Saha Expo International Defense Exhibition Turkey Istanbul

Analysis Russian defense industry offers modern main battle tanks on the global military market TASS 10612163

Military Defense Industry Technology - Russian MBT market

Analysis: Russian defense industry offers modern main battle tanks on the global military market.

Russia`s Rosoboronexport company (a subsidiary of the Rostec state corporation) offers modern, reliable, and proven main battle tanks (MBT) to potential foreign customers on the global arms market. The Rosoboronexport`s tank portfolio includes several types of the vehicles that meet all requirements to this type of defense hardware.

Russian-made T-90S main battle tank at Russian Expo Arms, in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.

The T-90S MBT is one of the most popular tanks in the world. It is a new-generation sophisticated tank, which is based on the decades-long experience gained by Russian engineers and on the usage of MBTs in action in various countries around the world. T-90S is a tracked combat vehicle that incorporates an effective armament suite, an advanced fire control system (FCS), and a reinforced armour protection kit. It also features an enhanced maneuverability.

The armament suite of T-90S includes a 125 mm high-precision smoothbore stabilized tank gun with an integrated bore-sighting system and a quick detachable barrel. The gun is coupled with an autoloader that drastically increases the tank`s firing rate to 7-8 rounds per minute. These features distinguish T-90S from most part of modern MBTs. The gun can fire armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and high-explosive (HE) rounds. The tank`s fighting capabilities have been reinforced through the medium of guided missile weaponry: the tank can fire laser-beam riding anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). The gun is complemented by a 12.7 mm remotely controlled roof-mounted machinegun that is operated by the commander to destroy light low-flying aerial targets (including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)) and enemy`s manpower. The T-90S` FCS allows firing all types of rounds at distances up to 5,000 m from a stationary position or when moving, by day and night. It should be noted that both commander and gunner can fire the main armament of the tank and the coaxial machinegun.

The MBT is powered by a powerful diesel engine that in conjunction with proven and reliable chassis, a mechanical transmission with hydraulic controls, and tracks provides high level of maneuverability. The tank is equipped with a deep-water fording kit. T-90S integrates self-digging devices and can be complemented by a mine plow. Therefore, the MBT is supposed to be one of the most effective heavy combat vehicles in the world.

According to the official specifications, T-90S has a combat weight of 46.5 t, a crew of 3 tankers, an effective firing range of 3,000 m by APFSDS and 4,000 m by HE rounds, a maximum firing range of 5,000 m, a cross-country cruise speed of 35-40 km/h, a maximum road speed of 60 km/h, and a road range of 550 km. The tank can overcome a 2.6-2.8 m trench and a 0.85 m vertical obstacle.

The T-90MS tank has a combat weight of 48 t, a crew of 3 tankers, and a maximum road speed of 60 km/h.

Russian-made T-90MS main battle tank at Russian Expo Arms, in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.

Rosoboronexport also promotes on the global market the command variant of T-90S designated as T-90SK (K stands for Command; Komandirsky). The tank is intended for providing control over subordinate units during operations. T-90SK`s armament suite, powerpack, chassis, sensors, sights, and pieces of engineering equipment are identical to those of T-90S MBT. The command tank features a high frequency (HF) radio, a satellite navigation system with a map processing function (can be replaced by TNA-4-3 navigation system), and the AB-1-28 auxiliary power unit (APU). T-90SK incorporates the R-163-50K transmitting-receiving radio system with single-sideband modulation, the R-163-50U ultra-high frequency (UHF) transmitting-receiving radio with frequency modulation, and the R-163-UP UHF receiving system with frequency modulation.

The Rosoboronexport company has been conducting the intensive promotion of the latest modification of T-90S designated as T-90MS on the global market since the IDEX-2015 defense show. The T-90MS tank has a combat weight of 48 t, a crew of 3 tankers, and a maximum road speed of 60 km/h. The tank has received a 125 mm gun as the main weapon with the ammunition load of 40 rounds. T-90MS is also armed with coaxial 7.62 mm Kalashnikov PKTM machinegun and one more PKTM integrated with a remote controlled weapon station (RCWS). A multifuel diesel engine (1,130 h.p.) powers the MBT. T-90MS features explosive reactive armour (ERA) and bar-slats.

Russian-made T-72M1M main battle tank at Russian Expo Arms, in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.

The Rosoboronexport company also offers to potential customers the updated variant of the world-known T-72 tank designated as T-72M1. T-72M1 has a low silhouette, an effective armament suite, and good reliability. It should be noted that the tank features an increased cost-effectiveness ratio. T-72M1 incorporates all the basic model`s advantages, as well as the latest achievements in tank development. The T-72M1`s protection, firepower, maneuverability and operational effectiveness are radically enhanced over the basic T-72 tank. The updated MBT is armed with a 125 mm 2A46M smoothbore stabilized gun coupled with an autoloader. 2A46M features improved accuracy and firing range. The gun is integrated with a modern FCS that allows gunner or commander to engage target from a stationary position or on the move, by day and night and even in poor visibility conditions. Such a combination provides high hit probability.

