Several countries, including Russia and Ukraine, also offer modernization packages for older T-72s. More modern derivatives include the Polish PT-91 Twardy and Russian T-90. These Iraqi tanks were assembled from 'spare parts' sold to them by Russia as a means of evading the UN-imposed weapons embargo. The Iraqis called their T-72 copies the ' Lion of Babylon' ( Asad Babil). Yugoslavia developed the T-72 into the more advanced M-84, and sold hundreds of them around the world during the 1980s. Many parts and tools are not interchangeable between the Russian, Polish and Czechoslovakian versions, which caused logistical problems. Before 1990, Soviet-made T-72 export versions were similarly downgraded for non-WARPAC customers (mostly the Arab countries).

The Polish-made T-72G tanks also had thinner armour compared to Soviet Army standard (410 mm for turret). These tanks had better and more consistent quality of make but with inferior armour, lacking the resin-embedded ceramics layer inside the turret front and glacis armour, replaced with all steel.

Licenced versions of the T-72 were made in Poland and Czechoslovakia, for WARPAC consumers. It was also exported to other countries, such as Finland, India, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yugoslavia, as well as being copied elsewhere, both with and without licenses. The T-72 was the most common tank used by the Warsaw Pact from the 1970s to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Field trials lasted from 1971 to 1973 and upon acceptance the Chelyabinsk Tank factory immediately ceased T-55 and T-62 production to retool for the new T-72 tank.Īt least some technical documentation on the T-72 is known to have been passed to the CIA by the Polish Colonel Ryszard Kuklinski between 19. Chief engineer Leonid Kartsev created 'Object 172', the initial design, but the prototype, marked 'Object 172M', was refined and finished by Valeri Venediktov. Therefore the parallel development of a so-called 'mobilization model' was ordered, while T-64 development and production continued.Īn 'economy' tank with the old design V-46 powerplant was developed from 1967 at the Uralvagonzavod Factory located in Nizhny Tagil. While the T-64 was perhaps the world's most advanced battle tank design when introduced, it was too expensive to issue to all the Soviet tank armies, let alone Warsaw Pact (WARPAC) allies. 3.2 Nuclear, biological, and chemical protection.

Most modern 72 tank in the world