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Russia has just announced how many deadly Armata tanks it will build. Russia has just announced how many deadly tanks it will build "Armata Tests T 14 crew 2 people

Not long ago there was talk in the comments about comparing the dimensions of the T-14 with the T-90 and Abrams. The size of the Armata was taken from the Internet (Fig. 1), calculated from the diameter of the skating rink, taken as 700 mm. The resulting results raised some doubts, after which I decided to recalculate using photos of the nearby T-14 and T-90 (Fig. 2). All calculations are carried out taking into account all protruding elements, except for thin antennas.

Rice. 1 T-14 Armata

Rice. 2 The same photo

Knowing the length of the T-90 hull is 6860 mm and the width is 3780 mm, we calculate the dimensions of the T-14. We get: hull length 8677 mm, width 4448 mm, length with the gun forward 10642 mm, height along the DPU 3244 mm, along the turret roof 2723 mm. The side projection area is 17.28 m2, of which the towers are 4.06 m2; The frontal projection area is 8.43 m2, of which the towers are 2.76 m2.

The most modern tank in the Russian army before the T-14 was the T-90A (Fig. 3). Its length with the gun forward is 9530 mm, the height along the turret roof is 2230 mm, and the height along the DPU is 2732 mm. The side projection area (excluding external tanks) is 11.37 m2, of which the towers are 3.29 m2; frontal projection area is 6.18 m2, of which the towers are 2.63 m2. It’s worth considering that a significant part of the tower’s area is covered by a body kit in which the devil would break his leg.

Rice. 3 T-90A

For a long time, it was customary to primarily compare the T-90 with the American Abrams (Fig. 4). For comparison, the M1A1 version is taken. Hull length 7920 mm, width 3660 mm, length with gun forward 9830 mm, height anti-aircraft machine gun 2822 mm, tower roof height 2430 mm. The side projection area is 15.22 m2, of which the towers are 4.80 m2; frontal projection area is 7.56 m2, of which the towers are 3.42 m2.

Rice. 4 M1A1 Abrams

We can assume that Europe now has a single tank - the German Leopard (Fig. 5). Hull length 7720 mm, width 3700 mm, length with gun forward 10300 mm (for tanks with L55 gun), sight height 3040 mm, turret roof height 2790 mm. The side projection area is 16.56 m2, of which the towers are 5.36 m2; The frontal projection area is 7.56 m2, of which the towers are 2.73 m2.

Rice. 5 Leopard 2A6

The French Leclerc (Fig. 6) is not as widespread as its German counterpart, but it is also a modern and dangerous car. Hull length 6880 mm, width 3710 mm, length with gun forward 9870 mm, sight height 2950 mm, turret roof height 2530 mm. The side projection area is 14.73 m2, of which the towers are 4.74 m2; frontal projection area is 7.12 m2, of which the towers are 2.78 m2.

Rice. 6 AMX-56 Leclerc

Another representative of European tank building is the English Challenger 2 (Fig. 7). Hull length 7400 mm, width 3520 mm, length with gun forward 10740 mm, sight height 2930 mm, turret roof height 2490 mm. The side projection area (excluding external tanks) is 15.16 m2, of which the towers are 4.87 m2; frontal projection area is 7.14 m2, of which the towers are 2.52 m2.

Rice. 7 Challenger 2

Based on the Leopard, Italy made their own car - the C1 Ariet (Fig. 8). Hull length 7590 mm, width 3800 mm, length with forward gun 9670 mm, machine gun height 2960 mm, turret roof height 2500 mm. The side projection area is 15.75 m2, of which the towers are 4.44 m2; frontal projection area is 8.42 m2, of which the towers are 3.12 m2.

Rice. 8 C1 Ariete

The most unusual modern tank is the Israeli Merkava Mk.4 (Fig. 9). Hull length 7800 mm, width 3720 mm, length with forward gun 8800 mm, machine gun height 3020 mm, turret roof height 2600 mm. The side projection area is 16.53 m2, of which the towers are 5.73 m2; The frontal projection area is 8.37 m2, of which the towers are 3.29 m2.

Rice. 9 Merkava Mk.4

As you can see, the T-14 has the largest dimensions among existing tanks, and the turret fits into the dimensions of Western vehicles. UVZ gives the weight of the Armata at 48 tons, which is within the limits of the T-90, which in the on-board projection is less than a third, which means either thin passive protection or deliberately false data about the tank.

Rice. 10 Silhouettes of the above tanks

I did not take tanks made in Eastern Europe based on the T-64, T-72 and T-80 for comparison. I couldn’t find projections of Asian tanks.

Tanks T-14 "Armata" / Photo: www.soyuzmash.ru

After the closure of the T-95 and Burlak projects, it began to feel like a promising tank would never be created in the post-Soviet space. But in 2015, at the Victory Parade, products based on the Armata platform were presented to the general public - the new generation T-14 tank and the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle with front-mounted MTO. With the advent of the first shots of the Armata, a lot of speculation about this tank appeared. Some gave it embellished qualities, others called it veneer and invented non-existent shortcomings. Material about layout features, protection, mobility and firepower new Russian tank "Armata". Photos and descriptions of the crew's workplaces and their equipment are provided. Opinions are given on the advantages and disadvantages of the new tank. Historical information is given on the development of promising tanks in the territory former USSR since the 70s.

T-13 "Armata" / Photo: btvt.info

Background

The development of a new (third post-war) generation tank began in the USSR a little later than the creation of the new main tank T-64A in the 70s. Leningrad, Chelyabinsk and, later, Kharkov designers participated in the work called “Topic 101”.

A number of projects were implemented, both with traditional and new layouts, most of which remained on the drawings or in the form of mock-ups.

Tanks with traditional solutions, such as “Object 255” and “Object 480” did not provide a significant advantage over the modernized versions of the T-64A, T-72 and the tank with a gas turbine engine. Tanks with a new layout (Object 450) required a long search for both layout solutions and the creation of fundamentally new components.

At the end of the 70s and throughout the 80s, the Kharkov design bureau was chosen as the lead design bureau on the topic of creating a promising tank of the 90s. These events are considered from the point of view of one of the developers of the tank, responsible for its electronic component - The last breakthrough of Soviet tank builders (diary of a participant in the development of the Boxer tank). Variants of the configurations considered in the 80s are discussed in the material - Tanks "Rebel", "Boxer", "Hammer" (object 490, object 490A, object 477).

The development of the promising tank was never completed before the collapse of the USSR.

The design bureaus remaining in Russia began to create a promising tank based on the existing groundwork. Among the most advanced, we can mention the Leningrad Object 299 (JSC Spetsmash), which had a very bold layout. Which, along with objective reasons characteristic of the 90s prevented its implementation.

Omsk Object 640 “Black Eagle” was also a project with very controversial advantages, which is why it was chosen for demonstration (VTTV 1997) and was even promoted abroad.

Nizhny Tagil (UKBTM) had a project for the evolutionary development of the T-72, which did not provide significant reasons for replacing the T-72 in production, since the solutions contained in it could be implemented during modernization.

As the economic situation improved, work intensified. Here, as in the 70s, two projects were implemented, one of them with high technical risk, the other with traditional and less risky solutions. The first is the Nizhny Tagil Object 195 "T-95" (OJSC UKBTM) and the second Omsk project Development of a unified combat compartment, theme "Burlak" (JSC KBTM).

In 2009, the closure of these projects was announced.

One gets the feeling that a promising tank will never be created in the post-Soviet space.