The FCS of T-72M1 offers improved target detection capabilities and increased accuracy. It incorporates a main sight, a ballistic computer, a stabilizer, and an automatic target tracking device. The tank can fire laser beam-riding ATGMs at distances up to 5,000 m. The missile can destroy both land and low-flying aerial targets.

It is noteworthy that T-72M1 features an advanced protection kit that includes basic armour, an integrated ERA, camouflage, and automatized smoke grenade launchers. Therefore, the tank can accomplish all types of combat tasks on the modern battlefield under enemy`s fire. It also incorporates a nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological (NBCR) protection system, that drastically increases the level of the crew`s survivability during operations. A reliable engine, advanced torsion bars, and hydraulic shock absorbers provide high level of the tank`s maneuverability.

According to official specifications, the T-72M1 tank has a combat weight of 46 t, a crew of 3 tankers, an effective firing range of 3,000 m for armour-piercing rounds and of 4,000 m for HE ones, a maximum firing range of 5,000 m, an average speed in rough terrain of 35-40 km/h, a maximum road speed of 65 km/h, and a road range of 550 km. The tank can overcome a 2.6-2.8 m trench and a 0.85 m vertical obstacle. The T-72M1`s armament suite incorporates 125 mm 2A46M tank gun, a 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machinegun, and a 12.7 mm NSVT anti-aircraft machinegun that can destroy both ground and low-flying aerial targets. The tank also features a semi-automatic jamming-resistant laser-beam riding guidance system intended for the launching of missiles. The MBT is powered by a V-shaped multi-fuel engine (840 h.p.).

Russian-made BMPT Tank Support Combat Vehicle at Russian Expo Arms, in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.

Rosoboronexport also promotes the BMPT tank-based heavy fire support vehicle (HFSV). BMPT offers the tank level of armour protection and can fulfill assigned combat tasks under harsh enemy`s fire. It is intended for the elimination of the low-observable and dispersed targets that pose a threat to tanks on the battlefield (for instance, anti-tank soldiers armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and ATGM systems). The armament suite of BMPT is saturated with weapons and sensors that allow destroying targets by day and night. BMPT is fitted with anti-tank weapons to engage heavily protected vehicles (MBT, heavy infantry fighting vehicles (HIFV), and heavy armoured personnel carriers (HAPC)), engineer installations, and dug-in objects.

At the same time, BMPT is supposed to be a combat asset that eliminates the threats posed by low-observable targets to MBTs on the battlefield. The vehicles carries an advanced FCS that incorporates a multi-channel sighting system, a thermal imager, and a panoramic TV sight. It significantly eases the process of small-sized target search and identification by day and night, in almost all types of climatic conditions. The armament suite of BMPT is based on two 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannons that can eliminate threats through the medium of HE and armour-piercing rounds. Two launchers with four ready-to-launch laser beam-riding guided missiles are intended for the destruction of hard-skin targets (including MBTs and engineer installations) and low-flying aerial targets. The aforementioned weapons are complemented by a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov PKTM machinegun (M stands for Upgraded; Modernizirovanny) and 30 mm remotely-controlled vertically stabilized automatic grenade launchers (AGL).

It should be noted that a special attention was paid to the vehicle`s anti-tank protection at a development stage. BMPT has the same level of protection as modern MBTs have; at the same time, it lacks the tanks` weakest point, namely gun port. The frontal arc and sides of the vehicle are protected by ERA, while the rear part features bar-slat armour that protects against HEAT warheads of rocket-propelled grenades. Therefore, BMPT is supposed to be one of the most heavily protected combat vehicles in the world. It can accomplish combat tasks in urban and rugged terrains. The high elevation angle of the main armament allows engaging targets that entrench in loft buildings.

Hence, the combination of advanced sensors, reliable protection, and state-of-the-art weaponry makes BMPT a truly valuable combat asset that can provide a wide range of support measures on the battlefield. The usage of such vehicles drastically increases the effectiveness of MBTs. Therefore, BMPT provides an overwhelming fire support and effective protection simultaneously.

According to the official specifications, the BMPT vehicle has a combat weight of 47 t, a crew of 5 tankers, a cross-country cruise speed of 35-40 km/h, a maximum road speed of 65 km/h, and a road range of 550 km. The tank can overcome a 2.6-2.8 m trench and a 0.85 m vertical obstacle. The 2A42 guns have a firing range of 3,000 m, while the missiles that feature a semi-automatic laser beam-riding guidance system of 400-5,000 m. Two belt-fed 30 mm AGLs have an effective firing range of 1,400 m and a firing rate of 400-500 rounds per minute.