"Russian/GSFG MRD tanks in the 1980s" Topic

Okay, I've been trying to puzzle out the USSR's tank allocation circa the mid-1980s for GSFG. I believe all the tank divisions were equipped with T-64 and T-80, but what about the organic tank assets of the Category I Motorized Rifle Divisions? Would they have had T-64/T-80 as well, or T-62s, or T-55s, or even T-72s?

MRDs had T-64 and T-80, even BTR equipped units had them.

Tally Ho!

Nick is correct, there were never any T-72's in GSFG/WGF. T-55's and T-62's were gradually phased out as the T-64 arrived in numbers, and these were later supplemented heavily by the T-80 in the 1980's. Only T-72's in the GDR were operated by the NVA. Soviets did have T-72's in the CGF in Czechoslovakia that would have been used in southern Germany through the Danube River Valley.

Sorry that I don't know but what does GSFG stand for?

Group of Soviet Forces Germany

Group of Soviet Forces Germany.

Thanks, gentlemen! What tanks would the Warsaw Pact allied nations be sporting up around NORTHAG?

Polish and East Germans (NVA) had T-72, with some NVA units still with T-55.

Tally Ho!

DDR NVA frontline units with T-72M/M1, all got upgraded to M1 status 1988+, in mid 1980s (85-86) they would only have had T-72M. Bulk of the armed forces would still been with (one of the numerous variants of) T-54 and T-55.

Soviet forces facing NORTHAG were equipped with T-64's (at least 2nd Guards Tank Army was, the main striking force in that sector). 8th Guards Tank Army aimed at Fulda was outfitted with T-80's (all of this circa mid-late 80's).

Actually Cold Warrior, that turned out to be a misconception of NATO intelligence. The T80s were scattered in penny-packets across GSFG until quite late in the Cold War. A company here, a company there. I'm not claiming this pattern of deployment made any sense, but that is what they did according to information that has come to light since the Wall came down.

Actually Cold Warrior, that turned out to be a misconception of NATO intelligence. The T80s were scattered in penny-packets across GSFG until quite late in the Cold War. A company here, a company there. I'm not claiming this pattern of deployment made any sense, but that is what they did according to information that has come to light since the Wall came down

Interesting as we watched a Regt worth of T-64 leave their bks, line up at the rail head and depart, to be replaced in reverse by T-80. The imagery I have is a BTR MRR and an adjacent ITB all T-80 equipped,

Tally Ho!

There was an excellent post on this subject here on TMP a couple of years back. It seems that the initial roll-out of T-80 had whole units and formations being so re-equipped, but as T-80 production slowed to a crawl they were alloacted in penny-packets. So both viewpoints are probably true.

Nick, that is very interesting. What year did you see the complete regiment replacement of T64 by T80?

"Polish and East Germans (NVA) had T-72, with some NVA units still with T-55"

Unfortunately, this is factually incorrect.

My father's division, which was very much "frontline", only finished transitioning to the T55 in 1987 and was still fully equipped (214 combat vehicles) with them in 1990. This was pretty much the same for all the Motorisierte-Schützen-Divisions. Of the two Panzerdivisions, 7.Panzerdivision only had about 20% of its tanks as T72s in 1990, while 9.Panzerdivision was 100% equipped with T72s.

I used to ride around in T54s when I was a child.

Jurgen