But in 2015, at the Victory Parade, products based on the Armata platform were presented to the general public - the new generation T-14 tank and the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle with front-mounted MTO.

With the advent of the first shots of the Armata, a lot of speculation about this tank appeared. Some gave it embellished qualities, others called it veneer and invented non-existent shortcomings.

Layout

The scheme with the concentration of the crew in the front part of the hull requires maximum automation of the control of weapons installed in fighting compartment, creating a number of difficulties technical order. This scheme is of interest due to the great potential for enhancing crew protection, including from mass destruction, as well as improving the conditions for interaction between personnel.

When placing 3 crew members shoulder to shoulder, as is done, the crew is placed in a fairly comfortable conditions. But at the same time, it is not possible to provide sufficient protection for the onboard part of the crew compartment. Even with a reduction in the width of the space allocated for each crew member from 70 to 60 cm, the ability to provide protection when fired into the side areas is minimal. At the same time, railway dimensions do not allow increasing the width of the hull.

This scheme has been considered more than once, starting in the 70s in different countries, but has not found any application in tank building with the exception of experimental prototypes, such as the American FTTB.

Crew capsule. The driver's seat is on the left as the tank moves / Photo: btvt.info

The driver's display complex (DKMV) installed on the tank is designed to replace pointer instrumentation and provide solutions to control problems, monitoring functioning, operational technical diagnostics of chassis systems and assemblies and issuing recommendations for the operation of the facility.

Gear shifting is carried out using buttons on the steering wheel. Most important information the movement parameters are displayed directly on the remote display on the control wheel. The monitor displays an image from a forward-looking thermal imaging device located on the upper part of the bow assembly of the hull.

Video viewing device and control button block/ Photo: btvt.info

View of the driver's seat from the gunner's seat located in the center of the crew capsule/ Photo: btvt.info

Monitors PMF-5.0 with LCD panels high resolution from the series of multifunctional panels “5”. On the left in the photo is the gunner's control panel/ Photo: btvt.info

PMF-5.0 (5.1) products have an expanded set of interfaces, including a touch panel with multi-touch function, etc.

Development design bureau Instrument Engineering (UKBP) which is part of the Concern Radioelectronic Technologies.

Informational control system displays information on the status of weapon systems, security, mobility, etc.

Information messages are displayed on the screen below, critical messages are shown in red, important messages in yellow, and regular ones in white.

View of the commander's and gunner's positions. Commander panels (3) right side/ Photo: btvt.info

They display video information from external sources, synthesized video information from devices (TV cameras, sighting systems), exchange of information, output of navigational cartographic information, as well as input and transmission of information to control the main systems of the tank. Control panels are installed under the panels; the gunner and commander have similar devices.

Photo: btvt.info

The devices are manufactured in the Russian Federation and are unified for the entire line of promising ground vehicles (Armata, Kurganets, Boomerang). The production and assembly of devices is still done by hand, but their reliability is increasing.

It is on these devices that the tank control is based.

Photo: btvt.info

Commander's place. A visual overview of the area is carried out through three viewing devices. The main information is supposed to be obtained through TV cameras located around the perimeter of the tank and a multi-channel panoramic sight-surveillance device.

This decision can be called very bold, especially for ground-based equipment, where the conditions are much more stringent than in aviation. On the right is the AVSKU-E control panel (intercom, switching and control equipment). Under the remote control is an optical sensor of the fire-fighting equipment system (OD1-1S). Installation of optical sensors and high-speed cylinders in the fighting compartment ensures fire detection and release of fire extinguishing agent in a time of no more than 150 ms. Such sensors are installed along the entire perimeter of the capsule.

View of the back of the crew capsule. HVAC systems visible/ Photo: btvt.info

Photo: btvt.info

Despite the many digital innovations, some traditions in post-Soviet tank building are unshakable, for example, not very neat welding seams.

Comfortable seats are a big step forward compared to previous generation tanks.

Protection

The layout of the "Armata" is similar to that used on the "Object 195". Increased crew protection is achieved by transferring the crew workstations located in the turret to a highly protected bow module of the hull, the protection weight of which can be increased by the amount of reduction in the weight of the turret protection, due to a reduction in its dimensions and the internal volume intended for crew workstations.

Increased protection and survivability of the crew in the module is achieved by reducing the total area of the internal surfaces of the control module (compared to the habitable compartment of tanks of a classical layout).

The weapons module is separated from the control module by a transverse partition, which reduces the likelihood of injury to the crew in the module.

Fire and explosion safety of the module and crew survivability are achieved by complete separation of the crew's work stations from the sealed fuel volume and from the ammunition.

Schematic representation of the general layout of the T-14 "Armata" tank (similar to the T-95) /Image btvt.info

The advantage indicated by the authors of the patent, along with those listed above, also has one more drawback - insufficient protection of the tower. They will come to this question, just as the developers of the promising Soviet-era tanks, “Molot” and “Nota,” came to.

The tank's protection complex includes combined and dynamic protection installed in the front part of the hull with the crew capsule, providing protection.

Also, dynamic protection is installed on the sides of the hull (before the engine and transmission compartment). At the front, the track branches are blocked by remote protection, which is especially important when placing the crew in the hull. In the front part of the hull side, the DZ blocks are made folding for ease of maintenance of the chassis. In general, the solutions for installing the remote sensing system are reminiscent of its installation on the Nota tank (KhKBM).

The turret is covered with super-dynamic protection, and the DZ is also installed to protect the capsule, including the hatches. Part of the hull side in the MTO area is covered with lattice screens.

Photo: btvt.info

The DZ covers both the upper and lower parts of the nose assembly of the hull. Externally, the remote control is similar to that installed on the T-95. the working surface of the thrown plate is significantly increased.

The technical requirements for a promising tank, set back in Soviet times, required protection from above from cumulative ammunition with an armor-piercing ability of 250-300 mm. Despite the small size of the roof and hatches, which is clearly visible in the photographs, we can assume that this requirement has been met.

The most important feature of the tank is the use of a set of means to protect against precision weapons. They include an active protection complex that provides cover in the range of 120° in the direction of the tank turret and a complex for setting up multispectral curtains and a complex of laser and UV radiation indicators installed along the perimeter of the turret.

To shoot decoy IR and radar targets quickly and accurately in the direction of the attack vehicle, no matter where it approaches, without rotating the turret, the use of quickly rotating grenade launchers is required.

Thus, protection from ammunition attacking in a horizontal projection is provided by the KAZ and the jamming complex (in two rotating installations on the turret). And from attackers from above - a jamming complex (in two fixed installations directed upward).

An electromagnetic mine protection system is also installed.

Tank protection complex against WTO/ Image btvt.info

Along the perimeter of the tower there are indicators of laser irradiation and ultraviolet radiation (missile launch detection system). Under the front indicators of irradiation and missile launch there are radars with phased array detection and target designation of the KAZ. On the roof of the tower there is a system for launching multispectral interference in rotary and fixed installations.

The irradiation and launch indicators are covered with shutters in photographs and during demonstrations at the parade. Next to the front and side view TV camera indicator block/ Photo: btvt.info.

KAZ launchers are installed under the radar unit. KAZ "Afganit" is a development of the "Drozd" system. This development of TsKIB SOO dates back to the 80s. The difference from the Drozd is the ability to correct the counter-ammunition being fired in azimuth (~0.5 m) and vertically (±4°). The complex has the ability to destroy anti-tank missiles attacking a target while flying, but does not protect against attackers from above

Photo: btvt.info

To reduce the visibility of the tank, a lightweight casing with optimal geometric characteristics is installed on the turret to reduce visibility in the radar wavelength range.

