Monday, February 4, 2013

Updated Zolfaghar 3 and Samsam Main Battle Tanks

by Mark Pyruz

On display during Ten-Day Dawn celebrations: Iran's updated Zolfaghar 3 main battle tank

Seldom seen, the Zolfaghar 3 MBT under its own power, reportedly powered by a 
Continental AVDS-1790 1000 hp tank engine

Three man crew of the Zolfaghar 3

Heavy use of anti-radar camouflage netting suggests the Iranians are conscious of the fact they 
will not be in control of the skies during a potential conflict with its presumed aggressor

DShKM heavy machine gun and MGA3 general purpose machine gun

Updated M60A1 main battle tank, know in Iran as "Samsam"

Previous viewing of the Samsam MBT showed heavy use of reactive armor

Side-by-side frontal comparison of Zolfaghar 3 and Samsam MBTs
Note Zolfaghar 3's 125 mm smoothbore cannon compared with Samsam's 105 mm

Rear comparison of Zolfaghar 3 and Samsam MBTs
Note similarity in track arrangement and suspension

Video:

Photos: Mahmood Hosseini at Tasnim News Agency

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

It rolls on, takes aim and fires... with no apparent special effects. Considering its been on static display for so 12 years of so, suggests the fact that after lots of painstaking efforts, the industry seems finally satisfied with its standards. Now the interesting observation would be about how long it will take them to give the green light on mass production, and what exactly would be its self-defense systems.

Anonymous said...

The heavy camouflage is there to hide the mockup that hides under it.
This tank like all the other mockups won't see the light of day in production.
So Iran will still rely on the good old Shah era weapons systems as usual,like they have always done. And by repainting them dozens of times and claim they are "improved" or "indigenous" won't change the reality the true state the antiquated Iranian armed forces is in.
Oh,and don't pretend you're some anonymous person and lecture us about being "anti Iran" or "jealous" because you know very well it's not true.

Anonymous said...

the regime's tanks are very useful in fighting against the civilian population in Iran and utterly unavailing against aircraft or against a well-equipped foreign military supported by far,far better tanks and equipment

Anonymous said...

The "regime's tanks?" What are you talking about? Iranian engineers designed and produced this. Insulting this tank is only insulting hard working Iranians, not Khamenei or Ahmadinejad. Tanks have never been used against the people, so I don't know what you're talking about.

Some of you just love bashing anything produced by Iran. "Oh, well this tank can't beat any tank produced by the US, so it sucks!" Grow up.

Anonymous said...

Maybe He wanted to insult Iran and Iranians! let them mock, sometimes mocking says more about those who do it than the mocked. In any case It is obvious Iran's industry is growing and evolving and becoming less independent, now that's a simple fact And it's a good and positive development for Iran and It's future no matter who is in charge. Iran has been out of this for too long and needs to catch up.

Anonymous said...

Yes,mock and mocking is one of the things the Islamic regime is expert at.
Starting with the Cardboard Imam and then the welded barrels on back of trucks pretending to be S300s to the Fiber class "stealth" plane with its supposed "1000 hour test flights".
All these stunts have done nothing to enhance Iran's position except becoming a laughing stock of the world.
Enjoy.

Anonymous said...

@9:09

"Yes,mock and mocking is one of the things the Islamic regime is expert at."

Then you must be the Islamic regime's number one supporter!

Anonymous said...

What ever keeps a madman happy!

B.M.A said...

MARK- with due respect-

one-
what makes you believe that THE heavy use of anti radar netting signifies the regime fears that it might nor rule the skies in an event of a confrontation with its enemies!!.
two-
'updated M60I MAIN BATTLE tank known in Iran as SAMSAM'-YOU are too fond of glorifying the 'original stuff'! ,SOMETIMES CREATING THE IMPRESSION THAT THE Iranians JUST PULL an old hardware from the yard and then fix some lights and some facelift and rush to the cameras to announce an innovation!-LONGING TO HEAR SOMETHING FROM YOU on the position and status of the IRANIAN engineers and experts on their ability to match the west leg to leg in defense tools if given the right environment!!.

Anonymous said...

The ones in the pics are not M60A1 SamSams'...the SamSam upgrade has tiles of reactive armor.

Anonymous said...

M60A1 Samsam:

http://gallery.military.ir/albums/userpics/IMG_0871.JPG

http://gallery.military.ir/albums/userpics/_DSC0213.jpg

Anonymous said...

ite tiyam(the tank wiyh reactive armor) not sansam