T-90MS MBT
Main Battle Tank - Russia

Description
The T-90MS is the next step in the development of the Russian-made main battle tank T-90. The new T-90MS was presented for the first time to the public during the defense exhibition Russian Expo arms in September 2011. This new tank is a complete modernization of the T-90 by touching all the characteristics of the basic variant to increase its operational capabilities in combat and against modern threats on the battlefield. The weight of the T-90MS has increased by 1,500 kg, compared to the basic model of the T-90 to reach 48 tons, but it remains significantly lower compared to the German main battle tank Leopard 2A6 and the American M1A2 Abrams. In April 2019, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the INR134.48 billion (USD 1.93 billion) procurement of 464 Russian-made T-90MS main battle tanks (MBTs) for the Indian Army (IA), the New Delhi Times reports. According to a news published on November 8, 2019, to the official website of the "Times of India", the Indian Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with the Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi in Chennai to produce 469 Russian T-90 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), that could be the MS version of the T-90 family.
T-90MS variants:
- No variants at this time
Technical Data
Armament |
The main armament of the T-90MS includes a 125mm high-accuracy gun 2A46M-5 with new features such as the installation of a high-rigidity barrel tube, play-free trunnion assembly units with elastic rollers and return wedge and two additional play take-up elements with rollers. The 2A46M-5 gun design made it possible to reduce the technical dispersion of shells of all types by 15% on average and to increase the effective range of fire. A 7.62mm coaxial machine gun 6P7K is coupled to the 125mm gun. The T-90MS carries 40 rounds of 125mm, 22 are ready to be used on an automatic carousel autoloader, other ammunitions are stowed in a special hull rear section to avoid the risks of explosion and provide high crew survivability.
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Ammunitions are stowed in a special hull rear section to avoid the risks of explosion and provide high crew survivability. |
A remote weapon system is mounted on the right side on the top of the turret which is armed with a 7.62mm machine gun. The automatic machine gun of the turret is designed to destruct stationary and moving targets. The machine gun mounts with two-axis stabilization enables the tank commander to deliver effective fire from his station inside the vehicle at a halt and on the move independently of the main armament. The remote weapon station is equipped with panoramic sight, controlled from the commander's station which can fire at a maximum range of 1,500m, with elevation from -10° to +45° on 316° rotation. Six smoke grenade dischargers are mounted to each side of the turret. |
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A remotely controlled weapon station armed with a 7.62mm machine gun is mounted on the top of the turret |
Design and protection |
The basic armor of the T-90MS provides protection for the crew against conventional small weapons and shell splinters. To increase the protection of the T-90MS, the tank is fitted with the new RELIKT reactive armor on the front of the hull and the turret which is designed to replace the Kontakt-5 reactive armor used on older T-90 tanks will help the tank withstand attacks from all current and future anti-tank weapons. The RELIKT system is based on a new element of dynamic protection, EDZ 4S23, which is the latest in the line of dynamic protection elements developed by NII Stali - 4S20, 4S22, 4S24. The new dynamic protection element utilizes a completely new composition of explosives that works effectively against modern and future-generation shaped-charge munitions, including tandem munitions, as well as armor-piercing sub-caliber missiles. Unlike the serially-produced Kontakt-5 system, Relikt works equally reliably against both low-velocity and high-velocity missiles. The hull and the turret are upgraded with detachable modules with built-in explosive reactive armor. The protection system is provided with aramid-fabric inner splinter-proof liners to protect the crew and equipment from the secondary flux of tank fragments. The rear part of the hull and the turret are equipped with wire cage armor to increase the protection of the power pack compartment and ammunition compartment against anti-tank grenades and rockets.
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The hull and turret of the T-90MS are fitted with ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour) and wire cage armour. |
Mobility |
The T-90MS is motorized with the new high power diesel engine V-92S2F which is rated at 1130 HP coupled to an automatic transmission gearbox with 7-forward and 1-reverse. With this new engine, the T-90MS can run at a maximum road speed of 72 km/h with a range of 550 km. The T-90MS features a new improved suspension and drive train. The suspension of each side consists of six dual rubber-tired road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear, idler at the front and three track return rollers. The upper part of the suspension on each side is fitted with built-in explosive reactive armor. To increase the operational range of the T-90, two diesel fuel drums can be carried under the hull rear. |
Accessories |
The T-90MS has an automated single control system, an automatic targets tracking system, and satellite navigation via GLONASS/GPS. To improve the tank’s offensive capabilities, the T-90MS is equipped with the Kalina fire control system which incorporates the gunner's multichannel sight, commander's panoramic sight, digital ballistic computer, with a set of weather and fire condition sensors, and parallel sight is the backbone of the tank firepower. According to some Russian sources the Kalina is equal to the best foreign systems of this type. The Kalina fire control system can be implemented automatically to track the target, T-90MS at any time in the stationary and moving long distances against the effective strength of the threat of tanks and anti-tank missile fleet. The gunner's station is equipped with the latest generation of sight with a video-viewing device with an automatic fire control system and loader. The commander's station is equipped with a video-viewing device with an electronic GPS combat map. The export version of the T-90MS is equipped with a single tactical-level control. It also has a new fire control with a set of all-day stabilized sights for the commander and the gunner. |
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Like all generations of modern Russian combat armored vehicles, the T-90MS is also equipped with an NBC protection system. The self-protection of T-90MS includes also an automatic screening system that can create an automatic aerosol screen laying in the direction of the enemy's anti-tank means with active laser emission. |
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Specifications
Armament | Armor |
One 125mm gun 2A46M-5, one coaxial machine gun 7.62mm and a remote weapon system with 7.62mm on the top of the turret. | Protection against small arms and shell splinters, detachable explosive reactive armor, side panels with explosive armor |
Country users | Weight |
Russia, India | 48,000 kg |
Designer Country | Speed |
Russia | 72 km/h maximum road speed |
Accessories | Range |
Remote machine gun on top turret, computer firing control system, gunner sight with video control, air conditioner cooling unit, commander video viewing device. | 550 km |
Crew | Dimensions |
3 | Length: 6.8 m hull; Width: 3.5 m; Height: 2.3 m |
Details View
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Pictures - Video