Side view of the T-14 Armata, in the central third of the hull there are EZ blocks installed, optimized for protection against cumulative warheads at an impact angle close to normal / Photo: btvt.info

Part of the hull side in the MTO area is covered with lattice screens /Photo: btvt.info

The fastenings of the fuel barrels are visible. At the parade in Moscow, the Armatas were without them. Apparently they think it’s not fashionable.

Firepower

The tank is equipped with a 125mm high-power 2A82-1M cannon. Judging by the patents, the gun can use both standard shots and newly developed ones with increased powder charge. Ammunition capacity: 40 rounds (of which 32 are in the automatic loader, 8 are portable). The ideology of the AZ is retained from the “Object 195”, but the small ammunition load of 152 mm is increased to an acceptable value.

7.62mm PKTM machine gun in a remote-controlled installation on a platform combined with a panoramic sight-observation device. Ammunition capacity: 2000 rounds of continuous ammunition.

The absence of a coaxial machine gun is a strange and undoubtedly wrong decision. This will lead to increased consumption of ammunition by the gunner on targets that do not correspond to 125 mm shells, and will distract the commander from monitoring the battlefield when using a single machine gun. Some justification for this may be in the form of an increase in automated ammunition by 10 shots compared to the T-72. The 30 mm automatic cannon, as was on the Molot and T-95, is also missing.

AZ diagram of an uninhabited tower/ Image btvt.info

Shells and charges are arranged vertically. The conveyor is raised above the bottom of the hull to prevent jamming when the bottom sag (mine explosion).

The idea of installing such a gun arose a long time ago, back in the late 70s (D-91T) and continued later, including the “Object 187”. Its potential is 30% higher than the standard one.

It is known that high-power shots 3VBM22 with the 3BM59 Svinets-1 BPS and 3VBM23 with the 3BM60 Svinets-2 BPS with L=740 mm have increased armor penetration by 100-150 compared to the standard (3BM44 Mango - 440 mm) mm. Improved BPS developed for the Armata will likely reach levels greater than 800 mm (450/60°). The possibility of using both standard ammunition and newly developed ammunition of increased power is provided.

Whether or not this has been achieved is an open question; all these topics have been ongoing for more than two decades. So the same “Svinets-1” and “Svinets-2” have been formally included in the ammunition load of the modernized T-72BA, T-80UA, T-80UE1 since 2004.

To combat infantry, the 3VOF128 “Telnik”-1 shot was developed (Completion of the design and development work - 2014). The projectile implements a trajectory explosion on approach to the target (at the lead point) with the target being hit by the axial flow of the GGE; trajectory explosion over the target with the target being hit by a circular field of hull fragments; impact ground burst with instantaneous (fragmentation) action; impact ground explosion with high-explosive fragmentation action (small deceleration); impact ground rupture with a setting for penetrating high-explosive action (large deceleration).

The weapon stabilizer 2E58 is electromechanical with an electric drive for vertical and horizontal guidance. It has reduced energy consumption, increased accuracy and less fire hazard.

The UUI-2 transceiver is installed at the base of the trunk. Provides automatic measurement of barrel bending during shooting./ Photo: btvt.info

Engine power 1200 Horse power. According to the developers, there are possibilities of boosting up to 1500-1800 hp. in perspective.

The total capacity of the tank's fuel system is 2015 liters with two connected barrels. Of these, in internal and external fuel tanks tank capacity is 1615 liters, fuel is partially located inside the hull (816 liters), the rest is in fuel tanks on the fenders at the rear of the hull.

The transmission is mechanical with a planetary central gearbox with automatic shifting. The built-in reverse can provide an equal number of forward and reverse gears, which is important when unifying the chassis with rear and front mounted gearboxes. The cooling fan drive is two-stage controlled.

The damping characteristic of a hydraulic shock absorber is high-speed, that is, it represents the dependence of the resistance force on the speed on the lever. The kinematic connection of the hydraulic shock absorber with the suspension is designed to provide a gear ratio of the vertical speed of the support roller of the tracked mover of the tracked vehicle to the speed of movement of the hydraulic shock absorber lever of 0.15...3.5 with an increase at the end of the travel of the support roller.

An increase in the progressiveness of the suspension characteristics of the suspension system and the smooth running of tracked vehicles weighing up to 55 tons is achieved.

/ Image btvt.info

Project evaluation

The positive side of the project is that it was nevertheless implemented, to a greater extent than any of the existing projects of a promising tank in the post-Soviet space after the creation of the T-64 tank.

A positive for the industry in the Russian Federation is the development of new technologies (touch panels), new element base in tank control systems (ICS, control systems, etc.), the development of which can become a serious impetus in the development of the electronics industry.

Sufficient attention has been paid to the complex protection of the tank - KOEP, KAZ, DZ, etc.

Ergonomics meets modern requirements.

Negative features of the tank arise from the choice of its layout, such as the inability to provide sufficient side armor for the capsule due to the placement of the crew shoulder to shoulder, the vulnerability of the turret from the fire of modern automatic guns, the lack of a visual channel for the commander and gunner's sights, and the inability to provide all-round visibility from the commander's seat. The exhaust on both sides increases the IR visibility of the tank.

Among the removable shortcomings, we can note the absence of a machine gun coaxial with the cannon. And a backup gunner sight.

And the main thing that can be added is that the tank is undergoing tests, none have been released at the moment a large number of. Most of the systems installed in Armata have not yet been sufficiently mastered; it will undoubtedly take a long time to cure “childhood diseases”. So time will tell whether “Armata” will be or not.

MOSCOW, publication "Tank Power. Steel and Fire"
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In 2015, at a military parade in Moscow dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the latest Russian development was presented to the general public - the T-14 Armata tank, which should radically affect the equipment ground armies Russia and determine the concept of their use for the coming decades. This tank, positioned as a 4th generation tank, has aroused great interest both in our country and throughout the world.

In this article we will look at the history and background of the creation of the Armata tank, its distinctive features And specifications, as well as prospects for use in real combat operations.

History and background for the creation of the new Armata tank

Another way

At the turn of the 2000s, 2 promising main projects were being developed in Russia battle tank, which would be a replacement for the current Russian MBT - T-90. One of them is “Object 460” or “Black Eagle”(see photo above) - was developed by the Omsk Design Bureau. It had an extended modified chassis from the T-80U tank, in which another one was added to the six rollers, as well as a narrowed turret of a new design, armed with the already proven standard 125 mm smoothbore gun. It was assumed that the mass of the tank would be about 48 tons, and it would be equipped with a 1500-horsepower gas turbine engine, which would give it power density more than 30 hp/t and made it one of the most dynamic tanks in the world.

The second project is “Object 195” or “T-95”(see photo below) - was developed by the Ural Design Bureau and the Uralvagonzavod corporation. It was an “ubertank” for its time, which also featured an uninhabited (unmanned) turret armed with a formidable 152 mm smoothbore gun on a seven-wheel chassis. The tank's crew (only 2 people) was housed in an isolated armored capsule in the front of the hull. The weight of the tank was not small - about 55 tons, and it was supposed to be equipped with a 1650 hp diesel engine, which would also give it good dynamic characteristics.

It was assumed that the kinetic energy of a projectile fired from the 152 mm smoothbore gun of the Object 195 was so great that if it hit the turret of an enemy tank, it would simply tear it off.

