Russia's Uralvagonzavod eclipses 100,000 tanks made in 90-year history

MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. Russia’s Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer (UVZ Group, part of the Rostec State Corporation) has produced 100,000 armored vehicles over its history, setting an absolute record in global tank manufacturing, the company’s press service reported on the occasion of UVZ 90th anniversary, which will be marked on October 11.

"In total, over the course of its history, UVZ has produced <…> more than 100,000 combat vehicles, which is an absolute record in global tank manufacturing," the press service stated.

It noted that Uralvagonzavod’s tanks have been purchased by 77 countries around the world. These achievements are the result of the efforts of more than 550,000 people who have worked at the plant over the course of nine decades.

"From the very beginning, Uralvagonzavod has proven that it can handle any task. In the 1930s, UVZ’s first heavy-duty open-top railcars immediately set the standard for the industry. During WW II, it was our assembly line that produced the largest number of the legendary T-34 tanks, which became a symbol of Victory. In the challenging 1990s, the plant did not falter, it persevered and found new strength. All of this was achieved thanks to the Ural spirit, the determination, and the talent of the plant’s workers. "Our plant is unique. It has received eight state awards, two of which were awarded in recent years. This means that we are not resting on our laurels but are successfully moving forward," emphasized UVZ CEO Alexander Potapov, whose remarks were cited by the press service.

It noted that in the fall of 1941, the world’s largest tank factory--the Ural Tank Plant No. 183--was established on the premises of Uralvagonzavod and 12 other enterprises that had been evacuated to the Urals. By the end of the year, the first batch of 25 T-34 tanks had already been sent to the front. Starting in May 1942, a T-34 rolled off the assembly line every 30 minutes. A total of 25,914 tanks were produced during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). The Ural Tank Plant surpassed the combined output of all German factories (23,000 tanks) in the production of mass-produced medium tanks. Every second T-34 that saw combat rolled off the Nizhny Tagil assembly line.

The company emphasized that every Uralvagonzavod tank can be described as "the first," "unique," and "one of a kind." The T-54 was a true breakthrough: its 100-mm rifled gun possessed muzzle energy that was unmatched at the time. The T-55 was the world’s first tank with a comprehensive anti-radiation protection system. The T-62 was the world’s first tank equipped with a smoothbore gun capable of firing armor-piercing sub-caliber shells at high muzzle velocity. Armor capable of withstanding the impact of such a projectile did not appear on NATO’s main battle tanks until the 1980s. The T-72--the most widely produced tank of the modern era--is in service with 45 countries worldwide. The T-90S is the most commercially successful tank of the 21st century.

UVZ noted that at the turn of the century, the company’s major achievement was a contract to supply Russian T-90S tanks to India.