"Syrian Army Now Has T-90s" Topic

I just had a 20-minute YT vid of the Aleppo offensive playing on my 2nd monitor as background noise ( youtu.be/nX0oocjtcwY ), and in the comments someone pointed out a T-90, which I hadn't noticed. Apparently the SAA has had them since late last year: ( link )

Meanwhile, Syrian T-90s in action near Aleppo were then reported by Iran's FARS news agency on February 2. According to the agency, T-90 tanks were deployed near the town of Khan Tuman, south of Aleppo, after the Syrian Army regained control over the town in December.

Using the advantages of the T-90 tank, the Syrian Army alongside its allies surrounded the strategic towns of Khan Tuman and Al-Karassi, along the Aleppo-Damascus highway, a military source told FARS News.

On February 5, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told RNS news agency that in late-2015, a number of T-90 machines were delivered to Syria. According to the source, previously the tanks were in service with the Russian military. Syrian troops practiced at training fields in Russia.

The T-90 was delivered to Syria because the tank is equipped with the Shtora active armor, military analyst Alexei Ramm told Gazeta.Ru. Unlike, for example the T-72B, the T-90 tanks of the Russian Armed Forces were initially equipped with this type of armor. The need for it was dictated by the fact that many Syrian militants are armed with TOW missiles.

EDIT: Added the last paragraph about the ERA protection due to the TOW missile threat. That makes sense….otherwise the T-90 is overkill for assault gun/infantry support work.

It will be interesting to see how they perform vs. the TOW missiles.

I find it misleading to write: "…the tank is equipped with the Shtora active armor, military analyst Alexei Ramm told…"

Shtora is not armor, it is an active defence/protection system supplementing the vehicle's armor package.

Either the writer doesn't know what they are talking about or the editor feels that "active defence/protection system supplementing" is too technical for his imagined audience.

Or both!

John T

Perhaps they confused the Shtora system with Kontakt? Good catch about the error though…

Could be a word count limit and it was easier to same armor versus active defense system.

Some parts of the profession are beginning to refer to active defence systems as "active armour" so it isn't necessarily wrong :)

Some parts of the profession are beginning to refer to active defence systems as "active armour" so it isn't necessarily wrong :)

Then I find this part of the profession misleading as well.

Regardless, may be they can use them to push on to Aleppo, Raqqa, etc. … Pick up trucks don't do well vs. MBTs …

Pick up trucks don't do well vs. MBTs …

Depends what's on the pick up truck…

Pick up trucks don't do well vs. MBTs

Not even the Ford 150 with MILITARY GRADE ALUMINIUM?!?

Depends on how much explosives are packed onto the pick-up truck. Heck of a lot cheaper too.

LOL Waco.

Expect to see the commercial for that in next year's Super Bowl.

How long before Daesh has those T-90's??? That's the real question!!!

Depends what's on the pick up truck…

Like a TOW or SAGGER, etc., true … but even with Syrian crews I'd give it 50/50 …

Depends on how much explosives are packed onto the pick-up truck. Heck of a lot cheaper too.

True … but generally Pick Ups' survivability is much less than an MBT. Even the Ford 150 with MILITARY GRADE ALUMINIUM !

How long before Daesh has those T-90's???

Hopefully later than sooner. But I don't think the Syrians are as poor soldiers as the Iraqis.