There appeared some more information about
PT-91 Twardy tanks, basically confirming my analysis from this thread
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showt...t=48222&page=2 , but some things might be improved.
In a meantime, there were first of all articles in Poligon 3/2013 and Nowa Technika Wojskowa (nTW) 9/2015, and a deep analysis of Erawa ERA, made by author of the latter article:
http://dziennikzbrojny.pl/artykuly/a...eaktywne-erawa (in Polish)
Now we have:
010 PT-91 Twardy (1/95-12/95) - first model without TI (#129 gun D81T 75, sabot 43)
There was an information in nTW 11/1995, that the first series tanks delivered in 1995 were fitted with TI as well, but on the other hand, some articles say in general about tanks with TI and with passive night vision only (without details as for numbers or dates, though). Prototypes had no TI, but it might have been bought in time for production machines... I'd tend to fit this tank with TI (a difference between unit 018 would still be radio code).
018 PT-91 Twardy (1/96-12/98) - basic model with TI.
021 PT-91 Twardy (1/99-125) - #161 PO-99 gun (sabot 54) - because of a small quantity of Pronit sabot rounds available, it should have only a couple of sabot rounds (say 4), and the rest - regular AP (which exist in #161 gun, and has a penetration 43, like sabot of #129 gun)
711 PT-91MA1 (1/99-125) - strange variant with weaker armour, PO-99 gun, better stabilizer, 3 top ERA - apparently added after my changes (...unless I overlooked it when I researched Polish OOB in 2012).
The last tank is wrong and I don't know what it represents - it has weaker basic armour than other PT-91, and even T-72M1. All of these should have the same armour. Neither the stabiliser has been improved (not counting a stabiliser diagnostic system fitted in all PT-91, which rather does not improve it lousy work). PT-91MA1 is an official designation of T-72s modernized to PT-91 standard, but it is never used in practice, and all are just referred to as PT-91, without much practical differences (BTW designations are rather contradictory in available articles). So it should be replaced with something else.
Conclusions:
All PT-91 should have ERA top armour (at least 5) - almost 50% of upper surface is covered with ERA, and more tightly fitted, than in Soviet tanks (
https://www.the-blueprints.com/bluep...-p/pt-91-2.png)
Survivability of all tanks might be improved over T-72M1 (5 instead of 4), due to new Deugra firefighting system (Russian T-90 has 5).
Instead of 4 SD and 2 VIRSS it would be better to change to 3 SD, 3 VIRSS (the tanks have 12 SD tubes and 12 VIRSS tubes).
There was finally published an information, that part of Erawa-1 ERA was replaced with Erawa-2, made of two layers of explosive, two thin armoured steel sheets and a ceramic tile. It was revealed, that during tests it decreased efficiency of early APFSDS, like Russian 3BM15, by around 57%, and even in one case prevented German DM33A1 from penetrating a front plate. Maybe it should be treated as advanced ERA then?... It is not as effective against modern long core APFSDS, but it has been suggested, that their efficiency would be lowered by 7-10%. ERAWA-2 is mounted on hull front and turret front and sides. There are no dates given, but most probably it was connected with a new configuration of turret ERA (on vertical strips with 3 blocks instead of individual blocks), introduced between 1996 and 9/1997 (when I've first seen such tank on MSPO defence industry exhibition
.
So, I suggest to introduce a new model with advanced ERA on front and turret sides, basing upon unit #018, available from some 6/97 to 125 (it might replace unit #711). A photo should be 32261 from unit 021, with new ERA strips (photo 29495 of unit 711 shows early tank).
Also, unit #021 with Pronit sabot could have its armour upgraded.
There's a hope, that PT-91s will eventually be modernized by 2020 (in a way suggested in numerous articles from 1998 to 2015...), following Leo 2 modernization. We could add such tank now, with better ammo (500-600 RHA), good stabilizer and improved gun accuracy (thanks to new Slovak or Ukrainian gun models)*. I understand that you don't like future tanks (and I don't like either), but I guess, that with such modest expectations, and a modernization plans closing to reality, it won't be too much wishful thinking.
------
* BTW: according to a quoted article in nTW 9/2015, 2A46 gun mounted in T-72 up to Russian model A/M1 (and in other older tanks) had mediocre accuracy, due to bigger backlash and asymmetric recuperators. Its accuracy was much improved in 2A46M model, mounted in T-72B, newer variants of T-80, T-90 and yet better 2A46M-5 mounted in T-72B3. All 125mm guns in the Russian OOB have accuracy 13, apart from the gun from Armata tank...