Iran unveils new production line to modernize T-72 MBTs Main Battle Tanks.

According to news published by the Iranian Press Agency, FARS on August 13, 2020, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami unveiled a special line to upgrade and modernize T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs) used by the Iranian Armed Forces.
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A new production facility for the modernization of Iranian T-72S main battle tanks was unveiled by the Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami. (Picture source Iranian Press Agency)

General Hatami also expressed the hope that the experts of the defense ministry will be able to upgrade all the operational main battle tanks of the Armed Forces, saying that Iran is currently capable of manufacturing tanks equipped with the electro-optical fire control system, laser rangefinder system, ballistic computer, and a system to fire at fixed and moving targets at day and night.

According to a military source, the Iranian army has a total of 565 T-72S. The T-72S is a Russian Main Battle Tank (MBT), the export variant of the T-72A, upgraded to the T-72BM standard by Nizhny Tagil in Russia. Known also as the "Shilden," the upgrade package reportedly boosts performance by 1.7 percent. The hull and the turret are fitted with explosive reactive armor.

The main armament of the T-72S includes one 125mm D-81 smoothbore gun, a 7.62mm co-axial machine gun and a 12.7mm air defense machine gun mounted on the commander’s cupola. The T-72S carries 45 rounds of 125mm ammunition, 22 rounds of which are carried on an automatic loading carousel.

According to our first analysis, the new Iranian upgraded T-72 is fitted with a new remotely operated weapon station mounted at the rear of the modified commander cupola. The tank seems to be fitted with a new firing control system and optics mounted at the front of the gunner hatch.

The new upgraded T-72 keeps the same armament that includes one 125mm D-81 smoothbore gun, one 7.62mm co-axial machine gun.

The new Iranian T-72 is fitted new armor package including Explosive Reactive armor mounted around the turret and at the front of the hull. There are additional armor plates on each side of the hull as well as slat armor to increase protection against anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.

New Iranian upgrade of T-72S main battle tank (Picture source MEHR)

Current T-72S main battle tank in service with the Iranian Army (Picture source IRNA)