🇷🇺 Images from “Development of a Unified Fighting Compartment for the T-72B, T-72B1, T-80BV, T-80U, T-90 and Object 195: Project ‘Motobol’ («Мотобол»), FSUE KBTM. Stage 2: Supplement to Explanatory Note 567 PZ. 567 — 2005” have appeared on a Russian website. For anyone who has forgotten, this unified fighting compartment was being developed in the 2000s and featured an unusual solution: two separate automatic loading systems. A T-72-style autoloader remained in the hull, while a second autoloader occupied an isolated, detachable compartment behind the turret. The latter was intended for more powerful armour-piercing rounds such as Vakuum ("Вакуум"). These were too long to fit into a conventional hull autoloader without extensive surgery and bulges protruding from the hull sides. In short, the 2004 preliminary design, Stage 2, Part 2, was considered rather heavy: a T-72B fitted with the unified fighting compartment weighed 49.3 tonnes, while a T-80U weighed 49.2 tonnes. The 2005 design reduced the rear autoloader compartment’s capacity from 22 to 14 rounds, bringing the respective weights down to 48.7 and 48.4 tonnes. Another 500 kg was to be shaved off other turret components. Removing the reactive armour and the rear autoloader compartment in peacetime was also proposed, saving approximately another two tonnes. Reportedly, Uralvagonzavod trashed the unified fighting compartment for being too heavy, hence the attempts to reduce its weight. What can be said about it? On the positive side, it provided 35 automatically loaded rounds, with 14 isolated from the crew. On the negative side, ammunition isolation was incomplete: the dangerous hull autoloader remained, alongside the rear turret autoloader. The latter was also vulnerable, although less dangerous to the crew. Its development specifically for long armour-piercing rounds also reveals the upgrade’s distinctly anti-tank focus. Nevertheless, in my view, the Omsk upgrade made more sense than the unrealistic Object 195 project with its cardboard turret. As for being “too heavy”: twenty years have passed, and what happened? Back then, the Omsk fighting compartment brought the weight to 49.2 tonnes, or 48.4 tonnes with the reduced second autoloader. Today, the Tagil fighting compartment brings it to 52 tonnes, in the T-80BVM2 Ryvok ("Т-80БВМ2 Рывок"). Apparently, your own burden never feels heavy. #info #tank #T72 #T90 #T80 #Armata
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