Indonesian company PT Lumindo Artha Sejati has upgraded the Indonesian Marine Corps PT-76P light amphibious tank. The PT-76 (Plavayushchiy Tank 76 or Floating Tank 76) is a Soviet amphibious light tank that was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. 76 stands for the caliber of the main armament: the 76.2 mm D-56T series rifled tank gun. Production was undertaken at the Volgograd Tractor Factory from 1958 to 1967 and a total of 12,000 vehicles were built for the home and export markets. Total exports amounted to approximately 2,000 vehicles.
The Indonesian Marine Corps PT-76’s 76.2mm D-56T rifled gun was replaced with a new John Cockerill (formerly CMI Defence) Mk. III 90mm NATO cannon with a new fire control system, while the original Soviet 7.62mm co-axial machine guns was replaced by the FN MAG 7.62x51mm machine gun. The new Belgian 90mm gun can fire a wide variety of ammunition including Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) rounds, while the new fire control system allows day and night operation and improved accuracy. A new solid-state all-electric gun/turret stabilization and power control system has replaced the original Russian system and a new fire extinguishing system has been installed.
The Indonesian upgrade of the PT-76 is motorized with a new Detroit Diesel 6V-92T diesel developing 300 hp at 2,100 rpm coupled to the original transmission. A new 24V alternator, cooling and electrical system, and modifications on the vehicle’s fuel, exhaust hull and top deck were also included in the upgrade works. The PT-76 is fully amphibious, being propelled in the water at a maximum speed of 9 km/h thanks to two water-jets mounted at the rear of the hull. The only preparation required before entering the water is to erect the trim vane at the front of the hull and switch on the two electric bilge pumps. A manual bilge pump is provided for emergency use.
The PT-76 light tank used by the Indonesian Marine Corps, at the peak there were 170 PT-76Bs in service. In early 2012, the PT-76B remains in service with a number of countries around the world and at least one country, Indonesia, has already upgraded their PT-76B vehicles. These have a new diesel power pack from NIMDA of Israel and a Belgian 90 mm CMI Defence gun. Indonesian company PT Lumindo Artha Sejati contracted to do the work, with the improved tanks designated as PT-76P, with “P”. In recent years, Indonesian Marine Corps has received BMP-3F marinized infantry fighting vehicles, they also opreate BTR-50, BTR-4M, BTR-80A, AMX-10P, BMP-2 and LVTP-7A1 armoured vehicles.
