Ukraine Selling 200 T-72 Tanks To Ethiopia

Ukrainian state company Ukrspetsexport signed a $100-million contract with the Ethiopian Defense Ministry on the delivery of over 200 T-72 tanks, UNIAN news agency reported on Thursday.

The deal is one of the largest contracts Ukrspetsexport has signed in the last 15 years.Ukraine also expects to receive further orders for the repair and upkeep of the tanks.

The T-72, first produced in the USSR in the 1970's, was widely exported to many African, Asian and Middle Eastern states.

Upgrading The T-72 Ajeya Is It Necessary Or A Waste Of Taxpayers Money

Army has started the second phase of upgrades for T-72M1 tanks which have been procured over the last thirty years. The total cost of this up-gradation will come to Rs 5,000 Crore for the 1,600 tanks of this variety. Unfortunately for the Indian Army it never thought that it will have to upgrade these beasts, because they were expected to be replaced by home-made Arjun but as we all know that project ran into delays and defects, only couple of years back finally the Army was impressed with the Tank and decided to order the first batch.

Thus began the first phase of modernization with the installation of night fighting capability on these machines. On 23rd November our defense minister AK Anthony told the parliament that the T-72 tank fleet is being optimally used and is the mainstay of the present tank fleet. The entire fleet of this tank is fully battle worthy with high mission and operational reliability. A part of the T-72 fleet is already equipped with high end technology night vision device which has been fully integrated and exploited.

For T-72 IA wanted a new ERA(Explosive Reactive Armor) that will keep out the new 125mm Fin Stabilized Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot and other kinetic energy projectiles and tandem-shape charged weapons.
(Fin Stabilized Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS) is a soft core Tank Ammunition fired from tanks. It is the most lethal kinetic energy ammunition, capable of destroying all known tank armor up to direct shooting range. It has the capability of defeating the heavy triple target.
The complete round consists of two cartridges, the secondary charge (or the front cartridge) and a main powder charge called the primary charge (or the rear cartridge). SMPP manufactures cartridge cases for both the front as well as the rear cartridge.
Key features:
Primary cartridge case: 4 components , Secondary cartridge case: 3 components, Extremely light weight yet strong enough to support the complete load of the ammunition. Fully combustible concept
Salient Features Mk I Mk II
Propellant Mass 19kg 19.3kg
Muzzle velocity 1500m/s 1600 m/s
L/D ratio             14             20
Range at which triple NATO target defeated 2.5 km 3.5 km)

Army also wants auxiliary power unit for the newly installed night vision devices, beside gun control, laser range finder,gunner sight etc.

It is to be remembered that this tank has no amenities for the crew thus in summers the Tank temperature reaches up to 60 degree Centigrade, which starts effecting the efficiency of the crew. To overcome this issue army is also looking for an air-conditioning unit to keep things under control.

The problem with T-72 is that it runs on a 780 horsepower unit and it needs to be upgraded to at least 1000 horsepower unit which is used in T-90. Our homemade Arjun tank runs on a 1,500 horse power.

Many technologies which were developed for Arjun will find their way in the T-72 upgrade. these include the armor,laser warning system, the fire detection and suppression system beside the combat net radio.

Finally if everything falls into place for the army then these tanks will be upgraded with

1. Polish SKO-1T Drawa-T fire control systems
2. Thermal Imagers supplied by Polish PCO/Cenzin(from PT-91 Twardy)
3. DRDO's explosive reactive armor
4. Navigation system from Israeli Tamam, german Litef or South African RDI
5. Locally developed laser illumination warning system
6. New radios manufactured by Tadiran or Marconi GES
7. Improved NBC protection system developed by DRDO
8. 1,000 HP(750 kW) engine made by Polish firm PZL-Wola
9. New fire detection /suppression system and laser warning system on both side of the turret

The first 15 systems are to be installed by technicians from Poland's ZM Bumar-Labedy under contract from Warsaw-based Przemyslowe Centrum Optyki (PCO), which manufactures the Fire-Control System (FCS).
India's state-owned heavy vehicles factory will fit the rest at its Avadi facility, which is responsible for the T-72 MI upgrade project, the defence weekly said. Deliveries will begin later this year and complete by 2004. According to the report, there will be no transfer of technology to allow local production of the FCS.
The Polish SKO-IT Drawa-T thermal imaging Fire-Control Systems (TIFCs) to upgrade the tanks was selected following trials five years ago. As the system was developed specifically for the Soviet-designed T-72 series no modifications are required to the MBT, thus keeping costs down.


US defence major Raytheon and Indian private player Larsen and Toubro (L&T) on Tuesday announced that they were teaming up to submit a proposal to upgrade Indian's Army's vintage T-72 battle tanks. 

Under the proposal, Raytheon, which has already provided 20,000 thermal sights in 15 countries, is set to arrange infrared imaging sights and gadgets which would greatly improve target accuracy and increase overall system lethality on the battlefield for the Indian Army's T-72 tank regiments. 


Now comes the crux of the issue , if we add up the total cost of the upgrade per Tank it comes to Rs 14 (140 million)crore and anew Arjun tank is marginally more expensive at Rs 16.8 crore(168 million). We must remember that the tank body and other parts are effected by corrosion over a period of time, these cannot be fixed and are not included in the up gradation. Therefore the structural integrity of the tank is already reached its life end, putting new sensors and arms will not increase the life of the body, infact it may not be able to bear the extra burden. Plus you may go into battle having confidence in the new ERA plates but can the old body absorb the impact. You may put a powerful engine to make it faster and more lethal but can the chassis take the extra strain.


