ately Ly” a7 CONCORD PUBLICATIONS COMPANY.SOVIET MAIN BATTLE TANK by Steven J. Zaloga CS eet SSA tA SA A a PUBLICATIONS COMPANYCopyright © 1989 by CONCORD PUBLICATIONS CO. 803-608 Cestie Peak Road Kong Nam Industrial Suing 10/F, B1, Tsuen Wan New Teritories, Hong Kong Allrights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or trensmitted in any form on by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without tthe prion written permission of Concord Publications Co. ISBN 962-367-004-1 We welcome authors who can help expand our range of books. If you ‘woul Ike to submit materia, please fee! free to contact us. Printed in Hong Kong Second Edition Front Cover ‘An overhead view of a Finnish Army 1-72M\, This view shows the hard ‘edges of the Finnish splinter camouilage. Back Cover A front view of a Finnish T-72M1. The Finnish Army introduced a number of local modifications to its T-72s. On the front, reflectors were added on the eige of the fenders.INTRODUCTION I ‘The Soviet 72 Main Battle Tank ‘The Osnovnoi Tank T-72 (Standard tank T-72) is the most numerous Soviet tank of the current generation. The T-72 was developed on the basis of the radical new 7-64 tank, and first entered service in 1971, The main design criteria for the T-72 was to retain the excellent armor and. firepower of the T-64, while at the same time adopting less expensive subcomponents Tike the ‘engine and drive train. The Soviets often build two tanks simultaneously: a high cost premium tank, like the T-64 and later T-80; and a lower cost basic tank, like the T-12, for lower priority Soviet units and for export, Interestingly enough, the T-72 design has proven so successful that it has ‘outlasted premium tanks in prodiction like the T-64 and T-80. New versions ofthe T-72, like the T-228 and T-72MS, are likely to be in production through the early 1990s ‘The aim of this book is to provide a detailed photographic history of the evolution of the T-72 tank series. Since this book is intended mainly for modelers, special atention has been paid t0 providing close-up and detail photos to show features of the different versions of this tank. The author would like to thank several friends for their help in providing photos or information for this book, including James Grandsen, Russ Vaughn, Christopher Foss, “Cookie” Sewell, Charlie Cutshaw and Bob Lessels. The author would also like to thank several US government agencies for their help in providing photos for this book including the US Department of Defense Public Affairs Office, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. Thanks also to Vika Edwards of Sovfoto for her help in locating photos used here.44. AT-72A during re-fueling. The T-64 carried its extemal sel on bath sets of fender panniers; on the 7-72 the fuel was carried only in the right fender panniers, A forward view of a 7 ank. From the front, the can be distinguished from the 1-64 by the tracks, stawage bin placement, and the configuration of the commander's NSVT 12.7mm machine gun. 4 Some 7-724 tanks were later retrofitted with fabriclarmor side skirts. This vehicle only has front portion still remaining. Soviet tanks undergo periodic rebuilding, and new features are added to old vehicles. This make it very Uificult to distinguish between different versions of the 7-72 tank.4A rebuilt 1-724 tank, Notice that this vehicle has the side skirts over the suspension. Y The standard production model of the 1-72 tank is the T-72B, also sometimes called the T-72B46. This version had many internal changes from the initial T-72A, including the newer 2A46 125mm gun with kasetka (cassette) horizontal ammunition autoloader. Externally, it is easiest to identify by the location of the infrared searchlight which is Gn the right side of the gun tube, rather thai on the left as was the case with the T-64 and T-72A.(DoD)The T-728 was first publicly displayed in 19 ade in Moscow's Red Square. The B had been in service near y five years before it splayed in this parade,(DoD) shown to a French Army visiting Moscow in 1977, The 1-728 had atures evident on this photo: an scraper blade under the bow which permitted the tank to entrench itself, and four folding panels of gill” armor which gave the tank hull some protection from shaped-charge warheads (as on antitank missiles) fired at the frontal quadrant uf hve tank.