T-72B

* Default
* Defender
* T-72S

## Crew

* Commander
* Driver
* Gunner

The **T-72B** is a Tier 6 progression Main Battle Tank under Marat Shishkin's dealership.

## History

Class: Main Battle Tank

Developed: 1981-1984

Service: 1984+

Vehicles Built: 9032

Operators: Soviet Union, Russia, Belarus, Venezuela, Iran, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Laos, Syria, Ukraine

The development of the T-72B was based on a Soviet government decision from July 5, 1981. The development process itself took place in Uralvagonzavod and was part of a broader T-72A Improvement program, which included a large number of different prototype upgrades to the T-72A Main Battle Tank. One of the projects in this program was given the designation Object 184. Six different turret designs were developed as part of the project, each with different armor layouts, armaments and fire control systems. Several prototypes were built and tested thoroughly between 1981 and 1984. The winner was officially accepted into Soviet army service under the T-72B designation on October 27, 1984.

Armor protection was enhanced with the introduction of the Kontakt Explosive Reactive Armor kit, which was cutting-edge at the time. It's worth noting that the T-72B ERA layout was changed (improved) compared to the T-72AV (a T-72A variant, equipped with the same ERA kit). The first generation Kontakt ERA was capable of defeating warheads with approximately 700mm of penetration. A more powerful missile (or a tandem warhead) was required to penetrate this set.

The frontal turret armor was also improved with the turret shape changed somewhat. The noticeable frontal turret armor extensions (cheeks) were made, due to the different composite armor layout (increasing the protection level considerably), even more prominent. The Americans nicknamed this turret variant "Super Dolly Parton." Its firepower was also significantly increased with the introduction of the new, modernized 125mm 2A46M gun with the 9K120 Svir guided missile launching system. The vehicle was also equipped with the new 1A40-1 fire control system and TPD-K1 optics with laser rangefinder.

As a result, the weight of the vehicle increased. In order for it to keep its mobility, the 780hp V-46-6 diesel engine of the T-72A was replaced with an 840hp V-84-1 diesel. The T-72B was produced between 1985 and 1992, gradually replacing the T-72, and it remains one of the mainstays of Russian armored forces, along with the T-90. T-72Bs were only exported after the fall of the Soviet Union in the form of the 2001 upgraded variant T-72S. After production of the T-72B ended, a modernization process begun and it continues to this day.

## 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-72B 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. 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. ↑ 144 for Non-Penetrating Hits
5. ↑ 18 mm at 100m;
9 mm at 1000m

CATTB  •
Centurion AVRE  •
KPz 70  •
Leopard 1  •
Leopard 1A5  •
Leopard 2  •
Leopard 2A5  •
Leopard 2A6  •
Leo. 2A6 Hades  •
Leopard 2AV  •
Leopard 2AX  •
Leopard Evo  •
Leopard Revo  •
M1 Abrams  •
M1A1 Abrams  •
M1A1 Storm  •
M1A1 AIM  •
M1A2 Abrams  •
M1A2C  •
M1A2C Hades  •
M48  •
M60  •
M60-2000  •
M60A1  •
M60A2  •
M60A3  •
M60A3 SLEP  •
MBT-70  •
Panzer 87-140  •
Strv 2000  •
XM1  •
 Marat Shishkin | Al-Hussein  •
Challenger 1  •
Chall. 1 Falcon  •
Challenger 2  •
Chall. 2 ATDU  •
Chall. 2 Hades  •
Chall. 2 SFII  •
Chief. 900  •
Chief. Mk.10  •
Chief. Mk.11  •
Chief. Mk.2  •
Chief. Mk.6  •
IS-7  •
Object 187  •
Object 195  •
Object 225  •
Object 279  •
Object 430  •
Object 490  •
Object 640  •
T-14 152 Armata  •
T-14 152 Hades  •
T-14 Armata  •
T-55  •
T-55M1  •
T-62  •
T-62M  •
T-64A Mod.1969  •
T-64A Mod.1976  •
T-72 Ural  •
T-72A  •
**T-72B**  •
T-72B3  •
T-72M1  •
T-80  •
T-80B  •
T-80U  •
T-80UM-1 Bars  •
T-90  •
T-90A Burlak  •
T-90A  •
T-90MS Hades  •
T-90MS  •
 Zhang Feng | 9910  •
Arjun Mk.IA  •
BM Oplot  •
M-95  •
T-55 Enigma  •
T-72M2 Wilk  •
T-72M4CZ  •
TR-85M1  •
Type 59  •
Type 59-IIA  •
Type 69  •
Type 79  •
Type 80-II  •
Type 85-IIM  •
Type 90-II  •
Type 96  •
Type 96A  •
Type 96B  •
Type 99  •
Type 99A  •
Type 99A2  •
Type 99A2 Hades  •
Type 99A2-140  •
Type 99B  •
VT4  •
WZ-1224  •
 Oscar Faraday | Altay  •
 Sol Schreiber | M50  •
M51  •
Magach 5  •
Magach 6B  •
Magach 7A  •
Magach 7C  •
Merkava 1  •
Merkava 2B  •
Merkava 2D  •
Merkava 3 Baz  •
Merkava 4  •
Merkava 4M  •
Sabra Mk.2  •
Sho't Kal Dalet  •
 Francine De Laroche | AMX-30B2  •
AMX-30B2 Brenus  •
AMX-40  •
AMX-50  •
C1 Ariete  •
K1A1  •
K2  •
Leclerc  •
Leclerc Proto  •
Leclerc T4  •
OF-40  •
Osório  •
Seon'gun-915  •
Type 10 Hitomaru  •
Type 74  •
Type 90