The T-62 medium tank, which was put into service at the very beginning of the 1960s, is constantly being improved both here and abroad. Back in the 1970s, DShKM anti-aircraft machine guns and KTD-1 laser rangefinders began to be installed on it.
In the 1980s, modifications of the T-62M and T-62MV appeared. On the first, additional armor was installed for the frontal parts of the tower and hull, nicknamed "Ilyich's eyebrows", on the second, they began to mount a mounted dynamic protection "Contact".
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| The T-62 medium tank was put into service at the very beginning of the 1960s. |
| Source: Alexey Moiseev/RG |
Both versions have a reinforced bottom, and a heat shield has been added to the 115 mm smoothbore U-5TS (2A20) cannon. The weight of the vehicles is 41.5 and 38.4 tons, respectively. A 7.62 mm PKT machine gun is paired with the gun, and the same 12.7 mm DShKM is mounted on the turret.
The V-55U engine has a power of 620 hp (there are variants with the V-46-5M with a power of 690 hp). The maximum speed is 50 km/ h, the fuel reserve is 450 km, and the crew is four people.
The sighting system allows the use of guided weapons - 9M117 ammunition with a firing range of up to four kilometers.
By the way, about the missile armament for the "sixty-second". The installation of the Malyutka ATGM was tested on them, but it was not installed on production tanks. The IT-1 rocket tank, built on the T-62 chassis, is also known - such vehicles were produced in small batches.
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| In the 1980s, a modification of the T-62M appeared |
| Source: Alexey Moiseev/RG |
In the Egyptian army, both guided and unguided missiles were mounted on samples supplied from the USSR, including the 80 mm D-3000 for setting smoke screens.
As on the T-55, the T-62 was planned to host the Drozd active protection complex. A more advanced KAZ sample, known as the T2A2, was also tested, but due to economic difficulties, work on it was discontinued.
Today, the Russian army receives new versions of the upgraded T-62, which are involved in a special military operation. They receive additional armor, dynamic protection, as well as lattice screens covering the stern and roof. The gunner-operator has more advanced sights at his disposal, including a thermal imager, which significantly increased the effectiveness of combat operations at night. A more powerful engine allows you to maintain the driving characteristics of the car, despite the increased weight by several tons.
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| New versions of the upgraded T-62 are being delivered to the Russian army today. |
| Source: Alexey Moiseev/RG |
The T-62 is still in service with a number of foreign countries, including those formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the Algerian army, these tanks are not only used, but also serve as a base for new equipment. For example, combat support vehicles were demonstrated, in which turrets with 115 mm guns were replaced with Berezhok fighting squads with Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, 30 mm 2A42 rapid-firing cannons, 30 mm AG-30 automatic grenade launchers and 7.62 mm PKTM machine guns. An analog of our UR-77 "Meteorite" (also known as "Snake Gorynych"), designed to make passages in minefields, was also shown.
Alexey Moiseev