But in 2009-2010, both projects had to be curtailed for several reasons. Firstly, the development of both tanks was not very active and during the design and testing period (which is about 15-20 years) they simply became obsolete. Secondly, the transition to the use of such supertanks as the T-95 - quite expensive and resource-intensive to produce - would, to some extent, be a transition to the German path of development of tank construction during the Second World War, i.e. the “path of the royal tigers and mice” that absolutely did not justify itself. We needed a universal, mass-produced tank, with the best price-quality ratio, like our famous T-34. And thirdly, both of these tanks did not quite correspond to the concept of network-centric warfare.

Network-centric warfare concept

Network-centric warfare is a modern military doctrine aimed at increasing the combat effectiveness of various military formations participating in armed conflicts or modern wars, by combining all combat and auxiliary units into a single information network and, as a result, achieving infocommunication superiority over the enemy.

Those. it turns out that by combining and almost instantaneously communicating command and control means, reconnaissance means, as well as means of destruction and suppression, more accelerated control of forces and means is achieved, increasing the effectiveness of defeating enemy forces and the survivability of one’s own troops, and each participant in combat operations receives full and timely information about the real combat situation.

Tank formations must also be adapted to modern realities network-centric warfare, for this the tanks themselves must be able to connect to a unified information network and be able to almost instantly transfer into it information received by the tank from the outside through their own “survey” modules. In fact, this is practically one of the requirements for the new 4th generation tanks.

4th generation tank

"Object 195" as imagined by the artist.

The classification of tanks by generation is actually not official, it is very arbitrary and looks something like this:

To the first generation These include tanks from the 1950s-1960s, such as the Soviet T-44 and T-54, the German Panther, the English Centurion and the American Pershing.

Second generation associated with the advent of the so-called main battle tanks (MBT). It includes tanks from 1960-1980, such as the Soviet T-62, American M-60, English Chieftain, German Leopard and French AMX-30.

To the third generation include the latest modern tanks, such as the Soviet T-80 and Russian T-90, the American Abrams, the French Leclerc, the English Challenger, the Ukrainian Oplot, the South Korean Black Panther, the Israeli Merkava, the Italian " Ariete" and the German "Leopard-2".

It is clear that later generations of tanks were distinguished by more durable armor, more advanced protection and more formidable weapons. This also applies to the 4th generation of tanks, the appearance of which is long overdue. But besides this, as mentioned above, 4th generation tanks should be maximally adapted to network-centric warfare, and also, if possible, meet a number of other requirements:

have an uninhabited turret and an automatic loader;
the crew must be isolated in an armored capsule;
the tank must be partially robotic.

By the way, a fully robotic unmanned tank can be considered a 5th generation tank.

Our designers approached the development of a new tank with approximately the same list of requirements when, in 2010, after the winding up of the Object 195 and Object 640 projects, they received the task of designing a new generation tank as quickly as possible.

Platform "Armata"

The order for the design, testing and production of the new tank was received by the state corporation UralVagonZavod, located in Nizhny Tagil and engaged in the development and production of various military equipment. When developing a new tank, the Ural Design Bureau, affiliated with UralVagonZavod, actively used ready-made advanced developments on the “Object 195” that was already being developed here, as well as on the project of the Omsk Design Bureau - “Object 640”. Both closed projects greatly helped our designers to quickly cope with the task.

But the most important thing is that this time our designers (as well as our military leadership) saw the problem of building a new tank more broadly, and it was decided to develop not just a 4th generation tank, but a universal tracked platform that could be used for the design of a wide variety of military equipment, which would solve the above-described problem of universality, mass availability and price-quality ratio.

Thus, Uralvagonzavod designed and implemented the so-called unified combat heavy tracked platform "Armata", on the basis of which it is planned to create about 30 different types of military equipment. Moreover, they will have in common not only the platform, but also general system battle control, a general communication system, a general active protection system and many other components and modules.

The universal heavy combat platform "Armata" has three engine layout options: front, rear and middle. This allows the platform to be used for the design of almost any type of military equipment. For a tank, for example, they use a rear-mounted engine, but for an infantry fighting vehicle, on the contrary, a front-mounted one.

At the moment, our defense industry has already received the first units of equipment based on the new platform - this armored repair and recovery vehicle BREM T-16(for now only as a project), BMP T-15 infantry fighting vehicle and of course the main combat tank T-14 "Armata", which we could already see at the Victory Parade in Moscow.

The T-14 tank is the latest Russian tank of the 4th generation on the Armata universal heavy combat tracked platform. The tank received the index “14”, as usual, according to the year the project was implemented - 2014. At the project stage, the tank had the designation “Object 148”.

It is believed that the T-14 "Armata" tank is the world's first 4th generation tank, the first tank within the framework of the concept of network-centric warfare and that it has no analogues at all. In general, according to many of our and foreign experts, today the Armata is the best tank in the world.

First, let's take a quick look at what this new tank"Armata", what design solutions our design engineers implemented in it, what main features it has:

Main features of the T-14 "Armata" tank

The tank has an uninhabited turret. It is equipped with a proven remote-controlled 125 mm smoothbore gun with an automatic loader.
The design of the tank allows it to be equipped with a 152 mm gun, already tested on the Object 195.
The tank's crew is housed in an isolated armored capsule that can withstand direct hits from all existing modern anti-tank shells.
The armored capsule with the crew is securely separated from the ammunition and fuel tanks.
Active suspension will allow the tank to drive accurately targeted shooting at speeds up to 40-50 km/h.
It is assumed that active suspension will allow the tank to move at speeds of up to 90 km/h not only on the highway, but also over rough terrain.
Used in tank the new kind combined multilayer armor 15% different than that used in domestic 3rd generation tanks. The equivalent thickness of the armor is about 1000 mm.
All tank modules are controlled by the latest tank information and control system (TIUS), which, if any malfunction is detected, notifies the crew about it with an appropriate voice message.
The Armata radar complex uses active phased array radars capable of tracking about 40 ground and 25 air targets at a distance of up to 100 km.
If a projectile is detected flying at a tank, the Afghanit active protection complex automatically turns the tank's turret towards this projectile in order to meet it with more powerful frontal armor and be ready to strike back at the enemy who fired this projectile.
The destruction range of a 125 mm gun is up to 7000 m, while the best Western models have this parameter of 5000 m.
The Armata tank uses a large number of effective stealth technologies that make it practically invisible or difficult to detect for many types of weapons.

Performance characteristics of the T-14 "Armata" tank

Infographics and arrangement of modules in the T-14 tank

A good infographic of the T-14 tank with the location of the modules was made by the RIA Novosti agency:

Video review « Multi-purpose tank T-14 on the Armata tracked platform"

For the 80th anniversary of Uralvagonzavod, an interesting mini-video review about the T-14 Armata tank was released:

Radar complex

The T-14 is the first tank in the world to use an active phased array radar (AFAR radar). Radars of the same type are installed on the new Russian multi-role fighters of the fifth generation T-50, which should replace the SU-27. Unlike radars with a passive array, AFAR radars consist of a large number of independently adjustable active modules, which significantly increases tracking ability and reliability, since if one of the radar modules fails, we will only get a slight distortion of the “picture”. It is true that the cost of such radars is somewhat higher.

The Armata uses 4 AFAR radar panels located around the perimeter of the tower (see photo above). They are protected by bulletproof and anti-fragmentation shields, but, nevertheless, can be easily replaced in the field (plastic hinges for removing radar panels are visible in the photo).

