The T-72 is a family of Soviet main battle tanks that first entered production in 1971. About 20,000 T-72 tanks have been built, and refurbishment has enabled many to remain in service for decades. The T-72A version introduced in 1979 is considered a second-generation main battle tank. It was widely exported and saw service in 40 countries and in numerous conflicts. The T-72B3 version introduced in 2010 is considered a third-generation main battle tank.
The development of the T-72 was a direct result of the introduction of the T-64 tank. The T-64 was a very ambitious project to build a competitive well-armoured tank with a weight of not more than 36 tons. Under the direction of Alexander Morozov in Kharkiv a new design emerged with the hull reduced to the minimum size possible. To do this, the crew was reduced to three soldiers, removing the loader by introducing an automated loading system.
