Upgraded MBTs for Ukraine

The Ukrainian Army received five upgraded T-64 and T-72 MBTs at the beginning of April. In the first quarter of 2021, 10 MBTs of these types had already been handed over to the troops. Equipping the Ukrainian Armed Forces with modern, high-performance equipment is particularly important in view of current security policy developments.

At the Lviv Armoured Plant (LBTZ), which belongs to the Ukrainian arms holding company Ukroboronprom, the tanks have been equipped with:

• modern fire control systems
• internal and external communication equipment
• day and night vision devices
• rear-view cameras
• satellite navigation
• dynamic protection.

Despite limited funds, the tanks were handed over before the agreed delivery date.

The T-64 has been built since the 1960s and has been modernised time and again. Its hallmarks are the 125-mm main gun with automatic loader and the composite armour – recently supplemented by reactive armour. The T-72 is considered as a further development of the T-64, which should overcome its technical difficulties. Around 17,000 T-72s have been produced since 1972 and exported worldwide.

Gerhard Heiming