MBT and their creators
For several decades, Soviet tank building was held at four major enterprises. They were the leading organizations in the entire construction industry of armored vehicles. To equip tanks new types of armor, new weapons and new electronic equipment were created. These enterprises were the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant and the Engineering Design Bureau, the Leningrad Kirov Plant and the Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod. It was these enterprises that provided the entire Soviet Union and the countries formed on its wreckage with heavy armored vehicles. Consider the last decades of the life of these plants, which are associated with the greatest success in the field of tank building.
Kharkov factory and design bureau
From 1 in January, 1966 was a tank design bureau (department 60) and an experienced tank production workshop (shop 190) by order of the Minister of Defense Industry No. 62 from 06.05.65. were merged into an independent enterprise "Kharkov Engineering Design Bureau" (KKBM). A.A. was appointed head and chief designer of the KMDB. Morozov.
Kharkov organizations involved in the development and assembly of tanks, played a very important role in the fate of Russian armored vehicles. The fact is that all the existing Russian / Soviet tanks in one way or another go back to the Kharkov T-64A. Moreover, a few years after its adoption, this vehicle was first enrolled in a new class of armored vehicles - the main battle tanks (MBT). Subsequently, the main tanks ousted other classes from the Soviet army.
Prerequisites for the creation of T-64A and, as a result, the first domestic MBT appeared in the early fifties. At this time, it became clear that existing and promising domestic tanks with current development trends can lose to promising foreign ones in a number of parameters. In particular, the division into medium and heavy tanks and the resulting specificity of classes did not provide the proper balance of firepower, protection and mobility. In the course of solving the existing problem, several experimental "Objects" were created, on which various technical solutions were worked out. Of all these samples, only the “432 Object”, adopted under the designation T-64А, went to the series. It is noteworthy that the T-64A was not adopted immediately. Before the order of acceptance for service, several months were spent on military pilot operation and elimination of structural defects.
The next project in Kharkiv was "Object 434". It was created on the basis of the previous "432", but taking into account the identified shortcomings and the most modern views on the conduct of war. As a result, a new tank was developed, combining the 5TDA diesel engine of the original design, the multilayer combined armor, the smooth-bore gun and a number of other innovations. Initially, the new tank was equipped with X-NUMX-mm smooth-bore gun D-115 (68-2). In subsequent versions, he received a more serious 21 2 caliber 26 millimeters. Already in the first versions, the new tank bypassed all available domestic machines for mobility and was not inferior to them in firepower. In the first half of the 125-x was created the very version of the tank, which was armed with 60-mm cannon. It is noteworthy that for the first time in the domestic practice a smooth-bore gun with an automatic loader was installed on the “125 Object”. Among other things, it reduced the crew to three people.
Later, on the basis of T-64A, Kharkov tank builders created a number of modifications, including deep ones. Of the entire range of options, T-64B is worth noting, having received a number of new equipment to ensure the safety of the crew and improve the accuracy of fire; T-64BM with a new engine in the 1000 hp, as well as T-64BV, which received compatibility with dynamic protection systems. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kharkov factory and design bureau did not cease their activities. In the mid-nineties, a deep modernization of the T-XNUMHUD tank produced in Kharkov was carried out. The modification from the base tank was different with a new engine of greater power, a new gun and updated onboard equipment. The tank received the designation T-80. A little later, the T-84 was upgraded to the state of the T-84U Oplot. When this tank was adopted by the Ukrainian army, only the verbal part of the original name remained. The main difference between the "stronghold" from the original T-84 - sighting system, assembled from foreign-made equipment. In the 84 year, "Oplot" adopted. The troops delivered a little more than a dozen cars of this type. Simultaneously with the “Stronghold”, the Yatagan MBT T-2009-84 was created. To participate in the Turkish competition for the supply of new armored vehicles, the designers of the Kharkov engineering design bureau for them. A.A. Morozov replaced the 120-mm gun with a millimeter 125 caliber gun (NATO standard), and also completely reworked the automatic loader. In accordance with the requirements of Turkey, its installation was moved to the back of the tower. Additional armament, electronics and other components of Yatagan, due to the export nature of the project, were purchased abroad. T-120-84 could not win the Turkish tender - the winner was the German Leopard 120. Currently, "Yatagan" exists only in one copy.
