OLIFANT MK 1B MAIN BATTLE TANK, SOUTH AFRICA
The Olifant Mk 1B main battle tank was developed and produced by
the Olifant Manufacturing Company, OMC Engineering PTY Ltd, based
in South Africa. Development of the Olifant started in 1976 and
first entered service with the South African Armoured Corps in the
late 1970s. OMC Engineering later became Reumech OMC, then Vickers
OMC and, in September 2002 was renamed Alvis OMC, following the
acquisition of Vickers Defence by Alvis plc. In September 2004,
Alvis OMC became part of BAE Systems Land Systems.
The layout of the Olifant Mark 1 was very similar to that of the
South African Semel tank which was based on an upgraded conversion
of the British Centurion tanks. The Olifant has been continually
upgraded. The Mark 1A entered full-scale production in 1983 and the
first were in service by 1985. In the same year that the Mark 1A
entered the production phase, development work was started on the
Mark 1B, and these tanks were in production during the 1990s and
are operational in the South African Armed Forces.
The South African Army has 172 Olifant Mk 1A/B main battle tanks in
operation. The Olifant 1B entered service in 1991. The upgrades
included the installation of a more powerful 105 mm L7 cannon, a
hand held laser rangefinder and a first generation image
intensifier. The range of the tank was increased by the
installation of a diesel engine and additional fuel tanks.
Alvis OMC has been awarded a contract by Armscor (the South African
Department of Defense procurement agency) to upgrade a number of
Oliphant Mk 1B tanks. The upgrade programme will include uprating
the powerpack by 15%, upgrading the fire control system and a new
target detection and engagement system with thermal imaging
capability. First deliveries of the system are scheduled for May
2004 and are to conclude by October 2005.
WEAPONS
The Mark 1B Olifant is armed with the 105mm L7 rifled cannon main
gun. The gun on the Mark 1B is fitted with a thermal sleeve for
sustained accuracy in firing. The Mark 1B carries 68 rounds of 105
mm ammunition.
The tank is also fitted with a 7.62 mm general purpose co-axial
machine gun and a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
FIRE CONTROL
The driver's station is equipped with a day and night sight and the
gunner's station is fitted with day and night sights and an
integrated laser rangefinder.
SELF-PROTECTION
The glacis plate and nose of the hull have been upgraded with the
addition of passive armour and the turret has been fitted with
stand-off armour. The installation of a double armour floor gives
the crew additional protection against mines. The running gear is
protected against HEAT missiles by new sideskirts.
A smoke screen can be laid by a fuel injection system in the
engine's exhaust. A fire detection and suppression system improves
the level of survivability.
ENGINE
The V-12 air-cooled turbo diesel engine provides 900 horsepower.
The tank has been equipped with torsion bar running gear and
hydraulic dampers have been fitted to the first and last pair of
wheels.
MOBILITY
The tank achieves a maximum road speed of 58 km/hour and the
maximum range on internal fuel is 350 km. The tank can ford water
to a depth of 1.5 metres, negotiate gradients and slopes of 60 and
30 per cent and vertical obstacles up to 1 metre in height.
OLIFANT 2
LIW, a division of Denel, has developed the Olifant 2 main battle
tank turret, which can be fitted on an upgraded Olifant Mk1B
chassis, providing the tank with hunter killer modes of operation,
fire on the move and day and night time engagement. The turret can
be armed with either LIWs GT8 105 mm or an LIW 120 mm smoothbore
gun and features periscopic stabilised day/thermal gunners sight
with laser rangefinder, panoramic commanders sight, full solution
fire control system and modular armour package.
