The T-72B main battle tank isn’t just a tank but a marvel of durable and multifunctional design. Even though its design dates back to the Cold War era, the tank still holds a strong position. Its history is basically the gradual change of the armored fighting vehicles over the different decades to adapt to the changing combat requirements, thus combining firepower, protection, and mobility into the almost unpredictable war terrains. From the 1980s production to its present use in Ukraine, the T-72B has been nature’s disaster of its capacity to survive contemporary wars and still keep on being deadly.
The T-72 was created as a less complex, less expensive companion to the sophisticated yet problematic T-64. It was manufactured in 1973 as an attempt to be rugged, mobile, and easy to operate, even for poorly trained operators. The initial models were plagued—approximately primitive fire control, microscopic nighttime vision, and armor that could only withstand low-caliber guns. As the advanced anti-tank guided weapons, such as the TOW and MILA, came into action, all these weaknesses soon surfaced and compelled the designers to upgrade their performance.
The 1984 T-72B introduced solutions to the majority of these shortcomings. Its enhanced composite armor has been referred to as “Super Dolly Parton” because of the typical turret cheek plates. KONTAKT-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA) mounting provided it with extra protection against modern anti-tank ammunition, providing it with approximately 700–900mm of equivalent armor protection against most threats. No tank is ever completely invulnerable, but it made the T-72B much more survivable in intense combat.
Not every T-72B was built the same. Export models, such as the T-72S ‘Shilden,’ included lighter ERA and other trade-offs. The tanks supplied the majority of armor to Polish, Czech, and East German units. Each country operated in its own way: Polish crews preferred aggressive assault, Czech units used large formations for morale, and the East Germans were very well trained in strict, accurate breakthroughs. These tanks were phased up over the years and thus remained operational even after several decades. To this day, the T-72B remains extremely sought after.
The fact that it is still being used in Ukraine attests to the versatility of the platform. The U.S., for one, paid for remanufactured Czech-produced T-72Bs for the Ukrainians because it realized that it would be too expensive, too time-consuming, and would require extensive training to bring completely new tank systems into the battlefield.
Ukrainian officers already accustomed to the system would have no problem adapting to these tanks, and they would have a disadvantage relative to Russian troops using the same tanks. War is different.
Drones, electronic warfare, and high-capability weapons now present persistent threats. Some predicted that tanks like the T-72B would be obsolete, but modernization like ERA, urban armor kits, and counter-IED technology helped keep them alive.
In the meantime, guns remain the “God of War,” and while FPV drones are commanding the headlines, they’re still beset by technical maladies, jamming, and the skill level of their operators.
Mortars and light guns are stable, consistent, and still not affected by these new guns. Despite modernization, the brutal realities of extended war have seen both sides deploy more old reserve tanks, some with no new optics or thermal imaging.
Russian forces, for instance, started equipping tanks with SOSNA-U thermal sight units from 2022, but battle forced older variants to be rammed back into action, where their varied capabilities were all muddled in a mess. In such situations, fire control equipment, optic quality, and crew training can be as controlling as the armor itself. The still-active use of the T-72B confirms the value in simplicity and heavy-duty platforms.
Though Western tanks like the Leopard 2 or M1 Abrams offer advanced technology, complexity, and logistical needs undermine forces committed to Soviet design to extend power quickly. The T-72B, on the other hand, integrates simplicity of design with incremental development, giving it versatility and reliability in attack as well as defense.
Into the future, the T-72B—and the concept of main battle tank—only improves. Drone swarms, electronic warfare, and precision-guided weapons will continue to compel armored forces to adapt. But what history shows us is that with the right adjustments and plan, the tank is far from archaic. The T-72B proves that tough, well-designed armor has its place on the battlefield today.