Kirov Plant
The design office of the Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Kirov factory, starting from the end of the 20-s, was engaged in the creation of tanks. The most famous offspring of Leningrad engineers - tanks of the KV family. Unfortunately, these heavy armored vehicles in their time could not have the expected effect on the course of the war. As it turned out, the technical breakthrough of the Kirov factory was ahead.
It was Leningrad engineers and workers who created the world's first serial tank equipped with a gas turbine engine (GTE) - T-80. The idea to equip the armored vehicle with a new type of engine appeared in the early fifties. In the middle of the decade, two experimental gas turbine engines PD-1 with the power 1000 hp were assembled at the LKZ. High power engines promised them good prospects in the field of heavy tanks. Soon, however, views on future wars changed, and the creation of heavy tanks was discontinued. It is worth noting that the PD-1 engines were exclusively experimental: they had such a number of “childhood diseases” that in the coming years they had to deal exclusively with tests and refinements, but not with the development of mass production. At the same time, the country's leadership understood the promising direction and demanded the forcing of work. So, according to the Minister of Medium Machine Building V.A. Malysheva, already twenty years later (in the middle of 70-x) gas turbine power plants were to be distributed in ground equipment. Regarding the timing, as it turned out, he was not mistaken that you could not say about the assumptions about the scope of the application.
In the first half of the sixties, all tank design bureaus of the Soviet Union, among other things, were engaged in the development of promising tanks with gas turbine engines. Kharkiv engineers, under the leadership of A.A. Morozova - T-64T, and then Nizhny Tagil, headed by L.N. Kartseva - "Object 167T." Both cars were equipped with engines of the GTD-3T family, originally created for helicopters. However, this “borrowing” extremely unfortunate impact on the work of the tank power plant. The main reason for this is dust. The GTD of the helicopter sucks in dust only at some stages of the flight, and even then, in a sufficiently small amount. The tank, in turn, drives on the ground and almost all the time raises dust around it. Naturally, the gas turbine engine with high air consumption all the time "gorge" dust, which often led to malfunctions and breakdowns.
In 1968, the Kirov plant was required to modernize the Kharkov T-64. The resolution of the Council of Ministers concerned the installation on a tank of a gas turbine power plant. It is noteworthy that this time together with the OKB. Klimov developed a special tank engine. Under the leadership of S.P. Izotov has carried out work on the radical modernization of the existing gas turbine system. The finished engine GTD-1000T with a capacity of one thousand horsepower was installed on the experienced "Object 219пХNUMX". When testing this prototype, some problems were identified in the design of the engine. At the same time, it became clear that the existing undercarriage of the T-1 tank in its current form cannot be used in conjunction with such a powerful engine. I had to recycle almost all elements of the chassis: rollers, tracks tracks, suspension, etc. In addition, the tower has undergone some changes. As for weapons and auxiliary equipment, it remains the same.
For nearly seven years, prototypes with the designation “Object 219sp2” traveled around the landfills, overcame various obstacles and traveled to snowy and sandy areas. In 1976, the tests of the new tank were completed, and on July 6 it was put into service under the name T-80. The first serious modernization of the tank took place in the 1978 year, when the T-80 was able to fire guided missiles and the letter “B” in the designation. The new T-80B was carrying the Cobra 9KXNNXX-112 guided weapons complex. The rocket 1М9 is launched through the barrel of the gun-launcher 112А2-46. Subsequent modifications of the tank were equipped with dynamic protection systems, anti-aircraft machine gun installations with remote control, etc.
The most significant design change was made in the first half of the 80's. In 1987, the Birch T-80UD tank was launched in the series. From the original "Eighties" he was different engine. For a number of reasons, mainly of an economic nature, instead of the CCD, it was proposed to install a diesel of the same power. The implication was that the presence of tanks in the troops with the same armament complex and different powerplant would simplify logistics and equipment maintenance in the event of war. All further refinements of the T-80 tank were carried out in two directions: on the basis of gas turbine modifications and on the basis of Birch. In total, more than thirty modifications of the T-80 tank were created, about half of which belong to the Kharkov KBM.
