The BMOplot isthe best home made Main Battle Tank ofthe Ukrainian Army. Itis arelatively modern vehicle, yet based onan older Soviet platform. Inessence itis anupgraded version ofthe T-84 tank, which isitself anupgraded version ofthe T-80UD Beryoza, basically aSoviet T-80U with aUkrainian 6TD series diesel engine.
The whole story ofthe BMOplot begins with the T-80U. The most significant component ofthis vehicle isits turbine engine, which makes the T-80 avery specific tank within the Russian arsenal. Ithad afervent supporter inthe person ofMarshal Dmitry Ustinov, Soviet Defence Minister until his death in1984. Yet not everyone was asenthusiastic asUstinov about the idea ofbuilding alarge number ofturbine-powered tanks, since aturbine engine has many advantages, but also significant disadvantages, including what was the bane ofthe military industry atthe end ofthe Soviet era: itwas very, very expensive. Atlate 1980s prices, aV-46 engine ofa T-72 cost around 9,600 roubles, while that ofa turbine-powered GTD-1000 was 104,000 roubles – more than ten times asmuch. Itwas also agreedy engine, expensive tooperate and repair and requiring alot ofmaintenance. Inshort, itwas not what the Soviet military industry asa whole expected.
That's why, very early on, experiments were carried out onadapting adiesel engine toa T-80 tank, inparticular atthe Kharkiv factory, which was already using compact, high-performance diesel engines inits parallel T-64 production. Anew version ofthis diesel, called the 6TD-1 and developing 1000 hp, was used. Originally, this engine was tobe used ina much-improved T-64 prototype, also equipped with anew turret (a tank called Object 476). However, ifthe programme failed, itwould find its way into the chassis ofa T-80 inanother experimental programme, called Object 478.
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The first Object 478 prototype was basically aT-80 chassis combined with anObject 476 turret with the 125mm 2A46M-1 smoothbore gun, and the 6TD-1 engine. Animproved version called the Object 478M was also envisaged. The designers added all sorts ofsophisticated and expensive components tothe basic construction, including anew Sistema FCS, aShatyor APS (which never really came tofruition) and anew 1500hp diesel engine called the 12ChN. But, asoften happened, intrying topush their ideas through, they came upagainst two major problems: money and Ustinov, who was determined that Kharkiv should produce the T-80U, inhis aim torun asmany turbine-engined tanks aspossible. The Object 478 programme was cancelled – atleast for awhile. Only about four dozen T-80Us were built. Ustinov’s death changed the projects again,
Shortly after minister’s death in1984 anofficial Soviet study was published, with aclear conclusion: over the next five years, the Soviets could choose between building 2,500 diesel tanks or1,500 turbine-powered tanks. These calculations were heavily weighted inKharkiv's favour. Asa result, the Object 478 programme was relaunched inthe form ofa T-80U tank that Kharkiv was building, but powered bythe 1000 hp6TD engine variant. The prototype ofthis tank was called Object 478B "Beryoza" (Birch). Five prototypes were built in1985 and passed their tests. They were shown toMr Gorbachev and, in1986, production was approved under the name T-80UD.
Kharkiv originally wanted the tank tobe called the T-84, following inthe tradition ofexcellent Soviet models – the T-34, T-44, T-54 and T-64. Opponents argued that this was not such agood idea, asit would indicate that the Soviets were infact using four different 'standard' MBTs atthe same time (T-64, T-72, T-80 and T-84, not tomention the discontinued tanks still inservice). Eventually, the dispute reached the ranks ofthe Supreme Soviet ofthe Soviet Union, where itwas finally decided toretain the designation T-80UD.
In terms ofcombat value the T-80UD was fairly similar tothe T-80 and was produced from 1986–1987 to1991. Around 500 tanks were built upto the fall ofthe Soviet Union, and 300–350 ofthem were located inor near Kharkiv atthe time ofdissolution ofUSSR. The T-80UD model was really known tothe public. Itfirst appeared openly atthe 1990 Victory Day military parade, and only came toprominence when aT-80UD serving with the 4th Kantemirovskaya Guard Brigade attacked the White House inMoscow during the 1993 Constitutional Crisis. Asa service vehicle, itwas withdrawn from Russian service in1995.
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With the dissolution ofthe Soviet Union in1991, demand and military funding collapsed and the Malyshev plant inKharkiv was left tofend for itself. The main problem was the sudden shortage ofcomponents produced outside Ukraine. Over 70% ofall T-80UD components were produced inRussia and had tobe bought incash, which the factory inparticular and Ukraine ingeneral did not have. Kharkiv was left with only one option: tobuild for export. And todo this, they modernised the T-80UD tomake itmore attractive.
