Difference between revisions of "T-64A (1971)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_64a_1971}}
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{{About
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| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = T-64 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=ussr_t_64a_1971
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''T-64A''' is the second variant of the [[T-64 (Family)|T-64 main battle tank family]]. Even as the first variant of the T-64 was being produced, the design team was hard at work on a new variant, codenamed Object 434 (designated T-64A), to improve the firepower. The new variant was to be outfitted with a brand new and extremely powerful 125 mm D-81T tank gun from the Perm weapons factory. Given the increased calibre of the main armament, it is estimated that only a maximum of 25 rounds can be carried. This was unacceptable to the Soviet designers, but strict dimensional constraints prevented them from enlarging the design to increase interior space. The solution was to replace the human loader with a mechanical autoloader, reducing the crew to three and introducing autoloaders to Soviet main battle tanks for the first time.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]], the T-64A should be played primarily defensively, using terrain for cover and pushing objectives with caution. It has good firepower but mediocre armour, average mobility, and a very slow reverse speed. Since many of the vehicles it will face will easily penetrate its hull armour, the T-64A should be played as a sniper, and close-range engagement should be avoided. Since the majority of the vehicles it will encounter have greater mobility, it is critical to be aware of enemies flanking around the battlefield.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Spaced armour (Hull front, Turret front)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 80* mm (68°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 80 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis'' || 85 mm ''Front'' <br> 70 mm ''Rear'' <br. 20 mm (33°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (8-55°) ''Top'' <br> 45 mm ''Center'' <br> 20 mm (18-58°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm ''Front'' <br> 20 mm ''Engine deck''
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 50-330 mm (0-80°) || 65-180* mm (2-49°) || 65 mm (2-72°) || 40-140 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 100 mm || 40 mm
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Composite armour* !! Front !! Sides
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 320 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 450 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A
 +
|-
 +
| Turret || 400 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 450 mm ''Chemical'' || 400 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 450 mm ''Chemical''
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, torsion bars are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 30 mm thick.
 +
* The side flaps on the hull side gives spaced protection against HEAT rounds, allowing one to angle the hull slightly while protecting the vulnerable side hull.
 +
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
 +
* A 5 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment
 +
* A log providing 100 mm thickness in wood.
 +
* The snorkel tube on the turret rear provide 4 mm of structural steel.
 +
* Hull roof armour at front and turret base is rated to be 30 mm effective against HE
 +
* Hull spaced armour configuration is 80 mm RHA + 105 mm Textolite + 20 mm RHA.
 +
* Turret spaced armour configuration is 150-180 mm CHA + 150 mm HHRA + 32 mm RHA.
 +
 
 +
The T-64A has composite armour over most of its upper front glacis and turret, although it has some obvious weak points - it has no LFP composite armour, the driver's port is not reinforced and there are some small sections of the turret that are easily penetrable. Unfortunately, though, many vehicles the T-64A will encounter have ammunition that can easily overmatch the UFP composite and often will simply punch straight through - it's best to avoid exposing the hull at all. HEAT ammunition is finicky as T-64A was built around protection specifications against shaped charges, the composite armour is 450 mm effective when against HEAT warheads and there are side flaps on the side hull to prevent even the chance of hitting the T-64A weaker side armour on the first try, although these side flaps are one-time use only so prolonged combat may have sheared these off already. Try to avoid aiming for the turret as it is the most protected area of the tank with a good portion covered by composite, leading to the need of massive amount of penetration to consider the turret a viable target, like the HOT missiles.
  
