Kuwait delays acquisition of Russian T-90MS tanks.

The Armed Forces of Kuwait have delayed the acquisition of Russian-made T-90MS main battle tanks (MBTs). However, the deal is not cancelled, the chief of the Kuwaiti Army`s Armament and Equipment Authority Anwar al-Mazidi told the Xinhua news agency.

T-90MS main battle tank (Picture source: Army Recognition)

"The purchase of Russian [T-90MS] tanks was not cancelled, but postponed," said al-Mazidi. The general also praised the cooperation between the Russian Armed Forces and the Kuwaiti military. Kuwait is reported to show interest in the T-90MS MBT that has been developed by Uralvagonzavod (a subsidiary of Rostec) research-and-manufacturing corporation.

The T-90MS is a development of the T-90. It was presented for the first time to the public during the Russian Expo Arms in September 2011. This tank is a complete modernization of the T-90 by touching all the characteristics of the basic variant to increase its operational capabilities in combat and against modern threats of the battlefield.

The export version of the T-90MS main battle tank has a new fire control with a set of all-day stabilized sights of the commander and the pointer. The fire control is integrated into the terminal of the controlling system to obtain tactical information in the automatic system of unit control. The single tactical-level system was designed by Sozvezdie Concern. The first contract for the delivery to the Russian troops was signed in late 2018. Sozvezdie said the system provides information exchange between tanks in real time, a general picture of the battlefield, and creates a single information network. The concept of the so-called netcentric war appeared in the West and has to provide information and communication supremacy over the adversary by networking all participants in combat.

Terlikov said the T-90MS has a better fire density and survivability of the 125mm gun. The tank fires a broad range of munitions, including a guided missile and a high-explosive fragmentation shell with preset detonation. The weight of the tank does not exceed 50 tons.