For several reasons, the Leningrad Kirov Plant assembled only a few batches of T-80 tanks. Further, the production was transferred to the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant and to Kharkov. With regard to the creation of new machines, the design office of the Kirov Plant, according to available data, in the first years after the collapse of the Soviet Union continued to work towards improving the T-80, but then turned them off. Most likely, the latest development was the "Object 292" - T-80, armed with an 152-mm gun. Currently, the active development of the T-80 theme is carried out by Kharkov designers.
Uralvagonzavod
At about the same time as the Kirovsky Zavods, the Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod joined the “race” for the creation of main tanks. One of the main reasons for this was the identified deficiencies of the T-64 tank. It took time to fix the problems, and the new tank needed to be delivered as soon as possible and in large quantities. Opportunities of the industry allowed to start production at any of the plants of the industry However, Kharkov plant them. Malysheva could not provide all enterprises with the right amount of 5TD diesel engines. An alternative to the Kharkov engine could be the Chelyabinsk B-45 / 46. As a result, Kharkiv created a tank "Object-438", then renamed the "Object-439" - T-64 with a diesel engine B-45. It was assumed that it will be produced in Nizhny Tagil.
But the management of Uralvagonzavod insisted that they should not impose someone else’s development, but let them make their own. However, the Uralvagonzavod design bureau did not abandon the documentation provided on the “439 Object” and applied in its project a number of developments on the T-64А topic, concerning the armored hull and the turret. Not changed and the composition of weapons. In this case, the automatic loader was designed anew. It is worth noting that due to its design it was necessary to alter the shape of the tower. Another feature of borrowing developments was the non-interchangeability of some units. First of all, it concerns onboard transmissions. Nizhny Tagil engineers slightly changed the design of these units, which, however, excluded the possibility of producing identical boxes for both tanks.
In 1973, the resulting “172M object” was adopted by the Soviet Army under the designation T-72. As a result of this decision, the troops turned out to be two types of main tanks, generally similar in characteristics but significantly different in terms of production. And the required modernization of the T-64A with the replacement of the engine did not work out - the T-72 was a kind of mixture of the know-how of the Kharkov and Nizhny Tagil design bureaus. However, the T-72 went to the troops.
We often hear that T-72 was inferior in its characteristics to Kharkov T-64А. However, its combination of capabilities and cost allowed relatively quickly to equip a sufficient number of tank units and organize export deliveries. In addition, T-72 was produced abroad under license: in India, Iraq, Poland and Czechoslovakia. On the basis of the original T-72, two dozen modifications were made, several of which reached mass production. Finally, in foreign countries, primarily in the former Soviet republics, twenty more T-72 variants were created, differing from each other in equipment and armaments.
The latest modification of the T-72 was T-72BU, later renamed T-90. Initially, an armored vehicle labeled “188 Object” was intended to be a compromise between the T-72 and the newest equipment. For this purpose, a new weapon control system was installed on the T-72BU / T-90, as well as a set of protective equipment. It is worth noting that the T-90 was the first domestic tank, initially received the opportunity to use not only dynamic but also active protection. The "Blind-1" system provides protection against guided anti-tank weapons with a different method of targeting. To do this, the system includes infrared illuminators and smoke grenade launchers. With a major upgrade of equipment and the installation of new systems, the undercarriage remained almost completely the same.
In 1992, the T-90 was adopted by the Russian army. In the next few years, due to the difficult economic situation, only 120 units were built. Production of the T-90 for its own needs was resumed only in 2004, when the updated version of the tank under the designation T-90А went into the series. This modification has a new tower with a higher level of protection, a number of new equipment, as well as a 1000-strong diesel B-92C-2. Appearing in not the best time for the country, T-90 became the basis for only a dozen modifications, a considerable part of which remained on the drawings. At the end of the 90-x appeared export version of the T-90C, which immediately interested the Indian military and was purchased by them in large quantities. It is often claimed that this particular contract did not allow Uralvagonzavod to remain without work and leave the tank industry.
