Improvisation in Ukraine: T-62 tank hull with a BMP-2’s turret
A captured Russian T-62 tank from the Army Forces of Ukraine [AFU] will be revived by fitting a turret from a BMP-2 armored personnel carrier. A photo of the ongoing renovation was shared on social networks.
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Most likely the main 155mm smoothbore gun was damaged or destroyed. By putting the turret of the BMP-2 on the tank, the Ukrainians will turn this combat hybrid into a heavy infantry vehicle, which will be equipped with a 30mm 30mm 2A42 autocannon.
It can be seen that the photo was taken in a workshop. When and where it was made – we have no information. But the photo is further evidence that the AFU uses everything available from its inventory, as well as everything captured by the Russian army that can be used. Most likely, the integration will be successful. Before the war, Ukraine was armed with Soviet-designed military equipment for decades. I.e. the technical and engineering knowledge to build this hybrid is there.
However, this modernization is familiar. Algeria’s army, which also operates Soviet and Russian military equipment, uses a similar hybrid. There is a photo during a military parade showing BMPT-62 heavy IFVs made of old T-62 tanks with B05Ya01 Berezhok turrets fitted [that’s the name of the BMP2 turret].
Israel also has a ground combat vehicle that uses a tank hull. The Israeli Achzarit armored personnel carrier uses a Soviet design hull – that of the Soviet T-54/T-55 tank.
The Ukrainian “hybrid” shows the importance of compatibility in military production. Not only the Soviet Union/Russia, but also Western designs of heavy land vehicles are produced in a similar manner. Unified platforms are important, which can subsequently serve to build various combat vehicles.
One of the popular Western platforms, for example, is BAE Systems’ CV90. Thanks to it, the company can quickly produce light tanks, main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, infantry vehicles, minesweepers, other types of self-propelled artillery. In this way, as is actually the case in Ukraine, after a battle it can be seen which part of the combat vehicle was used. In this way, a half-destroyed combat vehicle can easily be restored or converted into another.
The Ukrainian hybrid T-62 + B05Ya01 Berezhok reinforces the opinion that of the two countries directly at war, Ukraine feels the need for armaments. This does not mean, however, that if Kiev had what it needed in sufficient quantities, we would not see such integration. On the contrary, in war all weapons are extremely important and their life ends only when either the war is over or they are completely destroyed and cannot be repaired. The Russian army also makes similar hybrids of its own.
It is possible that we will witness many more such Ukrainian hybrids in the future. Russia has sent rather outdated T-62 tanks to Ukraine. Some of them received some kind of modernization, mostly in the field of optical sights or additional armor, but others did not have this chance. So, the ongoing war means more captured T-62 tanks. Amount that can be used by Ukrainian engineers for new hybrids.
The war in Ukraine revealed the ability of both countries to operate and improvise on the ground. The Orlan-10, for example, the drone that was supposed to be key to the Russian military but failed miserably, was often caught on camera with a plastic bottle under the drone’s body. This bottle was used by the Russians as a fuel tank. Yes, clumsy home design, but if it works, why not.
Improvised “griddle grill” type armor over tank domes became fashionable in Ukraine. How effective they are is another matter. In the war, we saw how quickly Ukraine was apparently able to transform a civilian quadcopter drone into an attack vehicle. We have hundreds of photo and video evidence of their use. Ukraine’s military forces use them in two ways: either they deliver a charge to the battlefield by dropping it into the open turret of a Russian vehicle, or they are used as kamikaze drones.
So the combination of a T-62 body with another part of another weapon should not surprise us. If Ukraine’s counter-offensive takes place in late May, less June, as Kiev claims, we will most likely see many more such hybrid home-made weapons. War is just that – it consumes a lot of resources, of both countries.
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