T-72

   The T-72 Ural main battle tank was developed as a cheaper and more reliable, however less capable alternative to the T-64. It entered service with Soviet army in 1973. A total of 30 000 tanks of this type were produced in the Soviet Union, China, Czechoslovakia, India, Romania and Yugoslavia. At the end of 1990s Russia operated around 9 000 of these main battle tanks.

   The T-72 is protected by composite armor. Some sources claim that front armor of the T-72 is equivalent to 500-600 mm. Side armor provides protection against IFV and helicopter cannons. Later production models were fitted with side skirts. The T-72 is completed with NBC protection system and automatic fire extinguishing equipment.

   This main battle tank is completed with a 125-mm smoothbore gun, fitted with new carousel-type autoloader. Previous autoloader on the T-64 was unreliable and had a number of other drawbacks. Rate of fire is 8 rounds per minute, or 1 - 2 rounds per minute, when loaded manually. A total of 39 rounds for the main gun are carried.

   Secondary armament consists of coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun and 12.7-mm machine gun, mounted on top of the roof in the opened mount.

   Vehicle has a crew of three, including commander, gunner and driver.

   The T-72 is powered by a V-46 diesel engine, developing 780 horsepower. This main battle tank is completed with a self-entrenching blade and can dig trench during 12 - 40 minutes, depending on the ground type. When not in use this self-entrenching blade provides additional protection for the front of the hull. Vehicle is fitted with a deep wading kit and can ford water obstacles up to 5 meters deep.

Variants

   T-72 Ural-1 with improved armor protection;

   T-72 Ural-K command tank with navigation equipment and additional communication equipment;

   T-72A has a number of improvements;

   T-72AK command version of the T-72A;

   T-72AV fitted with explosive reactive armor;

   T-72M export model of the T-72A;

   T-72B with thicker turret armor;

   T-72BK command version of the T-72B;

   T-72B1 has no capability to launch anti-tank guided missiles;

   T-72S export version of the T-72B;

   T-72S1 export version of the T-72B1;

   T-72BM fitted with second generation explosive reactive armor;

   T-90 further development of the T-72;

   PT-91 Twardy improved Polish version of the T-72;

   TR-125 Romanian version of the T-72;

   M-84 former Yugoslavian version of the T-72;

   Other variants are:

   BREM-1 armored recovery vehicle;

   BREM-2 armored recovery vehicle;

   MTU-72 bridgelayer;

   IMR-2 armored engineering vehicle;

   BMR-3M mine clearing vehicle;

   BMPT tank support combat vehice;

   BMO-T specialized heavy armored personnel carrier;

   2S19 Msta-S 152-mm self-propelled howitzer.