What tanks are in service with the Russian army?
Among the world powers, three have the largest tank forces: the Russian Federation, the USA and China, and in this trio our country leads by a colossal margin. Today, according to various sources, there are about 21,000–22,000 tanks in active service and in storage in the arsenals of the Russian Army. American tank forces are armed with half the number of vehicles - 9,125 units, of which the vast majority (about 8,700) are the M1 Abrams, which were adopted almost a quarter of a century ago. A comparable number of tanks, according to various sources - from 8,500 to 9,000, is owned by the People's Liberation Army of China, where the Type 96 tank prevails, which was put into service in 1997 and, in its combat capabilities, is closest to the domestic T-72 of the latest modifications .
It is not surprising that the Russian army has the largest number of tanks in the world. After all, our country has the longest land border in the world, and in addition, Russia was forced to fight all the wars of the last two centuries, including two world wars, mainly on its own territory. Under such conditions, the concept of the use of armed forces must inevitably rely heavily on tank forces - just as the American concept of war in foreign territory overseas relies on aircraft carriers and mobile forces such as the Marines. In service and in reserve
Formally, as the official website of the Russian Ministry of Defense says, the domestic tank forces have three models of tanks: T-72, T-80 and T-90. Their number does not include the newest T-14 Armata tank, which has not yet been officially adopted for service, and was recently demonstrated to the general public at the Victory Parade in Moscow. The Ministry of Defense does not provide official data on the number of tanks of each model, but, according to independent sources, the total number of vehicles of all three models reaches 13,000–14,000 units.
In addition, the official military website does not mention the tanks stored in reserve - the T-55, T-62 and T-64, which are outdated but have not lost their combat capabilities. And there are not so few of them - almost 8000. Most of the T-55 tanks are reserved: after all, this is the most popular Soviet post-war tank of the first generation. Adopted into service in 1958, this armored vehicle was produced in quantities of over 20,000 units only in the USSR and only in its main modifications! Most of them, of course, have already been disposed of, but approximately 2,800 T-55s are stored in arsenals for conservation.
Slightly fewer—about 2,300—T-64 tanks have been mothballed. This vehicle turned out to be very successful, despite its low modernization potential, and in the West its appearance was generally compared to the entry onto the battlefield of the famous T-34. But the predecessor and contemporary of the T-64, the T-62 tank, remained in arsenals in much smaller quantities: approximately 1,600 pieces. More recently, there were almost 2,500 of them, but 900 of the vehicles were scrapped, despite the fact that the T-62 was finally removed from service only in 2011. Main tank T-72 "Ural"
Number of tanks in service: about 2000 units
Total number of tanks of all modifications produced: about 30,000 units (approximately 7,500 units are in storage)
Armament: 125 mm cannon, 12.7 mm machine gun, 7.62 mm machine gun
Speed on rough terrain: 35–45 km/h
The T-72 can be considered the most massive Soviet post-war tank of all generations, which is natural: it was put into service on August 7, 1973, in the same year an initial batch of 30 vehicles was produced, and production of the model was discontinued only in 2005, that is, 32 years later! The chief designer of the tank, Leonid Kartsev, noted that foreign experts consider this vehicle “the best and most widespread tank of the second half of the twentieth century.”
Over three decades, the tank has been modernized several times: the total number of modifications, including export versions, reaches two dozen. But the main modifications were the T-72A and T-72B, as well as the more modern T-72BA and T-72B3. The first modification - T-72A - was carried out in 1979: new guidance and observation devices were installed on the vehicle, the gun was replaced with a newer one and the mounted protection was strengthened, and the engine was also changed to a more powerful one. Six years later, a modification of the T-72B appeared - with a new Svir guided weapon system, a new Kontakt dynamic protection system and a new engine, as well as a cannon - a launcher instead of a conventional cannon.
The third modification is a deep modernization of the T-72B with increased protection, including built-in dynamic protection, and more modern elements of the fire control system and the tank itself. And the latest modification - the T-72B3 - has been entering service with the troops for the last three years and is distinguished by the latest fire control system, which has significantly increased the capabilities of on-board weapons, the most powerful engine in the entire line and an improved chassis. Main tank T-80
Number of tanks in service: about 4000
The total number of tanks of all modifications produced: more than 10,000 units (of which over 6,500 are the T-80U modification)
Armament: 125 mm cannon, 12.7 mm machine gun, 7.62 mm machine gun
Speed on rough terrain: 50–60 km/h
The T-80 was put into service only three years later than the T-72, but experts attribute it not to the second or first transitional, as “seventy-second,” but to the third generation. And quite rightly: the T-80 is the first tank in the USSR and in the world with a single gas turbine power plant. Despite the fact that in many elements this vehicle was unified with the T-72 and even with the T-64, which was the “forerunner” of both new tanks, structurally and in its basic idea it was completely new.
