The popular Western Belgian military magazine «Army Recognition» analysed how the Russian tank construction industry is doing after the introduction of sanctions from the US and Europe. The magazine's experts concluded: Russia was able to successfully «adapt and even thrive given the circumstances» in this direction.
The country actively replaced its tank arsenal from February 2022 and began MCO. And this is not only the release of «old models» such as the T-72, T-62 and T-54/55, but also the T-90. Some of them were damaged or destroyed during the course of the MCO, according to experts.
However, the loss of the T-90 does not necessarily signify Russia's weakness; rather, it reflects the increase in deployed T-90s. In essence, Russia loses more T-90s because it has more to lose.
According to «Army Recognition», Russia's tank losses are a «calculated risk». Replacement models arrive very quickly, and already modernized. So quickly, in fact, that «Russia could potentially produce enough new T-90MS in six months to outstrip the entire arsenal of Ukraine's modern Western tanks».
The publication also notes that the latest military deliveries of T-90M «Breakthrough» and T-72B3M have been an „important step“ for Russia to strengthen its armored capabilities.
Modernized tanks arouse great interest among Western experts. This is from all sides: from the update in the ammunition to its universal protective «Overcoat» reflecting rockets and drones. They are also interested in external body updates on the T-90M, the „exact purpose“ of which remains „a subject of conjecture“.
Military operations using drones are becoming increasingly common, and such innovations underscore the importance of adapting traditional military equipment to modern challenges. Military analysts around the world will be closely monitoring the deployment of these upgraded tanks.
«Army Recognition» also characterizes the T-90M «Breakthrough» as having improvements «in protection, mobility and firepower» and describes a number of its new outfits, «enhancing survivability on the battlefield» and giving «impressive mobility».