PT-91 Twardy
In service 1995 - In service
Based onT-72M1 (Polish production) (upgrade of)
Poland's deeply reworked T-72, fielded in 1995. Included as the end point of the Cold War Polish line rather than as a Cold War service vehicle in its own right.
Built byZaklady Mechaniczne Bumar-Labedy
Development history
The PT-91 took the Polish-built T-72M1 and applied everything learned from the Jaguar studies and the Merida programme: ERAWA explosive reactive armour of Polish design, the Drawa fire-control system with a stabilised gunner's sight and thermal channel, a more powerful 850 hp engine, an improved transmission, an automatic fire-suppression system and the Obra laser warning set with automatic smoke discharge. The first vehicles reached the Polish army in 1995, four years after the Warsaw Pact dissolved, which is why it is labelled here as an end-of-era successor. Malaysia bought a version as the PT-91M Pendekar, and Polish PT-91s have since served in Iraq and remain in front-line use.
Variants
One canonical record, 2 recorded variants.
PT-91 Twardy
1995ERAWA-1 reactive armour, Drawa fire control, Obra laser warning, 850 hp engine.
PT-91M Pendekar
2007Malaysian export version with a French fire-control system and 1,000 hp engine.
Notable actions
- Iraq War (Polish contingent)