Boyevaya Mashina Podderzhki Tankov-72 (BMPT-72), also known as Terminator 2, is a new version of the BMPT tank support combat vehicle developed by UralVagonZavod Corporation, Russia.

The BMPT-72 was launched at the Russian Arms Expo (RAE) exhibition in Nizhny Tagil, Russia, in September 2013.

The new vehicle, fitted with guided weapon system, is capable of destroying infantry vehicles, enemy tanks and other armoured objects.

BMPT-72 design

charly015.blogspot.com

The multipurpose tank support combat vehicle BMPT-72 is built on the chassis of T-72 battle tank.

The BMPT-72 can survive in different climatic zones, including urban areas, and in any light conditions.

Vitaliy Kuzmin

The new variant follows the earlier BMPT tank support combat vehicle developed by Uralvagonzavod and Ural Transport Machine Building Design Bureau.

Vitaliy Kuzmin

The crew size of the BMPT-72 has been reduced to three, by removing two grenade launching positions aboard the BMPT. The driver sits in the centre of the forward hull, while the gunner and commander positions are at the rear.

Vitaliy Kuzmin

The new vehicle offers improved gun power, protection and command and control system over the BMPT. The combat weight is also reduced from 47t to 44t. The length and width of the vehicle are 7.2m and 3.59m respectively.

Armament of the tank support combat vehicle

Vladislav Perminov

The BMPT-72 infantry fire support vehicle is armed with two 30mm 2A42 automatic cannons that can load ammunition of 850 rounds, four laser-guided Ataka-T anti-tank missile systems and one PKTM coaxial machine gun with remote reloading mechanism.

2 x 30mm 2A42 automatic cannons

TECHNICAL DATA OF 2A42

Caliber		30 mm
Number of grooves		16
Twist of grooves		715,5 mm
Rate of fire	high	min 550 rounds/min
	low	200-300 rounds/min
Gun weight		115 kg
Barrel weight		38,5 kg
Recoiling force		40-50 Kn
Length of the gun		3 027 mm
Voltage of the trigger electric source, contact system		27 +2/-5 V
Feeding		Two belt type
Recocking		Pyrotechnical or manual
Number of powder cartridges		3
Force required to cock the gun by hand for:
– loading		up to 400 N
– re-loading with simultaneous extraction of misfired round		up to 600 N

Source ztsspecial.sk

4 x Ataka-T anti-tank missile systems

The Ataka (Attack) (Western reporting name AT-9 Spiral-2) is a long-range anti-tank guided missile system. It was developed in the 1980s in the Soviet Union as a follow-on to the previous Shturm (AT-6 Spiral) system, that was introduced in 1976. Soviets needed a new missiles, that could defeat contemporary Western main battle tanks with composite and explosive reactive armor, such as the American M1 Abrams, German Leopard 2, and British Challenger. Launchers with Ataka missiles can be mounted on helicopters, vehicles and watercraft. It is basically similar to the previous Shturm, but has longer range and is more resistant to electronic countermeasures. The Ataka missiles are currently used by the Russian armed forces. These missiles have been exported to Algeria, Brazil, India, Kazakhstan, and Slovenia. Some sources report that these missiles have also been exported to Iran and North Korea.

Vladislav Perminov

The following missiles are available:

– 9M120 is a baseline missile with a tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead. It is used against tanks and other armored vehicles. It has a range of 6 km and penetrates 800 mm of armor behind Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA).

– 9M120F with fuel-air explosive (thermobaric) warhead. It is used against infantry in buildings, trenches, bunkers and fortifications. It has a maximum range of 5.8 km.

– 9M120M improved version with longer range and improved HEAT warhead. It has a maximum range of 8 000 m and penetrates 950 mm of armor behind ERA.

– 9M120D improved version with a maximum range of up to 10 km.

Source military-today.com

Russian MoD

*Ataka-T* GWS specifications
Parameter	Value
Missile guidance	Semiautomatic laser beam riding
Laying angles for 9M120-1 missile: – in azimuth, deg. – in elevation, deg.	360 (due to turret rotation) From minus 10 to plus 25
Firing range of 9M120-1 missile, km	From 0.4 to 6.0
Target altitude with reference to carrier datum (for 9M120-1 missile), km	From 0.0 to 2.0 (maximum target altitude is ensured over range of 3.3±0.5 km)
Number of targets engaged simultaneously	1
Missile launch mode	Consecutive
Rate of fire, rounds./min.	3-4
Selection of missiles by warhead type	Provided
Armour penetration behind ERA (for 9M120-1 missile), mm	800, minimum
Time of flight to 5 km, s	14.5, max.
Average flight speed	Supersonic
Reaction time (minimum time for GWS to launch missile after achieving fully operational state), s	Less than 1.2
Number of missiles loaded on launcher, pcs.	Up to 4
Time for manual loading/unloading of one launcher guide, s	30, max.

Source kbm.ru

30-mm automatic grenade launchers AG-17D

The 30mm AGS-17 Automatic Grenade Launcher is a reliable weapon with great destruction capabilities and reasonable weight.

The 30mm AGS-17 Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) has glorious battle history. The platform is extremely reliable but can also be easily maintained and fixed in the field, which is very important for regular troops. It’s a perfect Automatic Grenade Launcher for offensive and defensive operations. The great destruction power combined with wide selection of 30mm grenade types considerably augment firepower and combat capabilities of any unit.

