T-72A

* Default
* Ash
* Ice
* Combat Ace

## Crew

* Commander
* Driver
* Gunner

The **T-72A** is a Tier 5 progression Main Battle Tank under Marat Shishkin's dealership.

## History

Class: Main Battle Tank

Developed: 1976-1979

Service: 1979+

Vehicles Built: cca 30000 incl. license production (cca 8700 in the Soviet Union)

Operators: Soviet Union, Warsaw Pact countries and more than 60 other operators around the world

Of the three main Soviet MBTs simultaneously in service (T-64, T-72 and T-80), Uralvagonzavod's T-72 is by far the most recognizable one. In fact, much like its T-55 predecessor, it can be said that the T-72 became an icon of sorts, its sleek silhouette firmly connected to the Soviet Union. Whether it’s an image of a horde of these machines creeping through an East German forest or massive groups of them burning in the middle of an Iraqi desert, the T-72 is, without a doubt, one of the most widely recognized tanks in the world.

On the 16th of December 1976, the Uralvagonzavod design bureau in Nizhny Tagil under V.N.Venediktov, one of the creators of the original T-72, was ordered to develop an upgrade to the T-72 Ural with the goal of improving its combat characteristics. The project was designated Object 176. It took over two years to complete and on the 22nd of June 1979 the Soviet military officially accepted the vehicle into service under the designation of T-72A.

The tank was significantly modified compared to its predecessor. Firepower was increased with the installation of the new 125mm smoothbore gun model that was more accurate than its predecessor. From 1981 onwards, a modernized 2A46M version was installed instead. Accuracy was further improved by the installation of TPD-K1 optics. A new ballistics computer set 1A40 was added to the 1982 model and the 1984 version received a new 2E42-2 gun stabilizer, making the vehicle significantly more accurate on the move. Speaking of mobility, it was increased with the installation of a new 780hp V-46-6 engine as well as some smaller changes to the suspension. In 1984, the vehicle received a new 840hp V-84 engine.

Vehicle protection was enhanced with composite armor on the turret. The composite armor elements gave the front turret its notable "cheeks", leading to the western nickname "Dolly Parton" of this model. The frontal turret protection increased from 400mm to roughly 500mm RHAe versus HEAT projectiles. In later T-72A models (from 1980 onwards), the upper frontal hull plate was increased by welding an additional 30mm plate onto it. The final version of the T-72A (T-72AV from 1985) was equipped with Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor.

The T-72A and its variants were produced between 1979 and 1985 before being replaced by the T-72B series, although its license production abroad (in the form of the T-72M and T-72M1 models continued well beyond that. Overall, it was one of the most successful versions of the T-72 tank and many vehicles of this type are still currently in service and used in combat, most notably in Syria.

## Vehicle Traits

* Armored: This vehicle's armor can withstand a lot of punishment, allowing it to survive even serious firefights.
* Heavy Weapon: This vehicle carries one of the largest weapons around with significantly increased damage per shot.

## Upgrades

### Armor

T-72A Stock Armor
 This MBT's front is protected by composite armor. Composite armor consists of combined layers of steel and other material and offers excellent protection against HEAT shells and ATGMs. Its steel sides and rear are considerably more vulnerable.

Kontakt-1 Explosive Reactive Armor Set
 First generation ERA kit offers average protection against standard HEAT rounds or warheads, and no protection against kinetic rounds.

### Weapon

**Stats:**

* **Depression/Elevation**: -6.0° / 14.0°

## Footnotes

1. ↑ 595 mm at 150m;
447 mm at 500m
2. ↑ 645 mm at 150m;
484 mm at 500m
3. ↑ 265 for Partial Penetration;
67 for Non-Penetrating Hits
4. ↑ 18 mm at 100m;
9 mm at 1000m

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