T-72 120

The Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau developed a T-72 tank main armament upgrade package which envisages use of a 120mm gun and NATO-standard ammunition. It is possible to fit the T-72 tank with a 120-140mm main guns; in so doing, the scope of required re-designing is rather small, as these guns have the overall dimensions similar to those of the guns 2A46, 2A46M and KBA3. The breech-part of the offered 120mm KBM2 gun with a quick-replacement barrel has a high degree of commonality with the breech-part of the original gun of the T-72 tank. In order to be able to use 120mm NATO-standard fixed ammunition, the automatic loader of the gun is installed in an isolated self-contained compartment in the turret bustle. The level of armor protection of the automatic loader compartment is analogous to that of the Leopard and Abrams tanks. The total allowance of ammunition of the tank includes 40 rounds, of which 22 are positioned in the automatic loader.