A video posted Tuesday on social media of an exercise that passed through Krakow, Poland, revealed that at least seven major T-72 tanks only Czech were being transported to Ukraine, as well as 4 BVP-2 infantry fighting cars and several Tatras. Soldiers. Trucks.
Starting in April, the Czech Republic transferred around 40 export-grade T-72M1 tanks from reserve stocks to Ukraine in April, in exchange for which Germany delivered the Czechs 15 heavier Leopard 2A4 tanks, plus a Buffel armoured recovery vehicle. Prague also bought T-72M1 from Bulgaria and shipped them to Ukraine, and Czech civilians even financed the renovation and delivery of a T-72 Avenger tank alone called Tomáš (see end of article).
However, new photographs from Poland show very advanced T-72M4CZ, an exclusive style used exclusively through the Czech Republic’s only active duty tank unit, the 73rd Tank Battalion in Přáslavice, about 55 miles by car from the Polish border. The hull numbers of the seven, there is still a visible tank: 004, 005, 007, 008, 009 and 028.
Updated and revised at 1 am on 10/29/2022 with Exercise Puma-22.
It was generally assumed that those cars would be donated to Ukraine. Others argue that the move may be related to a NATO Baltic exercise.
It just so happens that a NATO Puma-22 mechanized training is being positioned at Nowej Dęthrough near Rzeszów. This city, near the border between Poland and Lithuania, is also known for being the collection point where Western humanitarian and military aid arrives by air. for imaginable overland delivery to Ukraine.
Puma-22 is believed to involve a Czech contingent, few main points have been published as to its length or composition. However, it would not be uncommon for Prague to send a mechanized detachment to participate with more or less this combination of cars that can form a working group the size of a company, the Czech NATO forces are mainly deployed in Lithuania.
The Czech Republic has only 30 upgraded T-72M4s at a cost of $5. 2 million each, as well as 3 VT-72M4 armored recovery vehicles. The M4s are supplied with new and improved diesel engines, Italian chimney formulas, multiple thermal sights, complex explosive reactive armature. and an active “soft death” cover formula to trip and blind incoming missiles.
A VT-72M4 armored recovery vehicle with crane deployed. It is used to move the vehicle to Array. [ ] repair.
Unfortunately, gold-plated T-72s have generally fallen into poor condition, and only a third will be in place until the end of 2021, while others await renovation. This means that the at least seven M4CZ observed in Poland may only be the only ones in running order.
This forced the 73 to exercise using its most primitive 20 T-72M1s, while the army seeks to obtain more portions. The lack of spare portions for the TURMS-T fireplace formula would be the main culprit.
If those M4s were donated, it would imply that Prague is willing to deepen its tank stock as a component of a ringtausche (“ring swap”) for more Leopard 2s. Berlin considers the direct export of Leopard 1 and 2 tanks to Ukraine too provocative and organizes circular exchanges in which NATO allies in Eastern Europe hand over their old Soviet tanks, which are then replaced by Germany.
One merit of this arrangement is that since 2014, Ukraine has put into service loads of T-72s, a stock that has expanded with the documented capture of nearly three hundred Russian T-72s between February and October 2022, and more than two hundred T-72M1s gained from Poland. This means that the Ukrainian military can integrate the T-72s much more easily into its training, maintenance and logistics systems than the Leopard 1s it has never used before.
However, the Czech Sui Generis T-72M4 would be more difficult to integrate due to their other Western systems, in this regard, only comparable to the T-72-based PT-91 Twardy tanks that Poland also began delivering to Ukraine. In that case, the M4’s advanced features would compensate for the additional logistical headaches.
Currently, Kyiv wants more armored vehicles to retake conquered territory through Russia, especially in the open space around Kherson and Zaporizhzhya, as well as increasingly exposed Russian positions in northeastern Ukraine. To proclaim the tank obsolete, Ukrainian forces skillfully used tanks in September and October in lost territory.
In this regard, BVP-2 infantry fighting cars (Czech-made BMP-2) armed with 30-millimeter autocannons in the exercise are also useful. Previously, the Czech Republic had sent to Ukraine more than 60 old BVP-1s and Pbv 501As (license-built BMP-1) armed with 73-millimeter low-velocity guns, which have much lower accuracy, diversity and rate of fire.
