SHAH ALAM: Pendekar on the range. 11 Kor Armor Di Raja (KAD) conducted a live firing exercise at Kem Sirajuddin, Gemas on Nov. 13 in honour of the official visit from Army chief General Zamrose Mohd Zain. Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia reported the visit was part of Zamrose tour of the Western Field Command. 11 KAD live firing exercise was overseen by its CO Lt Kol Suresh Subramaniam.
The pictures posted here were taken by BTDM photographers – Sjn Saiful Fazley Rusli and Pbt Mohamad Fadzil Akirul – were the main reason I am posting them on Malaysian Defence. The BTDM post could be accessed here.
NEGERI SEMBILAN: Panglima Tentera Darat (PTD), Jen Tan Sri Datuk Zamrose Mohd Zain telah menyaksikan Latihan Tembakan PT-91M PENDEKAR oleh Rejimen Ke-11 Kor Armor Diraja (11 KAD) di Lapang Sasar Gemas pada 13 Nov 2020.
Terdahulu sebaik ketibaan PTD, beliau diberi taklimat berkenaan latihan dan juga tahap kesiagaan 11 KAD oleh Pegawai Memerintah 11 KAD, Lt Kol Suresh Subramaniam.
Latihan ini berlanjutan daripada Lawatan Ulung PTD ke Markas Pemerintahan Medan Barat Tentera Darat (MK PMBTD) pada 12 Nov 2020 serta untuk melihat kesiagaan dan keupayaan tempur Tentera Darat (TD) mampu di aturgerak pada sebilang masa dengan mengamalkan taktik, teknik dan prosedur yang betul.
Mengimbas sejarah kereta kebal yang dimilik oleh TD ini, ianya adalah buatan negara Poland serta mula diterima oleh 11 KAD pada 4 Sep 2007 dan pada 5 Apr 2008, Panglima Tentera Darat (PTD) Ke-22 telah melancarkan penamaan Kereta Kebal PT-91M kepada nama PENDEKAR.
Kereta kebal ini dinamakan PENDEKAR, sesuai dengan peranannya sebagai mata dan hujung tombak ketumbukan TD sama ada ketika melakukan operasi ofensif mahupun semasa bertahan.
PENDEKAR mempunyai kemampuan mobiliti, kuasa tembak dan perlindungan armor yang sesuai dengan persekitaran muka bumi negara dan paling menggerunkan, kuasa tembak daripada meriam Smoothbore 2A46MS berkaliber 125 milimeter buatan Slovakia dengan peningkatan ketepatan tembakan sehingga 23 peratus berbanding meriam asal.
Ia juga mampu memusnahkan semua jenis kereta kebal mahupun kereta perisai di jarak empat kilometer dan kemampuan itu sudah pasti menjadi igauan ngeri kepada pihak yang berniat untuk mengganggu-gugat kedaulatan negara.
Sistem kawalan tembakan PENDEKAR menggunakan teknologi dari Perancis yang turut dipakai oleh kereta kebal moden Perancis, AMX-56 Leclerc serta di kawal sepenuhnya oleh komputer kawalan tembakan (FCC) bagi menjamin ketepatan tembakan yang dilaksanakan.
PENDEKAR juga terbukti keberkesanan dan kegagahannya apabila ianya dibuktikan di dalam latihan peringkat TD pada setiap tahun iaitu Latihan Kuasa Tembakan (LKT) yang mana rata-rata hadirin yang hadir menunggu PENDEKAR beraksi dengan keupayaan manouver dan kuasa tembakan.
Antara segmen yang dipertontonkan kepada PTD adalah aturgerak Skuadron Kereta Kebal serta tembakan untuk memusnahkan musuh menggunakan persenjataan utama aset berkenaan iaitu 125 mm smooth bore serta senjata bantuan HMG 12.7 mm.
Hopefully when the pandemic is under the control and I am invited to Gemas next time around, I will able to report on the next live firing exercise.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (49)
It would be great if they can upgrade it say from manual 12.7 mm to RWS based and with active kill protection system. More tanks would be great but no necessary new chassis, the upgrade t72 modernise to pt91 standard from Poland 320 stocks would be a dream but there is no requirement for additional chassis I believe
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pende15-1.jpg
This is the one with the mine plough.
We could also see one PT-91M (the one behind PAT) with the full multispectral netting by Lubawa SA. The same tank posing with crews
http://btdm.my/wp-content/uploads/photo-gallery/Pendekar/124286830_4030286847000200_1061469708316006169_o.jpg
The recovery vehicle is WZT-4, one of 6 the army has.
Kamal - “It would be great if they can upgrade it say from manual 12.7 mm to RWS based and with active kill protection system”
A RWS would require improving the power supply and realigning various things on the turret. Like a APS it would make sense to have it though but then there are various other improvements which should also be performed if it’s felt to be a sound long term increment.