(DoD)A Polish tank platoon on exercise with their 1-728 tanks. Warsaw Pact tank platoons are usually three tanks. The exception is the special independent tank battalion attached to some select motor rifle divisions, which has five tanks per platoon, A frontal view of a Polish Army 1-728. The 125mm gua on the T-72B is designated D-81TM, and is named Rapira 3 (Rapier 3). It was designed by the famous Petrov design bureau, located in Perm. It is also known by its industrial designator, which is 2A46.44 A Soviet 7-728 tank, The large tube on the left rear side of the turret is the snorkel, used to provide air to the tank when crossing rivers by deep wading, It is attached to a port in the gunner’s hatch.(DoD} 4A battalion of CzechoslovakT-728 tanks on maneuver. Warsaw Pact tank battalions are usually smaller than their NATO counterparts, 31 tanks per battalion in the tank regiments, and 40 tanks per battalion in motor rifle regiments 4 A Polish T-72B. The Small emblem on the glacis plate above the driving light is an orange circle with black triangle. This is not a tactical insignia, but rather a Polish road warning emblem. Polish Army armored vehicles carry the red and white national insignia, called the szachownica on either side of the tank turret,‘A Polish T-72B. Note that during peacetime, the tanks are not normally fitted with the folding panel armor on the hull sides, ‘An East German 1-728 in Berlin in 1980. The first German unit to receive the 1-72 in large numbers was the 9.Panzerdivision, located in the northeast portion of East Germany, and head: quartered at Eggesin.(DoD)A A Polish 1-728 on exercise. This view clearly shows the special jelding panel armor, in this case in the traveling position aA detail view of the front right side of a T-72B tank. The 1-728 can be distinguished from later models by the presence of the optical port for the ‘optical rangefinder, immediately in front of the commander's position: © commander's NSVT 4A detail view of the right rear side of a 12.7mm machine gun is not fitted in this view‘An East German T-72B on parade in Berlin in 1980, The two containers on the turret side are for 12,7mm ammunition for the commander's machine gun.(DoD) ‘An East German T-72B. This gives a good view of the right side optieal port which can be seen above and to the leit of the national insignia.(Dol ‘A detail view of the roof of a T-72B, The commander sits to the right, while A rear view of the attachment points on the T-72 bull. The four angled the gunner sits to the left. The port in the center of this photo is for the ejection brackets can be fitted with attachments to hold two large 200 liter fuel drums of the ammunition’s stub casings. The commander's cupola is traversable, and on the rear. The attachment in the center is to hold the marker assembly used in this view, the machine gun mounting is pointed to the rear, and the infrared when operating the KMT-6 mine rolleriplow system.(DoD) searchlight is pointed forwardmht A close-up view of the Luna infrared searchlight mounted adjacent to the gun. The arm assembly on the side elevates and depresses the searchlight when the main gun moves.(D0D) A close-up of the wheels and track of the T-72B. The track on the T-72B new live track with rubber bushings, not the “dead” track formerly used on the T-55 and 1-62.(D0D) Dew This is a close-up view of the gunner’s auxiliary infrared searchlight. It is attached to a mounting at the base of the gunner’s secondary periscopic sight,(DoD) A close-up of the infrared searchlight mounted on the commander's cupola. Soviet tanks are fitted with infrared sights for night driving and fighting, However, on the 1-72B, the primary aunnecs night sight Is a passive image intensification sight.(DoD)A A cclose.up of the commander's cupola on an East German T-72B. In this view, the infrared filter has been removed from the commander's searchiight. enabling if fo be used as a conventional white-light searchlight.(DoD) Y This small light is attached to the rear of the turret roof, Each tank is usually equipped with a small panel with its own number cut out. This panel is attached over the light, so that at night, the tanks can be identified from the rear by the light passing through the stencil.(DoD) > This is another view of the rear turret identity light on the T-72B. Abov and to the left is the small running light. There are s comer of the vehicle and on the turret which give off a pale white light at night They serve to identify the location of the tank when on night drives, to nearby tanks or other vehicles in convoy.