The BMPT "Terminator" is a post-Cold war armored fighting vehicle, designed and manufactured
by the Russian company Uralvagonzavod.
This vehicle was designed for supporting tanks and other AFVs in urban areas.
The BMPT is unofficially named the "Terminator" by the manufacturers.
It is heavily armed and armored to survive in urban combat.
This AFV is armed with four 9M120 Ataka missile launchers, two 30 mm 2A42 autocannons, two
AG-17D grenade launchers, and one coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun.
The BMPT is built on the chassis of the T-72 main battle tank which is used in large numbers
by the Russian Army and has been manufactured under license by many other countries.
The BMPT was designed based on combat experience gained during the Soviet war in Afghanistan
and the First Chechen War.
Multiple prototypes of a tank support combat vehicle were created prior to the design of
the current BMPT.
The Object 199 "Ramka" was the prototype later to be known as the modern BMPT with the official
producer being Uralvagonzavod.
A small number were delivered to the Russian Ground Forces for evaluation beginning in
2005.
As of late 2013, the only operator of the BMPT was Kazakhstan.
Russian Defence Ministry finally ordered the BMPT in August 2017.
When used in urban terrain, each main battle tank is deployed with two BMPTs.
Outside of urban warfare that ratio is reversed with one BMPT protecting two main battle tanks.
This results from the complexity of fighting in urban terrain and the need for a versatile
anti-personnel platform that can engage multiple targets at once and on different height levels.
The introduction of such a vehicle makes urban fighting less stressful on MBTs and can relieve
them of some of the workload so that they can concentrate on their main objective of
engaging other MBT and hardened targets.
The BMPT's armor protection is equal to that of an MBT and its powerful armaments allow
it to engage virtually every enemy formation while operating in a common battle formation.
Due to the multiple weapons systems found on the BMPT, this vehicle is able to fire
at multiple targets simultaneously.
These features significantly help increase the combat effectiveness of tank units and
decrease their losses from enemy close-combat assets.
In September 2013, Uralvagonzavod unveiled the latest armored fighting vehicle at the
Russian Arms Expo 2013 exhibition in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.
This vehicle was identified as the BMPT-72 "Terminator 2" and was built as a successor
to the BMPT.
The "Terminator 2" vehicle is substantially similar when compared to its predecessor.
Like its predecessor, it is built on a base T-72 hull – including drivetrain, running
gear and so on – and has been designed to operate alongside MBTs or independently.
The Terminator 2 can be effectively used to destroy enemy tanks, armored personnel carriers
and other armored assets, and to suppress enemy firing emplacements and infantry using
grenade launchers and antitank weapons systems.
Unlike the Terminator 1 however, the Terminator 2 is a retrofit only package, with only old
T-72s and similar being upgraded to BMPT-72 standard (no new build vehicles).
The Terminator 2 is aimed at the export market (in particular as part of offset deals).
A Uralvagonzavod spokesperson told a select audience at the exhibition that "the key advantage
that the BMPT-72 gives to all the countries that operate T-72 tanks is that they can promptly
and at minimal cost upgrade their armies to an ultra-modern level, and enhance capacity,
mobility, protection and armament without purchasing new high-cost machines."
In addition, the conversion process of the obsolete vehicles can be undertaken at the
customer facilities.
The overseer of the Russian defense and space industries – Dmitry Rogozin – said future
versions of the BMPT will likely be based on the Armata Universal Combat Platform.
Armament and FCS The two automatic grenade launchers are removed
along with its operators; reducing the crew to three.
The number of munitions for the Ataka missiles, 2A42 autocannons, and PKTM machine gun remains
unchanged.
A new and improved FCS is installed in the BMPT-72.
During daytime, the maximum distance for identifying a tank sized target is 5,000 m with the sighting
channel and 3,500 m with the thermal channel.
The ballistic computer is electronic and fully digital with a set of weather and topographical
sending units.
Protection Although the weight of the new BMPT is reduced
by four metric tonnes, it still boasts a high level of protection like its predecessor.
The Terminator 2 is shorter and thinner than the original Terminator.
The BMPT-72 has a height of 3.33 m and a width of 3.6 m while the Object 199 Ramka had a
height of 3.44 m and a width of 3.8 m.
The upper part of the suspension is protected by armor plates towards the front and slat
armor towards the rear.
Additional slat armor is fitted on the rear and sides of the chassis to increase protection
against rocket propelled grenades.
Missile launchers for the Ataka missiles are fitted with extra armor to provide protection
against splinters and small arms fire.CBRN protection is provided for the crew members
and is collective.
In addition to the combined armor modules, the BMPT-72 is equipped with a screening system
designed to counter laser target-designators and laser rangefinders.
A type R-168-25UE-2 radio is installed on board the Terminator 2.
Mobility The mobility of the BMPT-72 does not differ
significantly from the original BMPT.
It can be fitted with two different engines, the original 840 hp V84MS or the new 1,000
hp V92S2.
Both of these engines are 12 cylinder V type multi-fuel, liquid cooled diesel engines.
The V92S2 is a turbocharged engine which offers higher power and efficiency.
The engine is coupled to a hydraulically assisted transmission with seven forward gears and
one reverse gear.
BMPT-72 specifications Total weight, battle ready: 44 tonnes
Crew: 3 (driver, gunner, commander)
Suspension: Torsion bars Speed (road): 60 km/h
Range: 500 km
Armament: 2 x 2A42 30mm autocannons with 850 rounds
4 × 130 mm Ataka-T launchers Coaxial 7.62mm PKTM with 2100 rounds
While the Terminator 2 isn't in service as far as we know, Azerbaijan held an arms
expo named ADEX (Azerbaijan Defense Exhibition) in 2014, which allowed arms dealers to show
off their weapons to the armed forces of Azerbaijan.
Since Azerbaijan has territorial issues with Armenia about the Nagorno-Karabakh region,
the small Caucasian nation is looking for potent weapons in case things get heated again
between the two countries.
During the expo, Azerbaijan had stated that they're interested in the Ka-52 attack/scout
helicopter and the BMPT-72 Terminator 2 and numerous other weapons.
In 2013, various unspecified Persian Gulf nations also expressed interest in the Terminator
2 during the Russian Arms Expo.
The Russian Federation has however refused the second iteration of the BMPT as well.
The reasoning is that since the T-15 Armata exists, there is no reason to adopt the Terminator
2, with possibly less armor and no infantry carrying capacity.
Lastly, during India's DEFEXPO in 2014, UralVagonZavod proposed two upgrades to India's
obsolete T-72s.
UralVagonZavod proposed the BMPT-72 package on India's T-72s, which would extend their
service life.
They also proposed an Arena-E APS upgrade on Indian T-72s.
Active Protection Systems fire a small projectile at cumulative and explosive missiles from
portable/non-portable anti-tank weapons such as RPGs, Kornet, Konkurs, TOW, etc, detonating
them before impact.
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