Saha Expo International Defense Exhibition Turkey Istanbul

Older Russian T-72B are upgrade to Modern T-72B3 80305174

Defense & Security News - Russia

The Russian defense ministry continues the modernization of T-72B tanks to the level of T-72B3. The combat capabilities of the upgraded version considerably surpass those of the predecessor. The first batch of 20 tanks with additional protection has been modernized, passed the necessary tests and was delivered to the troops, the press service of the defense ministry said.

T-72B3

"The modernization includes upgrade and replacement of the main combat, power, and cruising components of the tank and installation of additional reactive armor. The upgraded tank loader provides for fire from the 125-mm smoothbore gun 2A46M-5 with new extended armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles. The tank has a multichannel Sosna-U sight which includes a target tracker and an imaging infrared channel, as well as modern digital communication systems," the press service said.

It was earlier reported that modernized T-72B3M tanks with Relikt reactive armor became operational in the motorized infantry formation of the 1st tank army.

According to US Military Balance publication for 2017, the Russian army has 800 modernized T-72B3 tanks. They are armed with 125-mm gun 2A46M-5 capable of firing antitank guided missiles. Road speed of the tank is 60 kilometers per hour. The T-72B3 is equipped with module-made reactive armor. The tank has a two-plane stabilizer and automatic target tracker. The targeting and monitoring complex of the commander identifies targets at a distance of up to 4000 meters in daytime. The tank weighs 46 tons.

T-90MS

In 2006 the Relikt complex with elements of reactive armor 4C23 became operational in the Russian armed forces and was installed on tanks T-72B, T-80BV, T-90MS and BMPT vehicles. In contrast to Contact-5 it has higher protection characteristics and serviceability standards due to module construction. The frontal protection is made in a single module which can be easily replaced in field conditions in case of damage.

The use of new explosive composition in 4C23 reactive armor increased its efficiency and reliability against armor-piercing sub-caliber finned projectiles, including low-speed ones which Contact-5 could not properly destroy. The optimized construction of inbuilt reactive armor and the use of new 4C23 element considerably increased its efficiency against tandem hollow-charge shells.