Would you like to see T-62M Obr. 2022 in-game?
- Yes, as a Tech-Tree Vehicle
- Yes, as a Premium Vehicle
- Yes, as a Squadron Vehicle
- Yes, as an Event Vehicle
- No, I do not want to see this tank in-game.
0
voters
T-62M Obr. 2022
The T-62M Obr. 2022 is one of the latest in the long line of T-62 modernizations, shaped by lessons from contemporary battlefield conditions. Conceptually, such an upgrade could have been realized as early as the mid-1980s, but cost-cutting measures likely prevented that from happening. The package equips base T-62Ms with explosive reactive armor and slat protection covering nearly all angles, greatly enhancing survivability. The tanks also received a mediocre yet domestically produced thermal sight with an integrated laser rangefinder. A portion of the fleet has also been fitted with uprated 690 hp engines. As a result, the Obr. 2022 finds a solid balance between cost and protection. Its upgrades are straightforward and avoid adding new complexity, while even removing unnecessary systems. The upgrade is incredibly pragmatic and makes it easier for crews to operate and maintain the tank in modern combat conditions.
This vehicle would be an excellent addition for the infantry mode, as this modernization was specifically intended to provide all-around protection against light shaped-charge weapons such as RPGs. At the same time, its reinforced frontal armor remains capable of resisting more powerful anti-tank threats (including tanks). The addition of a thermal sight would also improve its ability to detect infantry in dense urban environments. For these reasons, I would like to suggest the T-62M Obr. 2022 for inclusion in War Thunder.
Key Features of the T-62M Obr. 2022:
- Reactive Armor Coverage – The hull front is reinforced with Kontakt-1 ERA mounted over the existing composite appliqué plate from the 1980s upgrade. Additional ERA is fitted across the full length of the side skirts, as well as on the turret roof, rear, and flanks. Interestingly, with the addition of Kontakt-1, the hull glacis now offers HEAT protection on par with the turret.
- Slat Armor Protection – Cage armor is added to the rear of the hull and around the turret, shielding the rear and partially the sides. Notably, the hull rear itself is not fitted with ERA.
- Simplified External Equipment – Nonessential fittings, including the snorkel kit and the smoke grenade launchers, have been removed to make space for ERA blocks. Only the DShK heavy machine gun’s ammunition boxes remain.
- Updated Optics – The gunner’s sight has been modernized with a domestic 1PN96MT-02 thermal imager and integrated laser rangefinder. The old laser rangefinder unit above the gun has been removed. The tank no longer has the capability to fire ATGMs.
- Advanced Ammunition – This T-62 is capable of using the most advanced and powerful ammunition developed for the 115 mm smoothbore gun, excluding barrel-launched ATGMs.
- Engine Upgrades – A number of tanks have been refitted with a 690 hp diesel engine.
- Dozer Blades – A number of vehicles mount bulky dozer blades, which improve engineering capability and provide for improved frontal protection (with certain potential sacrifices).
- “Brezhnev’s Eyebrows” – The distinctive turret composite blocks from the original T-62M remain uncovered by ERA. Crews report that these armor modules still offer acceptable protection against many threats on today’s battlefield. However, some modified vehicles have been seen with ERA blocks mounted directly on top of the “Brezhnev’s Eyebrows.” These additions are field modifications.
Disclaimer: It is important to emphasize that the features described above belong to an official factory modernization of the T-62M, developed after the events of 2022 and publicly displayed at Army-2022 exhibition. Any additional equipment or fittings seen on vehicles in recent service, with the exception of dozer blades, should be treated as field modifications unless confirmed otherwise. This suggestion refers specifically to the factory-modernized T-62M shown in the images.
History:
Spoiler
The T-62, entering service in the early 1960s, was the first mass-produced tank with a 115 mm smoothbore gun, offering superior firepower over the T-55 but only modest improvements in protection. By the 1980s, rising threats from HEAT and APFSDS rounds prompted the T-62M upgrade, which added applique armor or “Brezhnev’s Eyebrows”, along with better optics, a laser rangefinder, ATGM capability, and a 620 hp engine. In parallel, the T-62MV introduced Kontakt-1 ERA instead of the applique armor, trading improved protection against kinetic rounds for stronger resistance to shaped-charge weapons. While both modernizations extended the tank’s service life, they reflected different armor philosophies: the M against kinetic penetrators, the MV against HEAT.
The later T-62M Obr. 2005 attempted more ambitious upgrades but failed to gain traction, whereas the T-62M Obr. 2021 was a pre-war package emphasizing optics and only partial protection improvements. These set the stage for the far more pragmatic Obr. 2022 modernization.
The photograph above shows a T-62M in service during the Soviet-Afghan War.
It is notable that as far back as the Soviet–Afghan War, crews were already fitting slat armor to the flanks of their vehicles. This shows that the vulnerability of the T-62’s sides was recognized at the time of the original T-62M upgrades. While the exact reasoning within Soviet procurement remains unclear, it is reasonable to assume that more comprehensive factory solutions were avoided due to a likely cost-cutting approach to modernization.
The photograph above shows a T-62M Obr. 2021. Note that the sides of the engine compartment are protected by slat armor rather than explosive reactive armor. Meanwhile, the rear of the turret remains completely unprotected and carries only the mounting supports for the CITV mast.
The Obr. 2021 upgrade highlighted many of the shortcomings of older T-62Ms, yet once again cost-cutting was obvious. ERA was added, but only in a limited way, applied to the side skirts and not even across their full length, while the engine deck was covered only by slat armor. The turret and glacis front received no meaningful protection upgrades at all. By contrast, the Obr. 2022 package closed nearly all of these gaps with far more comprehensive coverage.
