Uzbekistan presents a futuristic upgrade of the T-64 tank

The Uzbek defense industry has presented a modernized version of the T-64B main battle tank, which had not been shown publicly before.

Armored vehicle researcher Andrii Tarasenko posted a video of the upgraded vehicle on his Telegram channel.

It is reported that the official presentation of the new model will take place at an exhibition in the capital’s Victory Park, which will run from May 29 to June 1.

The name of the project and the manufacturer are currently unknown, but the likely developers include the recently established Semey Engineering company and the Chirchik Armored Vehicle Repair Plant. It is also possible that the upgrade is the product of another company.

The futuristic design of the combat vehicle is particularly striking. The entire tank hull is concealed under a protective cover, which is likely made of armor elements.

This could increase the survivability of the combat vehicle on the modern battlefield, where drones are the primary engagement system.

On the sides, you can see a long continuous panel with diagonal rectangles and honeycombs on the surface, which are not protective but rather decorative elements. The panel covers the side projection of the tank and part of the tracks.

The engine and transmission compartment has also changed: the exhaust system now has two pipes instead of a single flat one, and the radiator grilles are wavy in shape.

The tank turret is completely hidden under the armor. The rear part has an extension, presumably a niche compartment for storing equipment, installing air conditioning systems, or additional electronics.

The gun is also covered with a cowling, but this design has no obvious practical use apart from possibly providing additional protection against damaging elements.

We managed to find one of the presentations by the Uzbekistan Ministry of Defense, which outlined a modernized T-64B with similar design features.

The presentation notes that the original 5TDF engine has been replaced with a new South Korean DP222LC diesel engine manufactured by Doosan with a capacity of 950 horsepower.

The tank has been fitted with new headlights. In addition, a noticeable object resembling a camera suggests that the driver may have night driving equipment at his disposal.

It is also interesting that the traditional T-64B optics and triplexes are visually absent from the vehicle’s hull. There are no new external optical stations either.

There is a round hole in the front of the turret casing, which probably serves as a place to install optics.

In addition, the tank lacks mortars for smoke screens, as well as NSVT-type machine guns.

According to infographics from the Uzbek Defense Ministry, the combat vehicle weighs 38.5 tons and can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour.

Back in 2020, the Cherkasy Armored Repair Plant demonstrated the modernization of the T-64B with the index T-64MV, which included replacing the 5TDF engine with a Russian-made V-shaped V-84 engine.