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''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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In a situation where the T-64A decides to hull-down and present as little of the front plate as possible, the best option is to attempt to disable the vehicle's gun - the mantlet is destroyed easily and combined with the sub-par reverse speed, this may provide enough time to push forward or around the vehicle and get a clear shot on the hull. Where possible, try to land the shot centre-mass below the turret which often causes an ammunition detonation.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
−
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 +
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
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 +
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,085|rbMinHp=619}}
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|2A26 (125 mm)}}
  
−
=== Additional armament ===
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
−
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[2A26 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A26]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
 +
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
! Autoloader
 +
|-
 +
! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:2A26 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK12M, 3OF19, 3OF26, 3BM9, 3BM15, 3BM22}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''37''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 37&nbsp;''(+0)''<br>37&nbsp;''(+0)'' || 36&nbsp;''(+1)''<br>36&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+4)''<br>29&nbsp;''(+8)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+8)''<br>1&nbsp;''(+36)''  || 1&nbsp;''(+36)''<br>N/A|| No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* The {{PAGENAME}} main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. It carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
 +
* The 5th projectile rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
 +
* The 4th propellant rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
−
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
== Usage in battles ==
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
It's key to keep the weaknesses of the T-64A in mind for the best performance of the vehicle. The 125 mm gun is extremely powerful and will comfortably perform even against newer and better protected opponents, but in almost every other aspect the vehicle is lacking. Where possible, avoid exposing the hull at all - the easiest way to do so is to use a small defilade or terrain deformity. Sit back, be patient and allow the enemy to expose their weak spots. Most vehicles are faster than the T-64A, so expect hostile tanks to find their way to objectives significantly faster than you will.
 +
 
 +
The T-64A has a very powerful APFSDS round that will be able to penetrate all of its foes. This should be used to its advantage by going in a hull down position using its great turret armour to block shots.
 +
 
 +
Finally, remember that your reverse speed is abysmal - whenever possible avoid situations that will force you to reverse - and if you do have to move back, where possible try to traverse the entire hull and move back with the full speed of your forwards gears.
 +
 
 +
When facing common enemy tanks:
 +
 
 +
* [[MBT-70]]/[[KPz-70]] - When facing the MBT-70/Kpz-70, the best place to shoot is the left turret cheek as this will knock out commander and gunner.
 +
* [[Chieftain Mk 10]] - If hull down, shoot for cannon breech or gun barrel.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Acceptable speed going forward
 +
* Turret cheeks are often surprisingly well protected
 +
* Vehicle is fitted with a surgically precise and devastatingly effective 125 mm gun
 +
* [[Smoke screen|ESS]] covers friendly tanks behind the vehicle
 +
* Side flaps protect the tank from side attacks with chemical energy rounds (once a flap gets hit it will fall off)
 +
* Decent reload no matter what because of the auto-loader system
 +
* Good HE shell, can be a little finnicky
 +
* Very low profile compared to its contemporaries, much harder to spot and hit
 +
* One of the fastest rounds in game (1800 m/s), easy to aim
 +
* Tier 2 and 4 APFSDS shells will go through almost anything in-game
 +
* Can be very hard to destroy in hull-down positions
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Slow horizontal turret traverse
 +
* Ability to fight from range is diminished due to absence of a laser rangefinder
 +
* No smoke grenades
 +
* No thermal optics
 +
* Any penetrating side shot is very likely to detonate ammunition
 +
* Abysmally slow reverse speed (-4 km/h)
 +
* Weak lower glacis, can be penetrated by almost any round at its BR
 +
* Frontal penetration can easily disable 2 of the 3-man crew, leading to a crew knockout
 +
* Sub-par gun depression
 +
* No anti-air capability
 +
* Angling the tank causes the weak side armour to be exposed
 +
* Hull armour flaps are easily penetrated by kinetic munitions when angled
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
 +
 