Due to its novelty, it received significant modernization potential, which allowed the T-80 to remain in service with the Russian army to this day. Moreover, many experts tend to consider the main modification, which was put into service 9 years later, in 1985 under the T-80U designation, as a separate model. After all, this tank was equipped with a much more modern fire control system with duplication from the commander and an updated engine, and the protection characteristics, including dynamic protection, were significantly improved. It is not surprising that it is the modernized model that is most often found in our tank forces today than other vehicles of this “family”. Main tank T-90 "Vladimir"
Number of tanks in service: about 900
Total number of tanks of all modifications produced: more than 1,800 units
Armament: 125 mm cannon, 12.7 mm machine gun, 7.62 mm machine gun
Speed on rough terrain: 40–50 km/h (depending on modification)
The tank was tested in the early 1990s under the T-72BU designation, and in fact it represents a deep modernization of this particular model. But since the characteristics and capabilities of the tank obtained as a result of alterations differed significantly from those of the “father,” it was put into service in 1992 under the designation T-90.
What distinguishes the “ninetieth” from the “progenitor”? First of all, a new fire control system, designed to replace the one that has proven itself, but is already outdated, installed on the T-72 and T-80. But the most serious changes to the tank’s equipment were made in 2006, and this modification is in service under the designation T-90A. It has a new night sight, which serves as a thermal imager, reinforced armor for the hull and turret, a new thousand-horsepower diesel engine and a new gun stabilizer.
In 1999, after the death of the chief designer of the T-90, Vladimir Potkin, his most famous creation was given the name of its creator: “Vladimir”. Four years ago, T-90 tanks stopped entering service with our army: they should be replaced by the newest T-14 “Armata” - the world’s first fourth-generation tank. But for now, the military plans to purchase only 2,300 such tanks by 2022. So, although not the newest, but still formidable and capable of many things, the T-72, T-80 and T-90 will clearly serve their country for many more years, or even more than a dozen years. The same way their predecessors served - the legendary T-55, T-62 and T-64, the heirs of the world-famous T-34.
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The new T-90M tank will enter service in the coming months
The Russian army will soon receive a new T-90M tank, TASS reports, citing a message from the Uralvagon research and production corporation responsible for the development, UVZ said in a statement.
Thus, at least 30 modernized vehicles will be at the disposal of the Russian army this spring (the number of tank regiment battalions is 31 units - Gazeta.Ru). Uralvagonzavod also notes that the purchase of the T-90M is in accordance with the state program.
The T-90M, designed as part of the Proryv-3 R&D project, was first presented at the International Military-Technical Forum Army-2015.
“The Main Armored Directorate (GABTU) has already developed a program according to which in the near future T-90 tanks, which have exhausted their service life, will come to the plant and leave it modernized. This is the “Proryv-3” program, we discussed it at the forum - it will be an even better tank than the existing T-90,” said Lieutenant General Alexander Shevchenko, head of the GABTU of the Russian Ministry of Defense, at the beginning of 2016.
The new T-90M differs from the original version of the tank in its modern turret module. Together with a more powerful weapon system and an automated fire control system, this characteristic increases the combat capabilities of the tank. The T-90M is also equipped with automatic target tracking in the thermal imaging channel of the sight, and its 125 mm caliber gun is suitable for all modern types of ammunition.
The updated version can be used as the main multi-purpose combat weapon for conducting maneuverable combat operations against any enemy in tank and motorized rifle units.
In addition to the T-90, other models of tanks in service with the Russian Ministry of Defense are also undergoing modernization. Thus, the T-80BV and T-72B3 tanks are being upgraded to the T-80BVM and T-72B3M versions, respectively.
In addition to modernizing old ones, Russia is also working on new tanks - the Armata, which were first demonstrated to the public in 2015 at the Victory Parade in Moscow.
In 2016, the Russian Ministry of Defense for the first time demonstrated the combat capabilities of the Armata. A few months later, the UK Ministry of Defense drew up an internal document saying that the Russian Armata tank was a revolutionary development and could pose a serious threat to national security.
“Without exaggeration, the Armata is a revolutionary change in the appearance of the tank over the past 50 years. It’s not surprising that the tank created a real sensation,” the document says. The author of the report cites as an example such advantages of the Armata as its armament, crew protection and the presence of electronics that were previously used in military aircraft.
At the Army-2017 forum it became known that the Russian Ministry of Defense will receive 100 of the latest Armata tanks by 2022.
