Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1497523
Photo: https://mezha.media/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/T-72B_02.jpg When it comes to the vehicle commander, his ability to conduct target ob- servation, detection, and designation remains fairly limited, as he still only has the TKN-3M/TKN-3MK cupola at his disposal, offering 5x zoom, and ni- ght sight, with 4.2x zoom. When it comes to the night channel, TKN-3M uses a first-generation night-vision system, while TKN-3MK uses a second-gene- ration system, whereas the TKN-3M allows the user to identify targets at a distance of up to 500 meters. When it comes to target designation, the commander's cupola features a button that couples his observation system with the main gun. T-72B3 was the first MBT allowing the commander to fully control the turret and the pri- mary armament. When it comes to the stabilizer, and the main gun, the T-72B uses the 2E42- 2 Jasmine system, and T-72B3 received the upgraded 2E42-4 stabilizer, co- ming from the T-90. THE ARMOR of the T-72B, similarly as in the case of the T-64BV, consists of rolled armored steel plates, and a cast turret. The front part of the hull features western-style special armor in two variants. The first one is ar- ranged as follows: 60 mm steel + 10 mm air chamber + 10 mm steel + 10 mm air chamber + 10 mm steel + 10 mm air chamber + 20 mm steel + 10 mm air chamber + 20 mm steel + 10 mm air chamber + 50 mm steel, at 68 degrees, effectively translating into a thickness of 587 mm. The second variant of the front armor comes in the following form: 50 mm steel + 5 mm rubber + 3 mm steel + 19 mm air chamber + 3 mm steel + 5 mm rubber + 60 mm steel + 10 mm anti-radiation layer + 60 mm steel, at 68 degrees, effectively translating into a thickness of 573 mm. The turret is protected by 20 layers of NERA (Non-Energetic Reactive Armor) at the front. Each of the layers is arranged as follows: 21 mm steel, 6 mm rubber + 3 mm steel; 22 mm of separation is arranged between these sandwiches, and they are placed between the external shell of the chamber with 120 mm of thickness, and 45 mm steel pla- te, and internal shell that is 80 mm thick. Measured perpendicularly against the front armor surface, the thickness of such a protective layer ranges from ~600 to ~660-680 mm at the front, and given the turret geometry, and the measurement location, the effective thick- ness can go up to ~750 mm. Furthermore, the armored layer is reinforced by Kontakt-1 ERA, with 4S20 elements, or Kontakt-5 ERA, with more modern 4S22 elements. What is more, the T-72B3 MBTs feature new 4S24 ERA modules pro- tecting the sides of the turret, as well as new side skirts that most probably utilize the 4S24 elements, that can also be used to install soft pouches that can hold further 4S24 ERA elements. T-72B and T-72B3 are powered by W-84-1 or W-92S2F diesel engines. The former produces a power output of 840HP, while the latter has a power output of 1,130 HP. That ensures a decent power-to-weight ra- tio. Nonetheless, the planetary gearbox transmission system remains the Achilles heel of the Russian main battle tanks. They do allow the MBTs to attain speeds of up to 70 kph when moving forward, but the maximum speed in reverse is just 4 kph, so moving behind a cover quickly may be a major challenge. T-72B 02 ANALYSIS