 +
The T-64A is the second version of the T-64 tank, introduced in 1967 it featured many improvements over the basic T-64. The most notable of these was the 115 mm cannon being replaced with a 125 mm cannon, the T-64A also featured improved armour. The 1971 version of the tank featured new optics, and other minor improvements. The T-64 was one of the only Soviet tanks to never be exported as the Kremlin considered its technology too revolutionary and advanced to allow foreign countries access to it. The T-64A was meant to replace the Soviet heavy tanks such as the T-10M. It was originally supposed to mount a 122 mm gun, but was changed to a 115 mm on the T-64, then to a 125 mm on the T-64A. The T-64 featured composite armour, being lighter and stronger than regular steel armour, being able to resist the shells of NATO 105 mm cannons. It was an incredibly advanced design, featuring an autoloader and a two-plane stabilizer for the cannon. The autoloader allowed the tank to reduce the crew to three, reducing the size of the tank and allowing the tank to be very light while still being heavily protected.
 +
 
 +
===[[wt:en/news/4906-development-t-64a-the-pioneer-of-a-new-era-en|Devblog]]===
 +
Initially, in the early days of the Cold War, it seemed like the USSR had both the technological and numerical advantage over the western allies, when it came to their ground forces, specifically their tanks. Vehicles like the T-54/55 and IS-3 proved to be in many ways superior over some of the top performing vehicles fielded by the West. This remained so until the introduction of the British Royal Ordnance L7 105 mm cannon and its variants. The new cannon featured high accuracy and penetrating capabilities, even at long range, making the superior armour protection on the Soviet tanks neigh irrelevant.
 +
 
 +
The new weapon sent a wake up call to the Soviet tank designers, prompting them to switch from the tried and tested methods and experiences learned in WW2, to new and more advanced techniques and technologies. The first attempt at creating a state-of-the-art main battle tank came in the shape of the T-62, which sported a revolutionary new 115 mm smoothbore cannon that featured unrivaled ballistic properties. However, apart from the new gun, the tank didn't receive any particular changes to its core design to make it stand out from earlier projects, thus the tank was soon relegated to infantry support. The needed breakthrough in Soviet tank development came in the early 1960s with the T-64, designed by Alexander Morozov, the same man that created some of the most famous Soviet tanks, like the T-34-85, T-44 and T-54.
 +
 
 +
The T-64 brought with it a whole host of firsts and innovations to the table, like laminar armour, an autoloading mechanism and more. However, the standout feature of the vehicle is most definitely its use of laminar armour, making it the first vehicle in the world to make use of such an advanced protection system. Thanks to this, the T-64 had extremely effective frontal armour, even outmatching the armour of contemporary heavy tanks, whilst the chassis itself was significantly smaller and lighter. The autoloading mechanism replaced the human loader, in turn reducing the crew count to three men. The new system allowed for a high rate of fire whilst also allowing the fighting compartment to be reduced in size, thus lowering weight and size of the tank. However, with all the new equipment being used for the first time, it comes to no surprise that the tank was also much more expensive to manufacture compared to older Soviet vehicles.
 +
 
 +
Nevertheless, the T-64 began rolling off the assembly line in the early '60s and continued to be manufactured for roughly a good two decades. Though its involvement in numerous conflicts around the globe isn't something to be overlooked, the mark this vehicle left in the history of tank development is far more significant than that though. It not only set a new standard and basis for future generations of Soviet and Russian tanks to come, but it also marks a turning point in history itself, making the T-64 a truly legendary tank.
 +
 
 +
As opposed to the standard T-64, the T-64A features a number of improvements that further increases its combat performance. Most notably, the gun was replaced by a 125 mm smoothbore D-81T cannon, which in its core, was an upscaled version of the 115 mm smoothbore cannon equipped on the previous model. Additionally, the laminar armour of the T-64 was replaced by an improved composite solution, consisting of steel and fiberglass in the hull front and hardened steel filling in turret. This upgrade increased the T-64A's survivability against shaped charge rounds in particular, creating an armoured barrier of over 450 mm of effective thickness on the upper glacis. Despite all of the equipment and armour on the T-64A, the tank still retained a rather low weight, with only around 38 tonnes. Thanks to its compact 700 horsepower engine, the T-64A had excellent mobility, being able to reach speeds of up to 60 km/h on roads and an average speed of 40 km/h off-road.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_64a_1971 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Videos
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
{{Youtube-gallery|POgsyKommVk|'''T-64A versus MBT-70''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|bF5dQvPl9FU|'''T-64A (1971): the Old Russian Legend''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|xI8p0KZbcG0|'''The Shooting Range #65''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
 +
 
