T-72

The Tank T-72 is a heavy tank Soviet of the Cold war which largely equipped the Red Army . The most recent versions also bore the name T-90.

Presentation

Conceived in the middle of the Years 1960, jointly with the T-64, it constituted a tank much more preserving in the technological choices, in particular on the level of the Moteur and the Blindage, which one intended for the mass production because of his less cost. The team of design was that of the factory of tanks of the the Ural, directed by L. Kartsev, then after the death of this one, by V. Venidiktov.

T-72 thus preserved the traditional motorization of the Soviet tanks, with a distance derived from V-2 of T-34, V-46. It also did not incorporate any composite shielding, except on the glacis. On the other hand, it took again the gun with smooth heart of 125 mm 2A26M, even if the automatic charger were of a radically different model, with an electromechanical operation.

The suspension, taken again object 167 competitor unhappy of T-64, comprises six wheels of road and three tread rollers, a Barbotin with the back and tendeuses wheels with the front one. The engine, assembled transversely to the back, develops 785 horses and can employ three types of fuel (Gazole, gasoline and Kérosène), it should be noted that in case of offensive in the West, it was envisaged to be able to remake the full one in the cellars with fuel oil with the buildings with Central heating. With front, one finds the compartment of the driver, protected by a laminar shielding from 200 mm providing the equivalent from 600 mm in Acier. The round and rather low turret, centered on the frame, is two-seater. It shelters the chief of tank on the right, with its cupola and its Mitrailleuse anti-aircraft NSV of 12,7 mm and the gunner on the left, laying out him of a simple trap door. It is casting of homogeneous steel with a thickness of 280 Misters On his floor is mounted the automatic charger in Carousel embarking 24 blows (load and Obus) ready with the shooting. Two racks of arrangement out of sheet are assembled on the turret (one with the back and the other on the right), on the left is arranged the Snorkel, mountable in twenty minutes and making it possible to cross a river to 5,5 meters of depth. On the right gun, one finds machine-gun coaxial PKT of 7,62 mm. It was accepted in service during the year 1973, closing date of the production of the T-62 and could thus be produced in great series. It thereafter regularly was improved and improved, to fill its defects, mainly on the level of the protection of the turret.

In 1979 appeared the T-72A which embarked the new gun 2A46 pointed grace a Télémètre Laser TPDK-1, and improved the equipment of aiming of night with, on the right of the gun, projector Infrarouge L4 being used as illuminator for the shooting of night with sight TPN3-49.

Of this model were derived from the versions particularly intended for export, like the T-72M for the countries of the Warsaw Pact, whose shielding and protection NBC were reduced. This last, after assembly of an additional armor-plate on the glacis and the roof of the turret, became the T-72M1.

The T-72A yielded its place in production to the T-72B in 1985, the frontal shielding of turret was reinforced by brackets BDD in Aluminum filled with rubber, the Kontakt-1 bricks were assembled in series, the gun 2A46M with a stabilizer 2E42-2 was assembled: it can draw the Missile 9K120 “Svir” (code NATO “AT-10 Bastion”), but only when the tank is with the stop. The T-72B1 is rigorously identical, but does not have the capacity of shooting of missile. Of these two versions are derived the versions from command T-72BK and T-72B1K and the versions of export T-72S and T-72S1.

Then alternative BM, with its reactive shielding Kontact-5 was used as a basis for the development of the new Russian tank T-90 (T-72BU), which incorporates also many characteristics of T-80 which was to ensure the changing. However the production of T-90 remained very limited because of the budgetary difficulties of the Russia after the dismantling of the Soviet Union.

Employment

Contrary to the T-64 and the T-80, it largely was exported and produced under license, well before the collapse of the the USSR. In 2004/2005 would be in service:

9000 specimens in the Russian armed
1700 in the Indian army
1600 in Bielorussia
1500 in Syria
1300 in Ukraine
approximately 1000 in Iran
600 with the Kazakhstan
543 in Tchéquie
500 in Algeria
500 with the Turkménistan
430 in the Bulgarian Armed
272 in Slovakia
634 T-72M1, T-72M1D and 233 PT-91 in Poland
162 in Finland (destroyed in 2007)
102 in Arménie
76 with the Morocco

