hinged armor with dynamic protection. In addition, to increase survivability in combat conditions, Sabra tanks of all modifications must be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system and smoke grenade launchers.
To simplify the assembly of modernized tanks, the base M60A3 retains the existing hull and turret during repairs and upgrades. Additional protection is mounted directly on their surface. Due to this, in particular, the Sabra tank retains an external resemblance to the base model.
The Sabra Mk 1 project based on the "Magakh" implied the use of a Continental AVDS-1790-5A diesel engine with a capacity of 908 hp. Such a power plant did not suit the customer, which is why the MTU MT 881 KA-501 engine with a capacity of 1000 hp was proposed in the Mk 2 project. One of the main advantages that influenced the choice of the customer was the possibility of licensed production of MTU engines at Turkish enterprises. The transmission was also replaced. Instead of the Allison CD850-6BX (Mk. I) product, the tank was equipped with the Renk 304S system.
The chassis of the base tank has not undergone significant changes. It includes six road wheels with individual torsion bar suspension on each side, three supporting rollers and additional shock absorbers. The idler wheels remained in the front of the hull, the driving wheels were in the stern.
Installation scheme for additional armor on the base hull and turret. Figure Alternathistory.com
One of the main requirements for the Sabra project concerned the strengthening of weapons. M60 tanks of all basic modifications were equipped with a 105 mm M68 rifled gun, the parameters of which no longer allow effectively hitting modern armored vehicles with a high level of protection. For this reason, IMI specialists had to develop a new armament complex with a more powerful main weapon. When creating an updated fighting compartment, the existing developments and ready-made units borrowed from Israeli tanks were used. It is noteworthy that during the creation of the modernized tower, the existing units did not have to be significantly modified.
The main weapon of the Sabra tanks of all modifications was the 120 mm MG253 smoothbore gun developed for the Merkava Mk 3 tank. The barrel of the gun is equipped with an ejector and a heat-shielding casing. In the packing of the fighting compartment 42 unitary shots are placed. It is argued that the use of a larger-caliber smooth-bore gun made it possible to significantly increase the firepower of the tank, as well as to increase the effective range of fire and the power of ammunition. Thus, from the point of view of the main armament, the Sabra tanks have a great advantage over the base M60 of all major modifications.
The turret of the upgraded Sabra Mk 1 tank is equipped with electric swing drives and a hydraulic lifting system for the gun mount. This equipment allows aiming weapons in any direction with an elevation from -9 ° to + 20 °. In the Sabra Mk 2 project, it was proposed to use only electrical guidance systems.
As additional weapons, Sabra tanks were to receive machine guns and smoke grenade launchers. In one installation with a cannon, it was proposed to mount a rifle caliber machine gun, such as the M240 or MG3. On the commander's cupola, an installation for an anti-aircraft machine gun was provided. At the request of the customer, a large-caliber machine gun M85 was placed on it. Two blocks of 60-mm smoke grenade launchers are mounted on the cheekbones of the tower.
A parade line of tanks. Photo Militaryedge.org
The upgraded tank is equipped with a Knight digital fire control system, which includes various equipment from El-Op Industries Ltd and Elbit Systems. The OMS is integrated with other equipment used for tank control and communications. Day and night devices were used, allowing to observe and attack targets in any weather conditions and at any time of the day. Thus, the gunner's workplace is equipped with a combined sight with a magnification of up to x8 in the daytime mode and up to x5.3 in the night mode. The available laser rangefinder allows you to determine the distance to the target within 200-9995 m with an accuracy of 5 m.
During the upgrade to the state of Sabra Mk 1/2, the M60A3 tank retains a crew of four. In front of the hull there is a driver, three other tankers (commander, gunner and loader) are in the fighting compartment.
After installing new equipment and additional armor, the dimensions of the tank remain the same. The vehicle's length is 6, 95 m, width 3, 63 m, height - 3, 27 m. The combat weight of the Sabra tank depends on the modification. In the first version, this parameter was 55 tons, in the Mk 2 version - 59 tons. The increase in mass was influenced by increased armor, a new power plant and some other factors.
The Sabra Mk 1 tank, equipped with a Continental AVDS-1790-5A engine, was supposed to have a power density of 16.5 hp. per ton. In the Sabra Mk 2 modification, this parameter increased to 16.95 hp. per ton. With such characteristics, the first version of the armored vehicle could reach a maximum speed of up to 48 km / h, the second - up to 55 km / h. The cruising range for one refueling of all modifications is set at 450 km. Tanks of all modifications are able to climb a slope with a steepness of 60%, move with a roll of 30%, climb a wall 91 cm high and cross a trench 2, 6 m wide. Without preparation, it is possible to overcome a ford up to 1, 4 m deep, with preparation - up to 2, 4 m.
