Ukraine To Market Diesel Powerpack As Upgrade To Its Existing Battle Tanks

Ukrainian State Enterprise Malyshev Plant is marketing its latest 1,500 hp diesel powerpack as a potential upgrade for existing main battle tanks (MBTs) or installation in newly built MBTs.

The latest development is a compact diesel powerpack comprises of liquid-cooled 6TD-series six-cylinder, two-stroke multifuel supercharged engine, IHS Janes reported Monday.

The engine features direct fuel injection, a lubrication system, a powerpack top deck with ejection-type cooling system, an uprated transmission, and a hydraulic control and transmission lubrication system. Hull component parts include the air cleaner, air inlet device, and gas duct.

According to the Malyshev Plant, its ejection-type cooling system enables the MBT to operate in high ambient temperatures of up to 55°C without loss of power when using diesel fuel.

The highly efficient cassette/cyclone air filter is claimed to ensure air filtration with an efficiency rating of up to 99.8%, which is critical for operating in desert conditions.

The air-tight powerpack enables the MBT to wade to a maximum depth of up to 1.8 m without preparation and the compact design enables it to be installed co-axially with the side gearboxes. The company is also marketing its reversible transmission for use with the 6TD-series engine, which is claimed to improve forward and reverse speeds.

The top deck is provided with thermal protection to reduce the exhaust signature. The company's smaller 3TD family of diesel engines features outputs of 280 to 600 hp and the larger 5TD with outputs of 700 to 1,050 hp for MBT applications. The 3, 5, and 6 in the designation denotes the number of cylinders.

The company also supplies auxiliary power units (APUs) that are typically installed in MBTs to enable their main engines to be shut down while maintaining operation of its electronic subsystems.