The radar complex of the T-14 tank can simultaneously track up to 40 ground moving and up to 25 aerial aerodynamic targets, which makes it one of the key elements on the battlefield within the concept of network-centric warfare. Target tracking distance is up to 100 km.

If, for camouflage purposes, the main surveillance radar of the tank is turned off, then at close range it is replaced by two ultra-fast response radars, which are also used to trigger destructive elements of active protection against shells fired at the tank.

Target detection systems in the infrared and ultraviolet range

On the T-14 turret, a panoramic sight is installed on the same axis with the machine gun mount, which serves to determine the coordinates of targets received by various surveillance modules, while it rotates 360 degrees regardless of the machine gun.

The panoramic sight includes a visible camera, an infrared camera and a laser rangefinder. When capturing each new goal The radar panoramic sight automatically turns in its direction to determine its exact coordinates. The information received is displayed on the monitors of the tank crew in the form of a tactical map with the coordinates of recorded targets, and if necessary, you can press your finger on the image on touch screen clarify the coordinates of a particular target.

In addition to the panoramic sight, the T-14 tank is equipped with six autonomous high-definition cameras that allow the crew to monitor the situation around the tank along its entire perimeter. These cameras allow tank crews to assess the situation when the radar is turned off and in conditions of enemy electronic warfare, and also record laser pointers aimed at the tank.

In addition, these HD cameras can see through a smoke screen (in the infrared spectrum), giving a significant advantage to Armata using this type of camouflage. The following example is given:

When a T-14 tank is surrounded by enemy infantry, it can put a smoke screen around itself, making itself invisible to enemy grenade launchers, and shoot them from a machine gun mount according to data from infrared HD cameras.

Active protection complex "Afganit"

And a radar complex of 4 AFAR radars and 2 high-speed radars, and infrared HD cameras are part of the tank’s active protection complex, which serves not only for reconnaissance of targets, but also for the timely detection of threats to the tank and their elimination. These are the features of the Afghanit active protection complex installed on the Armata:

When detecting an enemy projectile approaching the tank, the Afghanit automatically turns the tank's turret towards this projectile in order to meet it with more powerful armor on the one hand, and on the other hand to be ready to strike a counter-strike at the object that fired this projectile.
When detecting shells approaching the tank, the Afghanit automatically controls the machine gun mount to destroy them.
If increased camouflage is required, Afganit can operate in passive mode with the radar turned off, relying on data from HD cameras.
"Afganit" is safe for friendly infantry located near the tank, since it uses electronic warfare and smoke-metal curtains to a greater extent to counter enemy missiles.
In addition, according to the latest data, "Afganit" successfully resists modern armor-piercing shells with cores.

The Afghanit active protection complex is capable of hitting projectiles approaching the tank at speeds of up to 1,700 m/s. But our designers are already developing a new active protection - “Zaslon”, which will be able to intercept projectiles approaching at speeds of up to 3000 m/s.

Dynamic protection complex "Malachite"

The T-14 tank is also equipped with the Malachite dynamic protection system. Here are the features it has:

"Malachite" successfully resists not only various cumulative projectiles, but also capable of destroying the latest NATO sub-caliber shells, which were specially designed to penetrate dynamic defenses that preceded Malachite, such as Relikt and Kontakt-5.
"Malachite" is much better able to withstand the most advanced anti-tank missile systems (ATGM).
By reducing the amount of explosive in the Malachite dynamic protection, the possibility of destroying one’s own infantry and damaging the tank’s vision devices is virtually eliminated.

Armament of the T-14 tank

The fire control system of the T-14 tank is connected to the Afghanit active protection complex and its radio-optical modules. With their help, the tank's weapons are aimed at detected targets. Besides, When aiming, data coming from the following sensors is used:

gyroscopic sensors for the angular orientation of the tank in space;
air temperature and humidity sensor;
wind direction and speed sensor;
sensor for barrel bending due to heating.

The tank receives its own coordinates using the GLONASS satellite system.

As we already wrote above, the T-14 tank can be equipped with either a standard 125 mm gun or a 152 mm cannon. IN standard The Armata is equipped with the already proven 125 mm smoothbore gun 2A82-1C, which has 17% higher muzzle energy and 20% greater accuracy than the best examples of Western tank-mounted guns.

It should also be noted that the destruction range of this gun is about 7000 m, which exceeds the performance of foreign tank guns, most of which have a destruction range of no more than 5000 m. This again gives the Armata a significant advantage - it is our tank that will have the right “ long arm", i.e. he will be able to shoot enemy tanks without even getting close to them at their effective range.

In addition, the 2A82 gun has the ability to fire ammunition up to 1 meter long (for example, such as sub-caliber armor-piercing shells increased power "Vacuum-1"). The T-14 is equipped with an automatic loader for 32 rounds, which achieves a rate of fire of 10-12 rounds per minute.

Some of the Armata tanks are going to be equipped with a 152 mm 2A83 gun, whose armor-piercing sub-caliber shells are more than 1000 mm, and their speed is 2000 m/s, which leaves no chance for all known modern tanks. In addition, as the leaders of the Uralvagonzavod corporation state, the kinetic energy of a 152 mm gun projectile is such that it will more often than not simply tear off the turret of a targeted enemy tank.

Both guns allow you to use their barrel to launch guided missiles. It is assumed that the 152 mm gun can use missiles with armor-piercing power up to 1500 mm and a range of up to 10000 m, which can hit both ground and air targets.

Some experts point to the possibility of using guided active-missile projectiles with a range of up to 30 km on T-14 tanks armed with a 152 mm gun, which turns such an “Armata” into a fire support tank for use both against enemy infantry and against heavily protected enemy objects.

The Armata's machine gun armament includes a large-caliber 12.7 mm Kord machine gun, controlled remotely by the crew and included in the Afghanit active defense complex, as well as a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun, coaxial with a tank gun. Moreover, for reloading the Kord there is a special automated system that does not require the participation of crew members.

T-14 tank armor

As we indicated above, one of the main features of the Armata tank is the presence of a special isolated armored capsule, separated from the rest of the tank by armored partitions and used to accommodate the entire crew with control computers. In addition, the armored capsule protects against weapons of mass destruction and has an air conditioning system and a fire extinguishing system. All this significantly increases both the survivability of the crew and the survivability of the tank itself. It is stated that the maximum duration of continuous stay of the crew in the armored capsule is about 3 days.

In the production of Armata tanks, a new type of armored steel with ceramic inserts is used, which has increased armor resistance. This made it possible, with the same armor thickness, to achieve a smaller tank mass and, accordingly, better dynamics. However, in frontal projection the T-14 is expected to have an armor equivalent of over 1,000mm against sub-caliber rounds and about 1,300mm against HEAT rounds. This makes the tank resistant to head-on hits from any modern ammunition and capable of withstanding such formidable anti-tank weapons as the American heavy anti-tank missile system"TOW" and American portable anti-tank missile system "Javelin".

T-14 turret

The structure of the turret is classified information, however, it is assumed that it consists of an external anti-fragmentation casing, under which the main armor of the turret is hidden. The anti-fragmentation casing performs several functions:

Protection of tank instruments from fragments, high explosive shells and bullet penetrations;
- reduction of radio signature to counter radar-guided ATGMs;
- shielding of external electronic fields, which makes the tower devices resistant to various kinds of magnetic pulses.

