TR-580 (Tanc Romanesc Model 580)

History

The TR-580 exists as a local Romanian offshoot of the popular Soviet-era T-55 (MBT) main battle tank. The design was created as an indigenous initiative to provide a self-sufficient range for the ongoing needs of the Romanian military industry. The T-55 was the basis for what would later become the new Romanian tank, in service from the late 1970s to the present (2015).

Some 632 of this type are believed to have been produced only by the Romanian army in the 1980s, with a limited supply agreement with the Iraqi state.

Following the events of August-September 1968, when the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact forces invaded Czechoslovakia to disrupt the liberal "Prague Spring" reforms, Romanian government officials recognized the value of building an effective local defense industry , and commissioned them to build a new MBT that could be produced at the Romanian factory. According to the agreed requirements, the Soviet T-55 main battle tank was chosen as the starting point for Romanian alignment vehicles.

Since Romania lacks an industry to design, develop and mass-produce MBTs from scratch, modifying an existing, proven design makes financial and material sense. Additionally, the T-55 is a Cold War success story, sold in over 50 countries (including Romania), with an estimated 100,000 units produced. Romania refers to several variants of the T-55 as "T-55AM"

With the gradual selection of the T-55, the army should get a steady performance with a surplus of existing parts in the Romanian military supply chain. New plans include changes to the base system, including lengthening the hull, lateral "rock" armor to protect the upper track area, and adding an additional roadwheel on each side of the hull.

Overall, the tank retains the same general design lines as the original Soviet model. Armament remains a towed 100mm main gun and seeks a diesel engine of at least 500hp.

The engine of choice was originally a West German engine (MTU MB 838 producing 820 hp) mounted on a Leopard 1 MBT, which forced the aforementioned hull modification and the addition of wheels.

Development of the tank began in 1974 with the production of one test vehicle for testing, followed by ten pre-production vehicles for evaluation. The vehicle was originally named "TR-77", due to tensions between the Warsaw Pact and the West, the Leopard 1 engine was unavailable, so the tank was fitted with a local 580 hp diesel - the same V-55 V-12 water -Cooled turbo diesel engine, 580 hp from original T-55 MBT.

The authorities aimed to produce about 400 tanks under the designation "TR-580" ("Tanc Romanesc Model 580"). The official name became a merger of two names - "TR-77-580" - known in the West as "M1977" or "M77".

Performance includes a road speed of 50 km/h and a maximum range of up to 380 km. NBC protection is standard and provides night vision. The 100mm main gun is an A308 series towing system supported by a 7.62mm SGMT coaxial machine gun mount.

A heavy 12.7mm DShK machine gun is located above the top of the turret for local defense. The 50x100mm projectile is carried along with the 3,500x7.62mm and 500x12.7mm rounds.

The TR-580 was produced from 1979 to 1985. The system weighed 42 tons, had a crew of four, and had a low-profile silhouette consistent with Soviet tanks of the time. Over time, a modernized form was developed, resulting in the "TR-580M" model, which featured a laser rangefinder mounted above the 100mm main gun.

The "TCZ-580" became the Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) variant of the TR-580, with equipment comparable to the Czechoslovak VT-55A ARV. The TR-580 MBT was exported under the brand name "TM-800" and the ARV form was "TER-800".

In 1981, the Iraqi government ordered 150 Romanian TR-580 tanks to supplement its existing inventory of T-55s, which were delivered through links in Egypt between 1981 and 1984. Many were destroyed in subsequent battles or scrapped after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

The TR-580 was eventually replaced by the modern "TR-85", a T-55-based MBT product with a new turret design and a new Fire Control System (FCS) activation. The car now features a German-origin engine and a new suspension system for improved off-road driving.

The TR-85 is described in detail elsewhere on this website.

Currently (2015), the Romanian Army has 42 remaining TR-580 MBTs and about 530 T-55AM and T-55AM2 tanks in service. The TR-85 was represented by 249 TR-85 MBTs and 54 TR-85M1 "Bison" production vehicles. All Iraqi TR-580s are considered forgotten by history.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

43 x 100mm projectile.

3,500x7.62mm ammo.

500x12.7mm ammo.

Changes