ESSA and Plisa went into usage of Russia in 2006 on T-90A (2006 was also first appearance of Sosna sight on T-72B2) and in 2004 on T-80UE-1 and T-80UA tanks in form of Plisa. T-80UE-1 was built in number of 30 IIRC with T-90A getting much better numbers.
Dont currently know about T-80UA really, other than it’s adoption.
Same happened with Egypt Ka52 (Egypt at first having more Ka-52 than Russia for some time, Russia only buying Ka-52 because it was bought by others), Mi-35P, T-90S tanks to this day where T-90AS carry same side protection as T-90M while old T-90A dont get such upgrade unless remade into T-90M, BTR-82A (with Belarus ones getting thermals earlier than BTR-82AT went into full scale production), BMPT Terminator (IIRC some country bought them with Russia still not having them in full production)
Currently the pantsir is equipped with unique technologies not available in other countries and it is in game bullying every plane
Same could be said about ground Radar (available only to Russia afaik) the smokeless AIM-9M and the gun lead on the T-2 when they were introduced…
The only reason minor countries not having their technologies is the time of development for the low impact on the game in my opinion (developing 1 feature for only one vehicle unplayed by the majority isn’t good for business)
Even by 2022, the majority of Russian MBT’s did not field any thermal imagers, so I’m very curious why you’re claiming Catherine was the ‘‘standard’’ around 2004.
I mispoke. I don’t believe it to be false based on what I know. What I meant is that if you think the claim is incorrect then take it up with Thales. France supplied Russia with plenty of thermal imagers for service, testing and even helped established domestic manufacturing. In lieu of any other sources (which I don’t have the time to go looking for anytime soon), I’ll refer to what Thales said.
I am aware of that yes but the Russian army would (I hope) supply their T-90s and T-80s fully before moving onto T-72s. I don’t know when exactly the T-72s received their thermals but it was before the conflict.
T72B3 had it all along but T72B had gotten the same package. T72As are not deployed cause to be frank, T64s and T62 retired in USSR times are better preserved.
I’m yet to find where the diagram comes from. I’ll have to look around. But a simplified and historically accurate reticle would be nice to choose between.
Because all soviet tanks that dont have it are of soviet origin.
Only tank that I could think of that can be considered russian modification that doesnt have thermals would be T-72BA.
T-72B3 with thermals appeared in 2011.
T-90 initially got small numbers of Agava 2, getting far bigger production of 2006 T-90A with thermals.
T-80UM and T-80UE-1/ UA.
Yes, obviously the T-72B3 has thermal imagers. It’s one of the primary goals of the entire upgrade program.
The problem is that, though the T-72B3 is very common, it’s still not common enough to make up the majority of the Russian tank fleet by 2022-.
T-72B '85, T-72B '89, T-80U, T-80BV, T-64BV, T-80B, etc. generally do not feature thermal sights and they still make up the majority of tanks fielded.
The T-72B2 is the superior vehicle, but it is clearly not the more recent vehicle (which I believe is what they meant with ‘‘up to date’’).
