T‑90 tanks falter: Western arms expose Russian vulnerabilities
Reuben Johnson, a former consultant for the Pentagon and several NATO governments in the area of defense technologies, evaluated the T-90 tanks, which the Russians often claim are the best in the world. According to the American expert, such opinions are purely propaganda, and the conflict in Ukraine has clearly exposed the weaknesses of these Russian machines.
The problems with T-90 tanks in Ukraine come from several factors. Johnson attributes them to, among other things, a weaker structure than the Russians might have hoped, which proved inadequate in confrontations not only with modern Western weapons like the FGM-148 Javelin launchers, but even with small FPV (first person view) kamikaze drones.
T-90 tanks failed in Ukraine: opinion of an American expert
"Western anti-tank weapons like the Javelin, along with drones, have rendered the T-90’s armour and active protection systems ineffective. Poor maintenance, degraded electronics, and reports of reactive armor filled with rubber or empty compartments further highlight its shortcomings. While the T-90 was designed for a different battlefield, the evolving nature of modern warfare has left it ill-suited for the challenges of today’s conflicts," Johnson assessed.
In his analysis, Johnson also recalled videos by Ukrainians showing captured T-90 and T-90M models and their inspections. At that time, one could see elements that did not match the image the Russians projected around their most valued tanks, including shortcomings in armour and flawed microelectronics.
Putin's pride failed in Ukraine
The T-90 was referred to as "the world's best main battle tank" by Vladimir Putin, among others. However, the losses suffered by Russian units fighting in Ukraine are very substantial. According to data from the Oryx blog, which documents equipment losses of the parties fighting in Ukraine, the Russians have already lost 122 T-90M models.
This latest tank from the T-90 family is equipped with a 125 mm calibre 2A46M-5 cannon with an improved fire control system. It also features modular reactive armour called Relikt (consisting of two layers of blocks) and auxiliary armament in the form of two machine guns — 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm calibres.
Johnson believes that the Russians will face even greater problems with their flagship tanks. The cause is sanctions that have limited access to Western electronics. As it turned out, according to inspections by Ukrainians, these were used in the T-90 and T-90M. They are now being replaced (in modernized or repaired tanks) with inferior Russian substitutes.
