The Polish WZT-1 & WZT-2 Armored Recovery Vehicle

The Polish WZT-1 & WZT-2 Armored Recovery Vehicle series

The WZT-1

Poland was another nation to licence manufacturer the T-54/55 Medium Battle Tank and as such required a Wóz Zabezpieczenia Technicznego, which is Polish for Armoured Recovery Vehicle.

The WZT-1 was the licensed built Russian ARV based on the T-54. Production started in 1970 in “Bumar-Łabędy” and continued until 1978 when it was completely replaced by WZT-2.

Spec’s

Weight 31.5 tonnes
Length 7.10 m
Width 3.27 m
Height 2.1 m
Crew 3
Primary weapon 12.7 mm DShK 1938/46 heavy machine gun (200 rounds)
Engine V-55A 12-cyl. 38.88 liter water-cooled diesel 580 hp (432 kW)
Power/weight 18.4 hp/tonne (13.7 kW/tonne)
Suspension torsion bar
Operational range 470 km
Speed 50 km/h road, 27 km/h cross-country and 15 km/h towing


The WZT-2

The WZT-2 was a Polish ARV built on the T-55 hull with the purpose of recovering the T-55. It carried the standard equipment such as stabilization blade, boom crane, winch’s, compartments for other hand held engineering equipment and towing.

It entered production in Poland during 1972, with production ending in 1992, by which time 600 had been built.

The vehicle is still in service with Engineer Regiments of the Polish Army for carrying out repairs to Polands PT-91 fleet and Leopard 2A4’s, however their increased size and weight means the WZT-2 can not tow them.

The Polish WZT-1 & WZT-2 Armored Recovery Vehicle Operators

Poland – 80 as of 2004
India – India bought 196 of those vehicles from Poland
Iraq
Yugoslavia

Spec’s

Weight 34 tonnes
Width 3.27m
Height 2.1m
Crew 4
Primary weapon 12.7 mm DShK
Engine V-55W 12-cyl. 38.88 liter water-cooled diesel 591 hp (441 kW)
Power/weight 17.4 hp/tonne (13 kW/tonne)
Suspension torsion bar
Operational range 465km