T-90A: the first serious modernization of the Russian MBT

The T-90 is the main MBT of the Russian army and from 2001 to 2010 it was the best-selling a tank in the world. The combat vehicle was adopted by the Russian Armed Forces in 1992. After this, the tank underwent a number of upgrades.

The first serious work to improve the combat and technical characteristics of the tank took place in 2004. The vehicle was named T-90A and was produced in this form until 2011.

The tank was equipped with an improved welded turret. Initially, the T-90 was equipped with a cast one. However, its production was lost with the collapse of the USSR.

In addition, the MBT received an improved 125-mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun with an upgraded automatic loader.
The latter could boast of a time between shots of 6,5 seconds (8 seconds for ATGMs). It took 12 seconds to change the type of shot.

The T-90A received four types of ammunition: armor-piercing sub-caliber, cumulative, high-explosive fragmentation and ATGM.

The dispersion rate has improved by 90% compared to the T-20. In addition, the accuracy of shooting while moving has almost doubled.

The ballistic characteristics of the 2A46M-5 gun made it possible to fire high-explosive fragmentation shells at a distance of up to 10 km. At the same time, the effective range for cumulative and armor-piercing sub-caliber shells was 3 km, and for high-explosive fragmentation shells - up to 4 km.

Another significant improvement was the V-92S2 engine with a power of 1000 hp. s., which allowed the tank to reach a maximum speed of up to 70 km/h.

Among other things, in this version of the tank the armor of the upper frontal part of the hull was strengthened, thermal imaging equipment was improved, and a new fire-fighting equipment system was installed.

Comments

[Russian Patriot]

I strongly recommend the channel “Truth of Life” to everyone.

[steelmaker]

"However, its production was lost with the collapse of the USSR."
Interesting information. And if this production has not been mastered in other countries, then the patriots have classified the technology of this production or deliberately destroyed it so that the enemy does not get it.

[Carib]

Most likely it was developed in Kharkov and existed in the singular. And in 2000 it was either destroyed or they didn’t want to sell it to us, they couldn’t sell it.

[kapitan92]

Quote: Carib

Most likely it was developed in Kharkov and existed in the singular. And in 2000 it was either destroyed or they didn’t want to sell it to us, they couldn’t sell it.

What stupid thing?
They began to abandon cast towers back in the 80s. There were projects Object 186 - T-72 with a welded turret and Object 187, the turret of which is used in the T-90A. A similar design is installed on the Kharkov-made T-84U. The reason is the greater strength of the welded rolled part compared to the cast part. Ricocheting of a complex shape is not relevant due to the active use of shaped charges and the high initial speed of the OBPS with a small caliber, which contributes to colossal pressure and heat generation when it hits a steel part.

[Tikhonov_Alexander]

It's a strange claim that technology could have been lost. Most likely, only EBN and his accomplices could give it away for free...

[acetophenone]

The ballistic characteristics of the 2A46M-5 gun made it possible to fire high-explosive fragmentation shells at a distance of up to 10 km. At the same time, the effective range for cumulative and armor-piercing sub-caliber shells was 3 km, and for high-explosive fragmentation shells - up to 4 km.

How shoud I understand this? For the first 4 kilometers the projectile flies in a parabola, and then for 6 kilometers it flies by inertia?