Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1446249
CURRENT STATUS OF THE POLISH MBT FLEET Currently the Polish military tank fleet includes platforms as follows: 124 Leopard 2A4, 18 Leopard 2PL, 105 Leopard 2A5, 232 (or 233) PT-91 [PT-91, PT-91M, PT-91MA1]. Notably, some sources use the PT-91 designation for MBTs of the type manufactured from scratch, and T-72M1Z for the T-72M1 MBTs upgraded to the PT-91 standard. The Polish military also operates around 358 T-72M, T-72M1, and T-72M1R MBTs. The Polish MBT fleet seems impressive on paper (837-838 MBTs). However, the devil is in the details. Table 1. Number of MBTs, divided by type. Let us have a closer look at the Leopard 2 MBTs. These are still relatively modern, but they suffer from some serious disadvantages. Let's start with the armor. The Leopard 2A4 MBTs operated by the Polish Armed Forces utilize the so-called type B armor - the oldest, series manufactured west- ern-style special armor, used in series manufactured Leopard 2 MBTs. The legacy type A was, most probably, only used in the Leopard 2AV prototype. The British archives feature documents on the test program of the Type B armor used in Leopard 2 MBTs - and these documents have been disclosed to the public. The data available suggests that the front armor of the Leop- ard 2 turret and hull (type B special armor) provides protection of ~350 mm RHA (rolled homogeneous steel armor) against kinetic rounds, and ~700 mm RHA, when facing shaped-charge ammunition. What does it mean? It may be shocking. However, not only does it mean that the protection levels are inadequate when facing the current threats. Leopard 2A4, with type B armor, offers lower protection levels against kinetic projectiles than T-72M1 and PT-91 - for the front part of the hull we are speaking of ~405 mm of RHA, and ~400-410 mm in the case of the turret. The primary special armor of the T-72M1 and PT-91 MBTs offers a lower level of protection against SC rounds - ~500-550 mm for the front part of the hull, ~500-600 mm for the turret. ERAWA-1 and ERAWA-2 ERA modules make the situation better, in the case of the PT-91 platform. ERAWA-1, for single SC warheads, can diminish the penetration levels by 83-94%, while ERAWA-2 - by 95%. For tandem war- heads, we can speak of a 50% reduction. Not only does it mean that the PT-91 is better protected against kinetic penetrators. It is also better when facing shaped charges - in comparison to the Leopard 2 MBTs with Type B armor. Here, one should also mention the legacy T-72M platforms, upgraded to the T-72M1R standard. These vehicles utilize the oldest armor type, among all T-72 vehicles operated by the Polish Armed Forces. In the case of the hull, we are dealing with a level of protection of ~305 mm against kinetic rounds, and ~450 mm when it comes to shaped-charge projectiles. For the turret, the protection levels are worse. This stems from the fact that for T-72M the turret features no special armor. The front, sides, and rear parts of the turret are made of a single casting, which is homogeneous. The protection levels are estimated as ~410 mm against kinetic rounds, and ~475 mm against shaped charges. Some of the Leopard 2A4 MBTs of the later production series, and vehicles that underwent overhauls or upgrades were to receive the enhanced Type C armor. The British intel suggests that this armor provided protection levels of ~410-420 mm RHA against kinetic ammunition, and ~750-800 mm RHA against shaped-charge rounds. This protection is somewhat equivalent to the PT-91 MBT. However, this does not change the fact that protection levels offered by T-72M1, PT-91, and Leopard 2A4 (type B and C armor) are inadequate, given the current standards. To exemplify this, one could get acquainted with the penetration capabilities of the relatively light 9M131M ATGM of the 9K115-2 Metis-M1 system, the tandem warhead of which can penetrate ~900-950 mm of RHA, also protected by ERA. A light ATGM like Metis-M1 is capable of easily penetrating the front armor of the Leopard 2A4 MBTs operated by the Polish Army. Leopard 2PL upgrade designed for the 2A4 MBTs makes the situation less dire. In the case of this upgrade package, extra special AMAP (Advanced Modular Armor Protection) armor modules are placed onto the turret (most probably - NERA - Non-Energetic Reactive Armor), developed by IBD Deisen- roth, and Rheinmetall Chempro. Here, the protection levels should be enhanced, or even surpass the Leopard 2A5 (new armor bears Type D designation). The declassified British docu- ments suggest that here we are dealing with protection levels of ~600 mm Type Number Variants Leopard 2A4 124 Leopard 2A4 Leopard 2PL 18 Leopard 2PL, Leopard 2PLM1 Leopard 2A5 105 Leopard 2A5 T-72 358 T-72M, T-72M1 PT-91 232/233 PT-91, PT-91M, PT-91MA1 (PT-91, T-72M1Z) www.fragoutmag.com