Russia Modernizes T-72A Tanks as T-72B Stocks Dwindle

Recent footage from Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), Russia’s primary tank manufacturer, indicates a shift in modernization efforts: the older T-72A main battle tank is now appearing in the upgrade stream alongside the more modern T-72B series. This change is likely due to the depletion of T-72B stocks available for refurbishment and modernization, forcing Russia to utilize older chassis to maintain armored vehicle numbers.

Shift to T-72A Modernization

The video, posted on Telegram by armored vehicle researcher Andrii Tarasenko, shows T-72A tanks undergoing upgrades at the UVZ facility. According to Militarnyi.com, the observed upgrades include the installation of Relikt explosive reactive armor (ERA) on the turret and the replacement of standard external fuel tanks with protective modules along the side skirts.

Prioritizing Survivability

The addition of Relikt ERA and side protection modules highlights a clear priority: increasing the survivability of Russian tanks in combat. Replacing fuel tanks with additional armor suggests a recognition of the increasing threat from anti-tank weapons targeting the sides and upper surfaces of tanks.

Potential Exhaustion of T-80B Stocks

Tarasenko suggests that if UVZ can continue utilizing T-72A tanks through 2026 and 2027, the Omsk facility may exhaust its stocks of Soviet-era T-80B and T-80BV tanks around 2026. This raises questions about Russia’s ability to sustain mass production of novel tanks.

Modernization Plans for T-72 Tanks

Analysis from Frontelligence Insight indicates that Russia planned to overhaul and modernize more than 800 T-72 tanks to the T-72B3M standard over a ten-year period as of autumn 2025. United24media.com reports that this figure aligns with the estimated number of T-72 tanks remaining in storage and at armored repair facilities. The plan aims to complete capital repairs and upgrades on 828 T-72 tanks to the T-72B3M configuration by 2036, with peak activity expected around 2028 and 498 tanks repaired or upgraded between 2027 and 2029.

Inventory Structure and Challenges

Approximately two-thirds of the available T-72 tanks are older T-72A models, which entered service in 1979 and were produced until 1985. Modernizing the T-72A to the T-72B3M standard is technically complex, requiring the replacement of electronic systems, modification of the chassis and automatic loader, and upgrades to the hull and turret armor.

Pragmatic Compromises in Modernization

Observations from 2024 revealed restored but not fully modernized T-72A tanks in Russian service, equipped with reactive armor at a level comparable to the T-72B3. This suggests a pragmatic approach to increasing protection without undertaking the most extensive and time-consuming upgrades.

Parallel T-90 Program

Alongside the T-72 modernization efforts, Russia is also planning the production, modernization, or general repair of 1,118 T-90M and T-90M2 tanks between 2027 and 2029.

Implications and Adaptation

The shift towards modernizing T-72A tanks signals potential limitations in the supply of newer T-72B models. It also demonstrates Russia’s adaptation to available resources, attempting to bring older tanks back into service through simpler, faster modification packages. This reliance on both “excavating warehouses” of older tanks and continuing the T-90 program highlights the current state of Russia’s armored vehicle capabilities.