Will Vietnam's T-90S tank have the opportunity to carry Armata explosive reactive armor?
Russia has just introduced the configuration of reactive armor with 4S24 explosive blocks on the T-90 main battle tank, a version exclusively for export.
Currently, Russian main battle tanks often use early generation Kontakt 1 explosive reactive armor with 4S20 brick-shaped explosive blocks built around the hull and turret.
In the Kontakt 5 and Relikt armor generations, the 4S22 and 4S23 explosive blocks were tilted to protect against kinetic energy penetrators as well as 2-layer hollow-point bullets.
However, due to the use of a rather strong "outward" explosive effect, the above explosives can cause serious casualties to infantry supporting tanks and armored vehicles, leading to the need for further improvement.
Responding to urgent demands, on the T-14 tank as well as the T-15 Armata infantry fighting vehicle, Russia has equipped it with reactive armor with the latest generation of 4S24 explosive blocks arranged in a tiled roof shape to protect against penetrating bullets fired across the body.
This explosive mass creates less shrapnel and shock waves, thus greatly reducing the risk of causing casualties to soldiers as well as damage to vehicle shells and equipment.
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| Reactive armor modules with 4A24 explosive charges equipped on the T-14 Armata main battle tank. |
More specifically, Russia recently announced a new explosive reactive armor configuration for the export version of the T-90S/SK main battle tank with these 4S24 explosive blocks, which will be integrated into the side armor in the form of a tile roof.
Previously, the side was considered the biggest weakness of the T-90 tank, because they were only equipped with a skirt made of rubber panels and reinforced with 3 armor plates in the important position in front of the body. Some versions such as the Iraqi one reinforced the side armor similar to the 2016 T-72B3 with Relikt armor but it was still limited.
Now with the side armor configuration that Russia has just introduced, it can be said that the "fatal" weakness of the T-90 tank has been almost completely overcome.
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| Configuration of the T-90S main battle tank with side armor made of 4S24 explosives with cage armor |
Another notable point is that Russia said they are ready to immediately integrate this latest generation of explosive reactive armor into the T-90S/SK tanks or the export version of the T-90M.
Russia is currently implementing two contracts to supply T-90 tanks to Iraq and Vietnam, of which Iraq has received the first shipments, while we have yet to receive any T-90s.
Because integrating 4S24 armor is very easy due to the modular structure of these explosive blocks, if there is a request from a partner, Russia will equip the vehicle immediately, which opens up hope that Vietnam's T-90 will have superior defense capabilities compared to the basic configuration.