Tank Sabra on parade. Photo Militaryedge.org
The contract for the development of a project for the modernization of combat tanks of the M60 family was signed in 2002. After that, for several years, IMI worked on the creation of the project and the fulfillment of the customer's requirements. In 2005, construction began on an experimental Sabra tank, which was presented at the end of autumn. In the future, the developer company and the Turkish armed forces carried out the entire range of necessary tests, according to the results of which certain improvements were made and a decision was made on the further fate of the new technology.
The Turkish military approved the Sabra Mk 2 project and decided to start mass production of new tanks. In 2007, a contract was signed to repair the existing M60A3 tanks in the army with modernization according to a new project. The new vehicles were adopted under the designation M60T Sabra. In accordance with the 2007 agreement, the Israeli side transferred a number of necessary technologies and licenses for the production of some equipment to the Turkish industry. At the same time, however, additional booking modules were produced only in Israel and delivered to Turkey in finished form. The necessary components were produced by various enterprises and supplied to the 2nd main technical service center, where equipment was repaired and new equipment was installed.
The contract for the supply of M60T Sabra tanks continued until the spring of 2009. During this time, Turkish and Israeli enterprises produced 170 modernization kits and installed them on the M60A3 battle tanks. By the end of the last decade, all these vehicles were back in service, becoming one of the newest and most advanced tanks in the Turkish army.
According to reports, the Turkish ground forces currently have approximately 930 M60 tanks of several modifications, including the M60T Sabra. Thus, more than seven and a half hundred armored vehicles are outdated modifications and are seriously inferior to modernized equipment in a number of characteristics. As follows from the published information, there are no plans to upgrade the remaining tanks of the M60 family. The implementation of such a project is associated with large expenditures that do not fit into the Turkish military budget. In addition, over the past few years, the Turkish army has been making plans to switch to the newest Altay tank, abandoning outdated equipment.
Unloading M60T tanks near the Turkish-Syrian border, late 2015 Photo Alternalhistory.com
Having completed the contract for the supply of equipment for the modernization of tanks, the Israeli company IMI continued the development of the Sabra project. The result of further work was the appearance of the Sabra Mk 3 variant, which differs from its predecessors in a number of characteristic features. In this project, it is proposed to use additional reservation modules created on the basis of developments in the Merkava Mk 4 project, as well as a warning system for laser or radar exposure. Instead of a turret, it is proposed to install a remotely controlled weapon station with a large-caliber machine gun on the commander's cupola. In addition, the chassis receives a track borrowed from Israeli tanks.
As far as we know, the Sabra Mk 3 project has not yet interested potential customers, primarily Turkey. The proposed modernization option has noticeable advantages over the previous ones, but it is more expensive. In addition, the plans of the Turkish command regarding the development of armored vehicles affect its prospects. Thus, it can be assumed that the Sabra Mk 3 project will never leave the stage of preliminary development and market promotion. Nevertheless, it cannot be ruled out that this project may interest third countries, which are still armed with old American-made tanks. Ordering modernization kits will allow upgrading equipment with a noticeable increase in its characteristics to an acceptable level, but at the same time saving money in comparison with the purchase of new modern equipment.
The project for the modernization of M60A3 tanks called Sabra is of some interest from a technical point of view. By using ready-made components and developing some new products, Israeli specialists managed to create an original project for updating outdated armored vehicles with a significant increase in their characteristics. The main advantages of new projects can be considered the use of 120-mm guns and a modern digital fire control system. Such innovations made it possible to get rid of outdated 105-mm cannons and raise the firepower of tanks to a sufficiently high level, comparable to leading foreign developments.
Nevertheless, there are also some specific disadvantages, primarily related to the modernization nature of the project. M60 tanks were equipped with homogeneous armor, which imposed serious restrictions on the increase in the level of protection. Even after installing additional armor, including reactive armor (Sabra Mk 2), the level of protection of the tank may be insufficient to counter modern armor-piercing shells or anti-tank missiles.
General view of the tank Sabra Mk 3. Figure Alternalhistory.com
Another disadvantage of the Sabra tank is its relatively low mobility. Even with a powerful 1,000 horsepower engine installed, the M60T has a power-to-weight ratio of less than 17 hp. per ton, which limits the maximum speed, cross-country ability and other parameters of mobility. As a result, in a number of parameters, the Sabra is inferior to modern and some outdated tanks. In this case, further increase in engine power may not be possible due to an unacceptable increase in the load on the chassis.
The Sabra project was developed in accordance with the 2002 order, and the modernization of the tanks was carried out in 2007-2009. As a result, the ground forces of Turkey received 170 deeply modernized armored vehicles with improved characteristics. This allowed, to a certain extent, to update the material part of tank units, but the proportion of modernized M60T tanks is not too large. For comparison, in recent years, Turkey has acquired about 350 Leopard 2 tanks. Nevertheless, the Sabra project is considered successful, since it allowed to update part of the outdated equipment and improve its characteristics without significant costs.
