T-55 combines a high-velocity gun with a highly mobile chassis, a low silhouette n exceptional long-range endurance. Improvements over the T-54 include a larger V-12 water-cooled diesel engine with 580 hp rather than 520 hp, increased cruising range of 500km (up to 715 km with two 200-liter auxiliary fuel tanks which can be carried on the rear) rather than 400 km (600 km with auxiliary tanks). The T-55 also has two-plane stabilization of the main gun rather than vertical stabilization only n basic load for the main gun of 43 rounds rather than 34.
T-55 can ford depths of 1.4 m without preparation, has snorkel equipment which enables it to cross depths of up to 5.5 m at a speed of 2 km/hr. This equipment takes about 15 to 30 min preparation but can be jettisoned immediately on leaving the water. All T-55s have the PAZ radiation detection sys n T-55A also has an anti-radiation liner. Some T-55s also may have been retrofitted with a full NBC collective protection sys (air filtration n overpressure). A dense smoke screen can be generated by injecting vaporized diesel fuel into the exhaust sys.