Israeli upgraded Centurion (Sho't) MBT
Development/Description
The first order placed by Israel with the UK was for the supply of 16 used Centurion Mk 5 and 14 new Mk 8 vehicles armed with a 20-pounder (83.8 mm) gun. First deliveries were made to Israel in December 1958.
In May 1960, a further 60 used Mk 5 Centurions were purchased from the UK. In October 1961, the UK agreed to upgun 90 Centurion MBTs with the BAE Systems, RO Defence 105 mm L7 series rifled tank gun. In 1962, the UK supplied 45 Mk 5s, already fitted with 105 mm L7 guns and by the 1967 war, a total of 385 Centurions were in service.
One of the main drawbacks of the Centurion was its Meteor petrol engine which gave the tank a relatively low power-to-weight ratio and a very high fuel consumption limiting its operational range. The cooling system and air cleaners also gave a lot of trouble.
In 1967, a decision was taken to replace the Meteor petrol engine with a diesel. After trials with three different engines, the Teledyne Continental (now General Dynamics Land Systems) AVDS-1790-2A diesel was selected, as it was also being installed in the Israeli Armoured Corps' M48A2 tanks which at that time were being modernised. The original Merritt-Brown Z51R manual gearbox was replaced by the Allison Transmission CD-850-6 automatic, which greatly reduced driver fatigue as well as simplifying training.
The first contract, signed in May 1967, was for the supply of 400 AVDS-1790 series diesel engines for the Centurion and the first upgraded Centurion vehicles were completed in May 1970.
To accommodate the new power pack, the rear of the hull had to be enlarged, but even so, the engine had to be installed at an inclination of 3.5º front side up. This meant that elevated top decks had to be fitted to accommodate the cooling air outlets that vented upwards through louvres above the transmission compartment. Externally, the modified Israeli Centurion, officially designated the Upgraded Centurion is recognisable by its raised engine decks and air filter boxes on the trackguards.
The Upgraded Centurion, which entered service with the Israeli Armoured Corps in May 1970 and was shown for the first time in public in February 1973, also has an increased fuel capacity, more efficient air-cooled braking system, new fire extinguishing system, improved ammunition layout with 72 rounds of 105 mm ammunition and a new electrical system.
Some Centurions were observed with a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun over the gun barrel.
The Upgraded Centurion has a maximum road speed of 50 km/h and twice the cruising range of the Centurion Mk 5 on which it is based.
Recent information is that the Centurion MBT is no longer in front line service with the IDF. SIBAT, part of the Israel Ministry of Defence, is now offering upgraded Centurion MBTs for sale as well as upgraded M48A3/M48A5, T-55 and T-62 series MBTs.
Variants
All of the Centurion, M48 and M60 series MBTs of the Israel Defence Force were fitted with the Israel Military Industries Blazer explosive reactive armour package, details of which are given later in this entry. Most were fitted with the Israel Military Industries CL-3030 instantaneous self-screening system for combat vehicles.
This system is fitted to many other Israeli armoured vehicles including the upgraded M48/M60, Merkava and more recently the upgraded M113 series armoured personnel carrier.
The two basic components of the system are the two launch containers, mounted one either side of the main armament and, the IS-10 system which holds 10 smoke projectiles in two cassettes of five projectiles each. The smoke projectiles contain red phosphorus which is non-toxic and, when fired, create a screen at a distance of 40 to 50 m from the tank that is initially 60 m wide and 4 to 8 m high.
The Upgraded Centurion and other Israeli MBTs can also be fitted with the Ramta Structures and Systems Track Width Mine Plough and the Urdan RKM mineclearing roller system (Jane's Military Vehicles and Logistics 2002-2003). It can also be fitted with the RKM bulldozer attachment.
The Israel Defence Force also uses the Centurion ARV Mk 2 and some tanks have had their turrets removed for use as tugs.
