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"AGAVA" - "AGAVA-2" and its confusing history

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When covering Soviet sight technology there are always some interesting designs and approaches to solving an issue. It is a common fact that the Soviet Union in the 1980s-1990s was quite behind in thermal sight technology. Only in the 1990s, but to be specific in 1992, the Soviet Union now Russia started to field small batches of thermal sights on their tanks, primarily T-80Us and some of the early T-90 variants, which just recently entered service. Russia's journey through creating its own domestic thermal sight traces back to 1982.  The 1980s were quite an important time for the 'Krasnogorsk Factory named after S.A Zverev', which is still to date an Optical Engineering and Optoelectronics factory. The factory is primarily known for making domestic Soviet cameras back in the day. However, that's not the only thing that the factory has produced back then.  Close to the mid-1980s, the facility was contracted to develop new thermal sight technology for the Soviet Ministry...
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T-90 demonstrator and its uncommon sight

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 As previously mentioned in my earlier posts about "AGAVA-2", there was a T-90 variant that did, in fact, mount that sight.  The year is 2000-2002, by that point, Russia made several T-90 variants, including some export variants. Those being: T-90 Obr.1992, T-90K Obr.1994, T-90S Obr.1992, T-90C Variant No.1 Obr.1992, T-90S Obr.1999, T-90SK Obr.1999, T-90S "Bhishma" Obr.2000. The mentioned variants have at some point either been exported to countries in batches, created as proposed export designs or have been sent out for tank trials.  But Russia created another T-90S variant that came with some non-standard equipment. That being a T-90S being shown during a semi-closed demonstration of vehicles back in 2000-2002. The tank featured its standard OEAPS "Shtora-1" but came with an unusual sight that was very rare for early T-90 and T-90S tanks. That being the TO1-PO2RT "AGAVA-2RT" thermal imaging sight. The sight itself had several different upgrade...
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Progression of thermal imaging sight housings on Soviet AFVs

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Throughout the development cycle of thermal imaging sights during the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia, engineers designed several variations of covers to protect newly developed tech. Ranging from simple covers to semi/fully-mechanised systems.  The "AGAVA" series of thermal imaging sights was one of the earlier systems to be mounted on Soviet tanks dating back to the 1980s. The first sight iteration mounted on a T-80B utilized a simple protective housing with a hinge-mounted frontal cover. The front cover would be opened using a pull-string mechanism.  AGAVA on T-80B AGAVA on T-80B "AGAVA-2" made an appearance on T-80U, UM and UK tanks in the early-mid 1990s. The newer iteration still retained the same hinged door mechanism with a pull-string while also receiving a new roof cover which served as additional protection against variable weather conditions.  AGAVA-2 on T-80U - Swedish trials 1994 The overall complexity and ease of operation for this sight underwen...
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