The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the eve published a video of the operation of the T-90M "Breakthrough" tanks and modifications of the T-72 in the special operation zone.
As noted in the department's release, tankers provide fire support to motorized rifles, ensuring the offensive of Russian troops.
“To advance our motorized rifle units, the crews of the T-90 tanks advanced to the front line of the enemy’s defense and delivered a powerful fire strike.
First of all, gunners-operators destroyed the positions of anti-tank weapons and armored vehicles of the enemy with fire from 125-mm cannons, ”the message says.
The Ministry of Defense also cited a comment by a tank commander with the call sign Bizon, who said that during combat work, a reconnaissance officer who corrected the firing of armored vehicles was subjected to mortar fire from the enemy.
However, he calculated and handed over to the tankers the coordinates of the guns from which the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired.
As a result, the enemy battery was destroyed.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation added that tankers often use flanking fire on the move in the NVO zone.
“Such a technique significantly increases the survivability of equipment on the battlefield,” the press service of the department noted.
Breakthrough modernization
Recall that the T-90M "Breakthrough" is the most modern version of the T-90 "Vladimir" tank, which was put into service in the early 1990s and later named after its designer Vladimir Potkin.
The development and production of the tank is carried out by the Uralvagonzavod enterprise.
According to the state corporation Rostec, the level of modernization of the T-90M allows us to talk about this machine as a new tank.
In particular, the turret was replaced on it, a complex of all-aspect protection against modern anti-tank weapons was introduced, and the search and observation capabilities of the commander on the spot and while moving at any time of the day were significantly increased.
“The fire and explosion safety of fuel tanks and ammunition, as well as the survivability of the crew, have been significantly increased by optimizing the placement of ammunition, including due to the removal of part of the ammunition from the fighting compartment to the armored compartment installed in the aft part of the tower,” the state corporation says.
The Ministry of Defense showed footage of the work of T-90M tanks in the NVO zone
Rostec also notes that a number of innovations in the design of the T-90M made it possible to bring its fighting qualities closer to the latest T-14 Armata tank.
Such important improvements include, in particular, an upgraded gun, optimized reflection of media at the workplaces of crew members, as well as the use of a guided weapon system and a target tracking machine.
In addition, the tank received modern air conditioning and outdoor video surveillance systems, communications and the ability to connect to centralized combat control systems.
The T-90M is equipped with a 1130 hp diesel engine.
With.
manufactured by ChTZ-Uraltrak LLC.
According to the developers, this power plant provides high speed performance, fuel efficiency and a long range, including at extremely high temperatures.
“Thanks to the new engine, the car accelerates faster and has better handling.
Behind the levers of the T-90M you feel very confident.
Improved conditions for the gunner and commander.
Modern military equipment is saturated with electronics, which significantly increases the accuracy and efficiency of combat vehicles, ”Rostec quotes the words of Alexander Gizatullin, test driver of Uralvagonzavod.
On the highway, the car can reach a maximum speed of up to 70 km / h.
The power reserve in this case is 500 km.
The T-90M is armed with a 125 mm cannon with a coaxial machine gun of 7.62 mm caliber.
The turret is equipped with a remotely controlled combat module with a 12.7 mm machine gun.
The tank's cannon is capable of firing modern ammunition, including armor-piercing sub-caliber shells, high-explosive fragmentation shells with remote detonation and guided missiles.
The tank is capable of attacking the enemy at a distance of up to 5 km.
To improve the accuracy of firing and reduce the preparation time for firing at the tank, a modern panoramic commander's sight and a highly automated digital fire control system were installed.
Thanks to this, the crew commander, regardless of the position of the tower, can conduct an all-round view, search, recognize and capture targets, and transmit data to the gunner.
After receiving target designation, the gunner-operator can only press the button to fire a shot, according to Rostec.
In addition, the T-90M can exchange data with other machines in real time.
The armor protection of the tank was also improved.
In particular, the rear and turret of the T-90M are equipped with anti-cumulative lattice screens, which protects the vehicle from hand grenade launchers.
In turn, the active protection complex installed on the tank, if necessary, throws out aerosol grenades.
The smoke screen created as a result of this does not allow enemy guidance systems to achieve target acquisition.
"The car turned out very well"
T-90M tanks began to enter Russian troops in 2020.
One of the last batches was handed over to the RF Ministry of Defense in January 2023.
The press service of Rostec reported then that Uralvagonzavod had successfully completed another contract for the supply of T-90M tanks.
As specified in the company, now the division of the enterprise, where the tank conveyor is located, works around the clock.
Combat work of the T-72 tank of the RF Armed Forces in the southern sector of the NMD
RIA News
“T-90M is a development of the T-72 tank.
The upgraded T-90 has a more advanced fire control system, engine and communications equipment, ”retired colonel Viktor Litovkin, a military expert, said in a conversation with RT.
Experts also believe that the T-72 tanks, which have undergone a deep modernization, can be compared with the T-90M in a number of indicators, but in general, the Breakthrough is already on the next step in tank building.
“The new versions of the T-72 are close in their capabilities to the T-90M, but, of course, they are one step lower than the T-90M.
At the moment, the T-90M is better in terms of armament, aiming systems, armor and protection.
The T-72, no matter how it is modernized, will still be inferior to it in terms of its capabilities, ”said Dmitry Kornev, founder of the Military Russia portal, in a comment to RT.
A similar opinion is shared by military expert Mikhail Timoshenko.
“By their characteristics, they are incomparable.
If the T-72 could be upgraded to the level of the T-90M, then the development of the Breakthrough would not have started, ”the source of RT explained.
As Viktor Litovkin notes, the T-90M performs well in the framework of the NWO.
“The car turned out very well.
It has a powerful engine (about 1200 hp), effective protection and an advanced projectile loading system.
Even the vaunted Leopard, which the Poles and Germans are going to supply to Ukraine, does not have such an automatic loader as the T-90M.
It is no coincidence that it is called the best SVO tank.
It can not only destroy enemy tanks, but also participate in a combat operation in cooperation with other combat vehicles and with air strike systems, ”the analyst explained.
According to the expert, in the future, the T-90M may be replaced by a new generation tank, the T-14 Armata, but this will not happen in the near future.
“In the future, the T-14 may become the main battle tank, but this will not happen very soon, because, firstly, it is still quite expensive.
Secondly, the army is armed with a large number of T-72, T-80 and T-90 tanks, and it is impossible to replace them at once.
Of course, the T-14 will come in handy - according to some reports, he is already participating in the NWO.
But in general, so far, the developers are still continuing to master and develop the technology for its production, ”concluded Litovkin.