Additional Info
Battle of Dezful, Iran-Iraq War, 1981
The Chieftain was designed to play a defensive role against Soviet armour in a possible Warsaw Pact
invasion of Europe, instead the Middle East was where the Chieftain would see all of its operation
experience. It was first used by Iran during the Iran-Iraq War (1980). Chieftain Mk3 & 5s were used
with mixed results as many suffered from engine problems due to the L60 engine and poor
power-to-weight ratio due to how heavy the tank is. This made the Chieftain unreliable and prone to
engine breakdowns.
In Jan 1981, Operation Nasr (aka Operation Hoveyzeh) was launched with the aim to lift the siege on
Abadan and force the Iraqi army back towards their border. Before the 1979 Iran Revolution, Iran was
one of the 6 Middle Eastern countries that bought the Chieftain. Many officers of the Iranian army
were purged after the revolution which left them short of experienced & competent commanders.
After a brief barrage of artillery fire including ~200 Chieftains & 100 M60 tanks, the
Iranian
army
crossed the Karkheh river via pontoon bridge. Being the wet season, the ground was marshy
which
forced the Chieftains to move on an exposed road putting the chieftains at a severe
disadvantage.
This slow progress allowed Iraqi forces to set-up nearby and set up an ambush for the
Iranian
column
of tanks. Failing to recon their route, the Iranians set off the trap. Firing at close
ranges in
prepared positions, the Iraqi T-62s and T-72s were able to inflict heavy casualties on the
Iranians.
This resulted in a costly defeat for the Iranians, with ~100 tanks destroyed and ~150
captured.
Captured Chieftains were sent to Baghdad for trials where Britain, having friendly ties with
Iraq in
the early 1980s, was allowed to assess the Chieftain tanks recovered from the battlefield.
It
was
reported that the Chieftain was not used in a role that it was intended and most losses were
due
to
them being abandoned before they were knocked out. It was also critical of how the Iranians
maintained and used the Chieftains in battle.
In a post war interview, it was said that Iraqi sabot rounds "Went through the front armour
of
the
Chieftain and came out the backside". This caused alarm as arguably, one of the main
strengths
of
the Chieftain aside from its gun is its armour. The outcome of the battle and reports
thereafter
led
to the Stillbrew armour package to be developed and installed as a defensive measure against
contemporary Soviet tank rounds.
Invasion of Kuwait, Gulf War, 1990
In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and occupied the country within 2 days. Despite months of Iraqi
threatening to take military action against Kuwait, the Kuwait army was caught unaware.On the eve of
the invasion Kuwait had 143 Chieftain tanks, 37 of which fought at the Battle of the
Bridges against Iraqi forces as part of the Kuwaiti 35th Armored Brigade. The 35th failed to block
Mutla pass and were ineffective in delaying the Iraqis as they were severely outnumbered. However,
they were able to withdraw into Saudi and joined the Joint Command Forces East during the Gulf War.
Aside from the 35th Armored Brigade, the rest of Kuwait’s Chieftains were destroyed or captured by
Iraq after they’ve been abandoned after their ammunition had run out. Post the liberation of Kuwait,
the ageing Chieftains were replaced by the Yugoslavian M-84, a modified variant of the Soviet T-72.
FV4030/2 Shir (Lion) 1
In 1974, Iran ordered 125 Shir 1and 1225 Shir 2 (a Chieftain variant with modified hull, new turret with Chobham composite armour & hydrogas suspension. Development started prior to Shir 1). However, this order was cancelled after the 1979 Iran Revolution. The Shir 1, also known as “4030 Phase 2” formed Phase 2 of the Iranian contract to supply new MBTs with Phase 1 being a supply of improved Chieftains. The Shir 1 had the Chieftain hull front and turret casting. It was meant to be a stopgap design of the Chieftain Mk5. The rear was reconfigured to accept a new turbocharged V12 four-stroke diesel engine, transmission, and cooling group. It also featured an improved bogie suspension. The first vehicle was completed in April 1977 and no deliveries were made when the contract was cancelled in 1979.
Khalid (Sword)
The Khalid variant of the Chieftain, also known as 4030 Phase 2 Jordan, was part of a sale negotiated with Jordan in 1979 after Iranian contract cancellation. The Khalid was based on the Shir 1 design and also included an Integrated Fire Control System, Tank Laser Sights, and a Day/Night Sight. Out of the 274 sold, 125 were reworked Shir 1s and the remaining were new production tanks.
Specifications
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| In Service | 1960s - 1990s |
| Unit Cost | ~£100,000 |
| Main Gun | L11 120mm Rifled gun |
| Secondary Weapons | x2 Coaxial 7.62mm L7 Machine Gun |
| Engine | Leyland L60 Multi-fuel 6-cylinder |
| Top Road Speed | 40 km/h (25 mph) (Mk. 1- Mk. 3) 43 km/h (27 mph) (Mk. 5) |
| Fuel Capacity | 890 Litres |
| Crew | 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) |
| Weight | 55 tonne |