 +
== See also ==
 +
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
* [[T-64B]]
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* [[wt:en/news/4906-development-t-64a-the-pioneer-of-a-new-era-en|[Devblog] T-64A - The Pioneer of a New Era]]
 +
 
 +
{{TankManufacturer Morozov}}
 +
{{USSR medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 01:47, 17 April 2024

Rank VII | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the Soviet medium tank T-64A (1971). For other versions, see T-64 (Family).
T-64A (1971)
ussr_t_64a_1971.png
GarageImage T-64A (1971).jpg
ArtImage T-64A (1971).png
T-64A (1971)
USSR flag.png USSR
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
9.3 9.3 9.3
Class:
Research:190 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:520 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The T-64A is the second variant of the T-64 main battle tank family. Even as the first variant of the T-64 was being produced, the design team was hard at work on a new variant, codenamed Object 434 (designated T-64A), to improve the firepower. The new variant was to be outfitted with a brand new and extremely powerful 125 mm D-81T tank gun from the Perm weapons factory. Given the increased calibre of the main armament, it is estimated that only a maximum of 25 rounds can be carried. This was unacceptable to the Soviet designers, but strict dimensional constraints prevented them from enlarging the design to increase interior space. The solution was to replace the human loader with a mechanical autoloader, reducing the crew to three and introducing autoloaders to Soviet main battle tanks for the first time.

Introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A.", the T-64A should be played primarily defensively, using terrain for cover and pushing objectives with caution. It has good firepower but mediocre armour, average mobility, and a very slow reverse speed. Since many of the vehicles it will face will easily penetrate its hull armour, the T-64A should be played as a sniper, and close-range engagement should be avoided. Since the majority of the vehicles it will encounter have greater mobility, it is critical to be aware of enemies flanking around the battlefield.

General info

Survivability and armour

Composite armour
Balanced protection against all types of ammunition
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull80 / 85 / 45
Turret180 / 150 / 65
Crew3 people
Visibility74 %

Armour type:

  • Spaced armour (Hull front, Turret front)
  • Cast homogeneous armour
  • Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 80* mm (68°) Front glacis
80 mm (61°) Lower glacis 		85 mm Front
70 mm Rear <br. 20 mm (33°) Bottom 		20 mm (8-55°) Top
45 mm Center
20 mm (18-58°) Bottom 		30 mm Front
20 mm Engine deck
Turret 50-330 mm (0-80°) 65-180* mm (2-49°) 65 mm (2-72°) 40-140 mm
Cupola 100 mm 40 mm
Composite armour* Front Sides
Hull 320 mm Kinetic
450 mm Chemical 		N/A
Turret 400 mm Kinetic
450 mm Chemical 		400 mm Kinetic
450 mm Chemical

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, torsion bars are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 30 mm thick.
  • The side flaps on the hull side gives spaced protection against HEAT rounds, allowing one to angle the hull slightly while protecting the vulnerable side hull.
  • Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
  • A 5 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment
  • A log providing 100 mm thickness in wood.
  • The snorkel tube on the turret rear provide 4 mm of structural steel.
  • Hull roof armour at front and turret base is rated to be 30 mm effective against HE
  • Hull spaced armour configuration is 80 mm RHA + 105 mm Textolite + 20 mm RHA.
  • Turret spaced armour configuration is 150-180 mm CHA + 150 mm HHRA + 32 mm RHA.

