T-72 Main Battle Tank: Russia’s Cold War Legend Still in Service
The T-72 Ural main battle tank was developed by the Soviet Union as a more cost-effective and reliable alternative to the more complex T-64 tank. Embracing the traditional Soviet design philosophy, its engineers prioritized the use of proven components, enhanced existing parts where needed, and only introduced new designs when absolutely necessary. The T-72 officially entered service with the Soviet Army in 1973.
Production and Global Deployment
Between its introduction and 1990, the Soviet Union produced an impressive total of 17,831 T-72 tanks. By the late 1990s, the Russian Army operated approximately 9,000 T-72 tanks. However, by 2020, only about 2,034 T-72s of various variants remained in active Russian service, with many more kept in storage. This tank’s success extended beyond Soviet borders, as over 10,000 units were license-produced in countries such as Czechoslovakia, India, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Overall, the T-72 was exported to around 30 countries, making it one of the most widely distributed tanks worldwide.
T-72 Main Battle Tank Specifications
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Soviet Union |
| Entered Service | 1973 |
| Crew | 3 men |
| Dimensions and Weight | |
| Weight | 41 t |
| Length (gun forward) | 9.53 m |
| Hull Length | 6.86 m |
| Width | 3.46 m |
| Height | 2.19 m |
| Armament | |
| Main Gun | 125 mm smoothbore |
| Machine Guns | 1 x 7.62 mm, 1 x 12.7 mm |
| Elevation Range | -5 to +14 degrees |
| Traverse Range | 360 degrees |
| Ammunition Load | |
| Main Gun | 39 rounds |
| Machine Guns | 2,000 x 7.62 mm, 300 x 12.7 mm |
| Mobility | |
| Engine | V-46 diesel |
| Engine Power | 780 hp |
| Maximum Road Speed | 60 km/h |
| Range | 500 km |
| Maneuverability | |
| Gradient | 60% |
| Side Slope | 40% |
| Vertical Step | 0.85 m |
| Trench | 2.8 m |
| Fording | 1.2 m |
| Fording (with preparation) | 5 m |
Armor and Protection
The T-72 features composite armor designed to withstand substantial battlefield threats. Some sources suggest that the front armor provides protection equivalent to 410 mm of Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA). Upon its introduction, the frontal armor could resist all contemporary Western 105 mm tank ammunition at distances greater than 500 meters. Additionally, early T-72 models were impervious to anti-tank guided missiles such as the Dragon and TOW.
Side armor was designed to defend against infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) cannons and helicopter-mounted weapons. Later variants incorporated rubber side skirts to enhance protection. A notable test using a Swedish Carl Gustaf M2 84 mm recoilless rifle with HEAT rounds showed that while the side skirts were punctured, the tank’s underlying side armor remained undamaged, with the explosive force dispersed and deflected effectively.
The T-72 is also equipped with an NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protection system. Inside, it has an anti-radiation and spall liner, and the tank includes an automatic fire extinguishing system for enhanced crew safety.
Firepower and Armament
The tank’s primary weapon is a 125 mm smoothbore gun, capable of firing rounds at a significantly higher muzzle velocity than Western 105 mm rifled guns of the same era. This gun uses a carousel-type autoloader, an improvement over the earlier, less reliable T-64 autoloader. Although the T-72's autoloader is somewhat slower, it can achieve a maximum firing rate of up to 8 rounds per minute, while manual loading allows for 1-2 rounds per minute.
The tank carries 39 rounds for its main gun, with an effective firing range of 2,000 to 3,000 meters during the day and 850 to 1,300 meters at night using APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) rounds. Armor penetration capability is estimated at around 590-630 mm RHA equivalency at 2,000 meters. German assessments indicated that the T-72 could penetrate the frontal armor of early Leopard 2 tanks at 1,500 meters and that of Leopard 1 tanks at over 3,000 meters.
Secondary armaments include a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun mounted on the roof in an open mount.
Crew and Mobility
The T-72 operates with a crew of three: the commander, gunner, and driver. Powered by a V-46 diesel engine delivering 780 horsepower, it features an improved suspension system with six larger road wheels reminiscent of the earlier T-55 and T-62 tanks.
The tank is equipped with a self-entrenching blade that can dig trenches within 12 to 40 minutes depending on the terrain. When retracted, this blade also offers additional frontal hull protection. For water obstacles, the T-72 includes a deep wading kit, allowing it to ford rivers and streams up to 5 meters deep.
Night Vision and Limitations
By Western standards, the T-72’s night vision capabilities were considered poor, posing a significant tactical limitation during nighttime operations.
T-72 Variants Overview
- T-72 Ural-1: Enhanced armor protection.
- T-72 Ural-K: Command tank variant with advanced navigation and communications.
- T-72A: Introduced in 1979 with an improved gun, engine, laser range finder, side skirts, smoke grenade launchers, and a capacity for 44 rounds. Produced until 1985, with 5,264 units delivered.
- T-72AK: Command version of the T-72A.
- T-72AV: Featured Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA), providing protection equivalent to 410-560 mm RHA against APFSDS and HEAT rounds. Adopted in 1988.
- T-72M and T-72M1: Export models with thinner armor and downgraded systems, license-produced in Poland and Czechoslovakia. The T-72M1 had thicker armor than the T-72M and resisted 105 mm APFSDS fire.
- T-72B: Enhanced turret armor with Kontakt-1 ERA, introduced in 1985 and the most widely used variant in Russia by 2020.
- T-72BK: Command version of the T-72B.
- T-72B with Kontakt-5 ERA: Introduced in 1988, this ERA significantly improved protection.
- T-72S: Export version of the T-72B with downgraded NBC protection and fewer ERA containers.
- T-72B1: Lacked anti-tank guided missile capabilities.
- T-72B1MS (Beliy Oriol / White Eagle): Modernized export variant revealed in 2012, exported to Laos, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Vietnam, and planned for Serbia.
- T-72BV and T-72BM: Upgraded with Kontakt-1 and Kontakt-5 ERA respectively.
- T-72BA: Low-cost upgrade of T-72B with Kontakt-1 and later Kontakt-5 ERA, fitted with a more powerful 1,000 hp V-92S2 diesel engine since 2003.
- T-72B2 Rogatka: Advanced ERA (Relikt), improved gun, fire control, thermal sight, and 1,000 hp engine. Revealed in 2006, about 300 units in Russian service.
- T-72B3: Low-cost upgrade with modern fire control and hunter-killer capabilities. Produced since 2013 with up to 1,130 hp engine, with 558 units upgraded by 2020.
- T-72B3M (T-72B4): Further upgrade with new gun, panoramic sight, improved fire control, and engine, with 248 units upgraded by 2020.
- T-90: Developed from the T-72 after the Soviet Union’s collapse, combining T-72 hull with T-80U turret and systems. Adopted in 1993, it is the most modern Russian tank and widely exported.
Foreign Versions
- PT-91 Twardy: Polish improved variant.
- TR-125: Romanian variant.
- M-84: Yugoslavian variant.
Support and Specialized Vehicles Based on T-72 Chassis
- BREM-1: Armored recovery vehicle.
- MTU-72: Armored bridgelayer.
- IMR-2: Combat engineering vehicle.
- BMPT: Tank support combat vehicle.
- BMO-T: Heavy armored personnel carrier.
- 2S19 Msta-S: 152 mm self-propelled howitzer using T-72 components but with thinner armor.
Conclusion
The T-72 Ural remains a cornerstone of armored forces worldwide due to its robust design, wide production, and continuous upgrades, demonstrating the lasting impact of Soviet tank engineering.
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