Unsurprisingly, the option for Prague to donate custom-made T-72s with so few tanks has drawn complaints in some quarters. However, those donations would possibly be based on the premise that helping Ukraine defeat the Russian invasion will avert the threat of an upcoming direct clash with NATO, at least in the short term.
The moment part of this article discusses the history and functions of the crowdfunded T-72M4, as well as the crowdfunded T-72 Avenger.
Origins of the T-72M4CZ
Between 1981 and 1990, Czechoslovakia built under license no less than 1,700 T-72M, an out-of-service export style of the Soviet T-72A main war tank. In addition to those exported, the Czechoslovak army had 815 T-72s in service in 1991, of which 550 were retained through the Czech Republic when it seceded from Slovakia.
However, Czechoslovak chemical defense ensembles that participated in the Gulf War coalition noted the obsolescence of T-72s imported from Iraq versus Western tanks. This led the Prague army to reduce its size to upgrade its remaining T-72s.
Finally, in 1996 and 1997 respectively, the state-owned Military Repair Plant 25 (VOP-025) assembled two prototypes: the T-72M3 and the similar T-72M4 with a new engine. The latter approved for service in 2001. But the budget cuts saw the planned 350 advanced tanks reduced to 140 and eventually to just 30, delivered between 2003 and 2006.
M4CZ technologies from more than a dozen other countries. First it involved replacing the T-72’s 780-horsepower engine with the British CV12 turbocharged CV12 diesel engine (used in the Challenger 2 tank) combined with the Allison XTG 411-6-N automatic transmission.
The T-72M4 has greater cross-country capability than a T-72.
By offsetting the M4CZ’s increased weight, the new Israeli-designed power source also improves fuel efficiency, advanced at the most cross-country sensitive speed (22 miles per hour) and opposite speed (8 mph) and greater acceleration from 0 to 20 miles consistently with hour in 8 seconds out of 25. A step forward in mobility has also been taken with new rubber treads and reinforced suspension.
The upgrade also installed dozens of Czech DYNA-72 explosive reactive armor (ERA) “bricks,” which is effective at degrading/deflecting hollow-charge HEAT warheads used in man-portable rockets and anti-tank missiles.
View of the DYNA-72 reactive armor bricks protecting the turret of a T-72M4.
DYNA-72 would build the T-72M’s forward turret and hull armor from 520 millimeters to 1,100-1,200 millimeters compared to HEAT ammunition. Maximum effective of 670 millimeters. There are also rubber pads on the sides of the hull and a wide ERA on the turret roof, a forward-thinking move given the unexpected successes of anti-tank grenades dropped via drones in Ukraine.
For increased missile coverage, the Polish-made SSC-1 OBRA laser precaution formula of the tank alerts the equipment if it is laser painted. Four receivers in the turret provide a 360-degree warning. This formula can even automatically discharge a multispectral smoke DGO-1 grenade that blocks optical and infrared detection, as well as lasers in the direction of a laser to evade tank attacks, forming a formula for soft death active coverage.
View from the outside; systems in the T-72M4 turret, commander and gunner sights, multispectral smoke grenade launchers, laser warning receiver and reactive armor bricks.
The tank’s stealth is enhanced with REDA anti-radar coatings and the U2500 camouflage system, designed to mask the tank from thermal sensors and microwave emissions.
For survivability chances in the event of armor penetration, the M4 incorporates a German BUA automatic chimney suppression formula that activates within milliseconds of a chimney detection. It’s unclear whether this can only reduce the T-72’s notorious autoloader propensity. Ammunition explodes when penetrated, causing fatal decapitation of the turret.
A new German nuclear/biological/chemical defense formula also protects the crew, while a Czech Metra-Blansko-SP formula detonates magnetic mines before they can threaten the tank. the Soviet KTM-6.
The T-72 opened fire on diversity in 2014. Czech T-72s use an indigenous armor-piercing hoof shell.