In the summer of 2022, it became known that the United States was modernizing the Abrams M1A2 SEP v4 tanks. According to developers in the United States, this vehicle is specially designed to withstand threats from armored vehicles of a potential enemy over the coming decades. In their opinion, these upgrades will allow the American tank to compete on an equal footing with the Russian Armata.
However, as the editor-in-chief of Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, former tank battalion commander Viktor Murakhovsky, previously explained to Gazeta.Ru, “equality” of these tanks is possible only in the media information space. On the battlefield, the expert reminds, the criteria are completely different - cruel and merciless.
Updated and new. Development of the Russian tank fleet
The Russian army has many tank units and formations that form the basis of its striking power. The main battle tanks in service are a number of models and modifications - both basic types and those that have undergone modernization. It is also expected that new equipment with special capabilities will be adopted. Let's consider the current state of affairs and prospects for tank forces.
Total number
Tank units and subunits are present in all combined arms armies of the ground forces, and are also present in the coastal forces of the navy. These can be tank regiments and brigades as part of armies, or battalions or companies as part of motorized rifle formations. Tanks are present in all strategic directions.
Current figures for the size of the Russian tank fleet are not officially published. Unofficial open sources contain a variety of estimates. Thus, the authoritative IISS The Military Balance directory indicates that the Russian army has a total of about 13 thousand tanks of all types in service and in reserve. The authors of the Global Firepower military rating give other figures. According to them, Russia has almost 22 thousand tanks.
At the same time, the majority of the total number consists of tanks in storage. According to The Military Balance, more than 10 thousand armored vehicles remain in reserve, while the active fleet of tank units does not exceed 2,800 units. This amount of equipment allows us to arm all tank units and ensure the required combat capability of the army.
Having a large reserve has its advantages. If necessary, these tanks can be returned to service. In addition, some projects involve the restructuring and modernization of equipment from storage and do not affect combat vehicles.
Equipment for modernization
Currently, the Russian army has tanks of three models and several modifications. Before the start of the current modernization programs, T-72, T-80 and T-90 MBTs of different versions were operated. The bulk of the tank fleet consisted of T-72 vehicles of various modifications - about 2 thousand units. About 6-7 thousand more of these tanks are in storage.
Less numerous are the MBTs of the T-80 family - no more than 400-500 “active” units and up to 3 thousand in storage. The T-90 was the least widespread in the past - about 550-600 of these tanks were built for our own army. Approx. remains in service. 350 units.
MBTs of existing types are generally capable of continuing to serve, but their characteristics no longer fully meet current requirements. In this regard, the army has launched several equipment modernization projects. With their help, it was planned to significantly update the fleet of equipment at reasonable and acceptable costs.
At the turn of the last decades, a modernization project for the T-72B MBT with the index “B3” was created. The reconstruction of equipment for this project began in 2011 and is still ongoing. In 2016, a new version of the T-72B3 modernization was developed with new changes and improvements aimed at further improving performance.
In the mid-1990s, development of the T-90M “Proryv-3” project began. He offers replacement of the power plant, strengthening of protection and installation of a new fire control system. To date, the design has been completed, the modernized tanks have been tested, and the project has received approval from the Ministry of Defense. Serial modernization of the T-90 and T-90A combat tanks has already been launched.
The army has several hundred T80B and T-80BV tanks, the operation of which can continue after a certain upgrade. For this purpose, a modernization project for the T-80BVM was developed, offering increased protection and an update of the control system. The first contract for a new type of equipment appeared in 2022. In 2018, the army received the first batch of repaired and modernized T-80BVMs.
The pace of modernization
In the past, the relatively low cost of rebuilding the tank was cited as an argument in favor of the T-72B3 project. Overhaul and re-equipment of the serial T-72B were noticeably cheaper than the construction of a new T-90A with the same combat characteristics and qualities. Optimal economic indicators allowed the army to launch a full-scale serial modernization, the results of which are of great interest.
According to various sources, since 2011, at least 1000-1100 tanks from combat units have been upgraded to T-72B3. The bulk of this quantity has been updated according to the original B3 project. At least 150-200 tanks were upgraded to T-72B3 mod. 2016. At the same time, the number of T-72B3 in the troops is constantly increasing. The army decided to rebuild almost the entire existing T-72B fleet.
The first order to modernize the T-90(A) to the T-90M state appeared back in 2022. It provided for the repair and renewal of 20 combat tanks. The military also wished to receive 10 new T-90M tanks. Two more contracts of this kind were concluded in 2022 and 2019. The Ministry of Defense may place new orders in the near future.
