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Modern day tanks elephant armor1/3/2024 ![]() 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. The tank is also fitted with a 7.62mm general purpose co-axial machine gun and a 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun. The mk1B carries 68 rounds of 105mm ammunition. The gun on the mk1B is fitted with a thermal sleeve for sustained accuracy in firing. The Olifant mk1B main battle tank is armed with the 105mm L7 rifled cannon main gun. A follow-on contract for a further 13 tanks upgraded to Olifant mk2 standard was awarded in September 2005. The upgrade programme included a new powerpack from Delkon which increases power by 15%, upgrade of gun and turret drives by Reutech Defence Logistics, new fire control system and target detection and engagement system with thermal imaging capability, both supplied by IST Dynamics. In September 2003, BAE Systems Land Systems OMC was awarded a contract by Armscor (the South African Department of Defence procurement agency) to upgrade 13 Olifant mk1B tanks. The range of the tank was increased by the installation of a diesel engine and additional fuel tanks. ![]() ![]() The upgrades included the installation of a more powerful 105mm L7 cannon, a hand-held laser rangefinder and a first-generation image intensifier. The South African Army has 172 Olifant mk1A/B main battle tanks in operation. In the same year that the mk1A entered the production phase, development work was started on the mk1B, and these tanks were in production during the 1990s and are operational in the South African Armed Forces. The mk1A entered full-scale production in 1983 and the first were in service by 1985. The Olifant has been continually upgraded. ![]() The layout of the Olifant mk1 was very similar to that of the South African Semel tank which was based on an upgraded conversion of the British Centurion tanks. ![]()
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