- TR-125
Infobox Weapon|is_vehicle=yes | name=TR-125
caption=TR-125
origin=Romania
type=Main battle tank
used_by=Romania
wars=none
number=3 or 5
weight=50 tonnes
length=7.9 m
width=3.6 m
height=2.2 m
crew=3 (commander, driver and gunner)
suspension=torsion bar
primary_armament=125 mm A555 smoothbore tank gun
secondary_armament=PKMT 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun,DShK 12.7 mm AA machine gun on commander's ring-mount
armour=Composite armour 570 mm (22.4 in) front of the turret
engine=8VSA3 diesel
engine_power=900 hp (671 kW)
hp=900
kW=671
pw_ratio= 18 hp/tonne (13.4 kW/tonne)The TR-125 (TR-125 stands for "Tanc Romanesc 125" - Romanian Tank 125)
main battle tank is the redesignedT-72 made inRomania made of Romanian components only. Number 125 in the designation stands for the 125 mm A555 smoothbore tank gun. It is now designated P-125.History
In the late 1970's - early 1980s, the USSR supplied Romania with 30
T-72 main battle tanks. Mass production was also planned and because Romania has a tradition of producing only weapons that are made of domestic made components therefore works on a such a variant were started in mid 1980's. Three (five according to other sources) prototypes were made and tested.Description
The vehicle has a modified suspension with seven pairs of wheels, unlike the T-72 and most tanks based on it which have six. This allowed the hull to be stretched by 1 m and installation of the more powerful 900 hp (671 kW)
diesel engine 8VSA3, based on the US Teledyne AVDS. It used an oldDShK machine gun for anti-aircraft purposes and was fitted with extra armour. As a result of these changes the tank's weight increased from 41.5 tonnes (T-72M) to 50 tonnes.Operators
* - 3 or 5 prototypes
Gallery
External links
* [http://www.forter.ro/ro/arme/tancurile/ Brief history of tanks in Romanian Army]
* [http://www.militarium.net/wojska_ladowe/mt72.php Polish page about T-72 based tanks including TR-125]
* [http://www.cartula.ro/forum/index.php?s=43a587575a27811b4ed58e4209d4d405&act=attach&type=post&id=16446 Word document presumably containing the response given by the Romanian MoD - Armaments Department to an inquiry concerning TR-125]
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