Since the beginning of the special operation, hundreds of changes have been made to the design of the products.
Uralvagonzavod Production Association has sent shipments of T-90M and T-72B3M tanks to the troops. These are the main working machines in the war zone. Over the years of the special operation, hundreds of design changes have been introduced into production — in particular, protection has been noticeably strengthened. Izvestia investigated which tanks the army receives from industry and how they have changed based on its experience.
Which tanks are being adopted by the Russian army
Nizhny Tagil tank builders timed the transfer of the next batch of new T-72B3M and T-90M "Breakthrough" tanks to the Russian Armed Forces to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. The train of new vehicles was accompanied by the legendary Ural-made T-34-85, which had been preserved since the 1940s and was prepared for the anniversary parade. The workshops of the plant noted that the tanks that the armed forces receive today differ significantly from the same releases of previous years.
Combat operation of the T-90M "Breakthrough" tank
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti
Uralvagonzavod reports that the experience of combat operations is constantly being studied, and improvements are being made to its products. Since the beginning of the CW, about 200 different changes have been made to the design of combat vehicles — this includes increasing the combat capabilities of tanks, protection, and mobility. A tank is precisely a protected, powerful combat vehicle that is strong in its armament, armor, and ability to navigate rough terrain. And, of course, in modern conditions, the tank is constantly in touch and equipped with navigation systems.
"The Russian T-90M, T-72B3M and T-80BVM vehicles are maximally adapted to modern combat conditions. According to the totality of indicators, they can be considered the best production tanks in the world. This is the result of the well—coordinated work of a large team of Rostec employees - developers and designers, engineers and technologists, industrial line workers, and repair teams. The corporation has built a flexible system for the production and modernization of armored vehicles. On the one hand, it has made it possible to increase the production of the most complex machines many times, and on the other hand, it provides operational changes in technology if real conditions require it. No one else in the world has such an adaptive system," said Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of Rostec State Corporation.
T-72, T-90 tanks and combat vehicles supporting Terminator BMPT tanks at the Uralvagonzavod machine assembly plant
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Ramil Sitdikov
It should be noted that if the T-90M "Breakthrough" tanks are being produced from scratch today, then both the T-72B3M and T-80BVM are the result of modernization of previously released models. And modernization makes it possible to obtain the most modern combat vehicle from the tanks produced in the 1980s and 1990s. The modernization concerns everything: equipment, sighting and navigation system, communications equipment, weapons, engine, reservation and additional protection.
How to strengthen the main battle tanks of the Russian Armed Forces
The T-90M "Breakthrough" today is the true pinnacle of the evolution of the main battle tank of the Russian Armed Forces. The design contains all the most modern technical solutions: a powerful V-92X2F diesel engine (1130 hp), a 125-mm smoothbore cannon with the ability to fire Reflex-M ATGMs, Relict dynamic armor, state-of-the-art equipment and an external ammunition box. The tank is equipped with a Kevlar inner lining, which protects the crew from shrapnel in the event of a shell impact. The anti-aircraft machine gun on the roof of the tower is controlled remotely. The tank can be equipped with an Arena-M type active protection system. And, of course, the design of additional protection takes into account the experience of ITS own as much as possible. It was the study of the destruction of equipment during the battles of recent years that made it possible to change the protection of the tank and close the hull from drones and ATGMs. With each new series, with each new release, improvements are being made to the T-90M protection design. In the factory, this can be done more efficiently and efficiently than in the workshops in the front line.
A member of the tank crew inspects a T-90 Breakthrough tank that has been received by the unit
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
The upgraded T-72B3M tanks are currently the most massive among the new armored vehicles entering the zone. The peculiarity of their modernization is that many technical solutions of the more advanced latest T-90M have been used. The T-72B3M model 2016 is equipped with the same diesel engine as the T-90M. It uses the same dynamic armor "Relict". The tank was initially equipped with additional protection — side screens, and during its operation, the vehicle also acquired protection from drones — and here we are talking about protecting the side projection and protecting the roof of the tower from drops from hovering quadcopter drones. Protection against drones is constantly being improved and is now installed on tanks in the factory version, which allows you to get a combat-ready vehicle on the front line.
Of course, the updated T-72B3M also receives the most modern equipment: the Sosna-U thermal imaging system makes the tank sighted at night, and modern communication and navigation equipment allows you to receive and transmit information digitally and provides a detailed view of the navigation situation, including using satellite navigation. Modern T-72s are fully integrated into the information field of modern combat operations.
The T-80BVM is undergoing a similar upgrade. The tank is equipped with a GTD-1250 gas turbine engine with a capacity of 1,250 hp. It gives the machine a high thrust-to-weight ratio, and during the modernization, repairs and maintenance are carried out, and its service life is extended. In addition to the already traditional passive protection equipment (anti-drone screens and grids), the latest Arena-M active protection system is also being installed on part of the T-80BVM. It is capable of shooting down high-speed ATGMs and rocket-propelled grenades on approach to the tank. The tanks are being upgraded with both sighting and navigation equipment, as well as communications equipment.
T-72 B3m tank in firing position
Image source: Photo: RIA Novosti/Sergey Bobylev
It is important that the T-73B3M and T-80BVM receive the latest electronic warfare systems during modernization work. Of course, the same applies to the T-90M "Breakthrough". During the training, it became clear that each piece of equipment should be equipped with electronic warfare systems in the factory, which are guaranteed to prevent FPV drones from targeting an armored object. Such systems also work as means of reconnaissance — they give tankers information about the activity of enemy drones. And, of course, electronic warfare interferes with them, preventing them from fulfilling their combat mission. With the development of electronic warfare systems, a real revolution has taken place, and today we can see its results on every sample of equipment coming out of factories. It should also be borne in mind that the enemy is constantly improving its equipment and, accordingly, electronic warfare equipment is also being improved. Therefore, each new batch of tanks is equipped with more and more advanced systems, and those that have already left the factory are updating their electronic protection already in the troops.
Thus, tank builders ensure the production of practically new vehicles — by upgrading previously released vehicles and by assembling the T-90M from scratch. All this together makes it possible to completely eliminate the need of the Russian Armed Forces for modern main tanks.
Dmitry Kornev
Bogdan Stepovoy