Below is a video with a possible design of the T-14 tank turret:

Stealth technologies

Another significant feature of the T-14 is the use of various stealth technologies, which radically reduce the visibility of the tank in the infrared, radar and magnetic surveillance spectra. Here are the stealth tools used in Armata:

a unique GALS coating that helps reflect a wide range of waves and protects the tank from overheating in the sun;
flat reflective edges of the hull, reducing the visibility of the tank in the radio range;
a system for mixing exhaust gases with ambient air, reducing the visibility of the tank in the infrared range;
thermal insulation on the inside of the body, which also reduces the visibility of the T-14 in the IR range;
heat traps that distort the “signature” (visual image of the tank) in the infrared range;
distortion of its own magnetic field, making it difficult to determine the location of the tank for magnetometric weapons.

All this causes significant difficulties for the enemy when detecting the Armata, determining its coordinates, and generally identifying it as a tank.

Many experts believe that the T-14 Armata is the world's first stealth tank.

Engine

The T-14 tank is equipped with a multi-fuel 12-cylinder four-stroke X-shaped turbocharged diesel engine (12N360), which was designed in Chelyabinsk and produced there - at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. The engine has a switching power from 1200 to 1500 hp, but on production vehicles it is expected to install an engine with a maximum power of 1800 hp. This will provide the tank with excellent dynamic characteristics - so maximum speed on the highway it will reach 90 km/h. In addition, this four-stroke engine is much more economical than the old two-stroke engines, which ensures a cruising range of 500 km without refueling.

The gearbox on the T-14 is automatic robotic with the ability to switch to manual control.

It should also be noted that exhaust gases are discharged through pipes passing through the additional fuel tanks. This provides them with additional cooling and ultimately reduces the visibility of the tank in the infrared range. The tanks themselves are covered with armor plates and anti-cumulative screens, and they are protected from fire by open-cell filler.

The engine and transmission are combined into a separate module, which allows you to replace a failed power unit in less than an hour.

Active suspension

If previously Russian tanks used a 6-roller chassis, then the Armata platform has a 7-roller chassis, which makes it possible to build on its basis equipment with a maximum weight of up to 60 tons. Therefore, the T-14 tank still has enormous potential for all kinds of upgrades.

The suspension used in the T-14 tank is active, that is, it is capable of detecting unevenness under the tracks using sensors and automatically adjusting the height of the rollers. This feature not only increases the speed of the tank over rough terrain, but also significantly (by about 1.5 - 2.0 times) increases the accuracy of aiming while moving. High-precision shooting while quickly moving across the battlefield is another undeniable advantage of the “Armata” when possibly “meeting” with such rather probable opponents as "Leopard-2" or Abrams, which still use uncontrolled hydropneumatic suspension, developed more than 30 years ago.

Tank information and control system

The Armata is equipped with one of the best tank information management systems (TIUS), which monitors all tank modules in real time and automatically checks them for malfunctions. If any problems are detected, the TIUS system informs the crew about this in voice mode and gives recommendations on how to eliminate them.

Defense order

At the parade in Moscow in 2015, T-14s from the first pilot production batch (20 tanks) were presented to the public. Serial production of the Armata began in 2016 and by its end it is planned to produce about 100 more vehicles, which will be actively used in various types of tests and exercises to identify shortcomings and determine the necessary improvements.

In total, by 2020 it is planned to commission 2,300 T-14 Armata tanks. This is exactly how the state order was presented by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to the Uralvagonzavod state corporation. Moreover, it was separately indicated that the serial production of Armata tanks will not be stopped even in conditions of a severe economic crisis.

By the way, the management of Uralvagonzavod indicates the cost of the tank at 250 million rubles (this is about 4-5 million dollars). This means that the entire batch of T-14 tanks of 2300 tanks will cost our state 10 billion dollars.

Other combat vehicles on the Armata platform

T-15 Armata infantry fighting vehicle (IFV)

In addition to the T-14 tank, it is planned to produce an armored vehicle on a unified heavy combat tracked platform. combat vehicle T-15 infantry, the first copies of which were also demonstrated at the Victory Parade in Moscow. I must say that this is the first heavily armored infantry fighting vehicle in Russian army. Its tank level of armor is impenetrable to modern ATGMs with a caliber of up to 150 mm and BOPS with a caliber of up to 120 mm, as well as the presence of the Afghanit active protection allows it to operate in the same tactical group together with T-14 tanks and makes it a “network-centric” combat vehicle.

The weight of the T-15 infantry fighting vehicle is about 50 tons, the crew is 3 people, in addition, it has a landing module for 9 people at the rear.

The versatility and modularity of the Armata platform allows the T-15 BMP to have several combat configurations:

The main version with the Boomerang-BM combat module, the armament of which includes the Kornet-EM anti-tank missile system, 30 mm automatic anti-aircraft gun 2A42 and 7.62-mm PKTM machine gun, allows it to successfully resist various ground and air targets at a distance of up to 4 km (universal air defense configuration).
Option with the Baikal combat module, the armament of which includes a modified ship-mounted 57 mm anti-aircraft installation with higher firepower and a range of up to 8 km (long-range air defense configuration).
Variant with 120 mm heavy mortar (anti-personnel configuration).

Below is an infographic with the performance characteristics of the T-15 Armata infantry fighting vehicle:

Armored repair and recovery vehicle (ARV) T-16 "Armata"

Above is a photo of the BREM-1M armored repair and recovery vehicle, created on the basis of the T-72 tank chassis and intended for the evacuation of damaged or stuck equipment in combat conditions. Based on the universal heavy platform "Armata", it is planned to release a new ARV under the designation T-16, which will be equipped with a more powerful cargo crane and a whole range of various special equipment.

Self-propelled artillery unit (SAU) "Coalition-SV"

In order to include in one group with the T-14 tanks and T-15 infantry fighting vehicles, equipment with powerful and long-range fire support is planned to be transferred to heavy combat platform"Armata" and our newest self-propelled artillery mount 2S35 "Coalition-SV", which replaced the outdated self-propelled guns 2S3 "Akatsiya" and 2S19 "Msta-S". Developed by the Burevestnik Central Research Institute and produced at the Uraltransmash plant, also part of the Uralvagonzavod corporation, the 152 mm self-propelled howitzer has a wide variety of purposes: from the destruction of the enemy’s tactical nuclear weapons and the destruction of his fortifications to countering his manpower and equipment.

When designing the Coalition-SV, we also adhered to the principle of modularity and versatility, so this howitzer can be installed on almost any platform, including a ship’s one.

The main feature of the new self-propelled gun is its range - up to 70 km, which significantly exceeds all known ones in this parameter foreign analogues. The Coalition-SV's ammunition capacity is 70 rounds, and its rate of fire is 10-15 rounds per minute.

Besides, It is also planned to build the following types of equipment on the basis of the universal Armata platform:

Flamethrower combat vehicle (BMO-2)
Heavy flamethrower system (TOS BM-2)
Multi-Purpose Engineering Vehicle (MIM-A)
Transport-loading vehicle of the heavy flamethrower system (TZM-2)
Minelayer (UMZ-A)
Floating conveyor (PTS-A)
Bridgelayer (MT-A)

Prospects for the use of the Armata tank

As we wrote above, the T-14 Armata tank was developed within the framework of a network-centric concept, therefore it is intended for combat operations as part of a tactical group, including equipment and systems of a very different nature: other Armata tanks or tanks modernized for network-centric warfare T-90S, several T-15 infantry fighting vehicles, a battery of Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled guns, attack helicopters KA-52 "Alligator" and other equipment. At the same time, the T-14 “Armata” in this group is assigned one of key roles, namely the role of a scout, target designator and command tank, controlling the battle through unified system management.

