Is the T-72MP a viable foe for modern tanks such as the M1A2 Abrams SEP or the Leopard 2? Even with all of the upgrades, does it stand a realistic chance of surviving combat with the latest generation of tank?

http://www.morozov.com.ua/eng/body/t...u=history5.php

The only T-72 I would consider using is the one Ukraine has, with its 120mm smoothbore cannon and relocated protected ammo storage among other upgrades, probably the best of this tank breed imo. Still I have my doubts over just about any T-series of tanks standing up against western counterparts.

That's the tank in question. It's from the state owned Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau.

The idea of taking an inferior product and putting modern upgrades on it leaves me a bit cold. Rather than ending up with a superior machine, it would seem to me that you would still have "junk with nice rims" if you will.

Not really see example F-15. There are some fundmental problems with the T-72 but from my extremely limited knowledge the tank in question could of been on par with first flight M1A1s at closer ranges (Westren FCS are just flat better) but not the more modern versions of the tank or Leo2s.

I have had to research this issue soooooo much, and this is what I concluded;

The Soviet T-tanks were never designed to go 1 to 1 with NATO tanks. They would loose every time. What they were designed for was mass assault. NATO would run out of fuel and ammo before they ran out of targets. In fact, T-tanks were only designed to last two weeks in battle, before they started to fall apart from wear and tear! WW3 was never envisioned to last for more then a week anyway...

So, when you think about it, the T-72x(T-90) would NEVER match up to a western tank, 1 to 1. But, after factoring in all of the battlefield conditions and the Soviet battlefield strategy, I would say that a Soviet T-72x(T-90) could, if not would, eventually come out ahead of NATO's tanks.

It’s interesting to ponder on what tank or weapons system would be better. But you have to look at the overall strategy to really get the picture.

Cheers!