Belarus began testing a new upgraded version of the T-72 tank. reportedly, carried out modernization work “140 overhaul factory” by order of the Armored Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus.
As the Belarusian press writes, from 2017 year, the T-72B3 with a 1130-horsepower engine began to enter the Belarusian army, ERA “contact”, screens on the sides and a new 125-mm gun 2A46M-5 with increased barrel survivability. New upgrade, judging by the video and photo, involves the installation of a thermal imaging sight “Pine-in”, dynamic protection “Relict” on the tower, sides and forehead of the hull. The stern was covered with anti-cumulative gratings. maybe, that some changes also affected the insides of the car, but the details of this version are not given.
On Russian Internet resources have already noticed, that in this form the Belarusian T-72 is more reminiscent of the Russian T-80BVM.
According to the State Military-Industrial Committee of the Republic of Belarus, a prototype tank is currently being manufactured, which is subjected to all kinds of tests at the training grounds of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic. Design documentation for the tank is ready, if such an upgrade is approved, the company can start work.
note, that Belarusian specialists are quite successfully modernizing Soviet technology, bringing it up to modern standards. Last year, at the MILEX-2021 exhibition in Minsk, Belarusians presented the modernized T-72BME tank.. New devices installed on the tank, gunner got a new sight “Essa-72U” with television and thermal imaging channels, and the commander – special remote control and monitor, allowing to duplicate the actions of the gunner. Dynamic protection was placed at the stern of the tower and the engine was replaced with a new one with a new power 840 HP.