Conclusion

It’s all good that in terms of military projects we are not lagging behind, and in some cases even ahead of other leading military powers of the world, and the development and implementation of the universal heavy platform “Armata” should significantly improve our country’s defense capability in the event of a major (third world) war. The only question is what kind of thing it will be big war And in general, will it be possible to emerge victorious from it?

P.S. Below is a video about modern history our tank troops, presented by the Ministry of Defense on Tanker Day, in which you can see the hero of our review - the T-14 Armata tank.

/Based on materials from in-rating.ru/

Question

A number of projects were implemented, both with traditional and new layouts, most of which remained on drawings or in the form of mock-ups.

Tanks with traditional solutions, such as the Object 255 and Object 480, did not provide a significant advantage over the modernized versions of the T-64A, T-72 and the tank with a gas turbine engine. Tanks with a new layout (Object 450) required a long search for both layout solutions and the creation of fundamentally new components.

These works are described in detail in the material TANKS AND PEOPLE. Diary of the chief designer Alexander Alexandrovich Morozov. Part 2.

The development of the promising tank was never completed before the collapse of the USSR.

Omsk Object 640 “Black Eagle” was also a project with very controversial advantages, which is why it was chosen for demonstration (VTTV 1997) and was even promoted abroad.

In 2009, the closure of these projects was announced.

One gets the feeling that a promising tank will never be created in the post-Soviet space.

With the advent of the first shots of the Armata, a lot of speculation about this tank appeared. Some gave it embellished qualities, others called it veneer and invented non-existent shortcomings.

Layout

The scheme with the concentration of the crew in the front part of the hull requires maximum automation of the control installed in the fighting compartment, creating a number of technical difficulties. This scheme is of interest due to the great potential for enhancing crew protection, including from weapons of mass destruction, as well as improving the conditions for interaction between personnel.

When placing 3 crew members shoulder to shoulder, as is done, the crew is accommodated in fairly comfortable conditions. But at the same time, it is not possible to provide sufficient protection for the onboard part of the crew compartment. Even with a reduction in the width of the space allocated for each crew member from 70 to 60 cm, the ability to provide protection when fired into the side areas is minimal. Wherein
Railway dimensions do not allow increasing the width of the hull.

In addition, such a scheme does not provide a good all-round view to the tank commander, which in a number of countries, despite the development of technical vision equipment, is considered an important quality. More details - Development of a promising tank in the USA.

This scheme has been considered more than once since the 70s in different countries, but has not found application in tank building with the exception of experimental models, such as the American FTTB.

Crew capsule. The driver's seat is located on the left side of the tank.

Gear shifting is carried out using buttons on the steering wheel. The most important information about the movement parameters is displayed directly on the remote display on the control wheel. The monitor displays an image from a forward-looking thermal imaging device located on the upper part of the bow assembly of the hull.

video viewing device and control button block

View of the driver's seat from the gunner's seat located in the center of the crew capsule

PMF-5.0 monitors with high-resolution LCD panels from the “5” series of multifunctional panels.

On the left in the photo is the gunner's control panel.

PMF-5.0 (5.1) products have an expanded set of interfaces, including a touch panel with multi-touch function, etc.
Development of the Instrument Engineering Design Bureau (UKBP), which is part of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern.

The information control system displays information on the status of weapon systems, security, mobility, etc.
Information messages are displayed on the screen below, critical messages are shown in red, important messages in yellow, and regular ones in white.

View of the commander's and gunner's positions. Commander panels (3) right side of the photo.

The devices are manufactured in the Russian Federation and are unified for the entire line of promising ground vehicles (Armata, Kurganets, Boomerang).

The production and assembly of devices is still done by hand, but their reliability is increasing.

It is on these devices that the tank control is based.

View of the back of the crew capsule. HVAC systems visible

Despite the many digital innovations, some traditions in post-Soviet tank building are unshakable, for example, not very neat welding seams.

Comfortable seats – a big step forward compared to previous generation tanks

View of the side of the crew capsule from the gunner's position. Crew seats have a wide range of adjustments, ensuring crew comfort

Protection

The weapons module is separated from the control module by a transverse partition, which reduces the likelihood of injury to the crew in the module.

Fire and explosion safety of the module and crew survivability are achieved by complete separation of the crew's work stations from the sealed fuel volume and from the ammunition.

Schematic representation of the general layout
tank T-14 "Armata" (similar to T-95)

The tank's protection complex includes combined and dynamic protection installed in the front part of the hull with the crew capsule, providing protection.

The turret is covered with dynamic protection on top, and the ERA is also installed to protect the capsule, including the hatches. Part of the hull side in the MTO area is covered with lattice screens.

The DZ covers both the upper and lower parts of the nose assembly of the hull.

Externally, the remote control is similar to that installed on the T-95. the working surface of the thrown plate is significantly increased

The technical requirements for a promising tank, set back in Soviet times, required protection from above from cumulative ammunition with armor-piercing ability of 250-300 mm. Despite the small size of the roof and hatches, which is clearly visible in the photographs, we can assume that this requirement has been met.

The most important feature of the tank is the use of a complex of means for protection against high-precision weapons. They include an active protection complex that provides cover in the range of 120° in the direction of the tank turret and a complex for setting up multispectral curtains and a complex of laser and UV radiation indicators installed along the perimeter of the turret.

An electromagnetic mine protection system is also installed.

Tank protection complex against WTO

Along the perimeter of the tower there are indicators of laser irradiation and ultraviolet radiation (missile launch detection system).

Under the front indicators of irradiation and missile launch there are radars with phased array detection and target designation of the KAZ. On the roof of the tower there is a system for launching multispectral interference in rotary and fixed installations

The irradiation and launch indicators are covered with shutters in photographs and during demonstrations at the parade. Next to the front and side view TV camera indicator block

To reduce the visibility of the tank, a lightweight casing with geometric characteristics optimal for reducing visibility in the radar wavelength range is installed on the turret

Side view of the T-14 Armata, in the central third of the hull there are EZ blocks installed, optimized for protection against cumulative warheads at an impact angle close to normal

Part of the hull side in the MTO area is covered with lattice screens.
The fastenings of the fuel barrels are visible. At the parade in Moscow, the Armatas were without them. Apparently they think it's not fashionable

Firepower

The tank is equipped with a 125mm high-power 2A82-1M cannon. Judging by the patents, the gun can use both standard shots and newly developed ones with an increased powder charge. Ammunition capacity: 40 rounds (of which 32 are in the automatic loader, 8 are portable). The ideology of the AZ is retained from the “Object 195”, but the small ammunition load of 152 mm is increased to an acceptable value.

7.62mm PKTM machine gun in a remote-controlled installation on a platform combined with a panoramic sight-observation device. Ammunition capacity: 2000 rounds of continuous ammunition.

AZ diagram of an uninhabited tower.

Shells and charges are arranged vertically.

The conveyor is raised above the bottom of the hull to prevent jamming when the bottom sag (mine explosion).

The idea of installing such a gun arose a long time ago, back in the late 70s (D-91T) and continued later, including the “Object 187”. Its potential is 30% higher than the standard one.

It is known that high-power shots 3VBM22 with the 3BM59 Svinets-1 BPS and 3VBM23 with the 3BM60 Svinets-2 BPS with L=740 mm have increased armor penetration by 100-150 compared to the standard (3BM44 Mango - 440 mm) mm. Improved BPS developed for the Armata will likely reach a level of more than 800 mm (450/60°). The possibility of using both standard ammunition and newly developed ammunition of increased power is provided.

