T-62 MBT

Main Battle Tank - Russia

The T-62 is a Russian-made Main Battle Tank (MBT) and further development of the main battle tank T-55. The T-62 was produced between 1961 and 1975. It became the standard main battle tank in the Russian armed forces and the Warsaw pact during the cold war, partly replacing the T-55, although that tank continued to be manufactured in Russia and in other countries in the world. The T-62 main battle tank was adopted for service with the Russian army in 1961. the T-62 is always in service with the Russian army but in an upgraded or modernized version. Many armed forces in the world use the T-62 as the standard main battle tank.

T-62 main variants:

- T-62 (1972): with 12.7 mm DShKM anti-aircraft machine gun mount over loader's position and some other detailed improvements.
- T-62 (1975): This was the final production model and was fitted with the KTD-1 laser range-finder over the 115 mm U-5TS (2A20) gun mantlet to increase first-round hit probability.
- T-62D: T-62 fitted with the Drozd anti-tank missile defence system, passive armour protection, a V-55U engine and the R-173 communications system. Details of this first-generation Drozd system, now called Drozd-1 are given in the T-54/T-55 MBT entry.
- T-62D1: T-62 fitted with the Drozd anti-tank missile defence system, passive armour protection, a V-46-5M engine and the R-173 communications system
- T-62M: T-62 upgrade with the Sheksna (US designation AT-10) laser beam-riding missile system, passive armour protection, a V-55U engine and the R-173 communications system.
The 9K116-1 Sheksna fitted to the T-62M is virtually identical to the 9K116 Bastion system installed in the T-55M.
- T-62M1: T-62 upgrade with the Sheksna (US designation AT-10) laser beam-riding missile system, passive armour protection, a V-46-5M engine and the R-173 communications system
- T-62M1-1: T-62 upgrade without the Sheksna guided missile system, the passive armour protection, the V-46-5M engine and the R-173 communications system
- T-62M1-2-1: T-62M1 upgrade without the Sheksna guided missile system, passive armour protection in turret and belly only, and with the V-46-5M engine and the R-173 communications system
- T-62MV: T-62 upgrade with the Sheksna (US designation AT-10) laser-guided missile system, explosive reactive armour system, a V-55U engine and the R-173 communications system
- T-62MV: T-62 upgrade with the Sheksna (US designation AT-10) laser-guided missile system, explosive reactive armour system, a V-55U engine and the R-173 communications system.
- T-62MV-1: T-62 upgrade with the Sheksna (US designation AT-10) laser-guided missile system, explosive reactive armour protection, a V-46-5M engine and the R-173 communications system.
- T-62K: Command version of T-62 with TNA-3 land navigation system. This appeared in 1973 and consists of six components: gyroscopic compass, one or two compass indicators, latitude correction device, an odometer, power converter and a calculator.
- T-62 flame-thrower: A flame-thrower version of the T-62 is in service under the designation of TO-62. This has a flame gun mounted coaxially with the 115 mm gun with an effective range of 100 m.
- T-62 with Giat 120mm smoothbore gun: In mid-1986, Giat proposed the replacement of the Russian T-62's 115 mm U-5TS (2A20) smoothbore gun with the Giat 120 mm smoothbore gun. In this conversion the original elevation and traverse mechanism is retained and the existing 115 mm gun is replaced by the 120 mm smoothbore gun with loading from the right instead of the left, the existing recoil system also being modified. This remains at the concept stage.
- T-62 with armour package: Improved armour protection by the installation of two different configurations of passive armour and one configuration of explosive reactive armour. Special paint and screens to make it more difficult to detect in the visible, near and far infra-red bands.
- T-62M ARV: recovery vehicle. The modifications included the removal of the three-person turret which was replaced by the fixed upper half of a T-55 or T-55A tank turret which for this role had the 100 mm weapon removed and the turret facing the rear.