The latest T-90 modification at the moment is T-90C (in some sources, it was assigned the unofficial designations T-90CM and T-90MS). It is equipped with an updated gun 2А46М-5, in comparison with previous guns with greater accuracy and greater resource. Also at the disposal of the crew are now available viewing and sighting devices with the functions of thermal imagers, which allows the tank to act at any time of day and in almost any weather conditions. Of particular interest is the video surveillance system installed on the roof of the tower. The systems of dynamic and active protection have also undergone significant changes. It is alleged that the T-90C (T-90CM, T-90MS) can become the combat vehicle that will serve in the Russian army until the latter receives the proper number of completely new tanks (Armata). At the same time, the high performance of the new tank is “compensated” at a considerable price. Yes, and the expediency of the procurement of this machine is sometimes questioned. Anyway, T-90C (T-90CM, T-90MS) may well find buyers abroad. Thanks to this, the Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod will be able to maintain its potential in the field of tank building and master new technologists.
instead of an epilogue
The events of twenty years ago, which occurred in the life of a superpower called the Soviet Union, extremely adversely affected all spheres of the economy and industry. Because of this, Russia first lost the Kharkov factory and KBM, and then the Kirov factory left tank construction. As a result, only one factory remained in the whole country, which is engaged in the production of tanks, and not other armored vehicles. Perhaps the state should pay special attention to the preservation and development of the remaining Uralvagonzavod. The loss of this enterprise will have very bad consequences for the whole country - the army will remain without new equipment, and the country will not receive profits from export supplies. And for the plant itself, as well as for its employees, defense contracts are very, very profitable.
Of course, in our country there are other companies that collect armored vehicles for the army. However, the transfer of production to another site always takes a lot of time and effort. It is hardly worth going to these costs. Well, if you want so much to get a new tank production, then let it be better to be the second in the country, and not the only one.
On the materials of the sites:
http://morozov.com.ua/
http://kzgroup.ru/
http://uvz.ru/
http://armor.kiev.ua/
http://t-80b.ru/
http://tank-t-90.ru/
http://oborona.ru/
http://odnako.org/
Kharkov factory and design bureau
From 1 in January, 1966 was a tank design bureau (department 60) and an experienced tank production workshop (shop 190) by order of the Minister of Defense Industry No. 62 from 06.05.65. were merged into an independent enterprise "Kharkov Engineering Design Bureau" (KKBM). A.A. was appointed head and chief designer of the KMDB. Morozov.
Kharkov organizations involved in the development and assembly of tanks, played a very important role in the fate of Russian armored vehicles. The fact is that all the existing Russian / Soviet tanks in one way or another go back to the Kharkov T-64A. Moreover, a few years after its adoption, this vehicle was first enrolled in a new class of armored vehicles - the main battle tanks (MBT). Subsequently, the main tanks ousted other classes from the Soviet army.
Prerequisites for the creation of T-64A and, as a result, the first domestic MBT appeared in the early fifties. At this time, it became clear that existing and promising domestic tanks with current development trends can lose to promising foreign ones in a number of parameters. In particular, the division into medium and heavy tanks and the resulting specificity of classes did not provide the proper balance of firepower, protection and mobility. In the course of solving the existing problem, several experimental "Objects" were created, on which various technical solutions were worked out. Of all these samples, only the “432 Object”, adopted under the designation T-64А, went to the series. It is noteworthy that the T-64A was not adopted immediately. Before the order of acceptance for service, several months were spent on military pilot operation and elimination of structural defects.
MBT T-64
The next project in Kharkiv was "Object 434". It was created on the basis of the previous "432", but taking into account the identified shortcomings and the most modern views on the conduct of war. As a result, a new tank was developed, combining the 5TDA diesel engine of the original design, the multilayer combined armor, the smooth-bore gun and a number of other innovations. Initially, the new tank was equipped with X-NUMX-mm smooth-bore gun D-115 (68-2). In subsequent versions, he received a more serious 21 2 caliber 26 millimeters. Already in the first versions, the new tank bypassed all available domestic machines for mobility and was not inferior to them in firepower. In the first half of the 125-x was created the very version of the tank, which was armed with 60-mm cannon. It is noteworthy that for the first time in the domestic practice a smooth-bore gun with an automatic loader was installed on the “125 Object”. Among other things, it reduced the crew to three people.
