The T-72B3 is a third-generation Russian main battle tank (MBT) that represents a deep, cost-effective modernization of the older T-72B tanks, designed to bring them up to modern combat standards without the high cost of producing entirely new tanks like the T-90M or T-14 Armata. Introduced in the 2010s (with a major 2016 variant), the T-72B3 is designed to be the backbone of the Russian armored forces.