prototypes:
object 172
object 172-2M
USSR version:
T-72 Ural object 172M (in service since 1974)
cannon 2A26M2, optical rangefinder TPD-2-49, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered 80 + 105 + 20, tower - cast
modernization: addition of armor plate to the front of the hull, addition of dynamic armor (T-72V), replacement of the optical rangefinder for laser (TPD-K1)
T-72 Ural-1 object 172M1 (1976)
cannon 2A26M2, optical rangefinder TPD-2-49, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered 80 + 105 + 20, tower - composite (corundum)
modernization: addition of armor plate to the front of the hull, addition of dynamic armor (T-72V) replacement of the optical rangefinder for laser (TPD-K1)
T-72A object 176 (1977)
cannon 2A46, laser rangefinder TPD-K1, night sight shooter TPN-1 (later series TPN-3)
armor: hull front - layered 60 + 105 + 50, tower - layered (insert based on quartz and glass binder)
modernization: addition of armor plate (16 mm) to the front of the hull, side belt covers, smoke grenade launchers, anti-radiation layer on the roof of the tower, addition of dynamic armor (T-72AV)
T-72B object 184 (1985)
cannon 2A46M, SŘP 1A40-1, night sight shooter TPN-3, system PTŘS 1K13
armor: body front - new layered (layers of steel, hardened steel, rubber, antineutron ballistic inserts - 9 layers in total without dynamic armor), tower - BDD type armor + dynamic armor of the first generation in later series, later series equipped with dynamic armor of the new generation K -5 (around 1989), the last series have been supplemented by SRP with a sensor of wind speed and direction (about 1990)
T-72B1 object 184-1 (1985)
cannon 2A46M, SRP 1A40-1, night sight shooter TPN-3, is not adapted for launching PTRS
armor: the same as the T-72B
T-72BM object 184M (originally T-72B2 Rogatka/ T-72B2 Рогатка)
modernized T-72B for the Russian army
command version:
T-72K object 172MK
T-72AK object 176K
T-72AVK building 176KV
T-72BK object 184K
T-72B1K object 184K-1
projects: T-72BU completed after the collapse of the USSR as T-90
T-72B3 (2013)
modernization of older T-72B for the Russian Land Forces, gradually included in the armament since 2013
export version:
T-72 object 172M-E
cannon 2A26M2, optical rangefinder TPD-2-49, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered (I do not know whether the first or second variant), tower - cast
T-72 object 172M-E1
(I do not know the differences from the previous version)
the body of the body should correspond to the second variant (60 + 105 + 50)
T-72M object 172M-E2
cannon 2A46, laser rangefinder TPD-K1, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered 60 + 105 + 50, tower - cast
39 pieces of ammunition for the cannon, without side belt covers and without smoke grenade launchers, NV drivers TVNE-4PA
T-72M object 172M-E3
cannon 2A46, laser rangefinder TPD-K1, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered 60 + 105 + 50, tower - cast
39 pcs of cannon ammunition, with side belt covers and smoke grenade launchers, NV driver TVNE-4B, new driver's seat
T-72M object 172M-E4
cannon 2A46, laser rangefinder TPD-K1, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered 60 + 105 + 50, tower - cast
44 pieces of ammunition for the cannon
T-72M1 object 172M-E5
cannon 2A46, laser rangefinder TPD-K1, night sight shooter TPN-1
armor: hull front - layered 16 + 60 + 105 + 50, tower - layered (something quartz-based insert)
Note: Although many sources on the Internet claim that there are different variants of turret armor and that export models have worse armor, information directly from NIISTALI, on the contrary, indicates that all T-72M1 produced in the USSR for export have turret armor identical to T-72A. The only differences in this variant are on different prototypes. The mistake was probably caused by insufficient distinction between T-72M and T-72M1.
T-72M1 object 172M-E6
(I do not know the differences from the previous version)
T-72S
(So this is still quite a mystery. There seem to be countless variations in armor, equipment and even marking… T-72M1M, T-72S1…)
There should be a variant of the object 172M-E8 which was exported to Iran in the early 90's - armor and equipment is the same as the T-72B (but I do not know if it includes a system PTŘS) + dynamic armor K1 (first generation) and also wind speed sensor.
(I haven't found anything about object 172M-E7 yet)
Pavel Novak