In addition to the appearance of the Main Battle Tank (MBT) T-90M, there is another Russian armored mine that is waiting for its debut in the war in Ukraine. This refers to the BMPT Terminator, which is touted as an armored mine that has received quite a lot of attention and inquiries from Russian export customers.
Quoted from TheDrive.com, several BMPT Terminator units have been sent to the front front on the Ukrainian border since last February. So how did the BMPT Terminator debut in the Ukraine war? Several photos of the Terminator sightings have been circulating on social media. Unofficial information says, there are about nine Terminator units brought by Russia to the Ukrainian border.
BMPT Terminator is deployed with a specialization to deal with high-intensity warfare in urban areas. The BMPT Terminator is a qualified Tank Support Fighting Vehicle designed and manufactured by the company by Uralvagonzavod and unofficially named “Terminator” by the manufacturer.
BMPT Terminator is armed with heavy weapons and high protection to survive in urban battles. The Terminator's armament consists of four Ataka 9M120 anti-tank missile launchers, two 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannons, two AG-17D grenade launchers, and one coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun.
To simplify production and maintenance processes, the BMPT is built on the chassis of the widely used T-72 MBT. By Uralvagonzavod, the BMPT was designed based on combat experience gained during the Soviet-Afghan War and the First Chechen War. Several prototypes of the tank support fighting vehicle were made before the current BMPT design. The Object 199 “Ramka” was a prototype which was later designated as a modern BMPT by the official manufacturer Uralvagonzavod.
Starting in 2005, a small number of BMPT Terminators were delivered to the Russian Army for evaluation starting in 2005. The Russian Ministry of Defense finally ordered the BMPT in August 2017. Deliveries of more than 10 vehicles began in early 2018. On December 1, 2021, the first in the Armed Forces of the Federation Russia, a company of nine combat vehicles was introduced to one of the tank regiments of the tank division of the Central Military District.
In combat operations in urban areas, each MBT is deployed with the support of two BMPT Terminator units. Outside of urban warfare the ratio is reversed with one BMPT protecting two MBT units. The BMPT's armor protection is similar to that of the MBT and its powerful armament allows it to attack almost every enemy formation while operating in general battle formations.
Armed with the dual weapon system found in the BMPT, this ranpur is capable of firing multiple targets simultaneously. This feature significantly helps to increase the combat effectiveness of tank units and reduce their losses from close combat with the enemy.
In September 2013, Uralvagonzavod launched the BMPT-72 “Terminator 2” and was built as a successor to the BMPT. The Terminator 2 is substantially similar when compared to its predecessor, the Ranpur8 is built on the T-72's basic hull – including the drivetrain, running gears, and so on – and has been designed to operate alongside an MBT or independently.
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| BMPT Terminator |
Terminator 2 can be used effectively to destroy enemy tanks, armored personnel carriers and other armored assets, and to suppress enemy fire sites and infantry using grenade launchers and anti-tank weapons systems.
The Terminator 2 is a retrofit package, with only older T-72s and the like upgraded to the BMPT-72 standard (no new build vehicles). Terminator 2 is intended for export markets (particularly as part of offset deals).
A spokesman for Uralvagonzavod said that “the main advantage that the BMPT-72 provides to all countries operating the T-72 tank is that they can immediately and at minimal cost upgrade their troops to an ultra-modern level, and increase their capacity, mobility, protection and armament. without buying an expensive new machine. And so far, outside of Russia, the BMPT Terminator has been operated by Kazakhstan and Algeria.
The BMPT Terminator is manned by 5 personnel, this ranpur is powered by a 1,000 hp (736 kW) V-92S2 diesel engine. The Terminator has a full weight of 48 tons, is 7.2 meters long, 3.8 meters wide and 3.44 meters high. This Ranpur can go with a maximum speed of 60 km per hour.