Unconsidered actions in the area of tank procurement.

In 1996, Pakistan signed a contract with Ukraine for the supply of 320 T-80UD tanks worth $650 million. In 2002, Pakistan signed a contract with Ukraine for the maintenance and repair of the T-80UD worth $85 million. In 2021, Pakistan again signed a contract with Ukraine for the modernization of the T-80UD worth $85 million. The T-80UD was equipped with a Ukrainian 6TD1 engine and a special Ukrainian transmission for this engine. In 1999, Pakistan signed a contract with the Pakistani state-owned company Tahila and the Chinese corporation Norinco for the production of Al-Khalid tanks with Ukrainian 6TD2 engines and Ukrainian transmissions for these engines. The Al-Khalid tank was created on the basis of the Chinese Type-90 tank (MBT-2000 (VT-1A) version). About 300 Al-Khalid tanks were produced with a total contract amount of 750 million dollars, of which Ukraine earned about 200 million dollars on the supply of engines and transmissions.

In 2002, Pakistan decided to start designing an updated version of the Al-Khalid-1. This tank will also be equipped with Ukrainian 6TD2 engines and Ukrainian transmissions for these engines. The planned contract amount with Ukraine on this matter was about 140 million dollars. But alas, all 110 units were produced.

The 6TD1 and 6TD2 engines themselves were developed by the USSR and were not brought to a certain quality during serial production, as was the transmission for this engine. These engines and transmissions required specific oils, which, among other things, increased the cost of maintenance due to the high cost of oils and the low resource capabilities of these engines and transmissions.

In principle, this could somehow be reconciled with. But 2022 came and de facto production of these engines and transmissions died. Pakistan is forced to urgently design a new Haider tank based on the Chinese VT-4 (Type-99G) tank. This one also no longer used Ukrainian engines and transmissions.

But where to put the T-80UD, Al-Khalid and Al-Khalid-1 tanks, since Ukrainian engines and transmissions cannot appear in nature anymore, and without engines and transmissions, the tank simply turns into an expensive stationary firing point? Another expensive modernization of these tanks? The choice is not particularly large, so as not to bury in the ground more than a billion dollars invested in these tanks.

Pakistan is not the only one that got into this unpleasant situation because of Ukrainian engines and transmissions. In this situation, having bought MBT-2000 and VT-1 tanks, Bangladesh found itself with 44 tanks for $161 million, Morocco with 150 tanks for $300 million, Myanmar with 10 tanks. And also in this situation was Thailand, having bought 49 T-84 tanks from Ukraine for $200 million. Myanmar also bought 14 T-72AG tanks with Ukrainian 6TD1 engines and transmissions for $14 million. Ethiopia purchased 200 T-72UA1 tanks with Ukrainian 5TDFMA engines and Ukrainian transmissions in 2011-2013 for $100 million. Algeria purchased 88 T-72AG tanks with Ukrainian engines and transmissions for $88 million. Algeria purchased 88 T-72AG units with Ukrainian engines and transmissions for $88 million. Azerbaijan purchased 48 T-72AG units with Ukrainian engines and transmissions for $48 million.

The meaning of the above article is simple, do not make rash actions that can bring huge losses.

The question of the initial selection of tanks is simple:

1. availability of transmissions and engines.

2. alternative manufacturers of these transmissions and engines.

3. the same principle should apply to the FCS.

4. the same principle of requirements should apply to the chassis of the tank.