As an APC, the TAB-77 is modestly armed through its traversing turret by way of a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and 1 x 7.62mm PKT series machine gun. 600 x 14.5mm rounds are carried for the primary armament and 2,500 7.62mm rounds are carried for the accompanying machine gun.
The TAB-77 saw combat deployment during the December 1989 Romanian Revolution which led to the overthrow of the ruling communist government during the fall of the Soviet Empire. The vehicle then saw consistent activity under exercises with Romanian Army forces before being fielded as part of the Western coalition in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was in these two theaters that the vehicle's proved themselves inadequately protected from hidden Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) deployed by enemy fighters - a shortcoming encountered by many vehicles fielded in the modern-day wars.
Approximately 168 TAB-77s have been produced including a single test vehicle sent to China. Manufacture of TAB-77s spanned from 1978 into 1991. During this time, Romania represented the only nation outside of the USSR proper to manufacture armored vehicles for the Warsaw Pact.
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