They had toreplace the components that were nolonger available. The turret was aparticular problem, asthe original manufacturer, Azovstal ofMariupol, had gone bankrupt. Toreplace it, the Kharkiv factory designed anew welded turret. The protection levels ofthis turret are not known, but some experts estimate that they are roughly equal tothose ofthe T-80U's standard moulded turret. Thus improved, the T-80UD (or Object 478B) became Object 478BK (with aKfor katannaya, meaning welded). This tank, along with several other Kharkiv prototypes were successfully tested inPakistan and alarge order of320 units was placed bythe Pakistani Army in1996. The tanks were delivered between 1997 and 1999. Ofthese 320 tanks, 145 had astandard moulded turret (52 built during the Soviet era) and this export variant was called the Object 478BE. The others had the new BKturret and this version was called Object 478BE-1. Some ofthese machines apparently came directly from Ukrainian Army stocks – the number ofT-80UDs inservice was reduced from 350 to271.
The T-80UD continued toevolve. The experimental Object 478D series oftanks was used totest awhole new range ofcomponents, including aUkrainian copy ofthe 2A46M-1 125mm smoothbore gun, known asthe KBA-3; Aynet FCS, enabling the tank tofire HEshells with aprogrammable detonation point; TPN-4 Buran-E night sight; a1500 hpversion ofthe 6TD engine, called the 6TD-3 (rejected due toadditional development costs); aUkrainian copy ofthe APS Soft Kill Shtora; and different suspensions. The best ofthese were shown atthe IDEX exhibition inAbu Dhabi in1995 under anew name T-84.
Unlike Kharkiv's improved T-80UD, the T-84 did not attract many people, not even the Ukrainian Army. This did not discourage Kharkiv from continuing towork onit, resulting ina long line ofprototypes with many additional components. The most remarkable ofthese isObject 478DU9, also known asthe T-84U Oplot (Fortress), dating from 1999. Asthe name suggests, this was amodernization ofthe original T-84, which included animproved ERA kit called Nozh (knife), consisting ofseveral layers ofexplosives that were (allegedly) even effective kinetic projectiles. Other improvements included anew 1200hp 6TD-2 engine with amore robust transmission, thermal imaging system based onthe CATHERINE system, new digital FCS and animproved electronic systems with GPS.
The tank weighed 48tonnes, had acrew of3 men and excellent mobility, with amaximum speed of75 km/h. Itwas armed with a125mm KBA-3 smoothbore gun with 40shells placed inan improved automatic loading mechanism, located inthe turret carousel and separated from the crew compartment byan armoured plate, finally correcting one ofthe most obvious shortcomings ofthe T-80 tank.
Ukraine ordered 10tanks which were tobe delivered between 2002 and 2003, but was only able topay for 6ofthem. The remaining four were purchased bythe Americans for their OPFOR units. Six Ukrainian T-84U tanks were inservice until around 2016, when they were sent toKharkiv for amajor overhaul. They did not return toactive service until 2018. Aninteresting derivative ofthe T-84U Oplot was the T-84-120 Yatagan, which was essentially the same tank but with aNATO-standard 120mm KBM2 gun. This tank was offered toTurkey, but nothing concrete came ofit. However, inKharkiv, the process ofmodernising the Oplot continued toarrive atthe final version, the BMOplot.
Compared with the T-84U, the BMOplot had anumber ofimprovements, including better FCS, aday/night panoramic commander's viewfinder, with athermal imaging system, avew welded turret with improved protection, additional side protection with armour plates, animproved Duplet ERA kit, highly effective against tandem warheads, APS Soft Kill Varta, developed from the old Shtora system, Improved 1200 hp6TD-2E engine with reduced exhaust drag and automatic transmission, and new communications equipment.
The tank weighs 51tonnes and can reach speeds ofup to70 km/h. Itis still armed with the 125mm KBA3 gun, but the FCS improvements considerably increase its combat value. The gun has anelevation of+15° and adepression of-4°. Itis ofcourse fully stabilised and can fire semi-active Kombat beam-guided ATGMs. The first Oplot-M took three months tobuild and was unveiled in2009. Ukraine initially ordered 10examples, but this time the order was cancelled entirely. The tank was then shown topotential foreign buyers atthe IDEX 2011 exhibition inAbu Dhabi, ata price ofUS$4.9 million per vehicle. InSeptember 2011, Thailand ordered 49Oplot tanks. Due tomany production problems the contract was not completed untill March 2018.
The Ukrainian Ground Forces reportedly had six T-84 inservice asof 2021, but the current number isunknown. Battlefield footage published inearly 2023 indicates least one ofthe tanks was possibly damaged bya Russian-made ZALA Lancet drone. OnMay 12, 2023, Defense Minister Reznikov drove anOplot ata training ground inKharkiv Oblast and subsequently announced that the Armed forces of*ckraine would order anunspecified number ofOplots. None isactually listed among the Ukrainian tank losses onoryxspioenkop.com.