MBT T-64A. The picture was taken from the cover of the magazine "Military knowledge" No. 9 for 1994 (http://russianarms.mybb.ru)
Later, on the basis of T-64A, Kharkov tank builders created a number of modifications, including deep ones. Of the entire range of options, T-64B is worth noting, having received a number of new equipment to ensure the safety of the crew and improve the accuracy of fire; T-64BM with a new engine in the 1000 hp, as well as T-64BV, which received compatibility with dynamic protection systems. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kharkov factory and design bureau did not cease their activities. In the mid-nineties, a deep modernization of the T-XNUMHUD tank produced in Kharkov was carried out. The modification from the base tank was different with a new engine of greater power, a new gun and updated onboard equipment. The tank received the designation T-80. A little later, the T-84 was upgraded to the state of the T-84U Oplot. When this tank was adopted by the Ukrainian army, only the verbal part of the original name remained. The main difference between the "stronghold" from the original T-84 - sighting system, assembled from foreign-made equipment. In the 84 year, "Oplot" adopted. The troops delivered a little more than a dozen cars of this type. Simultaneously with the “Stronghold”, the Yatagan MBT T-2009-84 was created. To participate in the Turkish competition for the supply of new armored vehicles, the designers of the Kharkov engineering design bureau for them. A.A. Morozov replaced the 120-mm gun with a millimeter 125 caliber gun (NATO standard), and also completely reworked the automatic loader. In accordance with the requirements of Turkey, its installation was moved to the back of the tower. Additional armament, electronics and other components of Yatagan, due to the export nature of the project, were purchased abroad. T-120-84 could not win the Turkish tender - the winner was the German Leopard 120. Currently, "Yatagan" exists only in one copy.
T-84U "Oplot". Preparing for the parade in Kiev, 1999 g. (Http://armor.kiev.ua)
The main battle tank "Yatagan" in Turkey (http://armor.kiev.ua)
Kirov Plant
The design office of the Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Kirov factory, starting from the end of the 20-s, was engaged in the creation of tanks. The most famous offspring of Leningrad engineers - tanks of the KV family. Unfortunately, these heavy armored vehicles in their time could not have the expected effect on the course of the war. As it turned out, the technical breakthrough of the Kirov factory was ahead.
It was Leningrad engineers and workers who created the world's first serial tank equipped with a gas turbine engine (GTE) - T-80. The idea to equip the armored vehicle with a new type of engine appeared in the early fifties. In the middle of the decade, two experimental gas turbine engines PD-1 with the power 1000 hp were assembled at the LKZ. High power engines promised them good prospects in the field of heavy tanks. Soon, however, views on future wars changed, and the creation of heavy tanks was discontinued. It is worth noting that the PD-1 engines were exclusively experimental: they had such a number of “childhood diseases” that in the coming years they had to deal exclusively with tests and refinements, but not with the development of mass production. At the same time, the country's leadership understood the promising direction and demanded the forcing of work. So, according to the Minister of Medium Machine Building V.A. Malysheva, already twenty years later (in the middle of 70-x) gas turbine power plants were to be distributed in ground equipment. Regarding the timing, as it turned out, he was not mistaken that you could not say about the assumptions about the scope of the application.
Main battle tank T-80 (Object 219sp1)
In the first half of the sixties, all tank design bureaus of the Soviet Union, among other things, were engaged in the development of promising tanks with gas turbine engines. Kharkiv engineers, under the leadership of A.A. Morozova - T-64T, and then Nizhny Tagil, headed by L.N. Kartseva - "Object 167T." Both cars were equipped with engines of the GTD-3T family, originally created for helicopters. However, this “borrowing” extremely unfortunate impact on the work of the tank power plant. The main reason for this is dust. The GTD of the helicopter sucks in dust only at some stages of the flight, and even then, in a sufficiently small amount. The tank, in turn, drives on the ground and almost all the time raises dust around it. Naturally, the gas turbine engine with high air consumption all the time "gorge" dust, which often led to malfunctions and breakdowns.
