Main Automotive-Armoured Tank Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of the Soviet Union[1] (Russian: Главное автобронетанковое управление МО РФ, Glavnoye Avtobronetankovoye Upravleniye MO RF, abbr. GABTU; another translation: Main Directorate of Armoured Forces) is a department of the Soviet/Russian Ministry of Defence which is subordinated to the Chief of Armaments and Munitions of the Armed Forces, vice-minister of defense (nachal’nik vooruzheniya VS RF – zamestitel’ Ministra oborony RF). Its director appears to currently be General Major Vladislav Polonskiy, as identified by Krasnaya Zvezda on September 14, 2004.(Scott & Scott, RMD 2004)
In particular, the GABTU is responsible for assignment of so-called object numbers, which look like Obyekt 195 (195th development project of a land vehicle), to almost all the tanks and other combat vehicles entering service in the Armed Forces of Soviet Union and Russian Federation. These names are sometimes referred to incorrectly as "industry designation" or "factory names".