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Tosan tank

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tosan
A supposed Tosan light tank during an Army Day parade in 2013.
TypeLight tank
Place of originIran
Service history
In service1997–present
Used bySee Operators
Production history
DesignerAlvis
Produced1997
No. builtFew made. Actual numbers unknown[1]
Specifications
Mass~ 8 tonnes
Length4.9 m
Width2.2 m
Height2.1 m
Crew3

Armour12.7 mm
Main
armament
90 mm gun or 30 mm 2A42 autocannon
Secondary
armament
Toophan
EngineDiesel
SuspensionTorsion bar

The Tosan (sometimes known as Towsan,[1] meaning "wild horse" or "fury"[2]) is an Iranian light tank. Iran calls it a "Quick Reaction" tank because the tank is said to be capable of rapid response and is built for strategic missions.[citation needed]

History

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Production started in 1997,[2] but the tank was only produced in small numbers.[1] Colonel Nasser Arab-Beigi, head of the self-sufficiency unit of the IRGC ground forces, announced the mass-production of the Tosan on June 30, 2008, as part of the country's campaign for defense self-sufficiency.[citation needed]

In July 2020, Tosans were deployed to the northwestern borders of Jolfa and Khodaafarin due to escalating tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan.[3]

Design

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The Tosan's design is based on the British FV101 Scorpion;[4] the tank is fitted with a 90 mm gun, Toophan missile launchers (some were mounted),[5] and improved firing and targeting systems.[citation needed] The tank can drive long distances on its tracks and does not need to be carried on trucks.[2]

Iranian sources reported that the Tosan's front armor is armored against bullets up to 12.7 caliber.[citation needed] It is equipped with a diesel engine.[citation needed]

Variants

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Operators

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Archived copy" (PDF). www.tau.ac.il. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ a b c Globalsecurity "Tosan". 10 July 2008.
  3. ^ Network, Frontier India News (November 7, 2020). "Iranian armour deployed at northwestern borders of Jolfa and Khodaafarin". Frontier India.
  4. ^ "Forecast International". www.forecastinternational.com.
  5. ^ a b Larson, Caleb (May 12, 2020). "Iran's Miniature Tosan Tank: One of the Smallest on Earth". The National Interest.
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Media related to Tosan light tank at Wikimedia Commons