The volunteers plan to modify the tank by adding a 30-mm gun tower from a Russian infantry fighting vehicle. However, they admit that the troop compartment is inadequate for the 30-mm gun, and a second tank will be converted into a vehicle specifically designed for troop transport.
The idea of converting the T-62 into an armored vehicle is not unique to Ukraine. Algeria has also been converting T-62 tanks into support vehicles for tanks. The Algerian army replaced the 115-mm 2A20 gun towers with the Berezhok module, similar to those used on the BMP-2M, resulting in a vehicle capable of destroying enemy personnel with 30-mm 2A42 guns, 30-mm automatic grenade launchers, and 7.62-mm machine guns. The vehicle is also equipped with guided anti-tank missiles.
In Ukraine, an experimental tank support vehicle, the BMP-T "Straž" ("Guardian"), was presented in 2017 on the chassis of a T-64 tank. The BMP-T Straž is equipped with the Duplet combat module, which provides firepower through two automatic 30-mm ZTM-2 guns, two paired 7.62-mm machine guns, a 30-mm automatic grenade launcher, and a Barrier missile system with four rocket launchers. Additionally, the module has six 81-mm smoke grenade launchers.
The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank that was first introduced in 1961 as a successor to the T-55. It was designed to address the increasing armor and firepower capabilities of NATO tanks, featuring a 115mm smoothbore gun capable of firing fin-stabilized armor-piercing discarding sabot rounds, making it more effective against heavily armored vehicles. The T-62 is characterized by its low profile, sloped armor, and a diesel engine. While it played a significant role in the Soviet Army and various conflicts during the Cold War, the T-62 was eventually overshadowed by the more advanced T-72 and T-80 tanks. Despite its age, the T-62 continues to see limited service in various countries and has been subject to numerous upgrades and modifications.
Source: mil.in.ua