T-72
| T-72A | |
|---|---|
 Serbian T-72B1MS | |
| Type | Main Battle Tank |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1973-present |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Leonid Kartsev-Valeri Venediktov |
| Manufacturer | Uralvagonzavod, Heavy Vehicles Factory |
| Unit cost | US$0.5–1.2 million in 1994–1996, US$0.5 million in 2011 |
| Produced | 1968-present |
| No. built | around 25,000 |
| Specifications (T-72) | |
| Mass | 41.5 tonnes |
| Length | 9.53 m (31 ft 3 in) gun forward 6.95 m (22 ft 10 in) hull |
| Width | 3.59 m (11 ft 9 in) |
| Height | 2.23 m (7 ft 4 in) |
| Crew | 3 (commander, gunner, driver) |
| Armor | Steel and composite armor with ERA |
| Engine | V-12 diesel
V-92S2F (T-72B3 & T-72B3M) |
| Power/weight | 18.8 hp/tonne (14 kW/tonne) |
| Transmission | Synchromesh, hydraulically assisted, with 7 forward and 1 reverse gears |
| Suspension | Torsion bar |
| Ground clearance | 0.49m (19in) |
| Fuel capacity | 1,200 L (320 U.S. gal; 260 imp gal) |
Operational range | 460 km (290 mi), 700 km (430 mi) with fuel drums |
| Maximum speed | 60 to 75 km/h (37 to 47 mph) |
The T-72 is a family of Russian/Soviet main battle tanks that started getting built in 1969. The T-72 was made to replace the T-64, which was bad because it was expensive and complicated. Around 25,000 T-72s have been built, and repairs have made many of them work for a very long time. The T-72 has been used in 40 countries. The T-72 was replaced by the T-90 in 1992, but the T-72 is still made today.