The T-72’s carousel-style autoloader and 125-millimeter 2A46M gun remain unchanged. However, the Czechs use a domestic tungsten shell Synthesia EPpSv-97 that pierces the fin-stabilized rejection shoe (APFSDS), with a reported penetration of 500 millimeters over a distance of 1. 24 miles. This is similar to the 3BM42 “Handle” shell, the most productive type used in Ukraine, although Russia used impressive Svinets tungsten shells in the war.
However, being the first to stumble upon and attack enemy forces is traditionally more decisive in armored battles and, in this regard, the M4’s systems have been redesigned.
Both commander and gunner have stabilized day/night panoramic thermal attractions with magnification settings ranging from 2. 5x to 10x or 5x and 13x, with the help of an Nd-YAG solid-state laser rangefinder. Attractions can stumble upon targets up to 3. 1 miles or 2. 6 miles at dusk and range targets at 1. 24 miles. The commander’s sight has a hunter-killer capability that allows automatic tracking of targets and also allows the commander to shoot with the main weapon. The driving force benefits from a TKN-3BP night vision periscope.
Photo of the sighting in the T-72M4 turret.
An Italian TURMS-T chimney formula (same as in the Ariete C1 tank) supposedly increases the good luck rate of the first shot by 10%, and in motion, by 80-200%. These innovations are achieved in part through a variety of additional formulas, adding a weather sensor, gyroscope-based turret position sensors and a dust rate temperature sensor. However, TURMS-T is related to significant maintenance issues for the T-72M4CZ.
Overall, the T-72M4CZ has smart coverage compared to previous-generation anti-tank missiles and has particularly better sight, fire control, and mobility than the maximum T-72s. However, the $5 million unit value resulting from the small number purchased may have paid for a number of heavier M1 Abrams or Leopard 2 tanks.
Prague intended to spend 1. 1 billion Czech crowns (about $45 million) to extend the service life of all T-72M4 and VT-72M4 until 2025, adding the installation of new communication and firefighting formulas, and replacing express parts of the formula that are now out of service.
Most likely, the premium tanks observed in Poland were there in practice. But if it turns out that the Czech government has donated the T-72M4CZ, it calls into question the long-term of this type in the Czech service, not to mention modernization. In this case, it remains to be seen whether Prague plans to restore and commission the remaining M4CZ or send them to Ukraine as well. Either direction would require time and money to get the tanks up and running again.
For now, the Czech military has to rely basically on its older T-72M1s and Germany’s upcoming Leopard 2A4s (although they are believed to have an “obviously lower” combat price through a Czech publication). Whether or not you get your new T-72M4. de up and running, you’ll look to fashion Leopard 2A6 or 2A7 with lots of improvements. If the T-72M4s were donated, they would most likely have a strangely eventful operational career in Ukrainian service.
Czech Avenger as Tomáš the Tank
Independently, 11,000 Czech civilians raised 25 million kronor (about $1 million) to finance the modernization and delivery of the T-72 called “Tomáš” to Ukraine for the crusade “Gift for Putin” organized through Czech businessman Dalibor Dedek in cooperation with the Ukrainian. embassy, called “Gift for Putin”.
A further 8 million kronor was collected to “feed Tomáš” through ammunition, adding EPpSv-97 armor-piercing hooves.
Tomáš is a less expensive T-72M1 upgrade style, dubbed “T-72 Avenger”, presented through the Excalibur Army company, allegedly assembled and delivered at one-fifth the value of the T-72M4CZ.
The Avenger sports 196 bricks of reactive armor that offer additional coverage equivalent to 400 mm RHA compared to HEAT ammunition, the installation of Opticstrade passive night vision systems (detection diversity of four km) for all 3 crews, an improved diesel V-8four of 840 horsepower (the same as in the Soviet T-72B), new radios, communication links and chimney systems, GPS navigation and virtual presentations for the driver.
It is unclear whether more T-72 Avengers can also be delivered to Ukraine. If successful, the upgrade would possibly constitute a more cost-effective form of T-72M1 barebones in Czech, Polish and Ukrainian inventories.
Updated at 1 a. m. EST on 29/10/2022 with approximately the Puma-22 exercise in eastern Poland, and the changes reflecting the training are a credible explanation for the T-72M4’s movement.