In 1968, the Kirov plant was required to modernize the Kharkov T-64. The resolution of the Council of Ministers concerned the installation on a tank of a gas turbine power plant. It is noteworthy that this time together with the OKB. Klimov developed a special tank engine. Under the leadership of S.P. Izotov has carried out work on the radical modernization of the existing gas turbine system. The finished engine GTD-1000T with a capacity of one thousand horsepower was installed on the experienced "Object 219пХNUMX". When testing this prototype, some problems were identified in the design of the engine. At the same time, it became clear that the existing undercarriage of the T-1 tank in its current form cannot be used in conjunction with such a powerful engine. I had to recycle almost all elements of the chassis: rollers, tracks tracks, suspension, etc. In addition, the tower has undergone some changes. As for weapons and auxiliary equipment, it remains the same.
For nearly seven years, prototypes with the designation “Object 219sp2” traveled around the landfills, overcame various obstacles and traveled to snowy and sandy areas. In 1976, the tests of the new tank were completed, and on July 6 it was put into service under the name T-80. The first serious modernization of the tank took place in the 1978 year, when the T-80 was able to fire guided missiles and the letter “B” in the designation. The new T-80B was carrying the Cobra 9KXNNXX-112 guided weapons complex. The rocket 1М9 is launched through the barrel of the gun-launcher 112А2-46. Subsequent modifications of the tank were equipped with dynamic protection systems, anti-aircraft machine gun installations with remote control, etc.
T-80UD "Birch"
The most significant design change was made in the first half of the 80's. In 1987, the Birch T-80UD tank was launched in the series. From the original "Eighties" he was different engine. For a number of reasons, mainly of an economic nature, instead of the CCD, it was proposed to install a diesel of the same power. The implication was that the presence of tanks in the troops with the same armament complex and different powerplant would simplify logistics and equipment maintenance in the event of war. All further refinements of the T-80 tank were carried out in two directions: on the basis of gas turbine modifications and on the basis of Birch. In total, more than thirty modifications of the T-80 tank were created, about half of which belong to the Kharkov KBM.
For several reasons, the Leningrad Kirov Plant assembled only a few batches of T-80 tanks. Further, the production was transferred to the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant and to Kharkov. With regard to the creation of new machines, the design office of the Kirov Plant, according to available data, in the first years after the collapse of the Soviet Union continued to work towards improving the T-80, but then turned them off. Most likely, the latest development was the "Object 292" - T-80, armed with an 152-mm gun. Currently, the active development of the T-80 theme is carried out by Kharkov designers.
Experienced tank "object 292"
Uralvagonzavod
At about the same time as the Kirovsky Zavods, the Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod joined the “race” for the creation of main tanks. One of the main reasons for this was the identified deficiencies of the T-64 tank. It took time to fix the problems, and the new tank needed to be delivered as soon as possible and in large quantities. Opportunities of the industry allowed to start production at any of the plants of the industry However, Kharkov plant them. Malysheva could not provide all enterprises with the right amount of 5TD diesel engines. An alternative to the Kharkov engine could be the Chelyabinsk B-45 / 46. As a result, Kharkiv created a tank "Object-438", then renamed the "Object-439" - T-64 with a diesel engine B-45. It was assumed that it will be produced in Nizhny Tagil.
Object 172М-2М “Buffalo” (http://btvt.narod.ru)
But the management of Uralvagonzavod insisted that they should not impose someone else’s development, but let them make their own. However, the Uralvagonzavod design bureau did not abandon the documentation provided on the “439 Object” and applied in its project a number of developments on the T-64А topic, concerning the armored hull and the turret. Not changed and the composition of weapons. In this case, the automatic loader was designed anew. It is worth noting that due to its design it was necessary to alter the shape of the tower. Another feature of borrowing developments was the non-interchangeability of some units. First of all, it concerns onboard transmissions. Nizhny Tagil engineers slightly changed the design of these units, which, however, excluded the possibility of producing identical boxes for both tanks.
In 1973, the resulting “172M object” was adopted by the Soviet Army under the designation T-72. As a result of this decision, the troops turned out to be two types of main tanks, generally similar in characteristics but significantly different in terms of production. And the required modernization of the T-64A with the replacement of the engine did not work out - the T-72 was a kind of mixture of the know-how of the Kharkov and Nizhny Tagil design bureaus. However, the T-72 went to the troops.
