Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!linac,att!cbfsb!cbnewsc!cbnews!cbnews!military From: ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Allan Bourdius) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Soviet tanks post T72 Message-ID: <1991Mar19.045357.10300@cbnews.att.com> Date: 19 Mar 91 04:53:57 GMT References: <1991Mar14.020342.21021@cbnews.att.com>, Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (william.b.thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 37 Approved: military@att.att.com From: Allan Bourdius >From: Eric Andrew Morgan >The T-80 has been determined to be follow on to the T-64, the current >Soviet Main Battle Tank. The T-72 is mainly exported, while the T-64 is >not. A large portion of T-80 are armored with reactive armor. Any >follow on tanks to the T-80 are currently unconfirmed. It is know that >the Soviets are working on a new main battle tank. Sorry Eric, but I recall reading in "The Military Balance" that the T-72 is the most numerous tank in the Soviet Army. Also, the "T-80" per se, does not exist. The T-80 is really the T-74 and the only differences between the T-74 and the T-72 are that the T-74 has reactive armor (now retrofitted to many T-72's) and a laser rangefinder. "T-80" was a term created solely by the Reagan Administration in its sucessful quest to portray the Soviet Military to be at parity or an advantage with respect to our own. The real truth is that most of the Red Army's equipment is junk and we know it just as well as the Soviets do. If they didn't think that they were going to take horrendous losses due to superior enemy tanks and AT weapons, how come they retain over 23,000 T-54/55's and 14,000 T-62's? The only reason that the Soviets need as many as they do is their primary tactic is to throw division after division into direct frontal assaults against the enemy. I heard once that a Soviet tank or motor rifle division is expected by their doctrine to be combat effective for only two days before being totally wiped out. Oh well, so much for the 10,000-odd soldiers in the division. Also, if it is "unconfirmed" whether or not there is a follow on to the T-74/80, how can you say that "it is *know[n]* that the Soviets are working on a new main battle tank"? Allan "I'd rather have one M1A1 then ten T-74's" Bourdius ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allan Bourdius [MIDN 3/C (Marine Option)/Brother, Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity] ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu or Box 4719, 5125 Margaret Morrison St., Pgh., PA 15213 "Give, expecting nothing thereof." "Phi Kappa Theta, just the best."