(DoD) [7 rere ont (early production){AP The final production version of the T-72B was the T-72B(M). The T-72B1M) had an added layer of applique armor on both sides of the turret front. This was not a very common version of the T-72, and was soon replaced by the T family A The T-72G was a special version of the manufacture. it sometimes also called the T- < from the Soviet nufactured T-72M in many respects. Th G was manufactured in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and India. Like the Soviet T: laser range! a right side optical port for the optical rangefinder. This Pc is fitted with KMT-4M mine rake. A Polish T-72G. The Poles manufacture the T-72G for their ewn use, a well as for export to countries like Syria and Iraq. The early versions of the used the same folding anti-HEAT gill armor panels as theOne of the features container located on the A Czechoslovak T rangefinder, and Although the turret closely resembles the T-72B, it in fact has improved armor, probably with ceramic armor inserts in the casting, A close-up of the right side roof of 2G. Staning a (on parade: in Prague in 1985. The gunner's port on turret (left) is the main gunner’s TPD-2 si hy laser rangefinder, the gunner’s jon, and incorporates a laser auxiliary infrared searchlight, the gun PN1-49.23 infrared sight and the commander's OU-3 injrared search!> A Polish during summer exercises in 1986, The tank is camouflaged with pine branches, and an irregular pattem of mud camouflage has tbeen spread aver the tank. 4 A Polish 1-72G during summer maneuvers in 1986, The T-72G is easily distinguishable from the 1-728 due to th of the older optical port in front of the commander's station.‘4A column of -72G tanks move forward. When in tactical exercise, the tanks are fitted with the full length radio antenna which is nearly 5 meters high > A Polish 7-72G on the move. The ammunition box on the commander's NSVT machine gun has stencilling reading “AMUNICJA PLOT” (AA Ammunition) AP A formation of Polish T72Gs on summer maneuver. The non-Soviet Warsaw Pact countries frequently use four-digit tactical numbers, while three: digit numbers are more common for the Soviets2G with the two rear 200 liter fuel drums fitted, These would be dropped off before entering combat, and are intended mainly for long road marches. The fuel has to be manually pumped into the main fuel cells on the tank using a small fuel pump. A rear view of a T7: A Polish T-72G fording a stream. The T-72 can be prepared for deep fording in about 30 minutes, but can be driven across shallow streams without any special preparation.T-72G's in a mock attack. The tank in the background has its TDA tured. The driver of a German T-72G. In front of him is the TVN-2 infrared ‘on. This system injects a small amount of fuel into a heated chamber which periscope. The small wire irame above the periscope is only a parade device creates a dense cloud of white smoke which is ejected out the side engine used help the driver judge distance to neighboring tanks 10 keep in exhaust formation {O0D) A closeup of the NSVT 12.7mm machine gun, On the T-64, the NSVT was remote controlled, and could be operated from inside the tank. On the T-72, at i is manually aimed.(DoD) is removed (DoD) ‘The business end of the D-81TM tank gun. The gun is usually wrapped in ermal sleeve to prevent barrel distortion. However, sometimes this sleeveF view of T anti-aircraft machiae gun. the bottom lef extinguisher mou ‘ont of the commander's cupola, showing the TKN-3 h the QU-3 infrared searchlight.(DoD) TPD-1 laser ler’s OU-3 infrared A view of the left rear of the tur the rear position lights, NSVT machi tandard production T-72G showing, 9 mount and rear stowage bin.(DoD)The gunner has an auxiliary TPN-1-49-23 sight (ight) which is jh the infrared searchlight at up of German soldiers taking a rest on G tank in Berlin during a parade in 1981 »s a good view of the NSVT machine gun and ghtDoD) 4 A camouflaged East German 1-72G with straw lashed to the barrel and hull sides.An East German T.72G, The Germans obtain their T-72s primarily from Poland and Czechoslovakia, as they have no tank production capacity. It is often forgotten that Poland and Czechoslovakia are larger tank producers than either Great Britain or France, An East German T-72G on maneuvers. The -72G has two-axis gun stabilization which allows limited fire-on-the-move capabilityamo ote that this vehicle has the commander itted ov J-3 infrared sea column of East Gi G with temporary summer straw nouflage, These are later pes with the le full skins. Note that the front fender is missing. A Polish T-72G passing several other 7-72s in hul-down emplacements 1G on parade. Like the The Polish not fitted with the Soviet style side skirts their 1.725 from the Poles or CzechoslNote that the t Later East Germanof East C is and smoke mortarsA side Army T-72M1, The Finnish A\ splinter camou on its tanks.4A late production -72G on parade in Berlin in 1981. This tank has the full skirts, as is evident by the sheet amor over the fuel tanks.