We often hear that T-72 was inferior in its characteristics to Kharkov T-64А. However, its combination of capabilities and cost allowed relatively quickly to equip a sufficient number of tank units and organize export deliveries. In addition, T-72 was produced abroad under license: in India, Iraq, Poland and Czechoslovakia. On the basis of the original T-72, two dozen modifications were made, several of which reached mass production. Finally, in foreign countries, primarily in the former Soviet republics, twenty more T-72 variants were created, differing from each other in equipment and armaments.
Russian T-72B (M) in Chechnya, on the tank are mounted lattice screens to protect against anti-tank weapons melee (RPG). (http://btvt.narod.ru)
Indian T-72М1 (http://btvt.narod.ru)
The latest modification of the T-72 was T-72BU, later renamed T-90. Initially, an armored vehicle labeled “188 Object” was intended to be a compromise between the T-72 and the newest equipment. For this purpose, a new weapon control system was installed on the T-72BU / T-90, as well as a set of protective equipment. It is worth noting that the T-90 was the first domestic tank, initially received the opportunity to use not only dynamic but also active protection. The "Blind-1" system provides protection against guided anti-tank weapons with a different method of targeting. To do this, the system includes infrared illuminators and smoke grenade launchers. With a major upgrade of equipment and the installation of new systems, the undercarriage remained almost completely the same.
In 1992, the T-90 was adopted by the Russian army. In the next few years, due to the difficult economic situation, only 120 units were built. Production of the T-90 for its own needs was resumed only in 2004, when the updated version of the tank under the designation T-90А went into the series. This modification has a new tower with a higher level of protection, a number of new equipment, as well as a 1000-strong diesel B-92C-2. Appearing in not the best time for the country, T-90 became the basis for only a dozen modifications, a considerable part of which remained on the drawings. At the end of the 90-x appeared export version of the T-90C, which immediately interested the Indian military and was purchased by them in large quantities. It is often claimed that this particular contract did not allow Uralvagonzavod to remain without work and leave the tank industry.
T-90 tank (probably 2004 model) 19 motorized rifle brigade without side screens, Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, 7 September 2010 g. (Photo - Denis Mokrushin, http://twower.livejournal.com).
The latest T-90 modification at the moment is T-90C (in some sources, it was assigned the unofficial designations T-90CM and T-90MS). It is equipped with an updated gun 2А46М-5, in comparison with previous guns with greater accuracy and greater resource. Also at the disposal of the crew are now available viewing and sighting devices with the functions of thermal imagers, which allows the tank to act at any time of day and in almost any weather conditions. Of particular interest is the video surveillance system installed on the roof of the tower. The systems of dynamic and active protection have also undergone significant changes. It is alleged that the T-90C (T-90CM, T-90MS) can become the combat vehicle that will serve in the Russian army until the latter receives the proper number of completely new tanks (Armata). At the same time, the high performance of the new tank is “compensated” at a considerable price. Yes, and the expediency of the procurement of this machine is sometimes questioned. Anyway, T-90C (T-90CM, T-90MS) may well find buyers abroad. Thanks to this, the Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod will be able to maintain its potential in the field of tank building and master new technologists.
Upgraded T-90С tank at the REA-2011 weapons exhibition in Nizhny Tagil (http://otvaga2004.narod.ru)
instead of an epilogue
The events of twenty years ago, which occurred in the life of a superpower called the Soviet Union, extremely adversely affected all spheres of the economy and industry. Because of this, Russia first lost the Kharkov factory and KBM, and then the Kirov factory left tank construction. As a result, only one factory remained in the whole country, which is engaged in the production of tanks, and not other armored vehicles. Perhaps the state should pay special attention to the preservation and development of the remaining Uralvagonzavod. The loss of this enterprise will have very bad consequences for the whole country - the army will remain without new equipment, and the country will not receive profits from export supplies. And for the plant itself, as well as for its employees, defense contracts are very, very profitable.
Of course, in our country there are other companies that collect armored vehicles for the army. However, the transfer of production to another site always takes a lot of time and effort. It is hardly worth going to these costs. Well, if you want so much to get a new tank production, then let it be better to be the second in the country, and not the only one.
On the materials of the sites:
http://morozov.com.ua/
http://kzgroup.ru/
http://uvz.ru/
http://armor.kiev.ua/
http://t-80b.ru/
http://tank-t-90.ru/
http://oborona.ru/
http://odnako.org/
Information