Army of Belarus tests T-72BME upgraded T-72A main battle tank

The Belarusian military tests the T-72BME upgraded tank, according to an industrial source. Belarus’s 140th Repair Plant has upgraded the T-72A main battle tank to the T-72BME level, the new upgraded tank was showed for the first time to the public during MILEX international arms exhibition in Minsk, in May 2017.

T-72BME main battle tank at Milex defense exhibition in Belarus, May 2017.  (Picture source Army Recognition)

"In April, the State Military-Industrial Committee [Goskomvoenprom] summarized the results of tests of the T-72BME main battle tank [MBT]. The tests confirmed high performance of the vehicle, and Belarus` Ministry of Defense [MoD] decided to conduct further trials in order to determine the tank`s suitability for the Belarusian Armed Forces," the source said.

According to him, several foreign countries had already shown their interest in the MBT. "In April, the members of official delegations of Kazakhstan and Angola participated in the tank`s live-fire tests at the 227th Combined-Arms Range," the source added.

In fact, the T-72BME is a deep upgrade of the baseline T-72B mod. 1984 MBT. The modernized vehicle has received the ESSA-72U multichannel sight, which allows firing of all types of tank munitions (including rounds with anti-tank guided missiles) on the move. The MBT has been fitted with a meteorological sensor and new ballistic computer. The T-72BME can engage targets at a distance of up to 5,000 m by day and up to 3,500 m by night. The vehicle also works in hunter-killer mode. The T-72BME is powered by an 840-hp V-84MS diesel engine, which is complemented by an auxiliary power unit (APU). The tank has received a modern digital radio.

The T-72BME has been highly estimated by Kazakhstan`s defense industry. "We are studying the capabilities of the T-72BME tank in conjunction with our military. The vehicle has good dynamic performance, and its organic sighting system, the ESSA-72U, meets modern requirements. However, it is too early to outline any further prospects," Abur Alsumbayev, Deputy Director of the Kazakhstan Aselsan Engineering (KAE) company said.