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| 5 List of Advanced Tanks Owned by Russia |
International Military - Russia deployed all the most advanced tanks it had during the conflict with Ukraine which started in February 2022. As per its signature role, the main battle tank supports infantry troops, leads attacks, and makes inroads into enemy defenses. Russian troops also still rely on tanks as their main means of concentrated fire support, even during urban warfare.
The following is a list of 5 advanced tanks owned by Russia:
1.Tank T-14 Armata
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| Tank T-14 Armata |
The T-14 Armata tank may be one of the most protected tanks and is equipped with a number of advanced features. The T-14 Armata tank has a newly developed base armor made of steel, ceramic and composite materials.
The T-14 Armata tank has the addition of new Malakhit explosive reactive armor and is equipped with the new Afghanit active protection system. The T-4 Armata tank has a new countermeasures system that reduces the threat of enemy ATGWs (anti-tank weapons) with semi-automatic guidance.
The tank's crew was 3 men and sat side by side in well-protected armored cells, in the forward part of the hull. It was the first production MBT with such a crew layout. The tank was designed with an unmanned turret armed with a new, more accurate 125 mm smoothbore gun.
The tank can launch anti-tank guided missiles in the same way as ordinary projectiles. The tank is equipped with an autoloader system and has the ability to hunt and kill. The tank is equipped with a diesel engine developing 1,200 hp.
2. Tank T-90
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| Tank T-90 |
The T-90 tank is currently the only tank that Russia is producing in such large quantities that it is causing a stir in the West. Since the 1990s the T-90 tank is the most commercially successful main battle tank (MBT) on the global market. Also one of the cheapest among other modern MBTs.
Many T-90 tanks are currently in service with Russia (about 700), Algeria (305), Azerbaijan (20), India (620), Turkmenistan (40) and Venezuela (50 -100). The T-90 tank has a small build which makes it a more difficult target to hit. A significant drawback of the T-90 tank is the ammunition stored in the main compartment. When the tank's hull is penetrated, the onboard ammunition that explodes kills the entire crew and destroys the tank.
The T-90 tank is not as accurate at hitting long range targets, however it can launch anti-tank guided missiles in the same way as regular ammunition. The new T-90M tank uses a significantly improved fire control system over the original T-90.
3. Tank T-80
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| Tank T-80 |
The T-80 tank was the first gas turbine-powered tank in the Soviet era and became the elite main battle tank, the successor to the T-64 tank. The T-80 tank was equipped with a GTD-1000T gas turbine engine, which produced 1,000 horsepower, making it faster than the T-72 and T-64 tanks.
The advantages of using this machine are its compact dimensions, high power output and the ability to operate at low temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius. The drawbacks are high fuel consumption, troublesome maintenance, and high unit prices. The T-80 tank is armed with a stabilized 125 mm smoothbore gun with a carousel-type autoloader. The use of an autoloader reduces the internal volume and external dimensions of the tank, as it does not require an ammunition loading crew. If the autoloader failed, the guns could be manually loaded by the crew. Although in the case of manual loading, the rate of fire is about 1-2 rounds per minute.
The T-80 tank has a crew of three, namely commander, gunner and driver. The improved T-80B tank, which entered service in 1978, as well as the newer T-80 variant, can launch the Cobra anti-tank guided missile in the same manner as regular ammunition. Secondary armament consisted of a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
4. Tank T-72
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| Tank T-72 |
The T-72 tank is the 2nd generation main battle tank of the legendary Soviet Union era, rivaling the popularity of the T-54/55 tank. The T-72 tank gave birth to dozens of new versions and local variants worldwide, numbering more than 7,000 units.
It is estimated that 1,700 units of the new, upgraded B version have been registered in Russian service. For the T-72B/BA tanks there are 1,300 units and as many as 400 units have been upgraded to B3 standards, currently around 750 units are in operational service.
The armor of the T-72 tank consists of armor and composite armor with ERA. The tank's main gun is a 125 mm 2A46M/2A46M-5 smoothbore gun, plus two guns in a 7.62 mm PKT coax turret. There is also a 12.7mm NSVT or DShK machine gun and anti-aircraft machine gun.
Both machine guns are designed for close combat defense. The T-72 tank is powered by a B-shaped diesel engine that produces up to 1,130 horsepower. Nearly 25,000 of this model of tank were produced, and it has taken part in nearly every military action from the 1970s to the present.
5. Tank BMPT-72 or Terminator 2
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| Tank BMPT-72 or Terminator 2 |
The BMPT-72 tank is a rare breed and has no equivalent in Western armored vehicles. The tank, nicknamed the terminator, is known as a city war hero and was famous in the city wars in Cechnya in the 1990s and 2000s.
The Terminator tank is built on the mainstay Russian T-72 tank chassis and is equipped with a number of heavy weapons to support high-intensity urban warfare. The BMPT-72's design emphasizes armor protection and ability to overcome a variety of obstacles found in urban environments.
When first developed, the BMPT-72 tank featured a turret armed with a single 2A42 30mm automatic gun. Plus a four-round box-type launcher for the 9M133 Kornet (AT-14 Spriggan) anti-tank guided missile.
Later the design was revised with a new, heavier armament, twin 2A42 30mm automatic cannon, coaxial 7.62 PKT machine gun, and four 9M120 Ataka ATGM (AT-9 Spiral-2) in separate tubes. Finally, the BMPT is equipped with a pair of AGS-17D 30mm automatic grenade launchers in the forward section of the hull.