The 2E58 weapon stabilizer is electromechanical with an electric drive for vertical and horizontal guidance. It has reduced energy consumption, increased accuracy and less fire hazard.

The UUI-2 transceiver is installed at the base of the trunk. Provides automatic measurement of barrel bending during shooting.
Wind and pressure sensor (WPS). The capacitive type sensor provides measurement of longitudinal, transverse wind and atmospheric pressure.

Mobility

"Armata" is equipped with a 12-cylinder four-stroke X-shaped diesel engine with 2V-12-3A turbocharging. Turning mechanism with GOP

Engine power 1200 horsepower. According to the developers, there are possibilities of boosting up to 1500-1800 hp. in perspective.

The total capacity of the tank's fuel system is 2015 liters with two connected barrels. Of this, 1615 liters are in the internal and external fuel tanks of the tank, the fuel is partially located inside the hull (816 liters), the rest is in fuel tanks on the fenders in the rear of the hull.

The stiffness of the suspension is 167...206 kN/m, and the resistance of the hydraulic shock absorber in forward and reverse strokes does not exceed 55 kN and 120 kN, respectively.

the torsion shaft has an operating stress level of more than 147·104 kN/m2 and an allowable twist angle of more than 80°.

An increase in the progressiveness of the suspension characteristics of the suspension system and the smooth running of tracked vehicles weighing up to 55 tons is achieved.

1 - guide wheel; 2 - caterpillars; 3 – support rollers; 4 - support rollers;
5 - torsion shaft; 6 - balancer; 7 - hydraulic shock absorbers; 8 traction

The progressive characteristics of the suspension are shown, in comparison with the characteristics of the suspension of the Leopard 2 tank

Project evaluation

Sufficient attention has been paid to the complex protection of the tank - KOEP, KAZ, DZ, etc.

Ergonomics meets modern requirements.

Among the removable shortcomings, we can note the absence of a machine gun coaxial with the cannon. And a backup gunner sight.

And the main thing that can be added is that the tank is undergoing tests, a small number of them have been produced at the moment. Most of the systems installed in Armata have not yet been sufficiently mastered; it will undoubtedly take a long time to cure “childhood diseases”. So time will tell whether “Armata” will be or not.

This article examines the features of the new Russian tank T-14 Armata, but do not forget that its characteristics are given time are not disclosed, and the design itself can be finalized for several more years.

Therefore, the text does not pretend to be true, but is only reasoning based on information in open sources.

Armored crew capsule

Let's start with the capsule, which, together with the uninhabited tower, is the most interesting feature Almaty. It should protect the crew much better than the simple hull of the MBT we are used to.

But let's figure out if this is true. Conventional armor can protect you from ordinary destructive weapons such as shells or shrapnel; you just need to make it thicker or stronger using new materials. In addition, if we assume that the crew is sitting shoulder to shoulder, then the capsule occupies almost the entire width of the hull, leaving no room for the onboard armor, which is very weak and can only protect, together with active armor, from not all destructive weapons.

The capsule will not save you from the explosion of the ammunition, which has become a sad association with Soviet MBTs, so all that remains is the fire of the ammunition as a result of its damage.

Yes, quite often there is not an instantaneous detonation, but a fire, leaving time for the crew to escape. But on tanks like the T-64 or T-72, the ammunition is separated only by polycom, which practically does not protect against high temperature and fire, and here the capsule becomes an excellent solution that saves the lives of the crew.

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to place the ammunition itself, along with the automatic loader, in an armored capsule, reliably separating them from the crew?

Hatches in Armata

If you are interested in Armata, you have probably already read about the insufficient thickness of the hatches, due to which modern anti-tank weapons can easily hit new car. I’m sure that the designers couldn’t just ignore such a drawback, so let’s talk about something else.

In the tanks we are used to, the hatches on the turret folded forward, protecting people during evacuation from small arms. In addition, the driver had his own, and in the bottom of the hull there was a special escape hatch. Of course, this did not provide any guarantee of survival for the crew of the damaged tank, but there were chances to escape the bullets.

The T-14 Armata has only 2 hatches in the front, and their covers do not in any way protect people leaving the tank. Imagine a situation in which the crew is trying to get out of a tank that is under fire and becomes an excellent target for the enemy. It is possible that Armata will receive an escape hatch, but the presence of an armored capsule makes this option unlikely. I'd like to be wrong.

Armored capsule and electronics

The abundance of electronics in the Armata is presented as an advantage, but this is also the Achilles heel of the new tank. What will happen to it if the electrical systems fail? A blind and deaf tin in which people sit, and this is by no means an exaggeration.

All old MBTs allow you to correct minor malfunctions such as a misfire or failure to fire a projectile even during a battle, or to fire a cannon or at least a machine gun manually.

The Armata has an uninhabited turret completely separated from the crew, eliminating this possibility.

The view from the tank is also provided by cameras; let’s assume that their resolution and the resolution of the screens are enough for normal vision, not inferior to optical vision. But such a design requires a constant supply of electricity even to an ambushed MBT, which can unmask it.

Well, it’s worth returning to the topic of crew evacuation. He will not only be forced to get out through the hatches in front of the tank, not only will he not have the opportunity to fight off enemy infantry with at least a machine gun, but he will also be practically blind in his capsule, not seeing what is happening outside.

The Armata's electronics, which provide excellent visibility, are certainly needed, and this is what our previous tanks lacked, but it would be better to also have the usual observation devices.

It seems that the T-14 Armata capsule has been sorted out. Now there is a contradictory impression that the capsule preserves the life of the crew only in certain conditions, and only then in order to then deprive them of the capabilities of self-defense and evacuation.

Tower

The Armata tower turned out to be controversial, or the model of the tower. Her body kit, and just a body kit, and not cardboard or something else, as they write in stupid gossip, is typical for the majority modern tanks, having the main armor not on the outside.

The shape of this body kit raises questions, since in some places it is very similar to cone-shaped bullet catchers, which will lead to bullets along with fragments getting into the optics, antennas and other important elements of the T-14 Armata.

A coaxial machine gun with a cannon is not noticeable, and the existing 7.62 mm will be insufficient in areas with various buildings, where various concrete slabs and walls can serve as cover from it, while a 12.7 mm or even an automatic 20-30 mm cannon allowed to hit targets behind cover.

Side screens

I would also like to note the unsuccessful installation of the side screens on the Armata. This may seem like a small thing to the uninitiated, but the screens are a heavy legacy of the T-72, due to which a large number of tanks were lost.

What else to read

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Russia has just announced how many deadly Armata tanks it will build. Russia has just announced how many deadly tanks it will build "Armata Tests T 14 crew 2 people

History and background for the creation of the new Armata tank

Another way

Network-centric warfare concept

4th generation tank

Platform "Armata"

Main features of the T-14 "Armata" tank

Infographics and arrangement of modules in the T-14 tank

Radar complex

Target detection systems in the infrared and ultraviolet range

Active protection complex "Afganit"

Dynamic protection complex "Malachite"

Armament of the T-14 tank

T-14 tank armor

T-14 turret

Stealth technologies

Engine

Active suspension

Tank information and control system

Defense order

Other combat vehicles on the Armata platform

T-15 Armata infantry fighting vehicle (IFV)

Armored repair and recovery vehicle (ARV) T-16 "Armata"

Self-propelled artillery unit (SAU) "Coalition-SV"

Prospects for the use of the Armata tank

Conclusion

Armored crew capsule

Hatches in Armata

Armored capsule and electronics

Tower

Side screens

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