If Arjun tank has got operational clearance then instead of wasting money on old machines why don't we manufacture tanks which are newer and have the exact same specifications that you are trying to put in the T-72 .These are the same tanks which were pulverized by the Americans in the gulf war.After that heavy and disastrous episode Russians tried to come up with something better called the T-90, which again was a souped up T-72.

On the other hand if the Army is still not satisfied with the Arjun tank then why did it order 300 of them. Some people say that the foreign arms mafia in the army is sabotaging  Arjun tank. Then are we wasting taxpayers money on a machine which is inferior to a newer home made tank? You decide....

Srinagar-Leh national highway widened for T-72 tanks

Against the backdrop of heightened Chinese activity along the Ladakh border, the Srinagar-Leh national highway has been widened to allow passage of T-72 tanks. A senior army commander said it was part of efforts to improve the infrastructure and resources for enhancing the capability of the army. "Last year, an effort was made to see if we can bring in more tanks into this area. Any military force always looks at how to improve its infrastructure, which improves its capabilities," General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Lieutenant General S A Hasnain told reporters."From a military angle, if you find the resources in the areas opposite to you increase and the military capability enhances, it is always a case of worry for you.

Therefore, you have to re-analyse your own resources, your own capabilities," he said. The widening of the Srinagar-Leh road, which passes through Zojila pass at an altitude of 11,500 feet, has been done to facilitate the passage of T-72 tanks following several reports of Chinese incursions into Ladakh region over the past few years. The widening work on the pass was carried out by the 32 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) and 122 RCC. Hasnain was talking to reporters here, 120 kms from Srinagar, on the opening of the 434-km strategic Srinagar-Leh national highway, which was closed for five months due to heavy snowfall. He said it (use of T-72) has been a requirement for many years in Ladakh region due to the flatness of the terrain. "You can utilise mechanised elements here (in Ladakh) but bringing in mechanised elements by air has been a major problem in the earlier years," he said. Army currently operates Russian-made T-72 tank fleet, which has undergone an upgradation to equip it with thermal imaging capabilities to its night-vision system. On the increased Chinese presence in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, he said it had nothing to do with any particular country but admitted that it should be a cause of concern.

Terming the road as strategically important, Hasnain said there have always been efforts to reopen the road after winter as early as possible. The army commander said he was hopeful that the highway will become an all-weather road in near future. "A feasibility study is being conducted for constructing a tunnel between Srinagar side and Gumri. The study shall be completed in 2012," he said. Lt Gen Hasnain said Ladakh generally faces logistic problems during winter and excessive stocking has to be undertaken.

T-72 Tanks Were Moved To Remote Sikkim Area After China Tested Indian Defences

Chinese moves to test Indian control of the strategic Finger Area in North Sikkim last year have prompted the Army to deploy heavy tanks and armoured personnel carriers in the region and strengthen defensive positions.

In fact, the highest gallantry award to a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) personnel was conferred to a dozer operator, Zalim Singh, who cleared a strategic road near Theing village — he was decorated with a Bar to Shaurya Chakra — for a column of advancing tanks.

While the Army brought armoured vehicles to the North Sikkim plateau in the late 1980s, the small detachment has now been replaced by the heavier and more powerful T-72 Main Battle Tanks and modern BMP troop carriers.

Sources said the mobilisation took place after repeated Chinese transgressions last year in the Finger Area, a one kilometre stretch of land in the northern tip of Sikkim that overlooks a valley called the Sora Funnel and is considered a strong defensive position.

The T-72 tanks were inducted after a monumental effort by the BRO to widen roads, construct tracks and strengthen bridges leading to North Sikkim. The heavy tank column was taken up the high plateau partly by road-based carriers.

Sources said that while China too has tanks on its side of the border, they are deployed well inside its territory. “China does not need to deploy tanks on the border because the terrain and roads on its side makes it easy to bring them at short notice. India, on the other hand, has no option but to keep them on the border as it would take days to get the tanks up from the plains,” an expert pointed out.


Besides the tanks, the Army has strengthened other defences in the region, particularly around the Finger Area. Permanent posts have been set up on heights and bunkers have been strengthened. The Army has also increased surveillance capabilities in the region. At least two Long Range Observation Systems which can detect, record and transmit live images of an area under observation, have been set up in the Finger Area.

The strengthening of defences has taken place partly due to the re-induction of the 27 Mountain Division to North Sikkim. The Kalimpong-based Division, responsible for the defence of North Sikkim and the Finger Area, had been moved to Jammu and Kashmir in 2001 during the Op Parakram troop buildup along the Pakistan border.

The Finger Area entered controversy last year after the Chinese increased patrolling and even planned to built a road through it. While the area was always under Indian control, the Army used to send in regular patrols and held only a few traditional defensive positions.

India decided to strengthen defences after increased Chinese transgressions and the discovery last year that the alignment of a new East-West road being built by Beijing would pass thorough the Finger Area. Construction was put to a stop after New Delhi lodged a diplomatic complaint.