Kamal - “the upgrade t72 modernise to pt91 standard from Poland ”
Any MBT buy is years away. By that time doesn’t make sense to further invest in a 1960’s design with no growth potential, reliance on ERAs to compensate for a low baseline protection level and a serious flaw (the placement of rounds/charges to feed the auto loader).
Yes we can go for an improved design with a bustle loader and better ERA; as well as other improvements but when the time comes; just like how we eventually need to replace Adnan with a new generation IFV; we’d be better off investing in a contemporary design with better survivability and growth potential.
just a proposal from me.
we can do some R&D to increase the comfort level of the Pendekar crews in our blistering tropical heat.
racing drivers have used fireproof nomex shirts sewn with small capillary pipes that pumps cool water to lower body temperature.
http://www.rallynuts.com/user/products/large/IAA752CN-1.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CDxr0UBWgAEx7Nv.jpg
We could try out the same system for our tankers.
Also to check out latest design racing suits are much more ergonomically cut and sewn, with "floating" arms and stretch panels for more comfortable movements. Same designs could be incorporated into the tanker overalls.
... - “with the full multispectral netting by Lubawa SA”
The IR paint (by one of the few local companies which actually innovates and gives added value) reduces the IR signature so when viewed from a thermal device the object stands out less.
What does this net do? I’m assuming it reduces/eliminates the IR signatures of surfaces/areas it covers?
@ azlan
Yes this net reduces the IR signature of the area it covers (up to 85% reduction). The steel of the tank is also heated up by the sun, the heat of the engine and the heat from the gun barrel could be covered by the net better than just paint on hot surfaces. The net also reduces the radar reflection of the vehicle.
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" we’d be better off investing in a contemporary design with better survivability and growth potential "
Frankly?
Because of other more important priorities, we would not have the budget to get a brand new MBT by 2040. Even if the PT-91M is supposed to be inferior to latest tanks, it is much more better armed and protected compared to any new medium tanks. For the army new capabilities, these are some of the things i feel that is much more important than a new MBT.
1) cyber warfare
2) electronic warfare/electronic attack/jamming
3) counter UAS
4) UAS
5) ground based air defence recapitalisation (by 2030)
6) anti tank missile recapitalisation (by 2030)
7) shore based anti ship missile system (by 2030)
8) having 1 fully gempita mechanised brigade (by 2025)
9) medium lift helicopter (urgent)
10) mifv/adnan replacement future IFV (after 2035)
... - “racing drivers have used fireproof nomex shirts sewn with small capillary pipes that pumps cool water to lower body temperature.”
Has to be very lightweight in case they have to rapidly exit. In the best of times getting out of a turret is tricky; one has to take off one’s helmet, climb through a very narrow hatch and leap off a vehicle. Harder when one is under fire and has literally seconds before the vehicle erupts in flames.
I would think the most practical solution would be for high performing ACs in addition to as lightweight as possible fire resistant one piece overalls.
Apart from the cramp conditions and heat; what tires crews out is the din. We bought Thales helmets with noise reduction features. Rarely seen though.
The RMN has the “Action Working Dress”; one piece fire resistant overalls worn by selected crews when in Action Stations. Wearing it along with a flash hood and gloves is like being in an oven. On Merdeka Day some are unlucky enough to have to wear them.
@ azlan
You cannot put aircon on a vehicle that operates most of the time with the hatch open.
Racing equipment is designed for rapid extraction of the driver from the racing cars. It is one of the most important criteria actually. FIA has strict requirements for that. and all driving equipments (suits, gloves, shoes, helmets even underwear) must be homologated and pass FIA requirements. the cooling suit has rapid disconnect system for quick rescue.
... - “Because of other more important priorities, we would not have the budget to get a brand new MBT by 2040”
The discussion was a hypothetical one on MBTs. It wasn’t about whether it should be a priority or on the immediate shopping list (itself highly subjective).
... - “Even if the PT-91M is supposed to be inferior to latest tanks, it is much more better armed and protected compared to any new medium tanks”
It’s a dated design which has reached the end of its growth potential and when the time for us comes to buy a new tank; we’d be better off investing in a contemporary design; one with growth potential and one with a host of other improvements.
Whether it’s indeed “much more better armed and protected compared to any new medium tanks” is not the issue as it has to be a certain level of protection against a variety of threats (medium tanks are not the main threat). For this a tank with a higher level baseline protection is needed (not one largely dependent on ERAs and the Soviet era concept of “hit avoidance”) together with the obligatory APS and other features.
We would need much much more regular exercises such as these and to expend even more ammo each time, if we were to make any sense of local ammo production rather than buying overseas. At the very least, we would have the volume needed to sustain yearly production.
Reply
We have always bought the ammo for the Pendekar main gun from overseas, we need around 1000 of them to make it worth while to invest in local production.