ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — Islamabad is discussing an option to send 44 T-80UD tanks to Ukraine. However, there are conditions, according to sources. Someone will have to pay for these tanks, or as the Ukrainian media Defense Express writes, “the main condition is financial assistance from Western countries.”
- Azerbaijan and Pakistan already have trained Akinci UCAV ‘pilots’
- 159 containers of ammunition are traveling from Pakistan to Ukraine
- 120 quasi-ballistic missiles Pralay along the border with Pakistan
Ukraine and Pakistan have good relations in the field of military production. Since the beginning of the war, Islamabad has been sending humanitarian aid and military supplies to Kyiv. However, official Islamabad rejects claims that Pakistan has supplied weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
Such claims have appeared recently. Then, according to various sources, 155mm shells, M4A2 projectile charges, M82 pods, and PDM detonators were delivered to Ukraine. The delivery was made through a third party. Poland is said to be that country, although there is no evidence.
Now Pakistan clearly wants not only to cash in on a possible delivery but also to avoid the wrath of Russia. Such a transfer would legally “wash Islamabad’s hands” of the Kremlin by saying that they are not responsible for the actions of third parties.
However, BulgarianMilitary.com recalls that since the beginning of the war, there has been a double standard regarding military supplies. I.e. when a country wants to deliver its Soviet or Russian equipment, it does not ask for permission from the producer country – Russia. However, when Western weapons are to be supplied, the permission of the producing country, most often the United States, is sought. In this way, Ukraine is harmed in the supply of weapons. I.e. Kyiv receives more Soviet obsolete equipment than it needs Western equipment.
The tanks for which Pakistan intends to request financial compensation are actually Ukrainian production. It is based on the Soviet tank T-80, developed in 1987. “UD” in the designation of the Pakistani tank actually means “Ukrainian Diesel”.
A 125 mm smoothbore gun is the main armament of the tank. This allows the T-80UD to use different ammunition, which is basically a Russian standard. These include armor-piercing projectiles with a stabilized rejection fin [APFSDS], high-explosive anti-tank [HEAT] projectiles, and high-explosive fragmentation [HE-FRAG] rounds.
The armor of the T-80UD is made of ceramic and steel materials. It was designed according to the standards of the 90s of the last century. I.e. the armor was supposed to provide protection from then-standard anti-tank missile systems, including armor-piercing projectiles.
A 6-cylinder Ukrainian diesel engine powers the tank. It delivers at least 1,000 horsepower. A full tank of fuel will give the tank an operational range of 560 km. The maximum speed of the tank is 60 km/h.
Pakistani T-80UD tanks were delivered to Islamabad in the late 1990s. Pakistan currently has 320 units of this tank in its inventory. The tank is led by 3rd generation, like most of the tanks currently in service around the world. According to open sources, all 320 tanks are operationally ready and in service with the Pakistan Army.
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