page_title: T-72 operators and variants
section_title: Poland
hierarchical_section_title: T-72 operators and variants / Variants / Poland
caption_attribution_description: pl:WZT-3, Warsaw
context_page_description: The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1971. It replaced the T-54/55 series as the workhorse of Soviet tank forces. In front-line Russian service, T-72s are being upgraded or augmented by the T-90. The T-72 has been exported and produced in many countries.
context_section_description: T-72M/T-72M1 - licensed, standard T-72 models produced in Poland
  T-72M (Ob'yekt 172M-E3): this model was built under licence by Bumar-Łabędy in Gliwice starting in 1982. Like Soviet tanks, the Polish T-72M was initially fitted with "gill" armour; later the tanks were upgraded with rubber side skirts and 902W Tucha smoke grenade launchers. Late production models have an additional 16 mm steel plate welded on the upper glacis plate, like in the T-72M1.
  T-72M1 (Ob'yekt 172M-E5): this export version of the T-72A was also built under licence in Poland since 1983. The most obvious external difference relative to Soviet analogs is the reduced number of KMT mounting points on the lower hull glacis plate. This is the 1st version to feature ceramic sand bars "kwartz" rods in the turret cavity and 16 mm (0.63 in) High Hardness Steel appliqué armor on upper glacis.
  T-72M1D: Polish designation for T-72M1K.
  PT-91 Twardy: an extensive Polish upgrade based on T-72M1 developed sometime between the late 1980s and early 1990s and involving use of a new digital fire-control system, proprietary ERA and an uprated powerplant. This formed the basis for a whole line of derivative vehicles. PT-91 was a result of previous T-72 upgrade programs:
  Jaguar: when Polish production of the T-72 started in 1982, the Poles considered upgrading them and the first domestic T-72 upgrade program was launched by the Institute of Armament and Equipment of the Polish Army. The project was code-named Jaguar since that was the designation under which the Soviet Union transferred the technical data package for the T-72. The Jaguar was never more than a concept.
  Wilk: beginning in 1986, the Polish T-72 Wilk project was instituted to allow tank repair plants to upgrade T-72 tanks within their own facilities. In particular, it was proposed that the Soviet-made Volna fire control system be replaced by the Czechoslovak-made Kladivo FCS or by the Polish SKO-1 Mérida, which was originally designed for T-55AM "Merida". Besides the new FCS, the Radomka passive night vision devices were installed in the driver's compartment, as was the Liswarta night sight, Obra laser illumination warning system, Tellur anti-laser smoke grenade launchers, solid or modular metal side skirts and the Polish-developed Erawa-1 or Erawa-2 explosive reactive armour was also fitted. This program was further developed and led to the PT-91.
  PT-91M Pendekar — production export variant for Malaysia with Sagem Savan-15 fire control system, a new 1,000 hp powerpack with Renk automatic transmission bringing its top speed to 70 km/h. Its main gun have been changed to a ZTS 2A46MS 125 mm gun, a 7.62 mm FN MAG coaxial machine gun and a 12.7 mm FN Browning M2 HB AA machine gun. This variant is also equipped with Sagem panoramic sight, a Sagem laser gyro inertial navigation system, turret stabilisation system, Obra-3 laser-warning system, integrated with 81 mm smoke grenade launchers, CBRN warning and protection system, Thales communication systems. ERAWA 2 Explosive Reactive Armour, and German-made tank tracks (Diehl Defence). Two prototypes made (renamed PT-91E and PT-91Ex), 48 serial PT-91M Malaj vehicles produced 2007–2009.
  WZT-3: ARV based on the T-72M. It is armed with a 12.7 mm (1⁄2 in) machine-gun fitted to the commander's hatch. Standard equipment includes: crane with telescopic jib that can lift a maximum load of fifteen tonnes, front-mounted stabilizing dozer blade, main and secondary winches.
  WZT-3M: A PT-91 based variant for Polish Army
  M-84AI: A M-84A based variant, made on licence in Yugoslavia – 15 vehicles for Kuwait
  ARV-3: A T-72 based variant for Indian Army – 352 vehicles made
  MID Bizon-S:  engineering tank based on the PT-91 tank hull
  MID-M: A PT-91M based variant for Malaysian Army
  WZT-4: Armoured recovery vehicle, PT-91M based variant for Malaysian Army (technically this vehicle is closely related to MID-M, not the WZT-3)
  SJ-09: Polish driver training vehicle. The turret has been replaced by a flat-plate cabin with dummy gun barrel. Polish army uses T-72 based vehicles, Malysian Army has o
caption: WZT-3M ARV
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