Home › Multilingual Archive Index › T-84

T-84

The T-84 main battle tank is a Ukrainian development of the Soviet T-80 main battle tank, first built in 1994 and entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999. The T-84 is based on the diesel-engined version, the T-80UD. Its high-performance engine makes it one of the fastest existing MBTs in the world, with a power-to-weight ratio of about 26 horsepower per tonne (19 kW/t). The T-84 Oplot is an advanced version incorporating an armoured ammunition compartment in a new turret bustle; ten of these entered Ukrainian service in 2001. The T-84-120 Yatagan is a prototype model intended for export, mounting a 120mm gun capable of firing standard NATO ammunition and guided missiles.

Production history

The T-84 is the latest Ukrainian development of T-64 and T-80 series, designed by KMDB in Kharkiv (while the Russian T-90 is an advanced version of the T-72BM, with some T-80 features). A main design objective was to make Ukraine's arms industry independent of Russia's, after resulting difficulties in fulfilling a contract to supply T-80UD tanks to Pakistan. An external difference from earlier models is the new Ukrainian welded turret, replacing the T-80's Russian-built cast turret (some T-80s shipped to Pakistan have the same welded turret, but lack other T-84 improvements).

The T-84's outstanding feature is the 26 hp/t power-to-weight ratio (compared to 18 hp/t of the contemporary Russian T-90, or 22 hp/t of the new T-90S). It has inherited the nickname Flying Tank from the T-80. The tank is also designed to perform well in hot climates, and even includes an air-conditioned crew compartment (operating temperature range is claimed to be −40 °C to 55 °C).

Ukraine has demonstrated several advanced prototypes, intended for both domestic employment and international sale.

Models

• T-84 — Ukrainian upgrade of the T-80UD. New welded turret and Shtora-1 countermeasures suite, 1,200 hp (895 kW) 6TD-2 diesel engine, auxiliary power unit.
• T-84U — Ukrainian upgrade of the T-84. New armoured side skirts, turret-conformal Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armour, auxiliary power unit, thermal imaging sight, satellite navigation, commander's laser range-finder, muzzle reference system, and other improvements.
• T-84 Oplot — T-84U with new western-style turret, but retaining the 125mm gun. The Oplot tank features a new welded turret with separate crew and ammunition compartments with blowout panels on the ammunition compartment, a new bustle-mounted autoloader. A small number is in service with the Ukrainian Army.
• T-84-120 Yatagan — a prototype version of Oplot tailored for evaluation by the Turkish Army (prototype designation, KERN2-120). Mounts a 120mm main gun which fires both NATO 120mm rounds (like the M829 DU series) and a special 120mm version of the AT-11 Sniper ATGM. It also has automated gear shifting in place of mechanical gear selector, driver's T-bar control replacing tiller bars, air conditioning, and projectile muzzle velocity sensor, as well as differences in the fire control system, communications, etc.

Variants

• BREM-84 — armoured recovery vehicle
• BMU-84 — bridgelayer tank
• BTMP-84 Heavy infantry fighting vehicle — Prototype based on the T-84 Oplot tank, with lengthened hull, an extra pair of road wheels, and a rear compartment for five infantrymen.
• 12-tonne armoured carrier

References

• Steven Zaloga and David Markov (2000). Russia's T-80U Main Battle Tank. Hong Kong: Concord. ISBN 962-361-656-2.

See also

• List of tanks
• List of Soviet tanks
• M-95 Degman

External links

• Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau—Ukrainian producer of the T-80. KMDB's pages for T-80UD, T-84, Oplot, and BTMP-84.
• T-84 MBT at globalsecurity.org
• JED Equipment Database: T-84 Tank information and variants (requires paid membership)