Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1497523
Photo: Укроборонпром Photo: Ministerstwo Obrony Ukrainy T-64 T-64 BUŁAT measured perpendicularly to its surface is 460-470 mm. Given the geometry of the turret, and depending on the place where the thickness is measured, it is placed between 465 and 635 mm. The turret's special armor comes in a form of spheres made out of ballistic ceramics, known in the USSR as the ultra-porcelain, more broadly referred to as alumina. These spheres are pla- ced in a special-purpose net that keeps proper positioning for them. During the manufacturing process, they are placed in the turret cast, then poured over with cast steel, that after bleeding off the heat forms the shell of the turret. Such armor used on the turret and the hull offers equivalent protec- tion of ~370-440 mm against the APFSDS rounds and ~500-575 mm against shaped charges. THE ARMOR is reinforced through the use of Kontakt-1 ERA with 4S20 reactive elements. KhSchKV-19 or KhSCzKV-34 elements can also be used instead - developed for the Nozh ERA. Protection as such is optimi- zed to work mainly against HEAT rounds. The protection levels increase for the kinetic threats is minimal. T-64BM Bulat is yet another upgraded variant. The modernization process in question assumes that almost every aspect of the tanks' combat capabilities would be enhanced. That primarily refers to firepower and armor. Let us start with the latter matter. The armor was reinforced by the fact that extra steel plates were welded onto the front armor of the turret, and the hull. On top of them, one can find the Nozh ERA. That kind of protection remains effective both against HEAT rounds, and kinetic projectiles as well. Relevant changes were also made to the fire control system. The tank has been fitted with the 1A43U Ros fire control system con- sisting of a 1G46M Promin daytime sight/laser rangefinder, TPN-4SR T01-K01ER Buran-E night sight t h a t can be replaced with the TPV PTT-M thermal imaging sight, and the 1V528-1 ballistic computer. The gun stabili- zer is still based on the 2E28M system. The commander also received an enhanced observation/targeting system in a form of the PNK-4SR system replacing the legacy TKN-3 solution. Ge- nerally, the fire control system considered, the capabilities of the T-64M Bulat have been brought to the level of vehicles such as T-80U, T-80UD, T-90, and T-90A. THE T-64 MAIN BATTLE TANKS ARE POWERED by two-stroke diesel engines with counter-mo- ving pistons, named 5TD. That means the engine has five cylinders, two pistons per cylinder, with the pistons, when moving, approaching one another creating compression and compressing the fuel-air mix, which initiates the ignition. The T-64BW uses the 700 HP 5TDF engines, while the T-64M Bulat has been fitted with the more powerful 5TDFM engine - producing a power output of 850 HP. Apart from the T-64s, Ukraine also operates T-72 and T-80 main battle tanks - in various variants. When it comes to the T-72s, back in 2021 Ukraine most probably had more than 600 platforms as such at its disposal, 130 of these remained in active service. These included va- rious modifications of the MBTs - both the legacy T-72 Ural, and T-72 Ural-1, as well as the more modern T-72A, T-72AV, T-72B, and T-72B1 MBTs, coming from the USSR. Some of the vehicles were modernized to match the T-72AMT, T-72UA1, and T-72UA4 standards. Around 130 ANALYSIS