Evolution and Challenges of the T-84 Oplot: Ukraine’s Ambitious Main Battle Tank
The T-84 Oplot is a Ukrainian main battle tank, an evolution of the Russian T-80UD but with significant upgrades and Ukrainian components. The journey of the T-84 Oplot is a complex one, marked by advancements in design and technology, yet also hindered by financial constraints and geopolitical changes.
The T-84’s development began as an improvement over the Soviet T-80 tank. After the death of Soviet Defense Minister Dmitry Ustinov in 1984, who was a strong proponent of gas-turbine engines, focus shifted to equipping T-80 tanks with diesel engines, leading to the creation of the T-80UD. The design and development of the T-80UD were significantly influenced by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (KMDB), which later played a crucial role in the development of the T-84.
Post the dissolution of the Soviet Union, KMDB, recognizing the potential in the T-80UD’s export success, embarked on creating the T-84 by upgrading the 6TD engine from the original 1000 horsepower to 1200 horsepower. This upgrade allowed the tank to maintain its mobility despite the added weight of additional modules. The T-84 also featured a new welded turret, which offered better protection and greater upgrade potential compared to the cast turrets used previously.
The first T-84 “Oplot,” with these upgrades, rolled off the assembly line in the spring of 1995. However, the basic T-84 design didn’t find any takers internationally, prompting further improvements by KMDB. They developed their own KBA-3 125 millimeter tank gun, a close copy of the 2A46M-1, and introduced indigenous “Nozh” ERA to replace the Russian-made “Kontakt-5” ERA. These upgrades, along with others like the addition of an APU and new radionavigation equipment, led to the creation of the T-84U or Object 478DU9, which was adopted by the Ukrainian military in 2000.
In an attempt to secure contracts in NATO countries, specifically Turkey, KMDB developed the T-84–120 “Yatagan” with a 120 millimeter NATO gun. Despite its advanced features, including a new autoloader design and a gun-launched ATGM, the Yatagan project did not result in a contract with Turkey.
The most recent variant, the T-84 “Oplot-M” or BM Oplot, was conceptualized as a modernization kit for the T-84Us already in service. This variant features improved “Nozh-2”/”Duplet” ERA, a massive PKN-6 stabilized thermal commander sight, and an ecological version of the 6TD-2 engine. Despite the order for modernization in 2009, financial constraints hindered the process.
The T-84 Oplot entered service in the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 1999, but due to financial difficulties, they were later put into storage. In 2016, a contract was signed for the restoration and upgrading of all ten T-84 Oplot tanks, but only six were restored and equipped with advanced technology such as thermal imagery and a rear camera. The fate of the remaining four is uncertain, with some reports suggesting they were sold to the US.
The T-84 Oplot-M, manufactured by Malyshev Plant, is an advanced version of the T-84. It is a combat vehicle capable of engaging both ground-based and low-flying, low-speed aerial targets, offering superior protection and mobility. The tank has a KBA-3 125mm smoothbore gun, a coaxial machine gun, and an anti-aircraft machine gun, with a combat weight of 51 tons.
