Object 187 Object 187 ( Объект 187 ) was a Soviet experimental tank built around 1989 . It was one of the least known to the general public because of the high degree of secrecy . The work on the tank was conducted by the Ural Design Bureau of Transport Machine - Building under a T - 72B improvement program with an order dated June 19 , 1986 . Conceived as a promising tank , it was designed to fulfil the operational requirements unmet till then by the rest of the main battle tanks built by the Uralvagonzavod . The tank was fitted with a cutting - edge systems and structural solutions , losing many of the traditional shortcomings of the Soviet tanks , and at the same time intended to be only a temporary solution until the development of new combat platforms . Object 187 was a parallel project to the Object 188 , the T - 90 tank . It was based on the T - 72B but with heavily modified turret . A radical solution became the rejection of the T - 64 hull design . The layout of the tank underwent small unpacking , which positively affected the ergonomics and the protection of the upper hull front . Due to lengthening of the hull ' s nose section , the driver ' s place was deep into the hull with his optics placed onto the roof of the hull , unlike the T - 64 and its derivatives . This also became the solution to the notorious weak spot of the tank at that section between the turret and the hull . The same solution made it possible to arrange armoring at more rational angles of inclination as a countermeasure to the modern sub - caliber armor - piercing rounds . The tank was fitted with a new welded turret , unlike the traditional cast ones , made out of sheets with an average hardness . At that time , practically simultaneously , was conducted work on the welded turrets of the Object 187 , Object 188 ( T - 90 ) and the future T - 80UD . The turret of Object 187 was characterized by the most imposing overall size , especially in the rear section . The armor of the tank was supplemented by the new Malahit explosive reactive armour , a prototype of the present Relikt , and by the Shtora active protection system . The maximum physical passive armor thickness of Object 187 was 950 mm , which possibly consisted of special materials including ceramic or high density uranium alloys . Object 187 had the best protection of all 3rd generation tanks . The primary armament of the tank was the 125 mm 2A66 smoothbore gun with an increased ballistics . Together with the gun , a new sub - caliber armor - piercing round made of uranium was developed . The gun had a different appearance . A muzzle brake was installed to keep the line of sighting of the guidance system clear for guiding missiles , as a main purpose , and for decreasing the length of the recoil since the power of the gun was increased . During the testing process , some of the variants were fitted with the 125 mm 2A46M smoothbore gun of the T - 80B . The 2A66 gun was based on the 2A46M as a transitional version between the 2A26 gun and the new generation 2A82 gun . The 2A66 had the same barrel length as the 2A46M but the breech of the gun was increased to accommodate the larger round , with an increased charge , and the barrel hardness was increased too . The 902A " Tucha " grenade launcher for smoke and aerosol curtains , equipment for underwater crossings and equipment for anti - nuclear defense were also installed . The tank was equipped with the most advanced fire control system at that time . Something similar began to appear on the potential enemy tanks in the late 1990s . Several types of power plants and transmissions were tested on the different modifications , including a gas - turbine engine . Most promising of the power plants in the course of tests was the 1200 hp А - 85 - 2 engine . It had a longitudinal configuration , same as the T - 34 . The tank received new undercarriage and hydraulic shock absorbers , which substantially increased the tank ' s dynamic abilities . The tanks were built in three series . Each series differed significantly from the previous , clearly demonstrating the evolution of the tank . The differences inside were less significant . The Uralvagonzavod undertook enormous efforts for this tank to be adopted , but in the end after all successful trials and clearly high combat and technical potential the tank was not accepted . Instead , the preferred project was the Object 188 ( T - 90 ) , which was a symbiosis of the T - 72B ' s hull and some of the Object 187 ' s systems . According to its chief designer Vladimir Ivanovich Potkin , Object 187 should have become the foundation for design and production of the entire family of Soviet tanks to come , and even to serve as a foundation for more advanced and powerful tanks . Even today the secrecy upon this tank remains . In view of this , all of the scarce data about this tank lies upon presumptions . Even the scale model of Object 187 model No . 6 , built by Ural Design Bureau of Transport Machine - Building employees , still stays on the UKBTM premises , with a possibility for a transfer to the armor museum of Uralvagonzavod for storage and exhibition . To the persistent requests of the armor museum of Uralvagonzavod about the transfer of at least one Object 187 for restoration and subsequent demonstration in the museum complex , the answer is always negative referring to secrecy . However , according to some sources , the Kubinka Tank Museum plans to conduct a repair of the remaining tanks with a subsequent open demonstration . External links . Object 187 1 2 3 4