Warsaw Pact and TI

[Smersh]

Someone should post this question on Tanknet or some other similiar site.

As far as I know, by 1981 there where no TI sights on Soviet tanks. I'm curious when do they apppear for NATO type armies?


edit: thermal sights in the game seem to be completly invunreable to any obscurants. I understand that if the smoke or dust is thick enough, thermal sights can't penetrate. Whats the official position on thermal sights in the game?