AGS-17 has been tested all over the world under harshest weather conditions. It has been the weapon of choice for the Russian and Soviet Armed Forces since 1971, which proves its reliability, efficiency and durability. Source roe.ru

BMPT-72 observation and fire control

Vitaliy Kuzmin

The tank features sighting and thermal channels, a laser range finder, integrated laser control channel for missile guidance and independent stabilisation of field of vision in azimuth and elevation planes, to enable the multispectral gunner’s sight.

“The multipurpose tank support combat vehicle BMPT-72 is built on the chassis of T-72 battle tank.”

The commander is provided with panoramic sight and the gunner’s position is fitted with day periscopes. The sighting channel allows the gunner and commander to detect targets at 5,000m distance during day time.

The BMPT-72 is provided with an increased fire control system for terrain observation and target location in all weather and any light conditions.

The vehicle is equipped with a ballistic computer with a set of weather and topographical sending units.

The vehicle also includes a two-axis stabilised weapon unit with electromechanical traversing and elevating drives.

Protection features of Russia’s ‘Terminator 2’

The BMPT-72 includes steel armoured hull and turret. The protection is further enhanced with the addition of multipurpose and modular explosive reactive armour (ERA) on the forward and sides of the vehicle.

The rear hull is attached with grilled shields for protection against rocket-propelled grenades.

Six smoke grenade launchers installed either side of the turret can create a smoke screen, to conceal the vehicle from hostile forces. The vehicle is also equipped with a collective NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) protection system.

BMPT-72 engine details

Izvestia / Mikhail Tereshchenko

The combat vehicle’s propulsion system includes either a V-84MS, four-stroke 12-cylinder multifuel diesel engine with liquid cooling and gear-driven centrifugal-type supercharger, or a V-92S2 four-stroke 12-cylinder multifuel diesel with liquid cooling and turbocharger.

The V-84MS engine generates 840hp power and the V-92S2 is rated at 1,000hp.

V-84MS and V-92S2 engines

V-84MS engine

“V” line of 4-cycle, V-type, 12-cylinder, liquid cooled, supercharged multifuel diesel engines is manufactured by Chelyabinsk tractor plant (ChTZ). This famous line of Soviet/Russian tank engines can be traced back to V-2 engine of the legendary T-34. The latest until recently, 840hp V-84MS drive-supercharged engine is installed on T-72B MBT and its later developments, T-72B(M) and T-90 MBTs.

V-92S2 engine

This engine is very robust and unpretentious and operates reliably in adverse natural conditions including extremely cold and hot climes, dusty terrain and so on. However, it’s power is somewhat small by today’s standards. A new 1000hp V-92S2 engine that has arrived to replace it is the first engine of the line with a turbo-supercharger. This new engine, apparently installed on T-90 Vladimir MBTs and T-90 MBTs that are to be shipped to India, offers impressive specific power and specific fuel consumption characteristics.

In the end of January 2000 ChTZ announced that a new 1200hp diesel is ready for production. This engine reportedly weighs 1,070 kg, giving it an outstanding power to weight ratio. ChTZ promises to show this new diesel at UralExpoArms-2000 show. Source fofanov.armor.kiev.ua

The mechanical power train of the BMPT-72 consists of a transmission gear unit, two final gear boxes and coaxial final drives.

Vladimir Vyatkin / Vladimir Vyatkin

The transmission is provided by seven forward gears and a reverse gear.

The vehicle is fitted with a DGU 5-P27.5-VM1or DGU8-P27.5-VM-1 diesel-generator unit producing 5kW or 8kW of electric power. The generator is placed in the armoured compartment on left plate above the track.

DGU 5-P27.5-VM1or DGU8-P27.5-VM-1 diesel-generator unit

Vladislav Perminov

Mobility of the BMPT-72 tank support combat vehicle

The vehicle is equipped with torsion bar suspension system on each side, including six road wheels with idler at forward and drive sprocket at rear.

The inside of the track is stabilised by three return rollers.

The BMPT-72 has a maximum road speed of 60km/h and can reach a maximum distance of 500km with external fuel tanks.

The vehicle is capable of crossing a trench of 2.8m.

Specification

GENERAL INFORMATION
Combat weight, t	44
Crew	3 (Commander, Gunner, Driver)
Body length over mud flaps and grid shields, mm	7,200

PRIMARY ARMAMENT
Guided weapons system
Type	semi-automatic with laser control channel
Number of guided missiles on launchers, pcs	4
Ammunition allowance, pcs	850

AUXILIARY ARMAMENT
Machine gun twinned with guns
Model	PKTM with remote reloading mechanism
Bore size, mm	7.62

FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM
Gunner’s sight	multichannel with sighting and thermal channels, laser range finder, built-in laser control channel for missile guidance and independent 2-plane stabilization of field of vision
Min identification range of tank target, m
by day via sighting channel	5,000
Ballistic computer	electronic, digital with a set of weather and topographical sending units
Weapon stabilizer	two-axis with electromechanical traversing and elevating drives

MOBILITY AND CROSS-COUNTRY ABILITY
Max highway speed, km/h	60
Fuel distance with barrels, km	500
Trench, m	2.6 … 2.8
Power plant
Engine	V-84MS / V-92S2
Type	V 12-valve 4-stroke multifuel diesel with liquid cooling and gear-driven centrifugal-type supercharger / V 12-valve 4-stroke multifuel diesel with liquid cooling and turbocharger
Power train
Type	Mechanical, with transmission gear unit, two final gear boxes and coaxial final drives
Number of gears	Seven forward and one reverse
Running gear