- Hans Weber
- October 6, 2024
Fundraised by the Czech, Modernized T-72 Avenger is Going to Ukraine
Tank “Tomáš” was successfully funded by the people of the Czech Republic, already prepared for transfer to Ukraine
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has shown the T-72 Avenger for the Ukrainian army previously bought by the Czech people. In addition to the tank, it received ammunition so it can fight longer.
The T-72 Avenger is the modernization of the T-72M1 tank to 3rd gen standard by Czech company Excalibur Army, introduced in 2022 which makes it the most advanced tank in Ukraine’s armed forces so far, apart from several T-90 seized from the russians.
This version of T-72 has 3rd generation night vision with a range of up to 4 kilometers in passive mode to reduce the location exposure effect of night vision, in comparison to the original sight of the T-72 model that has a range of up to 800 m with an easily detectable infrared light beam.
It is also equipped with reactive armor and a modern radio station and intercom with increased immunity to EW systems. Importantly, there is a GPS module for displaying navigation data and transmitting GPS coordinates. It may be especially effective in combination with other types of GPS-guided weapons provided to Ukraine by allies.
“The tank has a device for overcoming watercourses by driving underwater, a device for creating smoke screens for camouflage in the field and a fire extinguisher for extinguishing fires inside the vehicle,” as noted in the fundraiser’s note.
The armament of the tank includes the 125mm cannon which, armed with a special Czech-made armor-piercing projectile, can penetrate 500-mm armor at a distance exceeding 2 km. Apparently, the previously mentioned ammunition pack that comes with the tank itself includes this very type of round, though it is mentioned that the cannon supports various types of ammunition.
All the equipment procured within these fundraising campaigns was discussed with the Czech and Ukrainian defense ministries prior to acquisition so it really meets the needs of the Ukrainian army. And we can see the logic: in addition to the projectiles for the tank, the Czech procured also various other types of ammunition, such as 122mm rockets for RM-70 Vampire 4D rocket launchers and 122mm and 152mm artillery ammunition for the Dana self-propelled systems and for the D-30 and D-20 towed howitzers.
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