Online Defense, technical form: the T-90

(To David Bartoccini)
10/12/15

The T-90A (K version commando, S export version) produced by Uralvagonzavod in the Nizhnyi Tagil factories, is the latest development of the T-series of Russian tanks. Third-generation tank is the result of the necessary improvement for: increased firepower, mobility and protection of the predecessor T-72, and can be considered the most powerful MBT (Main Battle Tank) in active service. Entered into service in the 1995, the main armament consists of a 125 mm 2A46M cannon with smooth barrel, stabilized in two axes and equipped with a 'thermal sleeve'. His load of ammunition provides 42 shots. It can fire a large variety of ammunition including Armed Piercing Discarding (Sabot), HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank), HE-FRAG (high-explosive fragmentation), and several other types of "shrapnel" projectiles.

The T-90S can also fire missiles Refleks 9M119 (NATO naming AT-11 'Sniper'): Laser-guided hollow charge ammunition ammunition. The scope of a Refleks is of 5,000 meters, which are traversed in 14,2 seconds, and are also lethal for armored helicopters and low-flying flying targets.

The secondary armor is made up of a co-axial machine gun 7,62 millimeter PKT and a 12,7 millimeter in turret. The crew of 3 men (commander, cannonball and rider), has 3 AKS-74 assault rifles for individual defense.

The pointing system and the "eyes" of the T-90 are assigned to 1A4GT (integrated fire control system, IFCS), 1A43, TO1-KO1 (thermal imaging sight) and PNK-S systems. PNK-4S (day / night) viewers for the commander and infrared TVN-5 for the pilot.

The T-90 protection is entrusted to conventional and reactive armor (ERA). The armor of which is equipped with the T-90, the Kontakt-5 (EDZ, elementy dinamcheskoi zashchity) allows him, through the ERA technology that cancels the explosive impact of a quarry charge with an induced return explosion, to resist any HEAT munitions or RPG shots. It is also equipped with NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection devices.

The 'Shtora' computerized control system, which includes 2 smoke gun from 81 mm 3D6, a pair of jammer IR (jammers) at the sides of the cannon and 4 laser sensors on the turret alerts the crew with light and sound signals as soon as the wagon is framed and hooked by laser-guided missiles allowing it to respond to the threat: deceiving the laser rangefinders through smoke or disturbing the opponent pointing system with false signals emitted by the OTShU-1-7 sensors on the sides of the cannon.

The tank propulsion comes from a four-stroke V-12 piston engine powered by kerosene T-2 and TS-1, or A-72 gasoline: the liquid-cooled V-84MS 618kW (840hp).

The T-90 received the baptism of fire in the 1999 during the invasion of Dagestan in the Second Chechen War. Momentarily the Suchoputnye army to the Rossii Federacii, the army of the Russian Federation, has deployed 9 tank T-90 in Syria. The total number of these vehicles is more than 2000, of which 1200 is held by Russia.

The T-90s are also used by the army of India (Bhishma version), North Korea, Algeria and Armenia.

(photo: UralVagonZavod / MoD Russian Fed.)