Russia Rallies 1970s T-72A Tanks As Newer Reserves Deplete
Newly released footage indicates Russia is modernizing older T-72A tanks, likely to compensate for dwindling T-72B stocks. These upgrades involve fitting Relikt explosive reactive armor and protective modules. This effort may extend Russia’s tank availability through 2026-2027, though similar facilities might exhaust T-80B/BV stocks as early as 2026. Russia’s plan includes overhauling 828 T-72 tanks to the T-72B3M standard by 2036, with peak production around 2028.
John Q. Hosedrinker