Polish PT‑91 Twardy tanks bolster Ukraine's frontline capabilities
On the eastern sector of the front in the Zaporizhzhia region, Polish PT-91 Twardy tanks have been observed. They symbolise the finest modernisation of T-72 tanks that have journeyed to Ukraine from the West. Here's what these tanks can accomplish.
Ukraine has already welcomed at least 90 PT-91 Twardy tanks (30 in 2022 and 60 this year), yet some sources even mention as many as 168 units. The PT-91 Twardy tanks, alongside the Czech T-72 SCARAB, represent the most recent updates of the T-72 family machines provided to Ukraine by Western nations and others.
The PT-91 Twardy tanks significantly surpass not only the older T-72B but even the slightly updated, mainly in optoelectronics, T-72M1R. Thus, the Polish PT-91 Twardy can complement units armed with modernized T-64BM2 Bulat tanks or those captured from the Russians, like the T-72B3 or T-80BWM.
PT-91 Twardy — Polish package of thermal imaging and reactive armour for old T-72 tanks
The PT-91 Twardy tanks were devised in the 1990s to enhance the capabilities of Polish armoured forces using T-72M1 tanks as a baseline. To compensate for the lack of armour compared to the Russian T-72B (export versions of Russian tanks were always inferior to their domestic counterparts), it was decided to equip them with reactive armour, ERAWA.
This method mirrors the Russians, who fitted their tanks with Kontakt-1 reactive armour blocks. However, the Polish solution used smaller blocks, enabling a denser layer over the main armour and making it significantly lighter, thus minimally affecting mobility due to added weight. This weight, albeit relatively minor for its protection, was balanced using an S-12U engine with increased power to 850 kW.
The Polish armour has performed admirably, and its second version, ERAWA-2, even offers partial protection from projectiles with tandem warheads designed to defeat reactive armours, as noted by Łukasz Michalik.
Other enhancements include the fire control system, DRAWA, with a ballistic computer that calculates corrections for the gunner and a thermal imaging sight, greatly enhancing situational awareness and target identification capabilities.
Moreover, a notable modification for the eastern theatre of operations is Obra's self-defence system, which alerts the crew about laser radiation and automatically launches smoke grenades towards the source. This feature is crucial, given that the latest Russian anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) 9M133 Kornet employ a laser beam for guidance.
The 125 mm cannon remains unchanged, and Poland lacks modern anti-tank ammunition. However, this issue is less significant in Ukraine, and the Polish tank receives positive feedback. Its only notable criticism is the underpowered engine, which struggles after the addition of extra armour.
