Russian army unveils new version of T-72B3 main battle tank upgraded with additional armour 10604172

Defense & Security News - Russia
 
Russian army unveils new version of T-72B3 main battle tank upgraded with additional armour.
Russian army unveils new version of T-72B3 fitted with new armour package during the rehearsal for the military parade of May 2017. The T-72B3 is now the backbone of the Russian army offering more fire power, protection, mobility and command controllability.
     
Russian army unveils new version of T-72B3 fitted with new armour package during the rehearsal for the military parade of May 2017. The T-72B3 is now the backbone of the Russian army offering more fire power, protection, mobility and command controllability.
New version of T-72B3 tank at military parade rehearsal, there is ERA armour on each side of the turret and wire cage armour at the rear. (Picture Copyright Vitaly Kuzmin)
     
According to the Military Balance 2016 report issued by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Russia`s military operate about 800 T-72B3 MBTs.

The new upgraded T-72B3 showed at the military parade rehearsal is fitted with new armour package on each side and at the rear of the hull.

According to our first analysis, this new version of T-72B3 is fitted with armour plates on each side at the front of the hull and wire cage armour at the rear part to increase protection of the engine compartment against RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade) threats.

The same type of armour is also fitted at the rear part of the hull.

The armour of the turret is also upgraded with a new armour package including new generation of ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour) mounted on each side of the turret, while the rear part of the turret is fitted with wire cage armour similar to the system used to protect the rear part of the hull.

This new version of T-72B3 maintains the same armament including one 125mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun fitted with a light-alloy thermal sleeve and a bore evacuator. A 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun is mounted coaxially to the right of the main armament and one 12.7 mm NSV machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola.
     
Russian army unveils new version of T-72B3 fitted with new armour package during the rehearsal for the military parade of May 2017. The T-72B3 is now the backbone of the Russian army offering more fire power, protection, mobility and command controllability.
The new version of T-72B3 is fitted armour plates mounted on each side at the front of the hull and wire cage armour at the rear. (Picture copyright Vitaly Kuzmin)
     
Standard version of the T-72B3 main battle tank of Russian army.
Standard version of the T-72B3 main battle tank of Russian army.