Russia
T-72 Main Battle Tank
Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide

T-72
GENERAL DATA
  T-72M1 T-72B
Alternative Designations Russian T-72A T-72S (export), SMT (Soviet Medium Tank) M1988
Country of OriginPoland, Czech RepublicCIS (formerly USSR)
RoleMain battle tank
Date Of Introduction 1975 1985
Crew3 (commander, gunner, driver)
Combat Weight 45.7 tons (41.5 mt) without ERA 49.1 tons (44.5 mt)
Ground Pressure 11.81 psi (0.83 kg/cm²) 12.8 psi (0.90 kg/cm²)
Length, Overall 31.27 ft (9.53 m)
Length, Hull 22.8 ft (6.95 m)
Width, Overall 11.78 ft (3.59 m)
Width, No Skirts 11.06 ft (3.37 m)
Height, Without AA MG 7.32 ft (2.23 m)
Ground Clearance 19.3 in (490 mm)
PERFORMANCE
  T-72M1 T-72B
Engine 780 hp (582 kw) V-12 diesel 840 hp (626 kw) air-cooled V-12 diesel
Range 286 miles (460 km).  435 miles (700 km) with external tanks 311 miles (500 km).  559 miles (900 km) with external tanks
Fuel Capacity 317 gal (1,200 l) ?
Road Speed37 mph (60 km/h)
Cross Country Speed22 mph (35 km/h)
Swim SpeedN/A
Fording Depth3.9 ft (1.2 m) unprepared.  16.4 ft (5.0 m) with snorkel
PROTECTION
  T-72M1 T-72B
Armor Turret front: 19.7 in (500 mm).  22 in (560 mm) against HEAT Turret front: 20.5 in (520 mm).  37.4 in (950 mm) against HEAT
Applique ArmorSide of hull, over track skirts, and on turret top
Explosive Reactive Armor 1st or 2nd Generation ERA available Kontakt or Kontakt-5 ERA
Active Protective System Arena or Drozd available Arena available
NBC Protection SystemYes
Smoke Equipment Vehicle engine exhaust smoke system.  Six 81mm smoke grenade launchers on each side of turret Vehicle engine exhaust smoke system.  Eight 81mm smoke grenade launchers on left side of turret
ARMAMENT
T-72M1
Type Mount Typical Ammo Load
125mm 2A46M/D-81TM smoothbore gun Turret; auto and manual loading 44.
APFSDS-T, HEAT, Frag-HE
7.62mm PKT machine gun Coaxial to main gun 2,000
12.7mm NSVT AA machine gun Turret top 300
T-72B
Type Mount Typical Ammo Load
125mm 2A46M/D-81TM smoothbore gun Turret; auto and manual loading 39.
APFSDS-T, HEAT, Frag-HE
AT-11 anti-tank guided missiles.
SACLOS; infrared laser-beam rider
Gun-launched 6.
AT-11, AT-11B
7.62mm PKT machine gun Coaxial to main gun 2,000
12.7mm NSVT AA machine gun Turret top 300
FIRE CONTROL
  T-72M1 T-72B
Fire Control System ? 1A40-1
Main Gun Stabilization 2E28M, 2-plane 2E42-2, 2-plane
Rangefinder TPD-K1 laser TPD-K1M laser
Infrared SearchlightYes

NOTES

The T-72's all-welded hull is divided into three main compartments with the driver at the front, fighting compartment in the center, and the engine and transmission at the rear. The tank commander and gunner sit in the turret with the commander on the right and the gunner on the left.

The turrets of older former Soviet Union tanks rotate much slower than those on US and NATO tanks. It takes more than 21 seconds for T-70-series tank turrets to rotate through a full 360°.

The T-90-series tank turrets can rotate a full 360° in just 6 seconds, which is as fast as the US M1 Abrams and M2 BFV.

GTA 17-2-8: T-72
Recognition features: T-72

VARIANTS

Since the Soviet-built T-72 entered production, many improvements have been made to the vehicle, making it difficult to distinguish individual versions of the tank. Improvements include: Increased protection, better mobility, and enhanced firepower.

Note that some countries have inventories of T-72, T-72M, and T-72M1 with different versions of each variant. Also, many variants were upgraded or modified. Some T-72M1s do not have smoke grenade launchers or track skirts. Some T-72s/T-72Ms have smoke grenade launchers. More reliable discriminators are armor and rangefinder/FCS.

A variety of thermal sights are available. They include the Russian Agava-2, French SAGEM-produced ALIS and Namut sight from Peleng.

Optional mine-clearing equipment is available.
T-72
Original production model. Recognition features:
  • Fully tracked.
  • Six large die-cast, evenly spaced road wheels with three support rollers.
  • Sharply sloped upper glacis with V-shaped splash guard.
  • Rounded turret mounted midway on tank.
  • Single snorkel mounted on left side of turet.
  • Engine exhaust on top of back deck.
  • Bore evacuator 1/3 way from muzzle.
  • Infrared light to right of main gun.
  • New design turret machine gun; no provision for firing from within tank.
  • Integrated fuel cells and storage containers, giving streamlined appearance to fenders.
T-72M
Original Polish and former-Czechoslovakian T-72-series tank from which Polish/Czechoslovakian T-72M1 was derived. T-72M differs from T-72 in replacing the right-side coincident rangefinder with a centerline-mounted TPDK-1 LRF.
T-72A
An improved version of the basic T-72. Overall, its offensive capabilities are similar to the basic T-72, but it is much better protected.