According to official and unofficial data, the contracts provide for the supply of 160 T-90M MBTs. A quarter of this number will be built anew, and the remaining tanks will be converted from serial T-90s. So far, only a third of the available T-90(A) is planned to be modernized. What will happen to the remaining armored vehicles is unknown. Perhaps in the future there will be new orders, and the entire fleet of equipment will undergo modernization.
T-80BVMs are already being mass-produced in significant quantities. The 2017 order provided for the delivery of 62 vehicles in 2018-19. According to various sources, to date the army has received more than half of this equipment. The remaining MBTs will be handed over to the army in the coming months. Then a new similar order for several dozen tanks may appear.
New technology
In parallel with the modernization of existing MBTs, development work is underway on completely new models of armored vehicles. As part of the Armata program, several armored vehicles are being created, incl. main tank T-14. This machine has already been tested and is even being built in a small series. In the near future, it is expected to be put into service with all the corresponding consequences.
An experimental batch of T-14 tanks appeared no later than the spring of 2015. It was these vehicles that were first shown on Red Square. The first unofficial reports of mass construction of the T-14 MBT date back to 2016, when it became known about an order for 100 units. In 2018, the army ordered 132 armored vehicles of the Armata project - this number included tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored vehicles. Some of these orders have already been completed; The equipment is transferred to the army and undergoes testing.
In the past, the industry named the expected quantities of new equipment and the timing of its release. In 2016, the need to build 2,300 T-14 MBTs was first voiced. They should have been built by 2020 or 2025, depending on various factors. However, later they announced that there was no need for the rapid and mass construction of the T-14. It turned out that the existing tanks after modernization meet the challenges of the current time, and it is possible to continue fine-tuning the T-14 without haste.
Tanks of the future
Available data on the events of recent years make it possible to imagine what Russian tank forces will look like in the near and medium term. During this period, the T-72, T-80 and T-90 in their latest versions will remain in service, and in addition, fundamentally new T-14 MBTs are expected to appear.
Gradual modernization of available equipment over time will allow the army to completely switch to modern models, such as the T-72B3 (including model 2016), T-80BVM and T-90M. Tanks of older models will go into storage with no clear prospect of returning to service. The troops will also be supplied with new “Armatas”.
It is obvious that as the T-72, T-80 and T-90 wear out their service life, new modifications will have to be written off. By this time, the production of the T-14 will have reached the required pace and will be able to replace outdated equipment - perhaps even in equal or similar quantities. However, this will happen only in the distant future. T-90M, T-80BVM and T-72B3 will still be able to serve in the Russian army.
Thus, in recent years, one can see how our army and defense industry are updating the fleet of armored vehicles, and also laying the foundation for further modernizations in accordance with the requirements of future times. The development process of domestic main tanks continues and makes the most serious contribution to the overall defense capability.
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The Russian Federation is reducing the pace of equipping armored vehicles in 2022. The bet is on the modernization of Soviet tanks
The Russian Ministry of Defense has published plans for obtaining armored vehicles for 2022, we are talking about 400 units of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored vehicles.
The Russian Army continues to modernize Soviet tanks
In particular, it is indicated that we are talking about modernized T-72B3M, T-80BVM, T-90M Proryv, BMP-3 tanks, modernized BMP-2 with the Berezhok combat module, as well as BTR-82A armored personnel carriers.
The Russian Army continues to order the BMP-3, which is armed with 100 mm and 30 mm cannons and actually plays the role of a light tank
At the same time, there is no mention of the receipt of Armata tanks, which, according to the first plans, were supposed to produce more than two thousand units back in 2015. There is also no mention of the heavy infantry fighting vehicles "Kurganets" and the new armored personnel carrier (wheeled infantry fighting vehicle) "Boomerang".
Interestingly, last year the press said that it would be in 2022 that the Russian Army would receive the first production samples of these new armored vehicles. However, it appears that the timing has traditionally been “shifted to the right.”
"Armata" continues to serve as a "ceremonial" tank
A separate message from the Russian Ministry of Defense indicated that the 1st Tank Army of the Russian Federation, which is based in the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions, should receive 150 units of armored and specialized equipment.
In particular, the ranks of the largest Russian shock tank group will be reinforced with T-80BVM and T-90M Proryv tanks, which most likely indicates the older versions of the T-80 and T-90 tanks available in this army. It was also reported about the supply of BMP-3 and BTR-82A, which will most likely replace the BMP-2 and BTR-80 in some army units.
“T-80BVM - modernization of the T-80 by analogy with the T-72B3
It is noted that the 1st Tank Army of the Russian Federation has been supplied with Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile systems, and not the new Pantsirs, TDA-3 smoke generator vehicles, ARS-14KM auto-filling stations and the reinforcement of sapper groups with HKSAR mine clearance vehicles.
