As early as January 28, 2004, on the territory of the GDVTs FSUE NTIIM, a demonstration of the capabilities of Russian technology to representatives of Libya took place, and on March 24-25 of the same year, the delegation of Algeria. A big plus for the Russian side was the availability of flexible, but comprehensive MBT solutions, a ready-made program for the modernization of the fleet of previously released vehicles, the possibility of supplying a complex of engineering vehicles and support vehicles on a single base with improved characteristics (for example, an increase in the carrying capacity and boom reach of the ARV). Taking as a basis the project of the T-90S arr. 1999 tank supplied to India, the Ural Design Bureau of Transport Engineering carried out its revision to the requirements of the new customer.
The representatives of Algeria, negotiating through Rosoboronexport, were presented with about a dozen options for completing the machine based on different values of the "cost-effectiveness" parameter. Taking into account the experience of operating the T-90S "Bishma" in the hot climate of India, the initial version of the machine was chosen with the installation of air conditioning and cooling systems for night vision equipment, as well as the installation of a modified system for detecting laser radiation. This version received the factory index "Object 188SA" (originally - "ob. 188S with the installation of an air conditioner") and the military designation T-90SA. The prototype of the car was manufactured in May 2005. At the end of the same year, it was successfully tested in Algeria, including the harsh desert conditions.
In January 2006, during the visit of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to Algeria, the Russian "Rosoboronexport" signed a package of agreements for the supply of various weapons, incl. armored. According to them, the Russian side within 4 years undertakes to supply Algeria with 185 T-90SA tanks and their commander's version of the T-90SKA, modernize 250 T-72M / M1 tanks to the T-72M1M level ("ob. 172M1 with the Sosna -U ") by Russian specialists, but at local Algerian production sites. In addition, the contracts provide for the supply of a batch of repair and recovery vehicles BREM-1SA, made on the basis of BREM-1M with the installation of an air conditioner and training simulators. According to the contract, the first batch of 40 tanks should be delivered by the end of 2006.
After Algeria, Libya became the buyer of the T-90SA. This desire was finalized by the summer of 2006 also after a successful demonstration and test program at the customer's site. In addition to the aforementioned modifications, the vehicles supplied to Libya will normally have SEMZ (system of electromagnetic protection against mines with magnetic fuses), it is planned to equip with mine sweepers with an electromagnetic attachment (protection against mines with radio fuses), camouflage kits "Cape". T-90SA in this configuration (serial number 2P05BT6716) was presented at the exhibition of arms, military equipment and ammunition "Russia Expo Arms -2006", held at the "Staratel" training ground near Nizhny Tagil on July 11-15, 2006. At the same exhibition, the Libyan delegation showed great interest in the BMR-3M combat vehicle developed by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise UKBTM and the humanitarian demining vehicle for settlements MGR NP developed by the SKB-200 Federal Research and Production Center Stankomash. This interest testifies to the great attention of the Libyan military leaders to the threat of mine warfare and the comprehensive approach to equipping armored forces with vehicles having a single unified base, and the undoubted commercial success of the Russian defense industry.
