T-64

The T-64, a Soviet main battle tank, was introduced in the late 1960s. It was designed parallel to the T-72 series and is very similar in appearance. Unlike the T-72 it was only used by the Soviet Army and never exported. Most of those produced are still in service, though it is no longer being manufactured. Prior to 1989, they were used only by Soviet troops stationed in East Germany during the Cold War; Soviet units elsewhere got the T-72.

Currently many of the old Soviet inventory of T-64 tanks are in service with the military of Ukraine. The T-64 design has been further developed as the T-80 and T-84.

Production History

The T-64 first entered production in 1967, shortly before the T-72. The T-64 was KMDB's high-technology offering, intended to replace the IS-3 and T-10 heavy tanks in independent tank battalions. Meanwhile, the T-72 was intended to supersede the T-55 and T-62 in equipping the bulk of Soviet tank and mechanized forces, and for export partners and east-bloc satellite states.

It introduced a new autoloader, which is still used on all T-64s currently in service, as well as all variants of the T-80 except the Ukrainian T-84-120. The T-64 prototypes had the same 115mm smoothbore gun as the T-62, the ones put in full-scale production had the 125mm gun.

While the T-64 was the superior tank, it was more expensive and physically complex, and was produced in smaller numbers. The T-72 is mechanically simpler and easier to service in the field, while it is not as well protected, and its manufacturing process is correspondingly simpler.

The T-64 was never common in Soviet service, except with those units stationed in East Germany. It was never exported, and has seen only limited combat experience—in the campaigns against Chechen separatists. Only a few thousand T-64s were built. Many T-64s ended up in Ukrainian service after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Variants

• T-64- (1963–1967) Initial production version with 115mm gun, 700-hp 5TDF engine, very limited production.
• T-64A – (1964–1980) Increased armour, NBC protection, smoke grenade launchers, improved optical rangefinder, 125mm gun replaces 115mm gun.
• T-64AK – Command version
• T-64B – (1976–1987) Composite armour in front of hull and front of turret. Laser rangefinder and ballistic computer. Fitted with laser designator equipment for AT-8 "Songster" anti-tank missile, which is launched through the gun tube.
• T-64B1 – T-64B without the guided missile system.
• T-64AM, T-64AKM, T-64BM and T-64B1M – The "M" designates earlier tanks updated with 1,000-hp 6TD six-cylinder engine.
• T-64BV – (1984–1987) Explosive reactive armour tiles added to front of hull and front of turret, capability to use AT-11 "Svir" anti-tank missile.

See also

• List of tanks
• List of Soviet tanks
• T-54/55
• T-62
• T-80, T-84
• T-72, T-90, T-95

External Links

• Ukrspets on T-64 upgrades