T-90S |
The T-90S is the latest development Russian
tanks and represents an increase in firepower, mobility and protection. It is manufactured
by Nizhnyi Tagil of the Russian Federation. The T-90S is in service with the Russian Army
and has been selected by the Indian Army, with a requirement
for 250 vehicles .Three T-90S have undergone trials in the Indian and were chosen for
the induction by the end of year 2000 . |
WEAPONS |
The T-90S armament includes one
125 mm 2A46M smoothbore gun stabilised in two axes and fitted with a thermal sleeve. The
gun tube can be replaced without dismantling inside the turret. The gun can fire a variety
of ammunition including APDS (Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot),HEAT (High Explosive
Anti-Tank), HE-FRAG (High Explosive Fragmentation) as well as shrapnel projectiles with
time fuzes. The T-90S gun can also fire the 9M119 Refleks anti-tank guided missile system.
(NATO designation AT-11 Sniper). The range of the missile is 100 - 4,000 m and takes 11.7
sec to reach maximum range. The system is intended to engage tanks fitted with ERA
(Explosive Reactive Armour) as well as low-flying air targets such as helicopters, at a
range of up to 5 km. The missile system fires either the 9M119 or 9M119M missiles which
have semi-automatic laser beamriding guidance and a hollow charge warhead. Missile weight
is 23.4 kg. |
The guns automatic loader will
feed both ordnance and The constituent parts of the 9M119M Laser-guided Missile. Also
fitted is a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun and a 12.7 mm air defence machine gun. A 5.45
mm AKS-74 assault rifle is carried on a storage rack. |
FIRE CONTROL |
The T-90S has the 1A45T integrated
fire control system (IFCS) which is automatic but with manual override for the commander.
The IFCS caters for target range, four types of ammo, turning on tilt, wind velociety,
atmospheric pressure, barrel wear, charge temperature, atmospheric temperature, movement
of own tank towards the target and angular movement of tank. |
|
PLATFORM |
The tank is protected by both
conventional armour-plating and explosive reactive armour (ERA). |
The T-90S has a fuel-injected
V-85S2 (1000 hp) four-stroke V-12 piston engine. This engine can be fuelled by
T-2 or TS-1 kerosene and A-72 benzine, in addition to diesel. The tank can carry up to
1,600 litres of fuel in the main fuel tanks and fuel drums. It has an enhanced maximum
operating temperature i.e, 125° for the coolent. The fuel tanks are reinforced with
armour plating. The tank is provided with snorkel for deep fording and can ford 5 metres
of water with equipment which can be deployed in 20 minutes. |
It is also fitted with ribs to
mount KMT-7 mine-clearing equipment and NBC protection equipment. |
The mechanical transmission
includes primary reduction gear, two planetary final gearboxes and two planetary final
drives. The running gear features torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers at
1, 2 and 6 road wheel stations and tracks with rubber-metallic pin hinges.. |
COUNTERMEASURES |
The T-90 is fitted with the
Shtora-1 defensive aids suite which is produced by Electronintorg of Russia. This system
includes infrared jammer, laser warning system with four laser warning receivers, grenade
discharging system which produces an aerosol screen and a computerised control system. The
Indian version is likely to have the much improved Shtora-2 system. |