The photograph above shows the T-62M Obr. 2022 modernization process. Additional Kontakt-1 explosive reactive armor and slat armor were fitted, while the original sighting system was replaced with a modern thermal sight incorporating an integrated laser rangefinder. This made the bulky external laser rangefinder previously mounted above the gun redundant, so it was removed. The opening left for its wiring was then covered with a Kontakt-1 ERA block.
Obr. 2022 In-depth:
Spoiler
One change that stands out is the removal of smoke launchers on the Obr. 2022. In today’s battlefield, where drones pose the primary threat, their utility is limited. Still, they could theoretically have been relocated, mounted, for example, on top of the turret’s “Brezhnev’s Eyebrows”, yet this was not done. From a gameplay perspective this omission will be a major handicap, but in reality smoke launchers are often neglected in combat. They add maintenance demands without providing decisive protection, which likely explains why they were omitted altogether in the Obr. 2022 upgrade. Nevertheless, some modernized tanks have retained their smoke grenade launchers.
When it comes to firepower, no T-62 can surpass this one. It can naturally use the most advanced ammunition available for the T-62’s 115 mm cannon. For example, 3BK15M HEAT-FS, 3BM28 APFSDS with a Depleted Uranium Penetrator or 3BM-36 from 1988, which is essentially a 125 mm 3BM-32 penetrator. However, due to changes to its optics, it can no longer fire barrel-launched ATGMs. However, in contemporary conflicts, they are mostly used for artillery support and primarily fire HE rounds.
Interestingly, the addition of Kontakt-1 to the hull glacis applique armor raises its protection against HEAT warheads to a level comparable to that of the turret. A small IR spotlight on the turret remains in place, while the original bulky unit has been removed. In the field, some crews have addressed the gap in ERA coverage between the glacis and lower hull by adding extra Kontakt-1 blocks there, and in certain cases even mounted ERA on the front fenders. A number of T-62Ms have also been seen with ERA bricks fitted directly over the “Brezhnev’s Eyebrows.”
The rear remains the tank’s most vulnerable sector. On the turret, numerous gaps in ERA coverage are evident, especially around the slat mounts, the shell ejection port, and the DShK ammunition storage. Yet, these weak spots are extremely difficult to exploit with conventional weapons, short of FPV drones. However, any modern anti-tank system more powerful than a basic RPG is capable of disabling the transmission and leaving the vehicle immobile. Even so, the added slat armor may still protect the crew from the worst effects of a powerful HEAT strike to the rear hull. On the rear left of the turret, the tank mounts a box-like structure or storage container. Its exact purpose remains unclear, though it may serve as a signal jammer or simply additional stowage.
The gap between the glacis and lower hull can also be covered when a dozer blade is fitted, providing additional protection in that area. However, fitting the dozer mechanism may come at the cost of some ERA coverage on the glacis, or even the removal of the composite plate itself. That said, heavy dozer blades are not a new feature for the type, having been observed on T-62Ms as far back as the Soviet–Afghan War.
Additional Images:
T-62 Obr. 2022 — Specifications:
Spoiler
Type: Upgraded T-62 (M/MV).
Crew: 4 — commander, gunner, driver, loader.
Main armament:
- 115 mm U-5TS smoothbore gun.
- Ammunition load: ~40 rounds.
Secondary armament:
- Coaxial 7.62 mm PKT.
- Roof heavy MG (12.7 mm DShK or equivalent) — removed in many cases.
Fire control & optics:
- Gunner: 1PN96MT-02 thermal sight with integrated laser rangefinder.
- Ballistic computer upgrades where fitted.
- Large legacy night vision projector removed.
Protection (variable by vehicle):
- Original composite appliqué (turret “Brezhnev’s Eyebrows”) retained (n/a to MV).
- Kontakt-1 ERA added on: hull glacis (over composite plate, side skirts (full length), turret roof/rear/flanks (where fits).
- Slat/cage armor applied to hull rear and around the turret rear.
- Dozer blade fitted on some vehicles (adds frontal protection / may sacrifice ERA or even the composite plate).
- Smoke launchers removed.
Maximum Protection:
- Hull glacis (Composite + Kontakt-1): ≈ 550–750 mm RHAe vs single-charge HEAT.
- Turret cheek / “Brezhnev’s eyebrow” (Composite + Kontakt-1): ≈ 700–850 mm RHAe vs single-charge HEAT.
Mobility & powerplant:
- Typical: V-55U ~620 hp (most common).
- Upgraded examples: ~690 hp installed in some cases.
- Estimated top speed: ~50 km/h.
- Suspension and drivetrain refurbished during refit.
Weight & dimensions:
- Base T-62M: ≈41– 42 t.
- Fully upgraded obr. 2022 (ERA, cages, dozer, extras): ≥42 – 43 t
Additional equipment:
- Some units use: mine plows/rollers, dozer blades.
- Some units use: simple Cope-cages and EW units.
- Modernized radios/intercoms in many vehicles.
Strengths:
- Considerable improvement vs single-charge HEAT threats in ERA-covered zones.
- Better night/all-weather engagement capability via thermal gunner sight.
- Cheap, fast retrofit that increases survivability in drone/infantry-dense environments.
Limitations & vulnerabilities:
- Kontakt-1 ineffective vs tandem warheads; still weak vs modern APFSDS KE rounds.
- Roof/rear and certain seam areas remain vulnerable.
Sources:
View
T-62M tanks: how the armor of these vehicles works
Russia shows modernization of T-62 tanks
Russia launches modernization of 800 T-62M and T-62MV tanks for deployment in Ukraine
T62 Main Battle Tank
https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/17295301
The designation T-62M Obr. 2022 is supported by multiple sources:
https://dzen.ru/a/ZBAxCotX7AcpwK38
A T-62 Tank With A Mineplow And Drone-Defenses Is The Ultimate T-62