Puma APC
The Puma armoured personnel carrier is based on a modified Centurion chassis and was developed to meet the requirements of the Israel Defence Force Engineering Corps. Available details are given in the Armoured personnel carriers (tracked) section under Israel.
Nagmashot APC
The Nagmashot armoured personnel carrier is based on a modified Centurion chassis and was designed to meet the requirements of the Infantry Corps. Available details are given in the Armoured personnel carriers (tracked) section under Israel.
Note on Israeli MBTs
During the fighting in Lebanon in the second quarter of 1982, many Israeli M48, M60 and Centurion series MBTs were observed to be fitted with appliqué armour. In late 1983, it was confirmed that this was explosive reactive armour and had been developed by RAFAEL Armament Development Authority with production and marketing now being undertaken by Israel Military Industries. This armour, called Blazer, is suitable for installation on all types of MBT and adds less than one tonne to the vehicle weight. It consists of small panels of armour bolted onto the hull and turret, reacting to HEAT attack but not activated by small arms ammunition, fire or artillery fragments. Once a panel has been hit it no longer provides protection, but the manufacturer believes that the chance of a panel being hit twice is remote. On an M60A1 type MBT about 10 m2 is protected including the turret roof. Blazer provides a high level of protection against attack from HEAT projectiles such as those fitted to RPG-7 and `Sagger' type weapons. An illustration of an M60A1 with Blazer explosive reactive armour appears in this section in the M60 MBT entry.
Blazer is not initiated by small arms ammunition up to 23 mm API at all angles of attack from zero range, artillery and mortar fragments from 2 m and arc welding and autogen cutting. Blazer provides complete arrest of the AT-3 `Sagger' at all angles of attack over 70 per cent of the frontal arc of the hull. On the front of the hull Blazer provides complete arrest of RPGs at all angles of attack (0º incidence) and, complete arrest of AT-3 `Sagger' at 30º (NATO 60º
incidence on the side of the turret.
In early 1984, it was announced that the Israeli Ordnance Corps had developed a low-cost fire-control system which would initially be fitted to Israeli M48 and Centurion MBTs. The fire-control system can be installed in under a day and includes a computer developed by Elbit Computers and electronics and optics by ELOP Electro-Optics Industries Limited.
Specifications
Upgraded Israeli Centurion MBT
Crew: 4
Combat weight: 53,500 kg
Power-to-weight ratio: 14.01 hp/t
Length (gun forwards): 7.55 or 7.84 m (depending on model)
Width: 3.38 m
Height: 2.94 m
Ground clearance: 0.42 m
Track: 2.641 m
Track width: 610 mm
Length of track on ground: 5.572 m
Max road speed: 50 km/h
Fuel capacity: 1,090 litres
Range (cruising): 500 km
Fording: 1.45 m
Gradient: 60%
Vertical obstacle: 0.914 m
Trench: 3.352 m
Engine: General Dynamics Land Systems AVDS-1790-2AC air cooled diesel developing 750 hp at 2,400 rpm
Transmission: Allison CD-850-6A1 fully automatic
Suspension: Horstmann
Electrical system: 24 V
Armament:
(main) 1 × 105 mm L7 series gun
(co axial) 1 × 7.62 mm MG
(anti-aircraft) 2 × 7.62 mm MG
Ammunition:
(105 mm) 72
(7.62 mm) 7,500
Gun control equipment: electric/manual
Max rate power traverse: 360d in 26 s
Gun elevation/depression: +20/-10d
Commanders override: yes
Gun stabiliser:
(vertical) yes
(horizontal) yes
Range setting device: yes
Elevation quadrant: yes
Traverse indicator: yes
NBC system: yes
Night vision equipment: yes
Manufacturer
Israeli Ordnance Corps.
The Upgraded Centurion programme was carried out at Israeli Ordnance Corps Workshops at Tel a Shomer, near Tel Aviv, Israel. Quantities of surplus and upgraded Centurion MBTs are available for sales through SIBAT which is part of the Israel Ministry of Defence.