19 April 1968 a joint resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the USSR Council of Ministers “On creation of gas turbine propulsion for objects of armored vehicles” SKB-2 at the Leningrad Kirov plant (LKZ) was instructed to establish on the basis of tank T-64 a new car with a gas turbine power plant. The development of the engine was entrusted to the Leningrad NPO. Klimova. Gas turbine engine (GTE) with the same amount that diesel has developed a much greater capacity. This would allow the tank to achieve higher speeds and to significantly increase the maneuverability on the battlefield, to improve the management of the machine itself. Experience in the application of GTE Soviet tank builders already had, especially at the Kirov factory. In 1948 here in SKB turbine production under the guidance of A. Starostenko was the project of a heavy tank with this engine, but it remained a draft. When in 1955 LKZ requested the creation of a new heavy tank with engine 1000 HP — weighing up to 55 tons, with 130 mm cannon, began to conduct work in two directions: developed the options and a diesel engine (“object 277”), and GTE (“object 278”). Two prototypes of the GTD was designed under the direction of G. Ogloblina.
MAIN BATTLE TANK T-80
In recent years one of the most developing areas in the armor was the creation of vosmiklasnica machines wheel formula 8×8 with different weapons. These machines are more mobile in tactical combat, and less costly to operate and maintain, but worse armor, and have less combat power. Tracked them the “rivals” have more weight and often size, which affects the possibility of transfer of various vehicles, especially aircraft. Here at strategic mobility — benefit wheel designs.
The designers of the Department of track-laying tractors (known as the Department of “200”) of the Kharkiv locomotive plant them. The Komintern (KhPZ) built in 1936 heavy artillery tractor “Voroshilovets” on the basis of the original, but irrational in the scheme, laborious to manufacture and maintain chassis. Later, in the design process of the T-34, they came to the conclusion that because of the proximity of the traction-weights, power, and mobility it is advisable to develop heavy trucks based on the chassis of a modern medium tanks. This unification was beneficial and production.
According to the program of development of the armed forces of Israel military industry of the country by 1989 was able to create actually a new Merkava tank (Мегкаvа) MK.Z. The Lebanese campaign of 1982, in which machines “Merkava” MK.1 and “Merkava” MK.2 participated in the fighting, showed that they can still be amazed by the 125-mm projectiles the main of their opponent on the field of battle T-72 tank. Therefore, based on the concept of Israel’s military leadership “to protect the crew — above all”, once again at the forefront were put the problem of improving the tank’s protection. The designers used the new car an upgraded modular armour — steel packs-boxes with several layers of special armor inside. They are mounted with bolt connections to the surface of the machine, forming additional built-in dynamic protection of the so-called passive type. With the destruction of the module it can be easily replaced by another.
After the First world war, the car confidently entered the arsenals of all armies, effectively replacing cavalry units and horse-drawn vehicles at the same time with the advantages of this type of technology was evident his shortcomings. So. military all over the world started talking about the unification of the army fleet. They wanted to have a universal chassis capable of small alterations to carry infantry units, may be used as a machine gun car, serve the mobile radio, light or sanitary staff van, towing artillery and chassis for armored car.
In 2009, the global military community stirred the sensational interview of the Chinese General designer main battle tank “Type 99” Joo of Aishana. It stated that “China has set up a new tank “Type 99” among the ten tanks of the world occupies a leading position on three important indicators of combat potential of the firepower, mobility, protection, and it may be rivaled only by the German Leopard 2 and the American “Abrams”.
The Soviet T-34 tanks (recognized as the best medium tank of the Second world war) and KV (former the strongest in the world up to 1942), was a landmark armored fighting vehicles, pointing a way forward in post-war tank. German Colonel General Heinz Guderian in his books about tank operations in world war II appreciated the outstanding performance characteristics of the “thirty”: “In October 1941, I have described the advantage of the T-34 in front of our Pz.IV and resulted in conclusions which were to affect our future tank”.
The main drawback of T-72 tanks of all modifications, compared to other cars of the Soviet and foreign production of those years was the lack of an automated fire control system (FCS). In this regard, it was decided to conduct a deep modernization “semdesyatdvoyki.” This work took place under the theme “improving the T-72B” defined by the Council of Ministers of the USSR of June 19, 1986. The original design took place under the leadership of V. N. Venediktov, and after his 1987 retirement – under the leadership of new chief designer V. I. Potkin.