Olifant (tank)

Olifant
Olifant Mk.2 Tank
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	United Kingdom/South Africa
Service history
In service	1976–present
Wars	South African Border War: Operation Moduler Operation Packer
Production history
No. built	224
Specifications
Mass	57 long tons (58 t)[1]
Length	Hull only 24 ft 9.5 in (7.557 m)[1] With gun forward 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m)[1]
Width	11 ft 1 in (3.38 m) with side plates 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m) without side plates[1]
Height	9 ft 7.75 in (2.94 m)[1]
Crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armour	51–152 mm (2.0–6.0 in)
Main armament	Ordnance QF 20 pounder 84 mm (Mk.1) 105 mm L7 rifled gun (others)
Secondary armament	Co-axial machine gun .30 cal
Engine	Rolls-Royce Meteor 4B[1] (Mk.1) V-12 air-cooled Continental AV1790 turbo diesel engine (others) 650 hp (480 kW) at 2550rpm (Meteor)[1] others up to 1,040 hp (780 kW) (Mk.2)
Transmission	5-speed Merrit-Brown Z51R Mk. F gearbox (Mk.1) automatic gearbox (Mk.1A, Mk.1B, Mk.2)
Suspension	Modified Horstmann (Mk.1 and Mk.1A) Torsion Bar (Mk.1B and Mk.2)
Ground clearance	1 ft 8 in (0.51 m)[1]
Maximum speed	21.5 mph (34.6 km/h) (Mk.1)[1] 35 mph (56 km/h) (Mk.1A, Mk.1B, Mk.2)

The Olifant (Afrikaans for Elephant) is the primary main battle tank of South Africa. It was developed from the British Centurion tank since 1976. These tanks were heavily redesigned and rebuilt by South Africa since 1976 with some help from Israel. The Olifant is considered the best indigenous tank design on the African continent. Although based on a Centurion tank hull, it has a locally produced gun, power pack, transmission, tracks, wheels and fire control system and thus, at least the Olifant Mk.2 can be seen as almost a new tank.