The Russian variant differs from T-72 with the TPDK-1 LRF, added track skirts, additional armor on the turret front and top, provisions for mounting reactive armor, smoke grenade launchers, internal changes, and a slight weight increase.

Version with Kontact ERA is known as T-72AV.

The Russian export version and Polish/Czechoslovakian counterparts are called T-72M1. See data above.

Version with Kontact ERA is known as T-72M1V.
Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Exercise - Lumimyrsky 03
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Exercise - Aalto 2004
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Exercise - Aalto 2004
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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Finnish Defence Forces: T-72M1
T-72M1
Exercise - Aalto 2004
Finnish Defence Forces Photo
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T-72AK/T-72M1K
Commander's variant with additional radios.
T-72AM/Banan
Ukrainian T-72A upgrade with ERA, a new engine, and additional smoke grenade launchers. The T-72AG upgrade has a 1200-hp engine, Shtora-1 ATGM jammer, and 1G46 (T-80U) FCS with thermal night sights.
T-72B
See data above. The T-72B is the second main variant from the original Russian T-72 tank (after T-72A). The T-72B's 1K13-49 sight is both night sight and ATGM launch sight. However, it cannot be used for both functions simultaneously. Thermal gunner night sights are available which permit night launch of ATGMs.
T-72B with Kontakt ERA
T-72B1
Variant introduced in 1986 without ATGM launch capability.
T-72BK
Commander's variant with additional radios.
T-72BM
Version with Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor. This system is being fielded and is available for export.
T-72M1M
T-72M1 variant upgraded to T-72B standard.
T-72M2/Moderna
Slovakian T-72M upgrade with new engine and fire control, SFIM thermal sight, laser warning receiver, ERA, and 2 x 20mm AA guns on turret
T-72M4CZ
Czech variant with TURMS FCS with thermal sight, new engine, increased protection ERA, and 48t weight. T-72M3CZ is a less radical upgrade - for instance the existing engine is modified.
T-72MP
Ukrainian upgrade with a 1,000-hp engine, added armor, Shtora-1, and SAGEM FCS and thermal sights.
M-84
1984. Serbian (former Yugoslavia) tank upgraded to T-72M1 standard, but with indigenous sights. With an upgraded V-46-6TK 985 hp (735 kW) engine, the tank is M-84A. With a new SUV-M-84 computerised fire-control system, gyrocompass, communication, and intercom systems the tank is M-84AB. The M-84 ABI armored recovery vehicle variant is fitted with specialised recovery equipment.

A Croatian improved version of M-84 is M-84A4/Sniper, with improved fire control and thermal night sights. A Slovenian upgrade uses the state-of-the-art and the well-marketed EFCS-3 FCS.

Serbian Armed Forces website:  M-84
Serbian M-84.
Serbian Land Forces Photo
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Serbian Armed Forces website:  M-84
Serbian M-84.
Serbian Land Forces Photo
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Serbian Armed Forces website:  M-84
Serbian M-84.
Serbian Land Forces Photo
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Serbian Armed Forces website:  M-84
Serbian M-84.
Serbian Land Forces Photo
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Serbian Armed Forces website:  M-84
Serbian M-84.
Serbian Land Forces Photo
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Defenselink website:  M-84
Kuwaiti M-84 lays a smoke screen.
15-MAR-1992
U.S. DoD Photo
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Defenselink website:  M-84
Kuwaiti M-84.
15-MAY-1992
U.S. DoD Photo
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Serbian Armed Forces website:  M-84 ABI
Serbian M-84 ABI ARV.
Serbian Land Forces Photo
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T-72S/Shilden
Russian export T-72A upgraded to be comparable to the T-72BM standard. Although similar to the T-72BM, it may have less turret front protection. The early T-72S tank has Kontakt ERA.
PT-91/Twardy
Polish upgrade of the T-72M1 tank with ERA, laser warning receiver, smoke grenade launchers, and Tiger fire control system. Sights include a thermal gunner night sight.
Polish Land Forces: PT-91
PT-91
Polish Land Forces Photo
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T-90
Successor to T-72BM. This tank has been tentatively approved for production and adoption as a standard tank, alongside the T-80U, for the Russian army. The T-90 uses the gun and 1G46 gunner sights from T-80U, a new engine, and thermal sights. Protective measures include Kontakt-5 ERA, laser warning receivers, and the SHTORA infrared ATGM jamming system.
BREM-1 Armored Recovery/Repair Vehicle (ARRV)
This ARRV is equipped with a hydraulic crane, capable of lifting 12 tons, mounted at the front of the hull on the left side. Other equipment includes a main winch with a capacity of 25 tons that can be increased to 100 tons, an auxiliary winch, a hydraulically operated dozer/stabilizing blade at the front of the hull, towing equipment, and a complete range of tools and recovery equipment. This vehicle is known to have been used in East Germany.
IMR-2 Combat Engineer Vehicle
The IMR-2 is believed to be the replacement for the T-55 IMR. A crane is mounted that can be fitted with a number of attachments including pincers for uprooting trees. At the front of the vehicle is a dozer blade that can be used in a straight or V-configuration.

T-72 Photos - Click on image sample to see full size image.

NATO: T-72
Refurbished T-72 tanks and BMP-1 IFVs
Iraqi 9th Division (Mechanized)
Taji, Iraq
17-NOV-2005
NATO Photo by Major Borkur Gunnarson
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NATO: T-72
Refurbished T-72 tanks and BMP-1 IFVs
Iraqi 9th Division (Mechanized)
Taji, Iraq
17-NOV-2005
NATO Photo by Major Borkur Gunnarson
1024x768, 245K, JPEG