Thus, Russia continues to follow the path of modernization of Soviet developments, which for a year in a row have not been able to launch into series new models of armored vehicles for the development of which significant funds have been invested.
BMP-2 with the Berezhok combat module, the main visual difference: the placement of the ATGM and panoramic sight.
It is worth recalling that in 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defense talked about plans to receive 800 units of new armored vehicles. Of these, there are 200 tanks, of which exclusively modernized models: T-72B3 and T-80BVM (according to Russian sources, 90 and 80, respectively), as well as several dozen T-90M Proryv.
The main battle tank of the Russian Federation is T-72B3
Regarding BMPs, the plans included 120 units of BMP-3, more than 280 units of modernized BMP-2 with the Berezhok combat module, as well as about 300 units of BTR-82A.
Despite the announced total update, the Russian Army still operates a significant number of non-modernized armored vehicles.
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The current tanks of Russia 2021 will not even remember the T-18 created in 1925, but it gave rise to many popular models. By the way, this was another prototype, this time a Fiat 3000. It didn't turn out so well, but it was a big step forward. For a long time, different copies were created; in those days they could not come up with their own. Finally, during World War II, the designers decided to create their own unit, which became the T-34. They were almost not competitive compared to their rivals, but they were still supplied to the front.
Then the Russian government launched cheap and light T-60 vehicles, and later T-70, which everyone called locusts, they filled the front so quickly, and how many tanks of this model were in Russia at that time is impossible to count.
In the post-war period, the very first of the mass-produced ones was the T-54, which was equipped with a gun with a caliber of 100 millimeters. A little later, the tanks of the Russian army were replenished with T-55s. The USSR was far ahead of the rest, and as soon as Soviet designers found out about the production of units with a 105 mm gun, they immediately began production of the T-62, which received a 155 mm caliber and this happened for the first time in history. We are more interested in modern Russian tanks 2021 , which are in service.
Tank fist
Russian tank forces are organizationally divided into two divisions, three separate brigades, five regiments in motorized rifle formations, as well as units within infantry units. According to the latest report of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) “The Military Balance 2017”, there are about 2,700 main battle tanks (MBT) in service: 1,100 T-72B/BA, 800 T-72B3, 450 T-80BV/U and 350 modern T-90/T-90A. In addition, the troops have several dozen experimental or pre-production vehicles, such as the T-90AM and T-14.
Russia surpasses the United States in the number of combat tanks. The US Army has 2,380 Abrams MBTs: 775 M1A1s being phased out and 1,605 modern M1A2s in the SEPv2 modification. The US's strongest European allies - Germany, Great Britain and France - have a total of 733 tanks (Leopard 2A6/2A7, Challenger 2 and Leclerc, respectively). In the governments of these states, debates periodically arise about the need to strengthen the ground forces with new armored vehicles, but things have not yet gone beyond discussions.
But China can roll out as many as 6,740 tanks onto the battlefield. However, half of these machines were built under Mao Zedong. We are talking about 3350 Type 59/59-II, Type-59D, Type-79 and Type-88A/B, created on the basis of the Soviet medium T-55. They can only compete with other “oldies” of the second generation of tanks. However, the PLA tank units also have quite modern vehicles: 1000 Type-96, 1500 Type-96A, 40 Type-98A, 600 Type-99 and 250 Type-99A. The latter's characteristics are comparable to new modifications of the Russian T-72.
India also has an impressive tank fleet. Its arsenals include 3024 MBTs: 124 home-developed Arjun vehicles, 1950 T-72M1 and 950 T-90C. And yet Russia remains the leader in the total number of tanks. As many as 17 and a half thousand armored vehicles are stored in the warehouses of the Ministry of Defense: 2800 T-55, 2500 T-62, 2000 T-64A/B, 7000 T-72/T-72A/B, 3000 T-80B/BV/U , 200 T-90. Many of them managed to take part in the events of the Prague Spring, the Afghan War, and the first Chechen campaign. With general mobilization of the Ministry of Defense, it will not be difficult to equip these vehicles with crews from among privates and reserve sergeants.
“The fact that there haven’t been major tank battles for a long time does not mean that this type of combat is outdated,” military expert Viktor Murakhovsky, a reserve colonel who served in the tank forces, told RIA Novosti. — The last time armored armadas fought en masse with each other was in the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Thousands of tanks were involved on both sides, and hundreds of vehicles could participate in one battle. Since then, there have been no clashes of comparable scale. Current military conflicts today can be roughly divided into two categories: the fight against illegal armed groups, terrorists, partisans, or between states with different levels of technological development. But equal hasn’t fought equal for a long time. But if there is a large-scale aggression against Russia from states that consider this feasible for themselves, large-scale tank battles will definitely occur. That is why maneuvers are constantly being carried out. That is why we created the 1st Guards Tank Army, recreated the 90th Division, and are replenishing the Kantemirov formation near Moscow with equipment. You need to be prepared for any situation."