On several occasions, he was confronted with the Western models with rather bad results, for example during the invasion of the Lebanon by the Israeli army in 1982 and the war of the Gulf in 1991. It is necessary to however relativize these results by several factors:

like always the training and the motivation of;
the committed models were rather old, mainly T-72M with shieldings homogeneous out of steel, deprived often of reactive shieldings or other modern means of protection as those which are deployed on the tanks in service in the Russian army. German and American reports/ratios show that a T-72BM is impenetrable to the Western shells most modern (German DM-53 and M829 American), when it is touched on the parts covered by Kontakt-5 protection;
the Munition S employed were less than effective and old, generally with steel penetrants. The Russian ammunition 3B42 and 3B42M with a core in Tungstène are of another invoice because they compete with their Western equivalents and can even perforate the shielding of M1A2;
the good performance of the automatic system of loading depends enormously on its state of maintenance and outdatedness. It is probable that the units of guards of the Russian army have material in much better state than the Iraqi or Syrian troops.

It does not remain about it less than this tank suffers from many traditional defects to the Russian tanks:

incapacity to point the gun in depression enough to draw in position ravelled with against slope;
exiguity of the compartment of combat and excessive tiredness of the crews;
storage of the ammunition in the turret without adequate protection, causing the destruction of this one and the death of the crew in the event of penetration.

Even if the T-90 cured these weaknesses partially, the originators of Russian armoured tanks seem to forward themselves to a new revolution in the internal architecture of the armoured tanks, by gathering the crew in case, leaving the uninhabited turret and the ammunition well to the variation, which should increase the survavibility, without entering an inflation of the mass as that which touches M-1 Abrams.

Alternatives

Russia/the USSR

first generation

object 172 first prototype, driving V-45.
object 172M second prototype, driving V-46.
T-72 first version of series equipped with a rangefinder with coincidence TPD-2-49, gun 2A26M.
T-72K derived from command, two alternatives:

for the companies with two radios R-123M or R-173
for the Battalion S and the Regiment S with a R-123M or R-173 and a R-130M with a telescopic aerial of 10 m.

T-72V first version re-equipped with bricks of reactive shielding.
T-72M alternative exported and produced under license in the countries of the laser Warsaw Pact .telemeter TPD-K1.
T-72M1 alternative exported and produced under license in the countries of the Warsaw Pact, shielding reinforced by plates added on the glacis and the turret.

second generation

T-72A alternative produced of 1979 with 1985, gun 2A46 and telemeters laser TPD-K1, assembly of skirts of protection out of plastic on the sides.
T-72AK derived from command.
T-72AM T-72A with rangefinder with coincidence withdrawn.
T 72AV assembly of bricks of reactive shielding.
T-72AM Banan modernization with assembly of the engine 6TD-2 and good cover by a reactive shielding of the first generation.

third generation

T-72B improved version produced starting from 1985, driving V-84, gun 2A46M, before turret surblindée with brackets BDD, assembly of a plate applies of 20 mm to the glacis, cooling of the improved engine, called Dolly Parton with the USA, indicated SMT M1981/3 by NATO, capacity of shooting of the 9K119 “Svir”.
T-72B SMT 1984, snorkel assembled with the back of the turret and addition of a third rack on the right.
T72-B1 without capacity of shooting missile.
T-72BK and T72-B1K derived from command.
T-72BV and T72-B1V semi-official designation of the T-72B and T-72B1 when they are provided with their reactive shielding.
T-72S and T72-S1 versions of export of the T-72B and T-72B1, many Kontact bricks reduced to 155.

T-72M1M alternative exported and produced under license in the countries of the Warsaw Pact.

fourth generation

shielding of the turret still reinforced and the type NDZ, missile 9M119 Svir (AT-11 Sniper), 227 bricks of Kontact shielding known as Super Dolly Parton in the USA.

T-72BM T-72B1 equipped with a reactive shielding with second generation Kontakt-5 , designation NATO SMT M1990.
T-72BU version modernized of the BM, produced by the Russia, under the designation of T-90 .

