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10 Second War Stories brings military history to life through stories, veteran profile, force profiles, and equipment guides across all nations and conflicts.

What is the T-72 tank?

The T-72 is a main battle tank created by the Soviet Union. It first entered service in 1973 to serve as the backbone of their armored forces. Because it was relatively cheap and easy to build, the Soviet Union made thousands of them for their own army and for many other countries.

What are the main features of the T-72?

The most powerful part of the T-72 is its large 125mm main gun. This cannon is designed to fire shells that can punch through heavy armor plating. Thousands of these tanks were built by a factory called Uralvagonzavod to ensure the Soviet military had plenty of machines ready for combat.

How was the T-72 used during the 1991 Gulf War?

The Iraqi army used many T-72 tanks during the 1991 Gulf War, particularly within their elite Republican Guard units. One of the most famous encounters took place during the Battle of 73 Easting in the desert. During this fight, Iraqi tank crews faced off against the best armor the United States had to offer.

What happened when the T-72 fought the American M1A1 Abrams tank?

When the T-72 met the American M1A1 Abrams, the older Soviet design proved to be outmatched. The American tanks featured advanced technology that allowed them to see, track, and fire at targets from much further away. Because of this, the M1A1 Abrams destroyed many T-72s before the Iraqi crews could even land a shot.

What is the historical legacy of the T-72?

The T-72 serves as an important lesson about the rapid speed of military technology. Its performance in the Gulf War showed a massive gap between older Soviet-designed tanks and the modern Western tanks of the 1990s. History remembers this clash as a key example of how better sensors and targeting systems can decide the winner of a battle.

Home Library Soviet UnionT-72

Main Battle Tank

T-72

A Soviet-designed main battle tank used by Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War, where it was outmatched by US M1A1 Abrams tanks.

Soviet Union Introduced 1973 UralvagonzavodRole: Main battle tank

Specifications

Main gun

125mm smoothbore

Crew

Top speed

about 60 km/h

Weight

about 41 tons

History

The T-72 is a Soviet main battle tank introduced in the early 1970s and widely exported, including to Iraq. It has a 125mm gun and was built in large numbers. During the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi T-72s of the Republican Guard fought US M1A1 Abrams tanks at the Battle of 73 Easting. The T-72s were outmatched: they could not see or shoot as far or as accurately as the Abrams, and many were destroyed at long range. The battle showed the gap between older Soviet-designed tanks and modern Western armor.