Tanks

125 mm 2A46

Also known as
  • 2A46
  • D-81TM
  • D-81
  • 125mm 2A46
  • 125 mm D-81TM
  • 125-mm tank gun 2A46
  • 2A46M
  • 2A46M-1
  • 2A46M-4
  • 2A46M-5
  • 2A46M5
  • KBA-3
  • ZPT98

The 125 mm 2A46, factory-designated D-81TM, is the Soviet smoothbore tank-gun family that superseded the early 2A26 line and became the standard main-armament lineage for many later Soviet and Russian main battle tanks. This relationship-only component page documents the gun's identity, variants, carrier tanks, builders, ammunition context, and media without inheriting the conflict rows of T-72, T-80, or T-90 carrier records.

125 mm 2A46, 125 mm smoothbore tank gun, Tanks
Image source: Commons 2A46M1 Motovilikha Museum Image
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
125 mm smoothbore tank gun
Service note
Soviet 1970s tank-gun family later used across T-72, T-80, T-90, and derivative main battle tanks
Designer
OKB-9 Spetstekhnika / Artillery Plant No. 9 design lineage
Designed
Early 1970s
Produced
1970s onward in Soviet and later Russian tank-gun production
Number built
WeaponSystems.net reports well over 20,000 2A46-family guns and copies produced
Developed from
125 mm 2A26 / D-81T tank-gun family

Specifications

Caliber
125 mm L/48
Gun type
Smoothbore tank gun / gun-launcher
Factory designation
D-81TM
GRAU index
2A46
Barrel
WeaponSystems.net lists a 6.0 m barrel; ZTS Special lists 6,350 mm overall length for its GTS-125 modernized 2A46 pattern
Weight
Army Guide and ZTS Special list 2,500 kg; WeaponSystems.net lists about 2.45 t for the family reference
Ammunition context
Separate-loading projectile and charge; APFSDS, HEAT, HE-fragmentation, and gun-launched missile use where the carrier fire-control system supports it
Loading
Autoloader-dependent installation, with T-64/T-80-style and T-72/T-90-style autoloader branches
Rate of fire
Army Guide and WeaponSystems.net list about 8 rounds/minute in autoloaded context; ZTS Special lists 6-8 rounds/minute for GTS-125
Representative range
Army Guide lists about 4,000 m for APFSDS/HEAT target engagement and 5,000 m for HE-fragmentation; Rosoboronexport lists 5,000 m laser beam-riding guided-weapon range for T-90S
Variants

2A46-family suffixes mainly distinguish autoloader compatibility, gun-launcher capability, and later barrel or breech improvements.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
2A46First-generation gun

WeaponSystems.net describes the original 2A46 as a first-generation cannon introduced on T-64A and suited to the T-64/T-80 autoloader pattern.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

2A46-1T-72 autoloader variant

The 2A46-1 adapted the gun to the T-72 autoloader and appeared on T-72 Ural-1 and T-72A-family tanks in specialist reference coverage.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

2A46-2Gun-launcher variant

WeaponSystems.net identifies 2A46-2 as the 9M112 Kobra-capable branch introduced with T-64B and also used on early T-80B variants.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

2A46MModernized T-72/T-90-style gun

The modernized gun introduced barrel replacement without removing the breech from the turret and is documented on T-72B and original T-90 variants.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46, Army Recognition T-72B

2A46M-1T-80-style autoloader branch

WeaponSystems.net links 2A46M-1 to T-80-style autoloaders; Army Recognition identifies T-64BV and T-80U/T-80UM armament as 2A46M-1.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46, Army Recognition T-80U, Army Recognition T-64BV

2A46M-4Updated T-80-style branch

WeaponSystems.net describes the M-4 as an updated T-80-style autoloader gun with a more rigid barrel and longer-rod APFSDS compatibility.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

2A46M-5Updated T-72/T-90-style branch

WeaponSystems.net describes the M-5 as the T-72-style counterpart to M-4, introduced on T-90A and later used on T-72B3, T-72B3M, T-90A, and T-90M.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46, Army Recognition T-90A