The T-64A has composite armour over most of its upper front glacis and turret, although it has some obvious weak points - it has no LFP composite armour, the driver's port is not reinforced and there are some small sections of the turret that are easily penetrable. Unfortunately, though, many vehicles the T-64A will encounter have ammunition that can easily overmatch the UFP composite and often will simply punch straight through - it's best to avoid exposing the hull at all. HEAT ammunition is finicky as T-64A was built around protection specifications against shaped charges, the composite armour is 450 mm effective when against HEAT warheads and there are side flaps on the side hull to prevent even the chance of hitting the T-64A weaker side armour on the first try, although these side flaps are one-time use only so prolonged combat may have sheared these off already. Try to avoid aiming for the turret as it is the most protected area of the tank with a good portion covered by composite, leading to the need of massive amount of penetration to consider the turret a viable target, like the HOT missiles.

In a situation where the T-64A decides to hull-down and present as little of the front plate as possible, the best option is to attempt to disable the vehicle's gun - the mantlet is destroyed easily and combined with the sub-par reverse speed, this may provide enough time to push forward or around the vehicle and get a clear shot on the hull. Where possible, try to land the shot centre-mass below the turret which often causes an ammunition detonation.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB68 / 5 km/h
RB and SB61 / 5 km/h
Number of gears7 forward
1 back
Weight38.0 t
Engine power
AB1 336 hp
RB and SB700 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB35.2 hp/t
RB and SB18.4 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 68 5 38 1,085 1,336 28.55 35.16
Realistic 61 5 619 700 16.29 18.42

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 425 → 6 106 Sl icon.png
RB4 520 → 6 237 Sl icon.png
SB5 775 → 7 969 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications158 100 Rp icon.png
265 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 600 Ge icon.png
Crew training150 000 Sl icon.png
Experts520 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 100 Ge icon.png
Research Aces950 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 200 / 230 % Sl icon.png
220 / 220 / 220 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
6 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
590 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
590 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
6 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_3OF26_HE_ammo_pack
Research:
6 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
6 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_3BM12_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
590 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_3BM15_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods tank rangefinder.png
Rangefinder
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

125 mm 2A26 cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition37 rounds
First-order28 rounds
Reload7.1 s
Vertical guidance-6° / 14°
Main article: 2A26 (125 mm)
125 mm 2A26 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Autoloader
Arcade 37 -6°/+14° ±180° Two-plane 19.0 26.4 32.0 35.4 37.7 7.10
Realistic 11.9 14.0 17.0 18.8 20.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
3BK12M HEATFS 440 440 440 440 440 440
3OF19 HE 35 35 35 35 35 35
3OF26 HE 42 42 42 42 42 42
3BM9 APFSDS 321 317 303 285 268 249
3BM15 APFSDS 440 430 420 410 405 400
3BM22 APFSDS 425 420 415 405 393 380
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
3BK12M HEATFS 905 19 0.05 0.1 2.06 65° 72° 77°
3OF19 HE 850 23.2 0.3 0.1 3.15 79° 80° 81°
3OF26 HE 850 23 0.3 0.1 5.24 79° 80° 81°
3BM9 APFSDS 1,800 3.6 - - - 72° 76° 78°
3BM15 APFSDS 1,780 3.88 - - - 76° 77° 80°
3BM22 APFSDS 1,760 4.83 - - - 76° 77° 80°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-64A (1971)
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
37 Projectiles
Propellants 		37 (+0)
37 (+0) 		36 (+1)
36 (+1) 		33 (+4)
29 (+8) 		29 (+8)
1 (+36) 		1 (+36)
N/A		 No

Notes:

  • The T-64A (1971) main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. It carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
  • The 5th projectile rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
  • The 4th propellant rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.

Machine guns

7.62 mm PKT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 000 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
Main article: PKT (7.62 mm)
7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,000 (250) 700 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

It's key to keep the weaknesses of the T-64A in mind for the best performance of the vehicle. The 125 mm gun is extremely powerful and will comfortably perform even against newer and better protected opponents, but in almost every other aspect the vehicle is lacking. Where possible, avoid exposing the hull at all - the easiest way to do so is to use a small defilade or terrain deformity. Sit back, be patient and allow the enemy to expose their weak spots. Most vehicles are faster than the T-64A, so expect hostile tanks to find their way to objectives significantly faster than you will.

