Ukrainian army has taken delivery of 70 pieces of new military equipment.

In November 2018, during an official ceremony, Ukrainian army has taken delivery of more 70 pieces of new military equipment and combat vehicles as an upgraded version of the T-72 MBT Main Battle Tank, wheeled armored personnel carrier BTR-3, VARTA, Novator and anti-tank missile systems.

In November 2018, Ukrainian army has taken delivery of 70 pieces of new military equipment including weapons and combat vehicles (Picture source: UkroboronProm)

Ukrainian Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov says the enterprises of the Ukraine's state-run military-industrial concern Ukroboronprom have transferred over 3,500 units of weapons and military equipment to the Ukrainian army over the three quarters this year, including over 2,000 units of brand new and modernized weapons.

For many years, the Ukrainian defense industry has developed and manufactured many new military equipment including armored and main battle tanks, naval and aviation equipment, rocket and artillery weapons, air defense systems, communications, and electronic warfare equipment.

At the ceremony, the Ukrainian army has received 70 pieces of weapons and military equipment, in particular, modernized T-72 main battle tanks, new BTR-3 Armored Personnel Carriers APCs, high-precision Stugna-P and Korsar anti-tank missile systems, Delta mobile 360-degree radar, newest Varta and Novator wheeled armored vehicles, as well as Ukraine-made 82mm mortars.

Ukrainian army T-72K main battle tank (Picture source Ukroboronprom)

The T-72 is an old Soviet-made main battle tank, but  the Ukrainian defense industry continues to modernize the tank, offering more firepower and protection than the previous versions.

The T-72K is fitted with the 'Knife' reactive armor, also called Nozh or Nizh. Knife modules differ from other ERA modules in that they are specifically designed to eliminate or minimize damage to adjacent modules, thus allowing for a 200% to 300% increased effectiveness against multiple weapon impacts, compared to other ERA module designs. The upgraded T-72K is also equipped with digital secure communication and satellite navigation systems.

Ukrainian army Korsar anti-tank weapon system (Picture source: Ukroboronprom)

The Korsar is a light, portable anti-tank missile system designed and manufactured by Ukrainian state enterprise State Kyiv Design Bureau. The system consists of a transport launching container (TLC) with RK-3 guided missile, missile launcher, and a guidance unit.

The optical sight of the Korsar anti-tank weapon system is fitted with an 8x magnified view used for observation and aiming. The semi-automatic laser beam allows the operator to aim at the targets located at a distance ranging between 100m and 2.5km.

The anti-tank guided missile of the Korsar can destroy targets up to a range of 2.5 km and has a maximum flight time of 13 seconds at the maximum range.

Ukrainian army Stugna-P anti-tank weapon system (Picture source Ukroboronprom)

The Stugna-P is an anti-tank missile system designed and manufactured in Ukraine. Stugna-P has been developed by Kiev-based Luch design bureau to compete with foreign models of the same class.

The Stugna-P is able to destroy low-altitude, slow-moving aerial targets. The laser-guided system has a range of 4,000 meters and can penetrate armor up to 800 millimeters thick. The operating temperature range is from - 40° to +60°. Stugna-P is able to destroy armored targets on all terrain condition in various climatic conditions at a distance of 100 to 4,000 meters.

Ukrainian army VARTA 4x4 wheeled armoured vehicle personnel carrier. (Picture source Ukroboronprom)

The VARTA is a 4x4 wheeled armored vehicle designed and manufactured by Ukrainian Armour Company. The vehicle is designed to be used as an APC (Armored Personnel Carrier). It can carry 10 military personnel including driver and commander, as well as 8 infantrymen.

The VARTA is based on a MAZ-5434 4x4 military truck chassis. It can run at a maximum speed of 110 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 600 km in road conditions and 400 km off-road. The hull of the vehicle is protected against 7.62 mm caliber armor piercing incendiary bullets. VARTA utilizes a V-shape bottom structure and anti-mine seats, providing crew protection to withstand detonation of charges up to 6 kg of TNT.

Ukrainian army Novator 4x4 wheeled armoured personnel carrier (Picture source: Ukroboronprom)

The Novator is a 4x4 armored vehicle personnel carrier also designed and manufactured by the Company Ukrainian armor. The vehicle was designed to be used for different types of missions as surveillance and reconnaissance, border patrolling, special missions, medical evacuation and more.

The Novator is based on a Ford F550 chassis which can accommodate up to five equipped soldiers. It has a length of 5.80 m, a width of 2.405 m and a height of 2.164 m for a gross vehicle weight of 9,000 kg, including a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kg.