T-14 "Armata"
Today, the best tanks in Russia 2021 are the T-14 Armata, which are even called the coolest in the whole world. Promising technology has an uninhabited tower. It is equipped with a single ESU T3, which automatically connects all objects together with a software package. First of all, Russian tanks armed with the Armata are used as a tactical unit and follow reconnaissance. The vehicle is capable of launching its own drone, which will engage in reconnaissance. The vehicle is installed on the Armata chassis; it was first shown in 2015 at the Victory Day parade.
Russian 2021 Armata are equipped There is also the Malachite dynamic protection in the 4th generation, which can reflect shots from any powerful grenade launchers with an accuracy of 95%.
Modern Russian tanks have a number of advantages over all competitors. For example, during their development they used a universal platform, used an improved and even innovative active protection system; it is possible to use the T-14 with an uninhabited turret. The tank, weighing 48 tons, is capable of reaching road speeds of 90 kilometers per hour, with a powerful engine of 1.6 thousand horsepower. Innovative protection Afghanite and Malachite have also been installed. There is a Pterodactyl drone launch system. How many T-14 tanks do Russia have today? approximately 20 units, but the contract was signed for 100.
VOD "Union of Tankers of Russia"
In 2022, the Russian Armed Forces received 300 new and modernized tanks. The “model range” has not changed much - these are the already well-known T-72B3 and T-90M “Breakthrough”, produced in the same line, T-80BVM tanks with a gas turbine engine, the last batch of which reached the troops this year. Deliveries of the T-14 Armata are expected in 2022. These are completely different tanks that cannot be unified. But the USA, for example, has only one type of main battle tank - the Abrams, as does Germany - the Leopard, France - the Leclerc, and Britain, Japan, and South Korea - all have only one alone.
Why does Russia need several different armored vehicles at once?
The short answer is that this is Russia's legacy of the Soviet military tradition. Now let's try to figure it out in more detail.
Let's start with numbers - there are really a lot of tanks in Russia. A huge number of them are stored in the “bins”. According to calculations by the American publication We Are The Mighty, citing data from the Global Firepower website, there are approximately 22 thousand tanks in the Russian arsenal. The European countries that are members of NATO have a little more than 11 thousand armored vehicles in service. Taking into account the USA and Canada, the number of tanks in the alliance reaches 18 thousand. That is, Russia has an obvious advantage in armored vehicles.
But the numbers lie. Of the actual combat vehicles that are on the move, we have a little more than 5 thousand tanks. The rest are either in storage or are being prepared for modernization. In a modern war, nothing more is needed. A tank is a powerful thing, but sometimes, especially in urban conditions, it is quite useless.
After the Great Patriotic War, the outcome of which was largely determined by tanks, the tank building boom continued in the Soviet Union. Their development and production were carried out by several enterprises at once, which produced their own types of armored vehicles. The Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant named after Malyshev created the T-54/55, then the T-62/64 tanks, which later served as the basis for the T-80, which were produced at the Kirov plant in Leningrad, at Omsktransmash - with gas turbine engines, and in Kharkov itself - with diesel ones. Military equipment designer Valery Venediktov created his T-72 at the Uralvagonzavod in Nizhny Tagil. A little later, designer Vladimir Potkin redesigned this model, which became the world's best-selling T-90 tank. As a result, the Russian army - the successor to the Soviet one - has three types of different tanks in service with the Ground Forces (and now also in the airborne assault brigades).
This is due to several factors.
Firstly, many military leaders of those years grew out of the “tank headset” - they had experience serving in armored forces, and therefore a priori gave preference to this military equipment.
Secondly, the length of the country’s borders was enormous - 62,710 km (now a little less - 60,932 km), a third of them were land, and tanks could be quickly deployed to any potentially dangerous area - right up to the shores of the English Channel (under this idea and created the high-speed T-72 and T-80).
Thirdly, the Soviet Union provided tanks to all countries of the Warsaw Pact bloc and socialist-oriented countries, and diversity was required in the types of armored combat vehicles. There were more export models than our own. Now, for example, the Indian army has more than a thousand T-90S tanks in service, while the Russian Armed Forces have about 350 T-90, T-90A, T-90M tanks.
Finally, with the help of various tank design bureaus and many factories in the Soviet Union, intraspecific competition for the creation of the best weapons systems was ensured.