(DoD) <4 An overhead view showing the engine deck area of a T-72G.(D0D) ¥ In 1981, the East German T-72Gs began to receive plastic armor skirts. These skirts are made of a rubberiplastic sheet over a metal fiber base. These sheets provide some protection against small caliber HEAT warheads, like those on small anti-tank rockets. The plastic sheet armor covers the upper part of the suspension, and also is carried over the sides of the fuel and tool panniers.{DoD)> Asear view of an East German T-72G. Two links of spare track are carried on the hull cear.(DoD) ‘4 Aclose-up view of the plastic sheet armor skirts at the rear of an East German T-72G,(DoD) AP A close-up view of the plastic sheet armor skirts at the center-rear of the left hull side, The area under the exhaust is covered with a metal sheet to prevent the heat of the exhaust from melting the skirts.(D0D}¥ In 1981, the East German NVA began fitting smoke mortars to their T-72G, much like the fitting, on Soviet T-72M and T-72M1. During parades, the plastic armor skirts are left in their natural black color. Ordinarily, they are painted dark green like the rest of the tank.(DoD) “4A late-model East German 1-72G with smoke mortars. The use of a flash in this night view gives some details of the lower suspension.(DoD) An interesting view of the undersides of a T-7 showing the folding scraper blade.(DoD) A column of 1-72Ms of the Urals Chelyabinsk Armor Academy in February 1984. The commander's station has a windshield fitted. This windshield is probably fitted with a panel of filtered anti-laser glass to permit the commander to observe when the tank is using its laser rangefinder, The laser rangefinder can cause eye damage from reflections if intense enough.Another view of the T-72M1 during the Zapad 81 maneuvers. It is very difficult to distinguish early production 1-72M1 from the T-72M variant, The 1-72M and T-72M1 have thicker turret front armor than the CzechoslovakiPolish T-72G series. The T-72MI tank began appearing in the late 1970s. It closely resembles the T-72M, as its improvements are mainly internal. The only major external difference is the glacis plate, On the T-72M there are four bullet splash strips below the driver's station, on the T-72MI there are three. There are some small detail differences on the glacis plate due to the addition of a laminate armor plate, especially around the driver's position. The T-72M1 originally appeared without smoke mortars, but by 1982, both the T-72M and T-72M1 were fitted with a new smoke mortar system. This T-72M1 participated in the Zapad 81 maneuvers.An early production T-72M1 during the Zapad aneuvers, Notice that the side skirt armor has removed, but that itis still present on the sides Of the tool panniers over the tracks. A battalion of T-72M1 tanks from the same unit during Zapad 81. The insignia on the turret front is typical for tank regiments in a tank or motor rifle‘A Another view of T-72M1s on parade following the Zapad 81 exercises. The right side of the turret has a distinctly latter appearance than an the T-728, due to the removal of the optical port. > This is an uncommon version of the T-72M1, fitted with roof applique armor but not fitted with the usual smoke mortars.appearing withA Finnish T-72M1K command tank with the radio aerial stowed under the rear bin. The Finnish vehicles ate painted in an elaborate three color splinter camoutlage scheme. This vehicle also is fitted with the commander's windscreen. Finland uses T-72M1 tanks purchased from the USSR. However, the Finns have made a number of modifications on their vehicles, including the square driving lights at the rear corners of the fenders. This isa F-72M1K command tank which has mounting for an additional radio antenna under the stowage bin However, the radio aerial is not fitted in this view The additional radio antenna is fited into the small pot on the left rear of the turret.A Finnish T-72 fn Note that there is metal panel on the left side skirt immediately below the exhaust. Thi i n the right sideAT-72M1 of maneuvers, The temporary white tank hasbeen paint tempera paint for camoufl ards tank regiment on winter ith Another view of a T-72M1 on parade in Moscow. On some occasions, the parade vehicles have the fabric armor side skirts left in their natural black color. However, vehicles in the field usually