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Zdravo. I’ve decided to make another Yugoslav suggestion about a late tank of theirs, which surprisingly hasn’t been suggested yet, that being the NDT “Vihor”, meaning Whirlwind! (Extremely commonly known as M-91 Vihor)
Description:
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The NDT Vihor (Novi domači tenk Vihor, translated “New domestic tank Vihor”) was a Yugoslav main battle tank project from the 1980s, aiming to surpass the M-84 and T-72 tanks. It featured a multi-layered armor system designed for reactive armor or additional steel plates, enhancing its defensive capabilities. The turret and body were specifically molded for improved protection with a 40° front turret angle and a sloped frontal plate at 71°, resulting in substantial ballistic protection gains. The tank’s firepower was provided by the proven 2A46 gun, but included enhancements such as a new thermal barrel sleeve and chrome plating to prevent deformation. The ammunition load consisted of new HEAT and improved sub-caliber rounds, significantly increasing the firing rate and effectiveness. The Vihor’s fire control system was advanced, incorporating separate day and night channels and a sophisticated electric drive system for both the turret and gun, enabling high precision even at speeds up to 45km/h. The tank’s mobility was ensured by a 1200hp V-46TK1 engine, delivering remarkable specific power and acceleration, and housed in a compact engine-transmission unit that was a major technical achievement. Despite the ambitious plans for mass production, the breakup of Yugoslavia halted the project when only a few prototypes were near completion. The remaining components and knowledge from the Vihor project influenced later tank developments in the region, such as the Croatian M-95 Degman.
History:
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In the 1980s, Yugoslavia was keen on advancing its military capabilities, culminating in the development of the Vihor tank. This ambitious project aimed to replace the aging T-55 tanks and surpass the performance of the M-84 and T-72 models. The initiative began officially in 1984 with the adoption of the “New Domestic Tank” study by the Main Military Technical Council. Under the guidance of Professor Dr. Milorad Dragojević, the project laid out a comprehensive plan to develop a new main battle tank.
The Vihor project saw significant progress through the late 1980s, with plans to complete and test prototypes by 1991 (Hence why it’s sometimes called M-91 Vihor, but official name is NDT Vihor). The intent was to begin serial production by 1995, ultimately manufacturing around 1,700 tanks. These tanks would feature numerous advancements in armor, design, and technology. However, the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s brought the project to an abrupt halt. Despite the promising advancements and near completion of several prototypes, political and economic instability prevented the Vihor from entering mass production.
The partial prototypes and the technologies developed for the Vihor were later used in subsequent projects in the region, influencing designs like the Croatian M-95 Degman. The project’s legacy lies in its ambitious goals and the technical advancements it spurred, which continued to influence military design and development in the years following Yugoslavia’s breakup.
Armament and Protection:
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2A46 125mm smoothbore cannon (same one found on the M-84)
1 12.7mm roof mounted machine gun
1 coaxial 7.62mm machine gun
As of armour, it has an estimated protection of 650mm (one source claims 500-600mm) RHA thanks to the front hull being more angled, at around 71°. Oh and it also can carry around 40 smoke grenades.
The Vihor was also planned to use the KAO M99 ERA for additional protection, although no photos exist having it, but it was planned, that I can assure. The KAO M99 explosive reactive armor significantly enhances the tank’s ballistic protection. Specifically, it can reduce the penetration of cumulative projectiles by up to 80%, artillery cumulative projectiles (HEAT) by 30-50%, and kinetic energy-based projectiles (KE) by up to 25%.
(Last image is a M-84! I’m just showing how it would possibly look like with the ERA!)
Specifications:
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The Vihor has a length of 9.74m, a height of 2.21m and a width of 3.65m. The combat weight is around 44 tons, which is 3.5 tons heavier than the normal M-84, and still having 3 crew. Due to the weight, it is powered by a 1200hp V-46TK1 twin-cylinder diesel engine, making it go around 27 hp/t, thus it’s top speed being 72km/h. It has a 5 speed transmission with 4 forward and 1 reverse gears. Due to this, it can reach 0-32 km/h in just around 7 seconds!
Sources:
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https://www.odbrana.mod.gov.rs/odbrana/244/Odbrana%20244.pdf
Vihor M-91 - Tank Encyclopedia
The M-91 Vihor Main Battle Tank: The Tank with Russian and American DNA | The National Interest
Thanks a lot for reading! If you have any extra information, then feel free to share them in the replies! As always, have a good day :)