A tank, of course, even now cannot be called an outdated type of weapon; it is a destructive force with a powerful gun and modern means of defense. The infantry is afraid of tanks, but has countermeasures. Among the main Russian tanks today we can name the T-90, whose representatives have been improved to the level of T-90A and T-90M, as well as the T-72, now presented in the new version T-72B3, plus the T-80, which is modified as the T-80BVM . These tanks are undoubtedly quite successful and competitive, but their life is gradually fading. A new tank must come to replace it, and here the only option is the T-14 Armata.
“30 years before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the domestic tank industry created three fundamentally different armored vehicles,” said military expert Colonel Viktor Murakhovsky, a graduate, by the way, of the Kazan Tank School. – This is a very high figure, taking into account the fact that our country did not fight during this period, and the “arms race” was largely costly in terms of nuclear weapons technologies, various military space programs, the development of the fleet and strategic aviation. However, then three fundamentally new directions in tank building were developed and created. These are tanks of the T-62-64, T-72-90 and T-80 series, which are the main tanks of the army today.
If we take a similar time period after 1991, then only one tank was created - the T-14 Armata, known as “object 195”. It has great prospects, and this is truly the tank of the future, which will become one of the main tanks of the Russian Ground Forces.
This is probably the most correct decision for the future development of tank forces. Just as there is one main tank in the USA - the Abrams, or in Germany - the Leopard, they are being modernized, acquiring a new look, but these are still the same tanks of earlier modifications, the improvement of which does not require much additional investment.
We are developing the T-72 - T-90 series along this path, but with the T-80 with its gas turbine engine and speed characteristics, not everything is so simple.
Speed for a tank is not particularly important; say, 99 percent of the mileage for an armored vehicle is spent advancing in a convoy, where any other vehicle slows down the advance. By definition, it won’t be faster, and to break into operational space will require additional time. And the current promotion of the T-80, even improved to the level of the T-80BVM, is only a support system for the tank building industry, in this case Omsktrasmash, where they are produced. These are, by and large, problems of poverty. It's easier to modernize than to create something new from scratch.
“Tanks are not a priority for the Russian army now,” continues Viktor Murakhovsky. – The main funds of the defense budget go to the fleet, hypersonic weapons and other priorities. Therefore, they don’t spend much on tanks, and the same T-14 is “slowed down” due to financial problems. This is despite the fact that the gas turbine T-80 consumes much more fuel and air - when driving underwater, it requires two pipes to supply it to the engine and crew, which also creates more problems. And here, of course, the best option would be the possibility of modifying the main tank and gradually getting rid of previous types of armored vehicles.”
One of the priorities in the development of tank building is the unification of combat vehicles. It is cheaper to operate, especially in combat conditions. Russian tanks have it to a certain extent. First of all, due to the caliber of weapons, which has now been brought to a single caliber - a 125-mm smoothbore gun, which allows firing both shells and guided missiles. There is replaceability of spare parts; T-72 and T-90 have a similar repair base. The T-80 turbojet engine is somewhat more complicated; it is easier to repair it using parts from a helicopter.
The planned gradual replacement of Russian armored vehicles with one main tank, which means the T-14 Armata, will allow the armored fleet to be adjusted to a single standard. However, this does not mean that the current T-90, T-80, T-72 will immediately be written off. They will remain in service for at least another 20–30 years.
A comment.
A few corrections. Let me make a reservation right away that the amendments apply exclusively to combat units or, as they also said, linear military units, and not to training or military schools.
As far as I know, in the Western theater, namely in Europe, groups of Soviet troops were mostly concentrated not on T-72s, but on T-64s, and, of course, T-80s. So the author was wrong.
And this was done, among other things, because of their speed characteristics, which clearly stood out against the T-72. since the task was to very quickly reach the English Channel. In addition, the T-64 went into production several years earlier than the T-72. And then, as they say: it just happened because not only would it be necessary to retrain the crews, but also to restock material and repair equipment and bases.
Yes, the T-72s were stationed in Czechoslovakia, but the Czech Army itself was equipped with these tanks there, and there was also a plant there, if my memory serves me correctly.
But the use of the T-72, due to its reliability, simplicity and unpretentiousness, both in operation and in training, was in great demand in the internal districts with the category of mobilization of military personnel, which were not in the highest category, and were also famous for their harsh natural conditions. For example, these were the districts of Central Asia and Transcaucasia.
This is where the T-72 showed itself in all its glory and maintainability by tankers who had no higher and often no special technical education. At best, this is tank training, where the soldier could barely master the Russian language. So all the training already took place directly in the combat units.
And this is another reason why the T-64, due to its complexity in maintenance and military repairs, was not needed at all in the internal districts.
