The other 42 tanks were abandoned or captured, suggesting that the vehicles ran out of fuel or encountered mechanical problems. Of 57 T-80U tanks lost by the Russian Army in Ukraine, only 15 were destroyed. The T-80’s problems may have contributed to the overall failure of the Russian Ground Forces to achieve its objectives. This is a problematic combination for a Russian Army not known for attention to logistics and maintenance issues. It also uses more fuel and forces the Russian Army to keep two fuel supplies-gasoline and diesel-flowing to frontline units. The T-80’s 1,250-horsepower GTD-1250 gas turbine engine is less reliable than the diesel engine that runs the T-72. How Russia Could Use Chemical Weapons in Ukraineĭespite these advantages, the T-80 has all the problems of the T-72.Su-35S, One of Russia’s Most Advanced Planes, Down.Russia’s Battalion Tactical Groups: Explained.Even today, most of the Russian Army’s T-72 tanks lack third-generation night vision sighting systems. Tanks such as the T-72B and -B3 have not received major armor upgrades, instead settling for the addition of blocks of reactive armor. The T-72’s low profile, while useful in avoiding detection, means the main gun cannot be elevated to engage enemies in multi-story buildings. The main gun is mediocre by today’s standards, and the tank suffers from a lack of modern ammunition. These tanks still serve today in the Russian Army as the T-72B and T-72B3 main battle tanks.Īlthough a powerful tank on paper, the T-72 has serious problems. Soviet factories and licensees churned out 17,700 T-72s, and the tank was a major threat to the armies of NATO. The tank, later known as the T-72, would mount the powerful 125-millimeter 2A46M main gun, incorporate superior armored protection, have a low profile, and prowl the battlefield at high speeds. In the late 1960s, the Soviet Union sought to develop a tank that would be superior to existing NATO tanks in every way. Like most destroyed Russian tanks, the turrets have been blown off the hull by a detonating ammunition supply.

Russian Army T-72B1 tank, Kyiv Oblast, March 2022. The Arjun Mk.1 will probably serve for 20 years or less, considerably less time than it actually took to develop the tank. 1s, with the promise that future Mk.1A Arjuns would correct the original tank’s glaring flaws.

The Arjun Mk.1 entered service with the Indian Army in 2009, but the service was reluctant to buy what had become known as a mechanically-unreliable tank. As a result of all these changes, Arjun’s weight ballooned from 40 tons to 62 tons, making what would have been a nimble tank one of the more sluggish tanks on the modern battlefield. Engineers also had to accommodate new technologies, including GPS navigation, laser warning receivers, and reactive armor. The main gun was upgraded from a 105-millimeter to 120-millimeter gun, while the armor was increased to deal with advances in anti-tank weapons. India’s defense establishment was not ready to build a modern main battle tank, and the Arjun was updated several times during the design process.

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Others, unfairly or not, are simply good tanks that have soldiered on for too long. Many of the “worst” tanks are badly designed or built, their flaws hidden for decades before finally being revealed in actual combat. Tank warfare is highly competitive, and bad tanks are quickly destroyed in wartime. The armies of the world operate a grand total of 73,000 tanks of all types. The result has been six weeks of intense, grinding warfare, the scale of which has not been seen in Europe since World War II, with tanks fighting on both sides. In late February, at Russian President Vladimir Putin’s command, more than 1,000 tanks marched on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. The Russian invasion of Ukraine reintroduced Europe to something many thought had been relegated to the proverbial trash heap of history: large-scale, mechanized warfare.

Some tanks, however, are either poorly designed, poorly built, or should have headed to the scrap heap a long time ago.

In a world where there’s no room for second place, most tanks are actually quite good.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put a new focus on mechanized land warfare.

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