have the panels overpainted in Soviet dark green #2 (FS 34077).Sovioto)T72Mt Technical Data T-72M2 (late production)A. The final production batches of the T-72M1 had applique armor added to the roof. The material appears to be the same type of plasticized fabric anti radiation/spall liner, used inside the tank. The Soviets probably adopted this material to protect the crew against the effects of the proposed American enhanced radiation warheads (neutron bombs), which in the end, were never fielded. This material also is fitted on either side of the driver's station’s roof, This vehicle is carrying the marking associated with units that participated in the Zapad 81 maneuvers. These late production T-72M1s also had stowage cchanges on the turrets with a third stowage bin added to the left side of the tur ret, and the snorkel moved to the back: of the rear stowage bin. These stowage ccranges continued on the T-72M2 series.(Sovloto) ‘AP In 1985, the Soviet began displaying a new mode! of the 1-72, the T-72M2. This vehicle resembles the T-72M1, but has considerably thicker frontal turret armor. This version is sometimes called the ““Super Dolly Parton” model. Other changes included the movement of the snorkel from the left rear turret side to the rear turret bin, and the addition of another turret bin on the left rear side where the snorkel had been located.(DoD} In 1986, the Soviets began displaying a slightly modified version of the T-72M2. The main change was that the front mounted smoke mortars were removed and a new array of seven monars was added to the leit side of the turret. This change was begun to permit the tank to be fitted with reactive armor.(DoD)This front view of a T-72M2 clearly shows the very large overhang of the thickened front turret ar mor. This has led to the nickname “pot-belly armor” in the US Army.(D0D) 72M2 on parade in Moscow in 1987. The ‘commander is carrying the regimental flag for the parade (DoD)186 model of the T-72M2, the number 1n ammunition containers fitted iv the side of the turret was reduced to only one box.(DoD) A close-up of the turret of a T-72M2 during the 1987 parade showing the new arrangement of the smoke mortars.(DoD)4 This rearview of the T-72M2 shows how the snorkel has been moved to the rear of the turret.(DoD) 44 This close-up view shows track detail, and the scraper blade under the bow of the tank. The heavy iittings under the bow are used for the attachment of mine plows and mine rakes.(DoD) A A detail shot from the leit side of the tank showing the FG-125 infrared driving headlights,(DoD)Notice that mander’s cupola. ha: pall cladding ad urface.(DeD) a 4 ght front turret side of the T: peculiar ca roof where the new armor meets the also the roof applique as well.(D0D)An overhead view of the 7-72M2. This view shows the casting cavities on either side of the turret, as well as the roof applique on the turret top and on the hull roof on either side of the driver.(DoD} A close-up of the rear of the turret showing the revised gunner’s hatch with applique, the casing ejector port, and the rear stowage bin.(DoD!The roof applique on the right side has a channel cut into it to fit the electrical lead running to the L-2 Luna infrared searchlight.(DoO) Another close-up of the turret roof showing the roof applique. It d cover even small fit port and gunner’s sight.(DoD4. A close-up of the smoke-mortar arrangement on the T-72M2. The smoke mortars were moved to the rear to permit reactive armor t0 be fitted to this variant.(DoD) > Aview of the rear of the turret of a T-72M2 which shows haw the snorkel was reattached to the rear of the stowage bin,(DoD) ‘A. A closeup of the gunners sights on the roof of a T-72M2. These look somewhat larger than on the earlier models since they have been Covered with the anti-radiation applique material (DoD)is T-72M2 has the attachment points for explosive reactive armor (ERA| bricks welded on, but the ERA itself is not fitted. ERA protects the tank from shaped charge warheads on anti-tank rockets and missiles. When the warhead explodes against the ERA, the ERA is detonated, throwing a steel plate into the path of the shaped charge jet and diminishing its effective penetration. This ver sion is called Soviet Medium Tank M1988 by NATO, and is sometimes called FST-1 (Future Soviet Tank-1) by the US Army. D Soviet T-72M2 tanks on summer maneuvers. These SMT M1988 tanks have the attachments for the ERA, but not the bricks themselves,T-72M2 with Reactive Armor. (staNsc: Sot au Tank M1953) US Amy Future Savi TAOE, FST)AA AA A th a PUBLICATIONS COMPANY