History and military technology: Interview with a former M48 MOLF tanker in the Greek Army

A former M48 MOLF tanker in the Army of Greece kindly accepted an interview for the blog. This variant, which incorporated a FCS derived from the EMES-18 used in the Leopard-1A5 (and based itself on the EMES-15 in Leopard 2), is probably the most advanced for this type.

1. Hello T. Can you provide us a brief overview of your service in the Greek Army as a tank crew member?

I had my military service as Second Lieutenant at 1995 till 1997

2. What was your first impression of the M48A5 MOLF tank? What do you think were the strong and weak points?

The strong points was the firing Control System which was a modified LEO2 FCS with stabilisation , laser range finder and thermal imaging system.

Also the armour was good enough ( compare to LEO 1 for example)

Weak points was that only had 750 HP engine , it lacked side armour panels in the hull , and everything was analogue and old in the drivers compartment

3. The Patton family has a reputation for being sturdy and very suitable for a conscript Army. What is your opinion on this?

Yes that is right,

4. Being from Greece, one has to take into account the different terrains, geography (islands, mountains…). Was there any terrain that was difficult to operate, or simply avoided when using tanks?

No

5. What was the typical distance to the target when firing? And the longest distance at which you ever fired?

Usually 2 km, but the firing control system was adequate up to 4 km

6. What was the maximum rate of fire you achieved? Did it change noticeably when the different bins were used?

I only fired to 2 km

7. What was the typical ammunition configuration load (% AP/HEAT/HE/other)?

60% APFSDS, 30% HEAT, 5%HESH,5% WP

8. Did you practice NBC scenarios? What was the procedure? How did it affect the crew performance?

No I havent

9. What is the maximum speed you reached? And reversing?

30 mph
reversing 5 mph

10. How different is the typical range you get countryside and in a motorway?

About 400 km in countryside and 500km in motorway

11. When performing exercises, what was the maximum distance you covered in a day? Were there any issues with the maintenance of the tank?

100km , we lacked hatch sealing rings

12. The M48 is one of the largest (and most comfortable) tanks. Do you think it was worth it (it was also a larger target)?

Of course was worth it , comparing with soviet tanks was a larger target

13. What was the component that requires more maintenance/attention?

The firing control system

14. Did you have the opportunity to train with other NATO Armies? What were your impressions? Did you like/dislike any specific equipment?

No I didnt

16. More specifically, what about the Turkish, what was your impression on their tanks/training?

The Turkish Tanks at the time was inferior to the Greek Tanks , I don’t have idea about their training

17. Did you receive any feedback on the M48 performance in different conflicts?

Not really

18. The M48 is still in service with some countries, and Turkey used them in Syria. Are you surprised by its longevity?

No not at all it is a good and rugged design

Other interviews:

I am always looking for more veterans, active members or people related with the defence industry to accept interviews. If you enjoyed reading the material and would be happy to accept an anonimous interview you can get in contact with me. My e-mail can be found in this link at the heading. Otherwise leave a message in the comment sections.

History and military technology

Saturday, 17 January 2026

Interview with a former M48 MOLF tanker in the Greek Army

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