On UVZ's possible intention to make BMPTs from old T-72s
This summer, which has already given way to a gloomy autumn, a public vote was announced to determine what proper name to call the combat support vehicle tanksThey say the name "Terminator" has become less than patriotic. It's still a bourgeois name, after all, and therefore—even though it fully justifies its intended purpose—we need to come up with something original, free of cinematic pretensions and in Russian.
How should one react to such an initiative? If one doesn't believe in the obscurantism of the "As you call a ship..." type, then absolutely not. Whether the vehicle is called a "Terminator" or something like "Destroyer" in the Russian style won't make much difference, since menacing epithets and other beautiful words, unfortunately, don't contain explosives and don't possess high kinetic energy, and therefore won't be able to destroy enemy armored vehicles or infantry on the battlefield.
Far more interesting is the fact that, beyond the name, the BMPT is likely to change the platform on which it is produced. This is evidenced by published quotes from the relevant patent, which quickly spread across various domestic media outlets (including TASS)—and, as the saying goes, there's no smoke without fire. Moreover, all this is accompanied by "analysis" by OSINT researchers in Western media, who have noted the movement of old "seventy-twos" from storage using satellite imagery.
So far, it's all up in the air, so to speak. Perhaps they even want to develop robotic "Shturm" systems. But if that does happen, the platform will likely be a modified version of the aging T-72A chassis. On the one hand, that's a good thing, but there's a caveat.
How they plan to modernize the old "unsaleable assets"
It's no secret that most of the tanks produced by our factories for the army aren't brand new, but rather rather old, but modernized, models that rolled off the assembly line during the Soviet era. These include T-62s, which have been overhauled and upgraded with regard to their sighting system, T-80B/BVs, which have been converted to the T-80BVM standard, and T-72Bs, which have been upgraded to the T-72B3 class thanks to a new fire control system, a more powerful engine, and a number of other improvements.
The T-72A, accepted into service in 1979, remains largely unused—they are not sent to the front in large numbers, like the T-72B modernized to the T-72B3 standard, although vehicles of this modification (including the T-72AV with dynamic armor) are occasionally encountered in the Air Defense Zone. Therefore, using the existing stocks of these vehicles, given the ongoing fighting, would be at the very least useful.
Digging into the T-72A's steel bodies, now half-cooled over the years, to revive them as BMPTs will, of course, require a long and thorough process. At least in terms of repairs: all components and assemblies, worn by time and prolonged storage, will need to be overhauled, including the engine, unless it is replaced with "new" uprated versions. Furthermore, in addition to the main engine, an auxiliary power unit for generating electricity will be added. The suspension will also need to be modernized—in particular, sources indicate that the torsion bar twist angles will need to be adjusted to ensure the chassis is pitched forward.
Tanks undergoing modification to become BMPTs will have their turrets and armament removed. Naturally, the automatic loader transporter will be discarded as unnecessary—there's no gun, so there's nothing to load. Next, the standard tank racks, designed to hold fuel and ammunition for the 125mm gun, will be removed. They will be replaced by tanks that can carry a larger volume of fuel.
The turret will be replaced by a standard Terminator combat module with seats for the commander and gunner. It won't be possible to simply install it in place of the tank's turret, so an adapter ring will be used for installation. This adapter ring, along with other components, including the combat module's ring guard in the form of reactive armor, are shown in the diagram below.
1 — chassis. 10 — driver's hatch with emergency opening mechanism. 6 — spare parts boxes. 2 — adapter ring. 5, 4 — protective screens with dynamic protection. 7 — placement of equipment for collecting links of belts of cannons and machine guns.
The BMPT armament will be similar to the familiar Terminator: a 7,62 mm machine gun, two twin anti-tank missile launchers missiles, covered with casings to protect against precipitation, small fragments, and small-caliber bullets, as well as two 2A42 30mm automatic cannons. However, the vehicle lacks automatic grenade launchers—nor, in fact, any seats provided for the operators of these grenade launchers, so the crew will be limited to a driver, commander, and gunner.
The fire control system isn't entirely clear yet—if the BMPT goes into production, its functionality may be cut to reduce costs and simplify manufacturing. But it will likely feature a commander's panoramic viewfinder and a gunner's sight. Consequently, it will also feature optics, a television channel, and a thermal imaging system, supplemented by a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer.
The vehicle is expected to be protected by Relikt explosive reactive armor, which can withstand anti-tank grenades and missiles, including some tandem missiles, and also provides increased protection against sub-caliber projectiles. In addition, the BMPT has slat armor on the hull sides near the engine compartment and at the rear, protecting against PG-7 and PG-9 grenades.
3 - combat module. 9 - ATGM launchers with protective casings.
In general, the proposed BMPT is essentially the BMPT-72, which was on display at exhibitions 10 years ago and was developed according to the “cheap and cheerful” principle.
Conclusions
Judging whether it's necessary to convert tanks into BMPTs (if this does happen) in the current situation is, of course, difficult. On the one hand, the front also needs tanks, and in large quantities, so there's merit in reviving and at least slightly upgrading older vehicles from storage. On the other hand, given the nature of combat operations in the Northern Military District, where more emphasis is placed on destroying enemy manpower (especially during assaults), the BMPT will be even more effective than a tank.
However, a tank gun performs much worse against such targets due to the projectiles' long overshoots and undershoots, as well as their insufficiently uniform and dense fragmentation field due to the low angle of impact. Furthermore, a tank gun doesn't provide a constant firepower response (preparing to fire takes a long time), which leaves these same targets open to return fire. 30mm automatic cannons partially address these issues by increasing the density of their fire.
Especially when these automatic cannons are mounted on a heavily armored chassis that far outshines any infantry fighting vehicle. Especially when combined with more or less modern dynamic protection capable of protecting the vehicle from anti-tank grenade launchers and missiles. But there's one caveat.
BMPT-72
The proposed BMPT is completely devoid of automatic grenade launchers (AG). Compared to the Terminator, the situation is ambiguous, as reviews of them among operators are highly controversial. It's often said that the grenade launchers in the Terminator are superfluous passengers—and from an evolutionary perspective, this is understandable, since the original plans, when the BMPT concept was being promoted many years ago, called for the grenade launchers to be part of the airborne force.
The catch, however, is that 30mm cannons must be complemented by an automatic grenade launcher, as this is precisely what allows for effective engagement of personnel in trenches and behind uneven terrain. Moreover, it must be mounted not haphazardly, but preferably on a turret (combat module) with stabilization. The proposed BMPT (BMPT-72), unfortunately, lacks both a haphazard and a properly stabilized mounting.
So it's both a BMPT and a surrogate at the same time. But in any case, if the BMPT based on the T-72 does go into production, it's far better than if hundreds of tanks, which could at least be used, continue to rust in storage. Moreover, developing the BMPT by upgrading existing tanks is much simpler, both technologically and financially.
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