KBA-3Ukrainian copy / derivative

Specialist reference coverage treats KBA-3 as a Ukrainian 2A46-series copy associated with post-Soviet T-80UD and T-84 production.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

ZPT98Chinese copy / derivative

WeaponSystems.net describes ZPT98 as a Chinese copy for T-72-style autoloader applications in Type 96 and Type 99 tank-family designs.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

Carrier Tanks

The 2A46 family is documented as a mounted tank gun. These catalog links point to carrier records where sources identify the 2A46-series gun rather than treating the gun as a separate conflict actor.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
T-64BV, Main battle tank, TanksT-64BVMain battle tank

Army Recognition identifies the T-64BV main armament as a 125 mm 2A46M-1 smoothbore gun and notes its 9K112-1 Kobra missile-firing context.

Sources: Army Recognition T-64BV

T-72, Main battle tank, TanksT-72Main battle tank family

Army Guide names T-72 as a 2A46 carrier, and WeaponSystems.net links T-72 Ural-1, T-72M, T-72A, and T-72B branches to 2A46-family guns.

Sources: Army Guide 2A46, WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

T-80, Main battle tank, TanksT-80Main battle tank family

Army Guide names T-80 as a 2A46M1 carrier, while Army Recognition and WeaponSystems.net identify T-80U/T-80UM and later T-80-family 2A46M installations.

Sources: Army Guide 2A46, WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46, Army Recognition T-80U

T-90, Main battle tank, TanksT-90Main battle tank family

Rosoboronexport lists the T-90S main gun as a 2A46M 125 mm smoothbore gun with two-axis stabilization; Army Recognition describes T-90A/T-90SA 2A46M-family armament.

Sources: Rosoboronexport T-90S, Army Recognition T-90A, Army Recognition T-90SA

T-72B3M, Modernized main battle tank, TanksT-72B3MT-72 modernization

WeaponSystems.net identifies T-72B3 and T-72B3M modernization branches as armed with the 2A46M-5 cannon.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

T-90M, Main battle tank, TanksT-90MT-90 modernization

WeaponSystems.net lists T-90M among 2A46M-5 applications, tying the later T-90 modernization line back to the same gun family.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

PT-91 Twardy, Main battle tank, TanksPT-91 TwardyT-72-derived tank

Army Guide identifies Polish PT-91 as a 2A46 carrier, showing the family beyond Soviet and Russian carrier tanks.

Sources: Army Guide 2A46

Conflict-use scope

Carrier tank pages document specific wars, operators, and losses. This gun record leaves conflicts empty until a source directly identifies 2A46-family gun use in an exact conflict rather than only naming a tank that carries it.

Sources: Army Guide 2A46, WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

Gun-Launched Missile Context

Several 2A46-family installations can function as gun-launchers when paired with the required tank fire-control equipment.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
9M119M Refleks / Invar, 125 mm gun-launched anti-tank guided missile round, Munitions9M119M Refleks / InvarLaser-guided tank missile

Rosoboronexport lists the T-90S 2A46M main gun with a semi-automatic laser beam-riding guided-weapon range of 5,000 m; Army Recognition T-72B and T-80U pages identify 9M119-family missile capability in compatible 125 mm tank-gun installations.

Sources: Rosoboronexport T-90S, Army Recognition T-72B, Army Recognition T-80U

Designation And Ammunition Context

The 2A46 family is best read as a gun-and-autoloader integration line. T-64 and T-80-style installations, T-72 and T-90-style installations, and later gun-launcher or barrel-improvement packages produce different suffixes while preserving the broad 125 mm smoothbore tank-gun role.

First generation

2A46, 2A46-1, and 2A46-2 cover the early gun, T-72 autoloader adaptation, and Kobra-capable branch documented in specialist reference coverage.

M-series split

2A46M is the modernized baseline, 2A46M-1 serves the T-80-style autoloader branch, and 2A46M-4 applies later improvements to that branch.

T-72/T-90 modernization

2A46M-5 is the later T-72/T-90-style branch that appears in T-72B3/B3M and T-90A/T-90M reference coverage.

Separate loading

Army Guide describes the family as firing separate-loading ammunition and notes that some installations can fire laser-guided anti-tank projectiles when fitted with the required fire-control system.

