Revision as of 01:13, 31 May 2007

This article is about the Yugoslav tank. For other uses, see M84.

M-84
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Yugoslavia
Specifications
Mass	42 tonnes
Length	9.53 m
Width	3.57 m
Height	2.19 m
Crew	3
Armor	510 mm
Main armament	125 mm 2A46 smoothbore gun
Secondary armament	7.62 mm M86 coaxial machine gun, 12.7 mm M87 anti-aircraft machine gun
Engine	diesel V-46TK 1,000 hp (750 kW)
Power/weight	22.72 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	500-700 km
Maximum speed	65 km/h

The M-84 main battle tank is a Yugoslav-produced version of the Soviet T-72. Some improvements over the T-72 include a domestic fire-control system, improved composite armor, and a 1000-hp engine. The M-84 entered service with the Yugoslav People's Army in 1984. The improved M-84A entered service a few years later.

In the late 1980s, a project for a replacement tank called the Vihor (Whirlwind) was started. Unlike the M-84, the Vihor was not a copy of a Soviet tank, but a new design from scratch. However, due to the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the Vihor project was abandoned.

The latest Serbian version of the M-84 is the M-84AB1, unveiled in 2004. It features a new fire control system, Kontakt-5 ERA armor, AT-11 Sniper anti-tank missiles, Agava-2 thermal sight, and the Shtora defensive suite. It is very similar to the Russian T-90S, both in appearance and in capability.

Croatia developed a highly modernized prototype version of the M-84 under the designation M-95 Degman. The M-84D will be the series production version, essentially an M-95 Degman with minor changes and upgrades to which standard all Croatian M-84s and T-72s will be brought to.

About 150 M-84 tanks have been exported to Kuwait. About $500 million was earned from the sale in 1990-91, representing the Yugoslav military industry's most successful export at the time. The disintegration of Yugoslavia in 1991 prevented all further exports. Kuwait, in fact ordered 215 tanks but the whole number never came. Croatia is now in negotians with Kuwait to modernize their fleet to the M-84D standard and to produce and sell another 65 M-84D tanks. This represents an interesting information because Kuwait rejected America's proposal to replace their M-84s with the M1 Abrams.

Variants

M-84AB  Yugoslavia

The M-84AB comes with the new SUV-M-84 computerised fire-control system, including DNNS-2 gunner's day and night sight, with independent stabilisation in two planes and integral LRF. It also comes with TNP-160 periscope, TNPA-65 auxiliary periscope, and DNKS-2 day and night commander's periscopes, and TNPO-168V driver's periscope. It is also fitted with new gyrocompass, communication and intercom systems. This variant is used by Kuwait.

The Kuwaiti 35th Fatah (Martyr’s) Armoured Brigade that was armed with several dozen M-84AB took part in the Operation Desert Storm. During the fighting only two M-84AB were lost but they were later recovered.

M-84ABN  Yugoslavia

This is a M-84AB fitted with land navigation equipment.

M-84ABK command tank  Yugoslavia

This is a M-84AB fitted with extensive communication equipments, land navigation equipment and generator for the command role.

M-84A4 Sniper  Croatia

This version includes the new SCS-84 day/night sight, DBR-84 ballistic computer and improved elevation and traverse sensors. Croatia bought 20 of these models in 2003 from it's domestic factory. It is also reported that these tanks have a different engine of German origin rated at 1,100hp instead of 1,000 originally instaled.

M-84ABI armoured recovery vehicle Template:FRY

This is an armoured recovery vehicle variant, fitted with specialised recovery equipment. It looks very similar to the Polish WZT-3 ARV.

M-84AB1  Serbia

This is the latest upgrade package of the M-84, adding a new fire control system, Kontakt-5 ERA armor, the AT-11 Sniper, Agava-2 thermal sights, and the Shtora defense suite.

Combat service

Desert storm

Few months before the Gulf war, Kuwait ordered from SFRJ 170 tanks M-84AB, 15 M-84ABI ARV and 15 command M-84ABK tanks, in order to withdraw older British tanks. After the signature of the contract, four M-84A tanks were taken from Niš military camp and delivered; they were soon captured by Iraq army during occupation. Further deliveries were stopped during invasion. Until that the Kuwaiti 35th Fatah (Martyr’s) Armoured Brigade equiped with 70 M-84s is in order of battle“. The brigade wasn't taking part in direct battles with Iraqi tanks becouse the M-84s were very similar to T-72s. Few tanks have been destroyed in friendly fire. The M-84 was very efective against T-62s and T-55s and it was very simple to operate, which wasn't the case with US-made M1 Abrams. Kuwaiti army has in its inventory 146 M-84AB MBT's, 3 M-84ABK command tanks and 3 M-84ABN tanks. They are discussing modernization packages with Croatia recently and have refused to sell their M-84s in favour of surplus M1 Abrams. Reasons for this are numerous, but mostly due to the tank's reliability, low operating cost and better resistance to desert environment.

Yugoslav wars

Slovenia

Druing the war in Slovenia the М-84s were in YPA units who had the task to deblock border passages and get control over Yugoslav borders. Giving the fact that Slovenia didn't have an army at the time and especially any tanks, there weren't any battles in which M-84 was needed. The only actions it did participate along with T-55s, as seen on TV, was to destroy heavy trucks and bulldozers which were put on the roads.

Croatia

Before the war in Croatia, its government started to arm their units with RPG-s from other countries. During the first months of battle, Croatian sources stated to have destroyed around 100 tanks, mostly in Vukovar, of which only 15-20 were M-84s and the rest were T-55s and T-34/85s. Most M-84s were lost due to poor training and a bad military doctrine at the time.

Experiences from the battles of М-84 during the war in Croatia, claim that tanks without infantry are easy targets for anti-tank armed units, especially in urban areas like that of the Battle fo Vukovar.

Kosovo and Metohija

During Kosovo war, М-84 was in equipment of 211. and 252. Armoured Brigade. During the battles against KLA, only Т-55s were used whilst М-84s were kept in reserve in case of NATO ground intervention. During the war 9 M-84 tanks were destroyed.

M-84AB1

The first time M-84AB1 (or M-2001) appeared in public was on 1.7.2004 at the military base in Nikinci. It is very similar to the Russian T-90S, both in appearance and in capability. The differences reportedly consist in a better armour on T-90S while M-84AB1 has a superior manouverability. It has been tested by the Kuwaitian army, which is now in negotians with Serbia to modernize their fleet to the M-84AB1 standard; another option seems to be the purchase of Croatian M-84D (D - Degman standard). It seems likely that Serbian Army plans to modernize all of its M-84s to M-84AB1, but due to financial restraints, only few of these tanks will be available in the next few years.

Operators of the M-84

• Croatia (78) - the whole fleet is being modernized, new tanks are planned
• Kuwait (150)
• Bosnia (85) (As of March 2006 when Republika Srpska forces were merged into Armed forces of Bosnia and Hercegovina)
• Serbia (230)
• Slovenia (54)
•  Macedonia (40) (from FRY Army, 2001)

See also

T-72 - M-84 - M-95 - PT-91 - T-80 - T-84 - T-90 - T-95

External links

• Article on the M84-AB1, published in "Odbrana" (.pdf, in Serbian)
• M-84 at the FAS.
• at the Naoružanje Paraćin (in Serbian)

• Main battle tanks
• Modern tanks
• Cold War tanks
• Yugoslav tanks
• Croatian tanks
• Serbian tanks
• Military equipment of Yugoslavia