So the conclusion is not so simple, why do we have so many different modifications of tanks, everything is not as simple as the author of the article thought. This is where the climatic conditions and tasks for the war period affected the corresponding groups and the dependence on the level, or education, of the mobilization resource, and not just what the author indicated.
T-72 "Ural"
These are Russian multi-member tanks in service in the 2nd generation, and they were put into service back in the days of the Soviet Union in 1973. The engine compartment is located in the rear of the tank, the combat compartment is in the middle part, and finally, control is done from the front. The crew of the equipment includes no more than 3 people, and each is responsible for performing certain functions. More than ten countries from the CIS ordered the Ural to rearm their army, and in many it remains the main one. Therefore, Russian tanks 2021 are considered one of the best and most powerful. how many T-72 tanks there are in Russia , but there are definitely at least 1.5 thousand of them.
The unit moves thanks to an engine with a power of 780 horsepower, its maximum speed is 50 kilometers per hour, and in autonomous mode it is capable of moving a distance of 700 kilometers. The D-81TM with a caliber of 125 millimeters was used as a cannon; a 7.62 mm machine gun and an anti-aircraft system were also installed. Many modern Russian tanks are seriously behind in numbers.
Good tanks of the Russian Army 2022, which were the first to receive dynamic protection. They were released in 1976 and have been in service ever since. In total, more than 10 thousand units of this military equipment were produced. The T-80 weighs 42 tons, has a 2A46-1 cannon with a 125 mm caliber, and the ammunition load includes up to 40 shells. There are also several machine guns. Thanks to the GTD-1000T engine, the car is capable of reaching speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour, but its power reserve is only enough for 350 kilometers. In general, these are modern Russian tanks , which are also interesting in other countries.
T-80
This tank was created in the USSR. It embodied the idea of replacing a diesel engine with a gas turbine power plant. It had a classic layout of elements. Weight was 42 tons. The frontal armor of the tank was made of several layers for greater protection. Due to the new engine, the characteristics of the tank have been increased, and handling is also quite easy and comfortable. It is also worth noting that this tank can operate on various types of fuel. The crew of the tank is 3 people.
Equipped with a 125 mm cannon, which is capable of firing at a distance of 5 km. It is also equipped with a 7.62 mm machine gun. It has 4 different modifications: T-80U, T-80B (T-80BV), T-80UD and T-80U-M1 “Bars”. The latest modification was created in Russia, and not in the USSR, like the others.
T-90 "Vladimir"
Another best Russian tanks 2021 , which were named after the designer himself. In the 2000s, it was the T-90 that broke all records for sales on the world market to all countries; it was sold out en masse. These Russian tanks have been in service since 1992, then several modernized versions of this equipment were made. The vehicle is equipped with the T-80U and Buran-PA systems. This system has high hit accuracy; after testing at a distance of 5 kilometers, the T-90 hit the target with the first shot.
The original T-90 has an engine with a power of 840 horses, the speed of the tank reaches 65 km/h, and the power reserve is enough for 550 kilometers. “Vladimir” has a very high maneuverability, it is able to overcome a ditch of almost 3 meters and a wall up to a meter. Vladimir tanks are there in Russia
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T-80U
In 1985, the tanks in Russian service were replenished with the T-80U, which is a modernized version. The vehicle weighs 46 tons, the armor on the turret is 70 cm thick and the hull is 49 mm thick. In addition, it has Kontakt-5 dynamic protection. The main tank also received the Reflex and Irtysh guided weapon systems. Already with a laser sight and stabilizers. The most modern equipment, which even today will not lose to new combat vehicles.
T-80BV and T-80BVM
What tanks Russia still has in service from the USSR, in fact, the modernized versions of the T-80 immediately come to mind, which have their own differences. The T-80BV was released from the factory in 1978. Externally, the vehicle remained virtually unchanged, except that they began installing a different gun and strengthening the armor. Due to this, the mass of the tank only increased. By the way, the version was adopted for service immediately, but only in 1985.
In turn, the T-80BVM is already a version of the T-80BV, only with deep modernization. By the way, I was working on it. The vehicle received a multi-channel gunner's sight, called Sosna-U, along with a thermal imager, range finders and a missile control system. Also, tanks of the Russian army received an improved gun, engine and radio station.
T-72B3
These Russian tanks have been in service for more than 10 years, and in 2016 a batch arrived that had undergone modernization. Like many Russian equipment, the multi-channel Sosna-U is installed. The original T-72B3 was equipped with a smoothbore gun with a caliber of 125 mm. Dynamic protection is provided by the Kontakt-5 or Relikt systems, like the 2016 model. The tanks can ford a depth of up to 1.2 meters.
