Revealed Reasons Russia Still Relying on Old T-62 Tanks on Ukrainian Battlefields

The Reasons Russia Still Relying on Old T-62 Tanks on Ukrainian Battlefields

Moscow - Russia's news of repairing and modernizing about 800 units of old T-62 tanks to be deployed to the Ukrainian battlefield is quite surprising. Because Russia still has several types of tanks that are relatively new and modern, such as the T-72 and T-80 tanks.

According to information quoted from the Bulgarian Military, Monday (17/10/2022), Russia has produced more than 22,000 T-62 tanks. More than 2,000 tanks were in service in the Soviet Union, now Russia. After the start of the Syrian civil war and the entry of Russian troops into Syria, some of these tanks were transferred there.

There is a reason why the T-62 is preferred for modernization over the newer T-72 or even the T-80. It turned out that the T-62 tank was easier and faster to train, both for future tanks and for mobilized Russian citizens. The T-62 tank also has lower maintenance costs.

According to several sources on the Internet, these two reasons are the basis of Moscow's preference for sticking with the T-62 tank. But there is another reason. The T-62 tank is well suited for military operations in mountainous areas and densely populated urban environments. In addition, the T-62 tank has had a lot of combat experience over the last ten years in Syria.

It is important to note the little-mentioned fact, during ten years in Syria, Russia upgraded the T-62 with technology, laser rangefinder and anti-personnel munitions, manufactured in North Korea. This is the fourth reason, the Syrian T-62 tanks pushed to the forefront of the Ukrainian battlefield have been modernized with technology, without being affected by economic sanctions from the West.

A visibly destroyed Russian T-62 on the Ukrainian battlefield

Some [mostly Russian] experts claim that the modernized T-62 may prove to be more effective than the T-72 or T-80. The T-62 tank allows for easier integration of Kontakt-5 or Relikt explosive reactive armor, third-generation thermal sights, and possibly even a new round for the APFSDS.

Also, a little-known, mentioned fact is that the T-62 tank was the world's first mass-produced tank with a smoothbore gun and armor-piercing fins. The T-62 tank is also the first in the world to use armor-piercing fin shells [APFSDS].

So, reintegrating APFSDS doesn't seem to be a problem. All of this could lead to new modifications of the T-62 tank, such as the T-62M2 tank. The T-62M2 may not only match the performance of the T-72 or T-80 but in some cases surpass it.

According to Russian analysts, perhaps the T-62M2 tank will outperform the T-72 mainly because the latter never received the desired modernization. Of course, the T-62M2 cannot be compared with Western tanks, as it is weaker. But Ukraine has no western tanks, and the west still refuses to arm Ukrainian mechanized brigades with better armor for their tanks. Namely the T-62M2 tank is at least comparable to Ukrainian supplies and armaments.