The T-64A has a very powerful APFSDS round that will be able to penetrate all of its foes. This should be used to its advantage by going in a hull down position using its great turret armour to block shots.

Finally, remember that your reverse speed is abysmal - whenever possible avoid situations that will force you to reverse - and if you do have to move back, where possible try to traverse the entire hull and move back with the full speed of your forwards gears.

When facing common enemy tanks:

  • MBT-70/KPz-70 - When facing the MBT-70/Kpz-70, the best place to shoot is the left turret cheek as this will knock out commander and gunner.
  • Chieftain Mk 10 - If hull down, shoot for cannon breech or gun barrel.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Acceptable speed going forward
  • Turret cheeks are often surprisingly well protected
  • Vehicle is fitted with a surgically precise and devastatingly effective 125 mm gun
  • ESS covers friendly tanks behind the vehicle
  • Side flaps protect the tank from side attacks with chemical energy rounds (once a flap gets hit it will fall off)
  • Decent reload no matter what because of the auto-loader system
  • Good HE shell, can be a little finnicky
  • Very low profile compared to its contemporaries, much harder to spot and hit
  • One of the fastest rounds in game (1800 m/s), easy to aim
  • Tier 2 and 4 APFSDS shells will go through almost anything in-game
  • Can be very hard to destroy in hull-down positions

Cons:

  • Slow horizontal turret traverse
  • Ability to fight from range is diminished due to absence of a laser rangefinder
  • No smoke grenades
  • No thermal optics
  • Any penetrating side shot is very likely to detonate ammunition
  • Abysmally slow reverse speed (-4 km/h)
  • Weak lower glacis, can be penetrated by almost any round at its BR
  • Frontal penetration can easily disable 2 of the 3-man crew, leading to a crew knockout
  • Sub-par gun depression
  • No anti-air capability
  • Angling the tank causes the weak side armour to be exposed
  • Hull armour flaps are easily penetrated by kinetic munitions when angled

History

The T-64A is the second version of the T-64 tank, introduced in 1967 it featured many improvements over the basic T-64. The most notable of these was the 115 mm cannon being replaced with a 125 mm cannon, the T-64A also featured improved armour. The 1971 version of the tank featured new optics, and other minor improvements. The T-64 was one of the only Soviet tanks to never be exported as the Kremlin considered its technology too revolutionary and advanced to allow foreign countries access to it. The T-64A was meant to replace the Soviet heavy tanks such as the T-10M. It was originally supposed to mount a 122 mm gun, but was changed to a 115 mm on the T-64, then to a 125 mm on the T-64A. The T-64 featured composite armour, being lighter and stronger than regular steel armour, being able to resist the shells of NATO 105 mm cannons. It was an incredibly advanced design, featuring an autoloader and a two-plane stabilizer for the cannon. The autoloader allowed the tank to reduce the crew to three, reducing the size of the tank and allowing the tank to be very light while still being heavily protected.

Devblog

Initially, in the early days of the Cold War, it seemed like the USSR had both the technological and numerical advantage over the western allies, when it came to their ground forces, specifically their tanks. Vehicles like the T-54/55 and IS-3 proved to be in many ways superior over some of the top performing vehicles fielded by the West. This remained so until the introduction of the British Royal Ordnance L7 105 mm cannon and its variants. The new cannon featured high accuracy and penetrating capabilities, even at long range, making the superior armour protection on the Soviet tanks neigh irrelevant.

