Vietnamese T-90S/SK main battle tanks fitted with Shtora-1 active protection system

VPA T-90 tanks with Shtora-1 APS. Photo c/o QPVN through VietDefense.

A rare view of the new T-90S/SK main battle tanks of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) confirmed that the tanks are equipped with the Shtora-1 active protection system (APS).

The vehicles were from the VPA’s 201st Tank Brigade, which received the T-90 main battle tanks from Russia under a contract signed between Russia and Vietnam in 2016.

The Shtora-1 APS is an electro-optical jammer disrupts the laser designator and laser rangefinders of anti-tank missiles with semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOC) command guidance system.  It can be operated in either fully-automatic or semi-automatic modes, continuously for up to six hours.

The VPA started receiving the T-90S/SK main battle tanks from December 2018. 64 units were delivered, including the SK Command variant, with deliveries completed by 2019.

The T-90s are currently their most modern tanks, as the VPA’s other tanks are mostly older model Soviet T-62, T-54/55 and World War II-era T-34s, as well as Chinese Type 59. Vietnam has made it intentions known in the past to acquire more T-90 tanks in the future to replace older models.


[1] VietDefense
[2] Jane’s Defence Weekly