Manticore
RETIRED MOD
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2009
- Messages
- 10,115
- Reaction score
- 114
- Country
- Location
40 years have passed since the day of induction of the T-72 tank into the Soviet Army. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most abundant tank today, T-72 has also been acknowledged as the best tank of the last quarter of the XX century. Its various modifications are being deployed in the armies of over 40 countries.
"The same, but simpler"
In the second half of the 60s the T-64 tank was introduced in Soviet armoured forces. The tank had a composite multi-layer armour protection, and a smoothbore gun with automatic loading. T-64 became one of the world's main battle tanks that combines protection and firepower of a heavy tank with maneuverability of a medium tank.
This machine served as the base for all the Soviet and later Russian battle tanks right up to and, including T-90. The distinguishing features of the new machines were relatively small size and mass compared to their Western competitors, allowed for a crew of three and was dense packed. The T-64 was in many ways a revolutionary tank, but its implementation in production was beset with great difficulties: the new- generation engine, chassis and other components called for new assembly lines and re-equipment of production units in many factories. It was too expensive and took a while. Therefore, it was decided to create a new generation of low-cost tanks while continuing the production of T-64.
The prototype of the new machine was the "object 172m", created by specialists of the Ural Machine Building Design Bureau. This bureau serves even today as the "brain" of tank development in the Urals. With a somewhat simplified design and an engine developed to perfection, this tank was not inferior to the T-64 combat capabilities and also allowed a quickly re-equipment of the army with tanks of a new generation. Of this project was born the tank T-72.
By the end of the 70s it became the foundation of the Soviet armoured troops on the western borders, and was actively exported to the countries of the Warsaw Pact and the allies of Soviet Union. In some cases this was accompanied by the transfer of licenses for production (to Poland, Yugoslavia, Romania, India, and other countries).
According to many tank crew members, it became the ideal machine that combines simplicity and reliability with high performance and capacity for upgrading. The latest versions of the T-72 with improved fire control systems and dynamic protection was in no way inferior to the T-64 and its successor T-80. However, the features of Soviet economic planning did not allow to make T-72 the single main battle tank for the industry and troops. In parallel, production was continued of the T-64 (which ended only in 1987) and the T-80, begun in 1976 and completed by model T-80U in the mid 90s.
From 72 to 90 with the hope of "Armata"
After the collapse of the USSR Russia faced a dilemma - the country was clearly not in a position to support the production of both T-72 and T-80. For the role of the main tank of the Russian army had to choose between the T-90 with improved instruments and the T-80UM.
Just as it had happened 20 years earlier in favor of the T-72, the T-90 got the nod owing to its simpler design and lower cost. This tank was finally launched for batch production for the Russian armed forces and was shipped for export. The Indian order at the turn of the 2000s was the only means of supporting the production of this machine.
Over the time, the T-90, was improved, gradually moving away from the base model. In this case, economic criteria did not allow to produce it in large numbers - so the T-72 still remains the main engine of the Russian army. However, the development of technology and increasing military spending has allowed to begin the modernization of the existing fleet of T-72, aimed at improving their performance. Hopes in this respect are pinned on a modified internal volume, and a new turret designed for the T-90AM (export version - T-90SM). It can be installed on the T-90 tanks of earlier production, as well as on the T-72, giving it the quality of the next generation of the tank with vastly increased capabilities of detection, communications, and fire control. The tank also has a better protection, both due to the new turret, and owing to plates of the new generation of reactive armor mounted on the sides. In this kind of modernized T-72 will remain in service as long as they are not replaced by the new generation tank. This tank, called "Armata", is being developed by the designers of the Urals on a war footing.
Read more: T-72 turns 40 - News - Society - Russian Radio
"The same, but simpler"
In the second half of the 60s the T-64 tank was introduced in Soviet armoured forces. The tank had a composite multi-layer armour protection, and a smoothbore gun with automatic loading. T-64 became one of the world's main battle tanks that combines protection and firepower of a heavy tank with maneuverability of a medium tank.
This machine served as the base for all the Soviet and later Russian battle tanks right up to and, including T-90. The distinguishing features of the new machines were relatively small size and mass compared to their Western competitors, allowed for a crew of three and was dense packed. The T-64 was in many ways a revolutionary tank, but its implementation in production was beset with great difficulties: the new- generation engine, chassis and other components called for new assembly lines and re-equipment of production units in many factories. It was too expensive and took a while. Therefore, it was decided to create a new generation of low-cost tanks while continuing the production of T-64.
The prototype of the new machine was the "object 172m", created by specialists of the Ural Machine Building Design Bureau. This bureau serves even today as the "brain" of tank development in the Urals. With a somewhat simplified design and an engine developed to perfection, this tank was not inferior to the T-64 combat capabilities and also allowed a quickly re-equipment of the army with tanks of a new generation. Of this project was born the tank T-72.
By the end of the 70s it became the foundation of the Soviet armoured troops on the western borders, and was actively exported to the countries of the Warsaw Pact and the allies of Soviet Union. In some cases this was accompanied by the transfer of licenses for production (to Poland, Yugoslavia, Romania, India, and other countries).
According to many tank crew members, it became the ideal machine that combines simplicity and reliability with high performance and capacity for upgrading. The latest versions of the T-72 with improved fire control systems and dynamic protection was in no way inferior to the T-64 and its successor T-80. However, the features of Soviet economic planning did not allow to make T-72 the single main battle tank for the industry and troops. In parallel, production was continued of the T-64 (which ended only in 1987) and the T-80, begun in 1976 and completed by model T-80U in the mid 90s.
From 72 to 90 with the hope of "Armata"
After the collapse of the USSR Russia faced a dilemma - the country was clearly not in a position to support the production of both T-72 and T-80. For the role of the main tank of the Russian army had to choose between the T-90 with improved instruments and the T-80UM.
Just as it had happened 20 years earlier in favor of the T-72, the T-90 got the nod owing to its simpler design and lower cost. This tank was finally launched for batch production for the Russian armed forces and was shipped for export. The Indian order at the turn of the 2000s was the only means of supporting the production of this machine.
Over the time, the T-90, was improved, gradually moving away from the base model. In this case, economic criteria did not allow to produce it in large numbers - so the T-72 still remains the main engine of the Russian army. However, the development of technology and increasing military spending has allowed to begin the modernization of the existing fleet of T-72, aimed at improving their performance. Hopes in this respect are pinned on a modified internal volume, and a new turret designed for the T-90AM (export version - T-90SM). It can be installed on the T-90 tanks of earlier production, as well as on the T-72, giving it the quality of the next generation of the tank with vastly increased capabilities of detection, communications, and fire control. The tank also has a better protection, both due to the new turret, and owing to plates of the new generation of reactive armor mounted on the sides. In this kind of modernized T-72 will remain in service as long as they are not replaced by the new generation tank. This tank, called "Armata", is being developed by the designers of the Urals on a war footing.
Read more: T-72 turns 40 - News - Society - Russian Radio
