冷戰期間，芬蘭雖然在各種外交斡旋下成功獲得獨立與中立的地位，但因為身為二戰戰敗國，仍受到蘇聯各方面的壓力，當然也影響到了軍事層面－芬蘭在冷戰期間的大多數武器至少半數是向蘇聯購買（特別的是，芬蘭的假想敵仍然是蘇聯），包含裝甲部隊。今天，我們就來談談芬蘭向蘇聯購買的最後一款戰車－T-72M1主力戰車

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卡累利阿下野者-帕夫洛維奇 的沙龍

Beginning from late 1980's through the 1990's and early 2000's the Finnish Army had a project to upgrade their T-72M1/T-72M1K(1) fleet, as the T-72M1 had issues limiting its usability in low light conditions, and it was lacking in protection as well as penetration power; the Finnish T-55M upgrade had proved to be better, thanks to its advanced FCS and better low light condition capability as well as better tungsten APFSDS rounds.

This video shows a testbed T-72M1K (FDF armoured vehicle index number Ps 265-47) with supposedly mock ERA for testing the possible placement of it for the T-72M1 FINMOD 2 upgrade, and how it would obscure the view (this is the reason why the ERA is placed so weirdly on the smoke launchers, the final version would have had the smoke launchers moved and more conveniently placed ERA).

According to what I've collected from some public sources, the T-72M1 FINMOD project had three alternative options for the upgrade.
Option #1 (T-72M1 FINMOD 1) was the basic upgrade akin to the Finnish T-55M upgrade (note: not the Soviet T-55M, the Finnish T-55M is a completely different upgrade); this prototype was tested in full and existed:
- new Israeli tungsten APFSDS round
- new sights, including both gen 3 II and thermal sights for the gunner, removal of the IR searchlight
- new FCS
- new electronic systems including radios

Option #2 (T-72M1 FINMOD 2) was planned as a budget upgrade, but it never saw daylight as a full prototype. Probably the Georgian T-72M SIM-1 would be a close counterpart:
- FINMOD 1 upgrades
- additional ERA akin to Soviet/Russian Kontakt-1 (or Israel/Ukrainian/Yugoslavian counterparts)
- small Israeli threat warning system package (probably laser warning system)

Option #3 (T-72M1 FINMOD 3) was the full upgrade; the systems were tested but on separate tanks, so a full prototype never existed:
- FINMOD 1 upgrades
- 2A46M (not sure which version) main gun replacing the old 2A46 gun, allowing for higher velocity and longer rod APFSDS rounds
- heavy additional composite armour (MEXAS/AMAP) additions
- comprehensive Israeli laser/radar warning system package
- a full modification of the power line into a Franco-German RENK ESM350-X8 powerpack system, with a Finnish Wärtsilä X8 engine and an automatic gearbox allowing for similar mobility and serviceability to the western tanks (the testbed tank for the powerpack can be seen here from 5:03 onwards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3LXoG3BWyI&t=5m3s )
- western style tracks made by Diehl Defence
- also a 120 mm gun conversion for DM33/53 rounds was thought, but the idea was scrapped in an early phase

According to the FINMOD roadmap all tanks were to be upgraded to FINMOD 1. Then, select few were to be upgraded to the full FINMOD 3 configuration, and the remaining FINMOD 1 were to be upgraded to FINMOD 2 over time.

However the fall of the Soviet Union postponed the start of the production of the upgrades, and since FDF was underfunded in the 1990's, the program was put on hold. In 2003 Germany offered Finland 124 surplus Leopard 2A4 tanks at a bargain price of 0.5M€ a piece, and since the FINMOD program would have costed much more, it was scrapped in favour of the Leopard 2A4. Subsequently, FDF decided to scrap the whole T-72M1 fleet in 2006.

Sadly, since the FINMOD program continued until the 2000's, the full information regarding it is still classified until late 2020's, so I couldn't gather completely exact information on the complete program, all this relies on some bits and pieces released to the public.

Finnish Army T-72M1 FINMOD testbed tank

芬蘭最後的彎刀:芬蘭國防軍 T-72M1主力戰車

國家人民軍（NVA）為德意志民主共和國（東德）的軍隊，由陸軍（Landstreitkräfte）、人民海軍（Volksmarine）、空軍（Luftstreitkräfte）及邊防軍（Grenztruppen）所組成。


創作

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消逝之星-Fulcrum-蒼藍最後的祝福(I):孤獨的騎士

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蘇聯反應裝甲(Динамическая защита)(下)篇

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卡累利阿下野者-帕夫洛維奇

芬蘭最後的彎刀:芬蘭國防軍 T-72M1主力戰車

(舊文)那些年東德的往事:國家人民軍（NVA）

消逝之星-Fulcrum-蒼藍最後的祝福(I):孤獨的騎士

蘇聯反應裝甲(Динамическая защита)(下)篇

蘇聯反應裝甲(Динамическая защита)(上)篇

T-72 外銷型號的摘要(蘇聯)