MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. Russia plans to build and upgrade thousands of tanks, the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has said.
"Yesterday, as you know, our enemy was begging for planes, missiles and tanks abroad. What should we do in response? It is clear that in this case it is natural for us to increase the production of various types of weapons and military equipment, including modern tanks," Medvedev said at a meeting during a visit to the Omsk transport engineering plant, according to the video footage uploaded to his Telegram channel.
"The production and upgrade of thousands of tanks are on the agenda," Medvedev said, adding that this task stemmed from the from the state defense order and decisions made by the Russian president.
As follows from the video, while inspecting the plant Medvedev saw, among other things, the upgraded T-80BVM tank - an upgraded version of the T-80BV. It boasts an improved 125-millimeter gun. The gas turbine engine’s power is up to 1,250 hp. Also, the tank has a multi-channel gunner sight, the driver's observation device and an armament stabilizer. The armor is reinforced with anti-cumulative lattice screens, as well as modular dynamic protection. The deliveries of T-80BVM to the Russian army began in 2019.
The footage of Medvedev's visit to the plant also showed the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system manufactured at the Omsk plant.