A tank battalion of the 11th Guards Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Belarusian Army has received the first batch of serially produced locally upgraded T-72BM2 tanks.
The Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported on this.
“Today, we received combat vehicles that meet all the requirements of modern combined arms combat. I would like to note that this is only the first stage of receiving the latest combat vehicles. In the near future, this practice will continue, and we will receive new weapons, military and special equipment to perform assigned tasks,” Colonel Vadim Ilnitsky, the commander of the separate guards mechanized brigade, stated.
The specific unit receiving the T-72BM2 and the exact number of tanks were not disclosed. However, photos published by the Ministry of Defense show the transport of a batch of five tanks. Open-source information indicates that Colonel Vadim Ilnitsky commands the 11th Guards Separate Mechanized Brigade.
The brigade is part of the Western Operational Command, with its garrison located in the city of Slonim. The distance from the brigade’s location to the Polish border is about 100 kilometers to the west, to Lithuania, a little more than 110 km to the northwest, and to Ukraine, about 125 km to the south.
T-72BM2
The modernized Belarusian T-72BM2 tank was first presented in July 2022. Since then, a small number of vehicles have been tested in service.
The development and modernization of the T-72BM2 were carried out by engineers and designers at the 140th Armored Repair Plant in Borisov, near Minsk.
It is stated that the upgrade took into account experience from modern armed conflicts. However, published photos do not show anti-drone protection systems, including cage armor, electronic warfare systems, or active protection systems. Earlier, in 2022, the tanks were demonstrated with early versions of so-called “grills.”
During the upgrade to the T-72BM2 standard, the T-72B tanks received an improved fire control system, including a new multi-channel gunner’s sight with optical and thermal imaging channels, a missile guidance channel, and a laser rangefinder.
Sensors improving firing accuracy were also upgraded, including a meteorological sensor, wind, roll, and pitch sensors, and a propellant charge temperature sensor. A new ballistic computer was installed to automatically apply firing corrections, and a “Double” mode was introduced, allowing weapon control and firing from the commander’s position.
The tank was also fitted with modern optical and thermal imaging observation devices for the commander and driver, as well as an auxiliary diesel generator to power main systems without running the main engine.
Another feature of the T-72BM2 is a new explosive reactive armor system, visually similar to the Russian Relikt but developed in Belarus. Analysts note that the layout of the reactive armor leaves significant vulnerable areas, including the upper glacis, the “décolletage” area, and the upper front plate of the turret.
