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After completing the upgrade of its Type 69 II MBT’s, the Bangladesh Army now wants to upgrade all of its Type 59 main battle tanks too as per its own specification.
Four countries including Azerbaijan, China, Pakistan and Ukraine have submitted their proposals with options to upgrade the power pack, transmission, main gun, fire control system and installation of battlefield management system to link the tanks with commanders.
However Ukraine’s proposal was turned down due to their inability to meet the specifics of the tender but Azerbaijan, China and Pakistan remain in the competition to upgrade 174 Type 59 MBT’s by 2019.
Pakistan’s Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) has offered to upgrade the Type 59′s to Al Zarrar standard but remains flexible to Bangladesh Army’s specifications. A representative of HIT informed BDMilitary.com that they would be offering the 125 mm semi-automatic gun, fire control system (computerised FCS and image stabilised sights), power pack, transmission, suspension and ERA that are used in Type 85-IIAP and Al Zarrar MBT’s, which are in service with the Pakistan Army. The upgrade offered by Pakistan would still mean the traditional crew of four consisting of the commander, loader, gunner and driver are retained aboard the upgraded Type 59 tanks.
Similarly, the Chinese have offered two different modifications, one of which failed the trials and another that is still under evaluation consisting of 125 mm smoothbore gun, ERA, FCS, power pack, transmission, fire fighting system, communications and auxiliary machine guns.
The Azerbaijan offer includes installation of additional turret armour, a 125 mm smoothbore gun, a new battlefield management and fire control system, driver night-vision device, new communications system, digital intercom and an auxiliary power unit.
Upgrading would be undertaken in Bangladesh similarly to the Type 69 II upgrade program where the foreign partner would provide the upgrade kits and technical guidance to complete the enhancements.
The Bangladesh Army’s tank inventory consists of a regiment of MBT-2000 tanks, which were delivered in 2013 by NORINCO in a deal consisting of 44 MBT-2000′s and 3 ARV’s worth $162 million. They are supplemented by 352 Type 59 and Type 69 II G Mk I besides 44 Type 62 light tanks.
The Bangladesh Army plans to raise more armoured regiments in order to provide at least one armour regiment to each Infantry Division. Currently there are ten armoured regiments in the Bangladesh Army including an armoured brigade attached to the 11th Infantry Division. Mechanised infantry formations are also being raised in every Infantry Division as per Vision 2030 blueprint.
source: http://www.bdmilitary.com/bangladesh-armys-type-59-tanks-upgraded/
Four countries including Azerbaijan, China, Pakistan and Ukraine have submitted their proposals with options to upgrade the power pack, transmission, main gun, fire control system and installation of battlefield management system to link the tanks with commanders.
However Ukraine’s proposal was turned down due to their inability to meet the specifics of the tender but Azerbaijan, China and Pakistan remain in the competition to upgrade 174 Type 59 MBT’s by 2019.
Pakistan’s Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) has offered to upgrade the Type 59′s to Al Zarrar standard but remains flexible to Bangladesh Army’s specifications. A representative of HIT informed BDMilitary.com that they would be offering the 125 mm semi-automatic gun, fire control system (computerised FCS and image stabilised sights), power pack, transmission, suspension and ERA that are used in Type 85-IIAP and Al Zarrar MBT’s, which are in service with the Pakistan Army. The upgrade offered by Pakistan would still mean the traditional crew of four consisting of the commander, loader, gunner and driver are retained aboard the upgraded Type 59 tanks.
Similarly, the Chinese have offered two different modifications, one of which failed the trials and another that is still under evaluation consisting of 125 mm smoothbore gun, ERA, FCS, power pack, transmission, fire fighting system, communications and auxiliary machine guns.
The Azerbaijan offer includes installation of additional turret armour, a 125 mm smoothbore gun, a new battlefield management and fire control system, driver night-vision device, new communications system, digital intercom and an auxiliary power unit.
Upgrading would be undertaken in Bangladesh similarly to the Type 69 II upgrade program where the foreign partner would provide the upgrade kits and technical guidance to complete the enhancements.
The Bangladesh Army’s tank inventory consists of a regiment of MBT-2000 tanks, which were delivered in 2013 by NORINCO in a deal consisting of 44 MBT-2000′s and 3 ARV’s worth $162 million. They are supplemented by 352 Type 59 and Type 69 II G Mk I besides 44 Type 62 light tanks.
The Bangladesh Army plans to raise more armoured regiments in order to provide at least one armour regiment to each Infantry Division. Currently there are ten armoured regiments in the Bangladesh Army including an armoured brigade attached to the 11th Infantry Division. Mechanised infantry formations are also being raised in every Infantry Division as per Vision 2030 blueprint.
source: http://www.bdmilitary.com/bangladesh-armys-type-59-tanks-upgraded/
