Iran to Optimize Zolfaqar Tanks to Confront Modern Threat

Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said the country continues optimizing the home-made Zolfaqar tanks in a bid to upgrade its capabilities against modern threats.

"Each day we work on a newer version of Zolfaqar tanks so that the tank could maintain its efficiency in the battlefield and ground defense," Pourdastan told FNA on Saturday. 

"We certainly make changes in Zolfaqar tanks in accordance to threats and prepare it and make it an advanced tank in accordance with our battleground needs," Pourdastan stated. 

In April 2012, Pourdastan underlined the army's high capability to produce different hi-tech military tools and weapons, including a modern fire-control system mounted on the home-made Zolfaqar Tanks. 

"The (new) fire control system of Zolfaqar tank has been manufactured and unveiled and the laser telemetry devices have also been mounted onto the tanks. Zolfaqar can now vie with the world's most advanced tanks," Pourdastan told reporters at the time. 

Zolfaqar is a second generation of Iran's main battle tank (MBT). The test prototypes of the tank were evaluated in 1993. Six semi-industrial prototypes of the tank were produced and tested in 1997. The tank has a distinctive box-shaped, steel-welded turret of local design. Zolfaqar combat weight is reported to be 36 tons and has a 780 hp diesel engine; the tank has a 21.7 hp per ton ratio. 

Zolfaqar is operated by a crew of three personnel. The automatic loader is believed to be the same one from the T-72 tank. 

The Zolfaqar-1 uses a fire control system which enjoys a 'fire-on-the-move' technology. The Zolfaqar mounts a laser-warning pod on the turret. Its design enables the tank to use an Iranian-made package of reactive armor. 

Zolfaqar-2 is a prototype tank used as a test bed. The Zolfaqar-3 also features considerable upgrades to the fire control system, chassis, engine and main gun, with a 125mm autoloader.