The TT77 NOSOROG was a Soviet main battle tank that was in service around 1984.
Background and features
Being a main battle tank, it possesses a powerful 125 mm cannon, relatively high mobility and medium armor. It is equipped with a 12.7 mm VOL-GA K12 machine gun mounted on the turret. It boasts superior firepower to the M84A MAGLOADER, but has inferior armor, which was sacrificed in favor of easier mass production.
History
The TT77 was developed at some point prior to 1973, when it was deployed to Lebanon during the country's civil war; while no match for its M84A MAGLOADER counterpart in combat, it was widely believed that this was mostly due to the tanks there being a 'monkey model' export variant that was deliberately made inferior to variants in Soviet service.[1] The tank would later see service in 1984 with Soviet forces in Afghanistan, presumably augmenting or replacing earlier cold war soviet tanks; Soviet soldiers regarded the design as being well suited to the Afghan deployment and as generally giving good service despite its age.[2]
Phantom Pain Incident
- See also: Hospital Escape and Phantom Pain Incident
The TT77 NOSOROG often served in tank units of the Soviet forces in Afghanistan when Diamond Dogs operated there in 1984. Diamond Dogs was known to eliminate or capture these types of tanks as side-missions during this time period.
Two TT77s were part of a tank unit helmed by a lieutenant colonel who was transferring from Qarya Sakhra Ee to Da Smasei Laman (taking advantage of the fact that Hamid fighters at the latter fortress had been eliminated), although the tank unit was neutralized by Venom Snake.
TT77s often formed the core of Soviet Mechanized Forces. The Soviets later deployed three TT77s to hunt Snake down shortly after the latter neutralized several units of Soviet armor divisions that were being deployed to an Afghani operation against the Soviets. Venom Snake would also frequently encounter them during his missions in Afghanistan while searching for Cipher.
Several TT77 tanks were commandeered by XOF when they took over OKB Zero in 1984, with at least three being stationed directly within the base around the time Venom Snake infiltrated the complex, with Snake also extracting them. A number were later used in a futile attempt to stop a hijacked Metal Gear Sahelanthropus, with some being parked at the path to the Serak Power Plant.
TT77 tanks were also part of the Soviet Mechanized Battallion that attacked Quiet and Venom Snake at Lamar Khaate Palace. A number were neutralized by the duo.
Behind the scenes
The TT77 NOSOROG is one of the tank models featured in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
The name nosorog (Russian: носорог) means "rhinoceros," a creature well known for its durability and the large horn it uses in self defense. This is an apt name as the vehicle bears both heavy armor and the largest armament out of all the conventional in-game vehicles. The design is likely based on T-72, a Soviet main battle tank that was optimized for mass production, as well as the T-80 and the IS-3 Heavy Tank.
The TT77 has multiple variants, black and red in color, which are more prominent in harder missions. They boast heavier armor, and a more powerful gun, powerful enough to one-shot Snake, even through splash damage; they will also take down a fully armored support helicopter in a single shot. The red variant is the most powerful and sturdy, but the black variants are still just as deadly.
Interestingly the main Soviet tank in the games Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2 and Yuri’s Revenge is a 120mm armed tank also called the Rhino. Even more coincidentally said games also take place in 1972/1973 which is exactly the same time the “monkey-model” of the TT77 was supposed to have been deployed against its American counterpart in Lebanon.
The Tank vehicle in the Grand Theft Auto series is also called the Rhino.
Appearances
Notes and references
- ^ Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Kojima Productions (2015).
CFA soldier 1: By the way, they've started sending tanks to all the outposts. Those ones that were used in Lebanon, right? // CFA soldier 2: Yeah. And crushed those soviet tanks. // CFA soldier 1: That's only 'cause the TT77 was a monkey model - export crap. These tanks we're getting are fitted with a fire-control system, so they've got the goods. // CFA soldier 2: I sure as hell hope so. // CFA soldier 1: All right, I'd better get going.. // CFA soldier 1: OK. - ^ Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Kojima Productions (2015).
Soviet Soldier 1: That's right, they've started deploying tanks to every outpost. // Soviet Soldier 2: Those are some good machines. // Soviet Soldier 1: Yes, they're beasts. They've been in official service for a while, but they're still the best main battle tank around. Easy to control, easy to produce. They'll have no trouble against the likes of dushman weapons. // Soviet Soldier 2: Right. Long live the tank. // Soviet Soldier 1: OK, I need to get going. // Soviet Soldier 2: Understood.