5th tank to receive the PNM-T sighting complex

Around the 22nd December it was officially confirmed that a T-90M Obr. 2017 had officially received the new PNM-T sighting complex, designed for Russian tank modernisations like the T-80BVM, T-72B3 Obr. 2016 and the T-90M.

This T-90M Obr. 2017 is not new - four tanks before it had already received the sighting complex. But this time, it had also received a new sight cover, as shown below. 



















Compared to the old one, shown below is the fourth tank to receive the PNM-T sighting complex, a T-90MS Obr. 2015, shown during the JSC Roboronsexport live-stream on YouTube:
























The PNM-T is a supposed 640x512 matrix, MWIR (3 - 5 micrometres) sight developed by PJSC ANPP TEMP-AVIA in around 2018 to 2019. Its main purpose was to either completely replace the existing Sosna-U, that was mounted on most T-90M, T-90MS, T-72B3, T-80BVM and some T-90A tanks, ESSA, mounted exclusively on T-90A tanks and Plisa which is used on T-80UE-1 tanks.

The sights mentioned above all use French CATHERINE-FC components manufactured by Thales. Seeing the current situation with world tension, the PNM-T's development is undoubtedly a good choice, considering France may impose sanctions.

However, the sights mentioned above (except ESSA) may meet another fate; one less grim. The CATHERINE-FC components may be replaced with Russian components. Albeit, the ESSA sight will still probably meet a inevitable fate of being phased out of service once the PNM-T is used everywhere due to the fact that it is only mounted on the T-90A tank.

Sources: CRIB's PNM-T postCRIB's T-90MS post, help from another person who researches these topics

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