Source labels: Army Guide 2A46; WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46; Army Recognition T-72B; Army Recognition T-80U; Army Recognition T-64BV; Army Recognition T-90A; Rosoboronexport T-90S.

Timeline

125 mm 2A46 Key Events

  1. 2A46 service entry

    WeaponSystems.net places original 2A46 service entry in 1974 and links the first-generation gun to T-64A use.

    Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

  2. T-72 and gun-launcher branches appear

    The 2A46-1 adapted the gun to the T-72 autoloader, while 2A46-2 added Kobra missile-firing capability for T-64B and early T-80B applications.

    Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

  3. 2A46M modernization

    The modernized 2A46M branch added maintainability and barrel improvements and is documented on T-72B and original T-90 variants.

    Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46, Army Recognition T-72B

  4. 2A46M-1 enters T-80 branch

    Specialist reference coverage places 2A46M-1 introduction on T-80B obr. 1982 and later T-80BV and early T-80U production.

    Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

  5. 2A46M-5 enters the T-72/T-90 modernization line

    WeaponSystems.net places 2A46M-5 introduction in 2005 on T-90A and links the variant to T-72B3, T-72B3M, T-90A, and T-90M applications.

    Sources: WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46

Media

125 mm 2A46 Images

125 mm 2A46, 125 mm smoothbore tank gun, Tanks - view 1
Source: Commons Serbian T-72 2A46M Image
Related Weapon Systems
Rheinmetall Rh-120, 120 mm smoothbore tank gun family, ArtilleryArtilleryRheinmetall Rh-120120 mm smoothbore tank gun familyThe Rheinmetall Rh-120 is Germany's 120 mm smoothbore tank-gun and ammunition family, developed from Rheinmetall's 1965-1975 smoothbore weapon-ammunition work and fielded through Leopard 2 and licensed Abrams M256 applications. The family runs from the original L44 to the longer L55 and high-pressure L55A1 branches; this relationship-only component page documents the gun lineage, barrel-length variants, ammunition interface, and modernization context rather than making independent conflict-use claims apart from host tanks.

Sources

Army Guide 2A46Publisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports 2A46 / D-81TM identity, 2A26 development context, separate-loading ammunition, automatic-loader context, effective range, carrier-tank list, and Plant No. 9 manufacturer attribution. | Accessed: 2026-07-06WeaponSystems.net 125mm 2A46Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports 2A46 identity, designations, origin, developer, production and producer context, variant chronology, specifications, autoloader distinctions, number-produced context, and carrier-tank relationships. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition T-72BPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports T-72B 2A46M armament, stabilization, APFSDS / HEAT-FS / HE-FRAG ammunition context, and 9M119 Svir missile-firing capability. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition T-80UPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports T-80U/T-80UM 2A46M-1 armament, carousel autoloader, carried ammunition types, and 9M119-family missile context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition T-64BVPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports T-64BV 125 mm 2A46M-1 smoothbore-gun armament, ammunition stowage context, and Kobra missile-firing background. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition T-90APublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports T-90A 2A46M-5 armament, separate-loading ammunition context, autoloader rate-of-fire context, and 9M119M missile-firing capability. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Rosoboronexport T-90SPublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Official export product page supporting T-90S 2A46M 125 mm smoothbore-gun armament, two-axis stabilization, 44-round ammunition load, and 5,000 m laser beam-riding guided-weapon range. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition T-90SAPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports D-81TM bureau designation, Spetstekhnika development context, Motovilikha production attribution, and T-90SA 2A46M-1 autoloader context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06ZTS Special GTS-125Publisher: ZTS Special | Note: Supports modernized 125 mm 2A46 / GTS-125 technical data including caliber, rate of fire, range, representative muzzle velocities, length, and weight. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons 2A46M1 Motovilikha Museum ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the primary photograph of a 125 mm 2A46M1 tank gun at the Motovilikha Plants museum in Perm. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Commons Serbian T-72 2A46M ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for a 125 mm 2A46M gun installed in a Serbian Yugoimport T-72 upgrade proposal displayed at Partner 2007. | Accessed: 2026-07-06