The US Army brings the Ukrainian T-84 tank to the Yuma test site

The US Army has a Ukraine-made T-84 main battle tank stationed at the Yuma Proving Ground, the Army’s premier test center.

Last year’s Outpost newspaper featured a new photo of the T-84 tank, also known as the updated version of the T-80UD, at Arizona’s Yuma Proving Ground.

The Ukrainian tank with an installed Drozd Active Protection System (APS) was spotted in the YPG courtyard for threat systems and target simulation with other Soviet and Russian combat vehicles used to train US troops and test new types of weapons.

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In 2003, the US government received four T-84 main battle tanks (the latest version of T-80UD with the APS system) from Ukraine. The four tanks arrived at the US Army’s Aberdeen Test Center in December 2003 and January 2004.

The first T-84 prototype was introduced in 1994, and in the same year it was decided to build several more vehicles. They were subjected to extensive company and army trials. After the successful completion of the extensive test program at the end of the 1990s, the T-84 tank entered service with the Ukrainian army in 1999. On August 24, 2000, 10 T-84-MBT took part in the parade marking the 10th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.

Drozd is the first Soviet operational APS that developed between 1977 and 1982.

This system was developed to protect against anti-tank missiles (ATGM) and anti-tank grenades. Primitive millimeter wave radar sensors were used on each side of the tower to capture incoming rounds. A filter in the radar processor should ensure that the system only reacts to targets that are flying at speeds typical for ATGMs.

These are attacked by one or more short-range missiles carrying fragmentation warheads (similar to mortar shells) that are fired from four-round launchers (one on each side of the tower)
Maximum overlap and protection only for the front 60 ° part of the tower, leaving the sides and rear part vulnerable.

Brig. General Ross Coffman, Director of Project Convergence 20 and Director of Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross
The function team visits the YPG courtyard for threat systems and target simulation and shows one of the vehicles in its fleet up close. Photo by Mark Schauer

In addition, in early April 2020, the Ukraine-made T-84 tank was also spotted on satellite images posted on online military forums.

Satellite image

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