M-84AS1: A New Horizon

Yontzee · July 20, 2023, 3:00am

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M-84AS1: A New Horizon 150px-Emblem_of_the_Serbian_Land_Forces_

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The M-84AS1 main battle tank featuring advanced armor layout and soft-kill active protection systems.

Description:
- Role: Main Battle Tank
- Origin: Serbia
- Manufacturer: Military Technical Institute
- Summary:
  - The M-84 is a Yugoslavian main battle tank developed in the late-1970’s, early 1980’s by the Military Technical Institute of Belgrade. Developed from the Soviet T-72M, the M-84 was produced since 1984 and received multiple upgrades through its lifetime. These upgrades significantly enhanced the overall firepower, mobility, and armor protection of the vehicle, allowing it to compare favorably to the T-72A of the Soviet Army. The M-84 features a SUV-M-84 fire control system (FCS), a locally designed FCS that allows for far better targeting and engagement of targets, and enhanced sights to augment the main gun, a 2A46M 125mm smoothbore gun. Supplementing the main gun is a 7.62mm M86 machine gun as well as a 12.7mm M87 anti-aircraft machine gun. The M-84 is crewed by a team of 3 personnel, the Commander, Gunner, and Driver. The M-84 was in use with the Yugoslavian Army, and since its dissolution, serves in Serbia, Croatia, Kuwait, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia. The M-84 has served in multiple conflicts ranging from the Persian Gulf War to the Yugoslav Wars. Some have been even sent to Ukraine.
  - In 2017, the M-84 received its latest modernization from Serbia’s Military Technical Institute. This new variant would be dubbed the M-84AS1. Two versions of this M-84AS1 were developed, the 2017 model and the 2020 model. The 2017 model received numerous modifications but more impressively, the 2020 model, received the full attention of the Serbian defense industry. The 2020 model features very significant upgrades over the base model M-84, or M-84A. One of the most noticeable features is the next generation explosive reactive armor (ERA) dubbed ERO-19, or M-19 ERA. This ERA has been applied all over the turret in wedge-fashion as well as on the roof, the upper front plate (UFP), and the sides of the hull protecting vital components and crew stations. The ERO-19 is a locally developed ERA that is expected to perform similarly to the Russian Army’s ‘Relikt’ ERA used in its latest generation of main battle tanks. This ERA has been claimed to offer complete kinetic protection against the 3BM46 ‘Mango’ APFSDS-T round. Around the engine compartment and rear of the turret is installed cage armor for protection against HEAT-shaped charges. Another feature is a serious upgrade of the M-84A’s FCS, incorporating a modernized DNNS-2 TI Gunner’s sight capable of effective night-time engagement, the Belarussian PKP-MRO Commander’s independent thermal viewer (CITV) or Tank Commander’s Panoramic Surveillance and Observation Station (TOMS) CITV, both capable of hunter-killer operation, an unstabilized M-15 remote weapon station (RWS) equipped with a 12.7mm machine gun to engage soft targets from within the vehicle, and much more. The new FCS is designed to fire new ammunition developed by the Borbeni složeni sistemi factory including a new APFSDS-T round for defeating modern armor, as well as a programmable airburst round for targeting soft targets as well as low flying helicopters. It can also fire 9M119-series gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles, or GL-ATGM. Borbeni složeni sistemi factory also produces brand new 2A46M main guns equipped with thermal sleeves for the new M-84AS1. The M-84AS1(2020) is equipped with a soft-kill active protection system (APS) that utilizes a laser and missile warning receiver known as the LDWS-2020 that is designed to detect incoming missiles and deploy a smoke screen to allow the tank to relocate from incoming threats. Some additional electronics are new front camera module known as the