The new weapon sent a wake up call to the Soviet tank designers, prompting them to switch from the tried and tested methods and experiences learned in WW2, to new and more advanced techniques and technologies. The first attempt at creating a state-of-the-art main battle tank came in the shape of the T-62, which sported a revolutionary new 115 mm smoothbore cannon that featured unrivaled ballistic properties. However, apart from the new gun, the tank didn't receive any particular changes to its core design to make it stand out from earlier projects, thus the tank was soon relegated to infantry support. The needed breakthrough in Soviet tank development came in the early 1960s with the T-64, designed by Alexander Morozov, the same man that created some of the most famous Soviet tanks, like the T-34-85, T-44 and T-54.

The T-64 brought with it a whole host of firsts and innovations to the table, like laminar armour, an autoloading mechanism and more. However, the standout feature of the vehicle is most definitely its use of laminar armour, making it the first vehicle in the world to make use of such an advanced protection system. Thanks to this, the T-64 had extremely effective frontal armour, even outmatching the armour of contemporary heavy tanks, whilst the chassis itself was significantly smaller and lighter. The autoloading mechanism replaced the human loader, in turn reducing the crew count to three men. The new system allowed for a high rate of fire whilst also allowing the fighting compartment to be reduced in size, thus lowering weight and size of the tank. However, with all the new equipment being used for the first time, it comes to no surprise that the tank was also much more expensive to manufacture compared to older Soviet vehicles.

Nevertheless, the T-64 began rolling off the assembly line in the early '60s and continued to be manufactured for roughly a good two decades. Though its involvement in numerous conflicts around the globe isn't something to be overlooked, the mark this vehicle left in the history of tank development is far more significant than that though. It not only set a new standard and basis for future generations of Soviet and Russian tanks to come, but it also marks a turning point in history itself, making the T-64 a truly legendary tank.

As opposed to the standard T-64, the T-64A features a number of improvements that further increases its combat performance. Most notably, the gun was replaced by a 125 mm smoothbore D-81T cannon, which in its core, was an upscaled version of the 115 mm smoothbore cannon equipped on the previous model. Additionally, the laminar armour of the T-64 was replaced by an improved composite solution, consisting of steel and fiberglass in the hull front and hardened steel filling in turret. This upgrade increased the T-64A's survivability against shaped charge rounds in particular, creating an armoured barrier of over 450 mm of effective thickness on the upper glacis. Despite all of the equipment and armour on the T-64A, the tank still retained a rather low weight, with only around 38 tonnes. Thanks to its compact 700 horsepower engine, the T-64A had excellent mobility, being able to reach speeds of up to 60 km/h on roads and an average speed of 40 km/h off-road.

Media

Skins
Videos
T-64A versus MBT-70 - War Thunder Official Channel
T-64A (1971): the Old Russian Legend - JustinPlaysYT
The Shooting Range #65 - Pages of History section at 00:27 discusses the T-64A (1971).

See also

External links


Kharkov Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering named after A. A. Morozov
Light Tanks 
BT-5  BT-5 · RBT-5
BT-7  BT-7 · BT-7M · BT-7A (F-32)
Medium Tanks 
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
Main Battle Tanks 
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-64  T-64A (1971) · T-64B
Export/Captured 
T-34  ▀T 34 747 (r) · ▄T-34 · ▄T-34-85 · ␗T-34 (1943) · ␗Т-34-85 (S-53)
T-54  ▄T-54
See Also  Uralmashzavod · Uralvagonzavod

USSR medium tanks
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-55  TO-55 · T-55A · T-55AM-1 · T-55AMD-1
T-62  T-62 · T-62M-1
T-64  Object 435 · T-64A (1971) · T-64B
T-72  T-72A · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-72B · T-72B (1989) · T-72B3 · T-72M2 Moderna
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UD · T-80UK · T-80UM2 · Т-80U-Е1 · T-80BVM · Object 292
T-90  Т-90А · T-90M
Trophies/Lend-Lease 
Germany  ▂T-III · ▂T-V
Great Britain  ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
USA  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2

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