Russia's production power: Modernization of T-90M tanks for the Northern Military District zone

The Russian arms industry demonstrates high production capacity, which allows it to cover the losses of armored vehicles in the special military operation (SVO) zone without the need to resort to old Soviet stocks. This is confirmed by a UK Defense Intelligence report estimating that Russian factories are capable of delivering at least 100 new tanks per month.

Production facilities and modernization

A significant portion of these deliveries are T-90M tanks, an improved version of Russia's main battle tank. Serial production of the T-90M began in 2018, encountering initial technical difficulties, which were soon successfully overcome. For every new T-90M tank, there are three modernized T-90A tanks, which makes it possible to effectively update the armored vehicle fleet.

Between 2017 and 2019, the state defense order included plans to acquire about 160 T-90M tanks, mainly through the modernization of the T-90A. The first batch was delivered in April 2020, including ten tanks transferred to the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division. In November of the same year, the Kazan Tank School and the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division received ten more tanks. In March 2021, a third batch of eight tanks was delivered to the 27th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, which received another 18 tanks in August 2021.

These deliveries indicated a pre-SVO annual production volume of approximately 40 tanks. However, with the outbreak of the conflict, Uralvagonzavod, Russia's largest tank-building enterprise, significantly increased its production capacity. In 2023, production reached 60-70 tanks per year, and by 2025 it is expected that production could exceed 90 units per year.

Production efficiency under sanctions

Despite Western sanctions, production of tanks, including the T-90M, has not slowed down. The appointment of Andrei Belousov as the new Minister of Defense emphasized the priority to strengthen military-industrial power by reducing dependence on other countries. In December 2023, then Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the delivery of 1530 tanks within a year, of which 1180 to 1280 tanks came from warehouses.

Although there is a gap between the number reported by Shoigu and the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) estimate, the gap may be explained by the presence of tanks hidden in bays and unaccounted for by NATO reconnaissance satellites. At least 1600 tanks may remain at the storage bases, although the extent of their safety is unknown. Some of the 350 tanks may be newly produced, and many may be recovered from warehouses.

Technical characteristics and combat capabilities of the T-90M

The T-90M is an advanced version of the Russian T-90 main battle tank, designed to improve performance in a variety of combat scenarios. This tank is equipped with a V-92S2F diesel engine with a power of 1130 horsepower, providing a maximum speed of about 60 km/h and a range of up to 500 km with external fuel tanks. This power plant ensures that the T-90M can effectively maneuver on the battlefield.

The T-90M's armor includes advanced composite protection and reactive armor, allowing it to withstand a variety of anti-tank ammunition. The tank is also equipped with an automatic loading system, which reduces the crew size to three people: commander, gunner and driver. A modern fire control system improves targeting accuracy, and a digital battlefield management system provides better situational awareness and coordination with other units.

The main armament of the T-90M is the 125mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore gun, capable of firing various types of ammunition, including armor-piercing, high-explosive fragmentation and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). These ammunition have a range of up to 2500 meters for APFSD and up to 5000 meters for ATGM, making the T-90M a powerful weapon on the battlefield.