derived vehicles

MTU-72 layer of bridge
BREM-1 vehicle of breakdown service derived from the T-72B, with a crane of 12 tons and a winch able to tractor draw of them 100.
BREM-2 vehicle of breakdown service with a crane of 13 tons and a winch able to tractor draw of them 110.
IMR-2 fighting vehicle of the genius, with a crane and a blade of Bulldozer.
IMR-2 improved version.
multiple TOS-1 rocket launcher of the system “Smerch”, 16 tubes of 220 Misters
TZM-T vehicle of recharging of the precedent.
BMT72 heavy fighting vehicle of infantry with a compartment of transport of infantry (5 infantrymen) created, behind that of combat, thanks to a change of engine
BMO-1 freight vehicle of team anti-tank, 2 men of crew and infantrymen.
BMR-3 vehicle of escort of convoy with system anti-mine KMT-7.
BMR-3M vehicle of escort of convoy with system anti-mine KMT-7, reactive shielding Kontakt-1.
BMP-T or object 199 , vehicle of escort armed with an automatic gun of 30 mm 2A42 (500 shells), 1 automatic lance-grenade of 30 mm AG30 or AGS17A in a central turret and two pods side container either 2 missiles 9M133 “Komet” or 1AGS17A or a machine-gun PKT of 7,62 mm system anti-mine KMT-8 in option.
2S19 motorized howitzer of 152 mm 2A65.

GDR/Germany

T-72G East-German alternative of T-72.
T-72GM East-German alternative of the T-72M.
T-72GM1 T-72G upgrapé with standards T-72M
T-72TK vehicle of breakdown service based on the BREM-1

Poland

prototype Goryl with a very angular turret.
Wilk first project of modernization in 1986, abandoned with the profit of Twardy.
PT-91 Twardy Polish production developed starting from the T72-M1, reactive shielding domesticates ERAWA-1, detectors of laser, fire control system computerized, driving illumination of 850 cv.
prototype PT-91A Twardy in 1997 with a new fire control system SAGEM SAVAN-15.
PT-91Z Twardy (PT-91M, T-72M1Z) version intended for export with a fire control system SAGEM SAVAN-15. 48 sold with the Malaysia.
PT-91-120 version equipped with a gun German Rh-120 of 120 mm.
PMC-90 bridge of 20 m on frame of PT-91.
WZT-3 vehicle of breakdown service, derives from the T72-M1, with a crane of 15 tons and two winches.
WZT-3M vehicle of breakdown service improved, integral of the elements of the PT-91.
MID “Maszyna Inżynieryjno-Drogowa” fighting vehicle of the genius allowing the construction of roads under unfavourable fire.
SJ-09 version of drive of the drivers, with a glazed cabin where take to seat the instructor and a second pilot and a factitious gun.
static Jaguar simulator of control.
static Beskid simulator of control.
BLP-72 bridge folding in three sections.

Yugoslavia

Yugoslav M-84 version.
M-84A second Yugoslav, driving version of 1000 ch and an improved protection.

Romania

TR-125 Rumanian version, shielding before reinforced, seven wheels of road on the train of bearing and an engine of 880 horses, weight 48 tons.

Technical information (T-72BM)

Dimensions:

Length: 9,53 Meter S.
Width: 3,46 Meter S.
Height: 2,226 Meter S.
Mass: 44,5 ton S.

Crew of three men:

chief of conducting tank
gunner

Driving: Diesel V12 multi-fuel V-84-1 compressed mechanically developing 840 horses.

Performances

maximum speed on road 60 km/h.
maximum speed in any ground 45 km/h.
ratio of power 18 horses by ton S.
autonomy 500 Kilometer S.
pressure on the ground 0,9 kg/Cm ².
capacity of guéer with 1,2 Meter without preparation and 5 Meter S with its Snorkel.
crossed a trench of 2,8 Meter S broad.
crossing of a vertical obstacle of 0,8 Meter.
maximum slope 30°.

Armament

gun with smooth heart of 125 mm 2A46M with hydraulic stabilizer 2E42-2 Jasmine and charger carousel of 22 blows, gives rhythm shooting 6 to 8 blows per minute, 45 embarked blows.
Machine-gun coaxial PKT of 7,62 mm with 2000 blows.
Machine-gun anti-aircraft NSVT of 12,7 mm with 300 blows.
8 mortar S smoke-producing 902B of 82 Misters

Equipment

vision of night TPN-3-49 or TPN-4 and TVN-4 for the driver.
control of shooting 1A40-1 able to guide the missiles 9K120 Svir (AT-11 Sniper b) launched through the gun.
ballistic calculator 1V528.
Anemometric probe .
radio operator R-173.
fire protection system 3ETs13 Inej.
NBC protection.
optionnellement a sytème of mine clearance KMT-6.

composite Protection

shielding NDZ and reactive shielding Kontact-5.

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