Russian BMPT-72 Terminator 2 tank support combat vehicles cleared for service.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has accepted BMPT-72 Terminator tank support combat vehicles for service and started their serial deliveries to the troops, Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer reported on 20 April.

BMPT-72 "Terminator 2" during the first public rehearsal for the 2018 Victory Day Parade carried on in Alabino (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin)

"The tank support combat vehicle – dubbed the "Terminator" - has been accepted for service and is being serially delivered to the Russian army. The first batch of vehicles has already been handed over to the military," the company said.

Russia's military expressed its interest in the Terminator tank support vehicle (BMPT) developed by the Ural Design Bureau of Transport Machine-Building (UKBTM, a subsidiary of Rostec's Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) research-and manufacturing corporation) at the Army-2017 international military-technical forum, and the relevant contract with UVZ for the BMPT was signed. This is the first case of the Terminator acquisition for the Land Forces. Previously, UKBTM was trying to spark this interest presenting Terminator-1 and its updated modification, Terminator-2, at various defense shows. However, Russia's Ministry of Defense (MoD) gave the cold shoulder to the vehicles, while the lack of the operational status substantially impacted its export outlook. Only Kazakhstan acquired a batch of BMPTs.

The Terminator is a large step forward compared with the modified Shilka SPAAG and the Tunguska SPAAGM (in the anti-personnel role). The newest vehicle features a tank-level armour reinforced with additional means, while its armament suite allows engagement of both infantry and heavily protected targets in an effective manner.

The BMPT-72 (Terminator-2) fire support vehicle is based on the chassis of the T-72 MBT. According to the official catalogue of the UVZ corporation, it has a full weight of no more than 44 t (+2%), an overall length of 7.2 m, an overall width of 3.6 m and an overall height of 3.2 m. The vehicle's crew totals three servicemen (a commander, an operator and a driver). The BMPT-72 has a maximum road speed of 60 km/h and a cruising range of 550 km (with external fuel tanks). The vehicle's armament suite incorporates two 30 mm 2A42 coaxial automatic cannons with an ammunition load of 850 rounds, a semi-automatic laser beam-guided missile system with four ready-to-launch guided missiles and a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov PKTM machinegun with an ammunition load of 2,100 cartridges.

The BMPT Terminator is designed to suppress enemy's anti-tank (AT) manpower armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers, man-portable anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems and small arms and to engage main battle tanks (MBT), infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), light armoured targets, helicopters and low-flying low-speed fixed-wing aircraft. The Terminator has revealed its potential in Syria. Russia's designers on-site decided to introduce the required changes to its construction on the base of the analysis of the combat experience.

As a source in the Russian defense sector told TASS, ten Terminator-2s have already been delivered to the troops and they will take part in the Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9.