SDNP-19 and rear camera modules for the Driver, allowing the Driver to operate the vehicle effectively at night, improving overall visibility… The M-84AS1 still utilizes the same propulsion system including the 1,180hp V-46TK supercharged diesel engine and hydromechanical transmission from the standard M-84A, however can be upgraded to the V-46TK1 supercharged diesel engine which is capable of producing 1,200hp for further enhancements. Several other upgrades have been introduced such as new sensors, new cameras for the Driver and Commander, new digital control panel for the Driver, GLONASS navigation system, automatic fire extinguishers, and more, increasing crew comfort, and survivability. A sister variant of the M-84AS1(2020) was developed in parallel, known as the M-84AS1 phase II, or M-84AS2, which features enhanced armor layout, covering the weak points of the UFP on the AS1(2020) as well as an additional layer of ERA protection on the turret roof to protect against top attack munitions. Currently the M-84AS1(2020) has not been accepted into service and remains in development/prototype status.
- Additional Note(s):
  - Currently there isn’t too much difference between the M-84AS1(2020) and the M-84AS2. Both rely on the same equipment and systems, with the AS2 featuring a taller Commander’s cupola, thicker ERA coverage on the turret, as well as full coverage on the UFP. Possibly may do a suggestion for it in the future unless someone else does so.
  - Multiple CITV’s for the Commander have been installed/tested on the M-84AS1 however for this suggestion, the PKP-MRO and Tank Commander’s Panoramic Surveillance and Observation Station (TOMS) CITV will be the primary optics.
  - To view the M-84AS1’s sister vehicle, the suggestion can be found here:
Armament:
- Primary: 125mm 2A46M Smoothbore Gun
  - Cartridge: 125mm
    - Ammunition:
      - APFSDS-T (New)
      - HEAT-FS
      - HE-FRAG
      - HE-AB (New)
      - GL-ATGM
    - Feed System:
      - Autoloader-22rds (42rds total)
- Coaxial: M86 7.62mm Machine Gun
- Tertiary: M15 Remote Weapon Station w/ 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun
Maneuverability:
- Engine: 1,180hp V-46TK Supercharged Diesel Engine
- Transmission: Hydromechanical (5-forward, 1-Reverse)
- Chassis: Torsion Bar
- Max Speed: 65km/h
Dimensions:
- Length: 9.53m (w/ gun forward)
- Width: 3.73m
- Height: 2.23m
- Weight: 45t
Crew (3x):
- Commander
- Gunner
- Driver
Accessories:
- 12x 81mm Smoke Grenade Launchers
- ESS
- Laser Rangefinder
- LDWS-2020 Laser/Missile Warning System
- Entrenching Blade
- Armor:
  - ERO-19 Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA)
    - Is located on turret and UFP with the option to mount on hull sides,
  - Cage Armor
    - Can be mounted around just the engine compartment or length of the vehicle.
- NVD:
  - Driver: TNPO-168V Day Periscope and Thermal Camera Module (3rd-generation Thermal Imager)
    - Rear camera module also installed.
  - Gunner: DNNS-2 TI (3rd-generation Thermal Imager)
  - Commander:
    - PKP-MRO CITV or Tank Commander’s Panoramic Surveillance and Observation Station (TOMS) CITV (3rd-generation Thermal Imager)
In-game:
- The M-84AS1 is a powerful main battle tank capable of brawling with top rank main battle tanks of rank VII. Equipped with powerful 125mm main gun that utilizes modern rounds including a new APFSDS-T round capable of penetrating around 500mm of RHA (@ 2km), the 9M119-series GL-ATGM’s, as well as a programmable airburst round for ‘deleting’ low flying helicopters. Not to mention it also has ERA said to rival the Russian ‘Relikt’ ERA, allowing the M-84AS1 to take some series hits from both Kinetic and Chemical rounds. In terms of mobility, the AS1 is equipped with a powerful engine, capable of traversing obstacles and reaching points or targets quickly but lacks the reverse speed similar to variants of the T-72. The M-84AS1 deserves a spot in-game, and would do well sitting at the top of a Yugoslavian Ground Forces tree.
- Estimated Battle Rating: 11.0
Sources: