The new Russian tank T-90M "Breakthrough" has successfully passed state tests. This was announced on the eve of the Defexpo India-2020 defense exhibition at the tank development enterprise, the Uralvagonzavod concern.

The representative of the concern also added that the contracts for the supply of an experimental batch of T-90M tanks were signed with the Russian Ministry of Defense at the Army-2019 military-technical forum, RIA Novosti reports.

Deputy Minister of Defense Alexei Krivoruchko in December 2019 said that according to the results of state tests, a decision would be made on taking the T-90M into service and beginning the supply of tanks to the troops.

New Breakthrough

The Breakthrough tank is a deeply modernized version of the T-90 platform. The development of a new tank took place in 2015-2018. Many of the improvements that were applied during the creation of the T-90M were the result of the experience that the Russian military acquired in Syria, which was already mentioned in September 2017 by the head of the Main Armored Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Alexander Shevchenko.

The differences between the T-90M and the base platform are in the new tower module, equipped with an improved fire control system and a more modern loading system. The tank is equipped with a 125 mm 2A46M-4 smoothbore gun, coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun and a large-caliber machine gun NSV-12.7 Utes.

Also, the communications equipment, engines, automatic loader, fire control system, software and hardware complex were improved in the new Russian tank, and a multi-channel panoramic thermal imaging sight was installed.

One of the fundamental differences of the T-90M tank is the improvement of armor by installing the third-generation Relikt universal dynamic protection modules, which were developed by the designers of the Moscow Research Institute of Steel based on the Contact-5 dynamic protection system. The modules protect the T-90M body, turret and side screens from cumulative and sub-caliber ammunition. The advantage of Relic over previous iterations of dynamic defense systems is that modules damaged in battle can be easily replaced with new ones.

Also, thanks to the improved design, the crew safety level was significantly increased. Inside, the T-90M compartments are covered with a special anti-shatter material from heavy-duty fabric made on the basis of aramid yarn.

In addition, the frontal projection of the “Breakthrough” can withstand the direct hit of almost any modern ammunition. The designers also managed to several times reduce the radar visibility of the tank compared to its basic version.

Another feature of the T-90M is the unified tactical link management system (ESU TK) developed by the Constellation concern in Voronezh. It allows the tank to participate in hostilities, being integrated into the command information and communication network. This significantly increases the degree of effective interaction of various units and types of troops in the theater of operations (theater of operations).

The T-90 platform was created in 1989, its ancestor is the T-72B tank, which also went through several stages of modernization, Viktor Murakhovsky, editor-in-chief of Arsenal of the Fatherland, recalled in a conversation with RT.

“The T-90M meets modern combat conditions and surpasses foreign vehicles in terms of the combination of combat properties, since such parameters as security, firepower, mobility, command controllability are improved in the new Russian tank,” the expert noted.

The tank meets all modern requirements of the Ministry of Defense and international standards, Viktor Murakhovsky added.

“A new dynamic protection was installed in the T-90M, a new welded tower with an increased level of protection, a gun was modernized, but most importantly, a fully digital ballistic path with an automatic target tracking system was introduced, which increases firepower. In addition, a fairly modern sight with a thermal imager, an increased power engine was installed, which allows the tank to make long marches over long distances, as well as a unified tactical link control system of the Constellation type, ”said the military expert.

Export success

It is worth noting that the T-90, which became the basis for the Breakthrough, is today the best-selling tank in the world.

One of the main operators of the T-90 tanks is India. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Indian Army has more than 1 thousand tanks in the export version of the T-90S.

The head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, said on February 4 that Russia and India signed a contract to extend the program for licensed production of T-90S tanks until 2028.

“And, as we know, the Defense Procurement Council approved the production of 464 tanks of this model,” RIA Novosti quoted Manturov as saying.

The license for the production of thousands of T-90S tanks was transferred to India in 2001. Earlier, Russia had already extended the license and expressed its readiness to satisfy any proposal for the supply of tanks or their production in India.

The success of the T-90 platform is associated with its high reliability and clear advantages over foreign counterparts, military expert Yuri Knutov said in an interview with RT.

“For comparison, American Abrams tanks are well-publicized, but they burn in battle, and in some circumstances they can be disabled even with small arms. The German Leopard has a number of good indicators, but the protection of this tank from modern weapons is low, ”said the expert.

The French Leclerc tank surpasses the T-90M in terms of automation and electronics, but it has a much higher cost, explained Yuri Knutov.

“The Russian tank is the car of today and tomorrow, because it has a large modernization resource. Russia can at any time finalize and develop a complex of active defense. T-90M represents the best ratio of price and quality, and also demonstrates the best features for today and tomorrow, ”the expert emphasized.

At the same time, various tank modifications of the T-72, the predecessor of the T-90 platform, now form the basis of Russia's tank forces, Yuri Knutov recalled.

“The Ministry of Defense placed an order for the first installments of the promising Armata platform. So far this is a small party, because you need to see how they will behave. If it becomes necessary to make corrections, these tanks will be able to carry out a breakthrough role, the role of a ram, and the T-90M will follow them, ”the expert explained.

  • The T-72B3 tank of the Black Sea Fleet coastal defense during the qualifying competition in the "Tank Biathlon" competition at the Angarsk training ground in Crimea
  • RIA News
  • © Konstantin Mikhalchevsky

Viktor Murakhovsky, in turn, noted that the T-90M tank could become the most protected combat vehicle on the modern battlefield.

“In an offensive, tanks are the main striking force, they break through the enemy’s saturated defense together with other forces of the armed forces and the armed forces. Today, such a machine as the T-90M on the battlefield is the most protected and most powerful in terms of fire. A tank is the only vehicle that, under the influence of enemy fire, maintains tactical maneuverability, which no other equipment is capable of, ”the expert concluded.