T-72

T-72

T-72A

T-72B1

T-72B

T-72B obr. 1987

T-72B obr. 1989

T-72BU

T-72K1

EE

ALB

RD

T-72
Information
Nation	Soviet Union
Class	Main Battle Tank
Cost	3 45
Specifications
Armor	Front 6 / Side 4 / Rear 2 / Top 2
Size	Normal
Optics	Poor
Speed	60 km/h
Fuel capacity	1250 L
Operational range	500 km
Weapons
Primary	2A26
Secondary	NSVT

T-72
Information
Nation	Soviet Union
Class	Main Battle Tank
Variant(s)	T-72 T-72A T-72B1 T-72B T-72K1
Cost	40
Specifications
Armor	Front 11 / Side 6 / Rear 3 / Top 2
Strength	10
Size	Medium
Optics	Poor
Speed	60 km/h
Road speed	110 km/h
Stealth	Poor
Fuel capacity	1000 L
Autonomy	500 km
Stabilizer	None
Year	1973
Type	Motorized, Mechanized, Armored
Weapons
Primary	2A26 (125mm, KE, AoE)
Secondary	NSVT (12,7mm)

T-72
Information
Nation	Soviet Union
Class	Main Battle Tank
Variant(s)	T-72 T-72A T-72B1 T-72B T-72B obr. 1987 T-72B obr. 1989 T-72BU T-72K1
Cost	45
Specifications
Armor	Front 11 / Side 6 / Rear 3 / Top 2
Strength	10
Size	Medium
Optics	Poor
Speed	60 km/h
Road speed	110 km/h
Stealth	Poor
Fuel capacity	1000 L
Autonomy	500 km
Year	1973
Type	Mechanized, Armored
Weapons
Primary	2A26 (125mm [KE] [AoE])
Secondary	NSVT (12.7mm)

The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank. It was designed to iron out faults found with the T-64, namely the complex suspension system and finicky electronics. It was very widely exported, mainly to nations sympathetic to the Soviet Union, in an even more stripped down form. This is what lead many Western observers to underestimate Soviet technology. In reality, the T-72 is a very powerful tank.

Overview and tactics

• The T-72 is well-suited to any Warsaw Pact tank group. It's a good blend of firepower, speed and armour, with basic versions also coming at a reasonably low points cost. The only real letdown with the basic T-72 is the inaccuracy of the main gun, but this is partially offset by the armour penetration.

• The T-72A adds a poor quality stabilizer, marginally improving the tanks on-the-move accuracy. It also adds 400km to the range of the tank, vastly lowering supply needs. The T-72A is only slightly more accurate than the basic T-72. However, between that slight improvement and the stabilizer, the T-72A is a far more well rounded tank for only a small price hike.

• The T-72B is worth mentioning in that it has 5 less rounds for its main gun, and 4 SVIR ATGM's. The SVIRs are powerful anti-armor weapons, and are far more accurate than the tank shells fired normally, but with only four, you'll need to resupply after most skirmishes. The T-72B is also 10 kph faster than the earlier models, the main gun does receive a boost to its accuracy, and the gun stabilization does not get any better.

• The 125mm cannon common to all T-72 models is an excellent weapon, generally giving better damage than the 105mm cannons fielded by NATO tanks of the same era. Good frontal armor and satisfactory side armor make the T-72 good at receiving hits for a tank in its price range.
• The T-72B has the most efficient engine of any tank in the game, able to go the longest distance on the less fuel than most.

History

The T-64 was perhaps the world's most advanced battle tank design when introduced, but early problems with its 5TDF engine (similar to the L60 of the Chieftain), the road wheels, and inaccuracy of its main gun prompted Soviet leadership to seek a low-tech alternative with similar performance, especially after the high unit costs and labor-intensive manufacture process of the T-64 became obvious. The tank was too expensive to equip all the Soviet tank armies, let alone Warsaw Pact (RedFor) allies.

An "economy" tank with the old design V-46 powerplant was developed from 1967 at the Uralvagonzavod Factory located in Nizhny Tagil. Chief engineer Leonid Kartsev created "Object 172", the initial design, but the prototype, marked "Object 172M", was refined and finished by Valeri Venediktov. Field trials lasted from 1971 to 1973 and upon acceptance the Chelyabinsk Tank factory immediately ceased T-55 and T-62 production to retool for the new T-72 tank.

At least some technical documentation on the T-72 is known to have been passed to the CIA by the Polish Colonel Ryszard Kuklinski between 1971 and 1982.

The T-72 first saw action with Syria in 1982 at Lebanon it suffered poorly to the Israeli M60A1 Patton and Merkava tanks and also saw action with Iraq in the Iran Iraq war it faces Iranian M60A1 Patton, M48 Patton, and the Chieftain. In 1991 during the Gulf War it also suffered poorly to the American M1A1 Abrams The Iraqi's have their version of the T-72 called the Lion of Babylon Iraq now use their T-72s for Training. There are many variants including the T-72B, T-72A, T-72K1, T-72B1 and T-90 as well as Engineering and Artillery versions of the T-72. T-72 were used in second line Soviet formations either second wave formation or in secondary areas.

Weapons

AirLand Battle

Weapons
Type	Main Gun	HMG	No Weapon
Name	2A26	NSVT
Caliber	125mm [KE] [AoE]	12.7mm
Ammo	x 30	x 300
Range	Ground = 1925 m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m	Ground = 1050 m Helicopters = 875 m Airplanes = N/A m
Accuracy	5	3
AP Power	13	N/A
HE Power	4	0.75
Suppression	144	90
Rate of fire	7 r/min	500 r/min

Red Dragon

Weapons
Type	Main Gun	HMG	No Weapon
Name	2A26	NSVT
Caliber	125mm [KE] [AoE]	12.7mm
Ammo	x 28	x 1000
Range	Ground = 1925 m Helicopters = N/A m Airplanes = N/A m	Ground = 1050 m Helicopters = 875 m Airplanes = N/A m
Accuracy	45%	15%
Stabilizer	25%	5%
AP Power	13	N/A
HE Power	4	0.75
Suppression	144	90
Rate of fire	7 r/min	652 r/min

Gallery

T-72 in the WAB Armory

T-72 in the WRD Armory (outdated)

See also

• T-72 on Wikipedia
• T-64A - Predecessor
• KPz T-72 - East Germany variant
• T-72 (Czechoslovakia)
• T-72 (Poland)