Russia has just announced how many deadly Armata tanks it will build. Russia just announced how many deadly Armata tanks it will build Other combat vehicles on the Armata platform

With the development of information technology, the doctrine of warfare has changed. The emphasis began to be placed not on massive strikes and concentrations of troops, but on tactical data exchange and the use of high-precision weapons.

Based on a similar concept, the United States developed the doctrine of network-centric warfare. Its key aspect is to coordinate the actions of units, exchange information in real time and effectively carry out strikes. The principles of this doctrine are adopted by other states, including Russia.

T-14 "Armata" (Armata) is a Russian main battle tank developed within the framework of the concept of network-centric warfare. Designed for action as part of a group, reconnaissance, adjustment and fire control. Significant emphasis is placed on the communication equipment of the machine.

History of development and generation of tanks

The history of the development of the Armata platform and tank is associated with the rivalry between the USA and the USSR in the creation of vehicles with an uninhabited turret. The first drawings of such projects began to be developed in the 1980s. Later they were continued by several developments - objects 195, 640 and 299.

Despite the economic difficulties of the 90s, the Russian designer managed to create the first tank focused on conducting network-centric warfare. The development was based on the creation of the Armata universal combat platform, work on which has been carried out since 2009.

For its design, the developments of previous experimental tanks and combat vehicles were used. The peculiarity of the new platform was its wide range of applications. The modular system made it possible to supplement it with the necessary weapons in accordance with the specifics of the order.

Taking into account the versatility of the platform, the T-14 Armata turret is made uninhabited with automated weapons control. The crew itself is completely moved to the control compartment in the bow of the hull.

This arrangement provided the crew with additional protection. This aspect solves two problems at the same time - it increases the efficiency of the crew, who feel their “invulnerability” and protects trained professionals, whose value has become equal to the cost of the tank itself.

Also, when developing the Armata tank, the increased importance of infantry formations armed with modern anti-tank missile systems was taken into account. In this context, the concept of a single tank is considered obsolete. In the new concept of combat, the emphasis is placed on tactical units of several combat vehicles.

Taking this factor into account, the universal platform “Armata” was created. The T-14 developed on its basis performs the function of reconnaissance and coordination of actions with other tactical level vehicles. This does not reduce the combat characteristics of the tank, but it changes the conditions for its use in battle.

The name of the platform and tank has nothing to do with the armada. The name of the first Russian cannons of the 14th century is based on the Latin root arma, translated as “weapon”.

First demonstration

The first prototypes of equipment on the Armata platform were presented in 2013 at the international exhibition Russia Arms Expo in Nizhny Tagil. Two years later, several variants of military equipment were shown at the Victory Parade on May 9, 2015. It was then that the T-14 was presented as a promising modern tank.

Design of the T-14 tank

The design of the T-14 tank has several key features that distinguish it from modern analogues. Taking into account the versatility of the platform and modular assembly, the layout of the machine has been changed. Greater emphasis is placed on automation of the warhead and crew safety. Taking these aspects into account, the design of the tank is built.

"Armata" is equipped with a tank information and control system (TIUS). It provides automated control of machine components and assemblies. Any malfunctions are reported to the crew. This system also determines which breakdowns need to be repaired first.

Armored capsule and uninhabited tower

The main problem of many tanks was finding ammunition along with the crew. This created a threat of its death if it was hit by a cumulative projectile; in this case, even a technically sound tank would fail.

Development of automated feeding of projectiles into a gun was carried out in many countries. The difficulty was in supplying ammunition when changing the position of the turret and the angle of fire. Trial mechanisms have shown their unreliability, which is why the crews of many foreign tanks still have a loader, although the ammunition itself is stored separately from the crew.

Russian developers managed to optimize this process, making it more reliable. Thanks to this, the middle part of the hull and the turret became uninhabited, and the ammunition was reliably isolated from the crew. The latter has been moved to the front with its own armor separating it from the rest of the tank.

The turret armor consists of two layers - the main protection and the anti-fragmentation casing. The latter protects the devices from bullets, shrapnel and high-explosive shells. It also provides the vehicle with radar stealth and protection against radiomagnetic pulses. Part of the gun's ammunition is stored in the rear of the turret. Additional power for the machine gun is also located here. All charging is automated.

The T-14 armored capsule provides reliable protection for the crew and electronic equipment from cumulative and fragmentation shells. Survival is also ensured in the event of detonation of ammunition or fuel tanks. They are also insulated with armored partitions and have knock-out hatches that direct the force of the explosion away from the crew.

Phased array radar

Radar protection (radar) T-14 "Armata" is part of the "Afganit" system. Its key feature is the use of an active phased array radar (AFAR), made by analogy with developments for the Su-57 fighters. The technology is based on the use of low-temperature ceramics in the Ka-band 26.5-40 GHz (LTCC).

Structurally, the radar is placed on the tower in four panels, protected by a fragmentation shield. Their arrangement provides a 360-degree view without rotation. According to preliminary data, Armata is capable of detecting up to 40 ground and 25 air dynamic targets simultaneously.

The target detection radius is considered controversial. Sources indicate a coverage of 100 km. It is known that there was an attempt to reduce the radar power, but in the end it was decided to leave it as is. It was this aspect that predetermined the role of the T-14 in the tactical level - reconnaissance and target designation for firing by other vehicles.

In addition to the phased array radar, there are two radars for detecting targets at short ranges. Their work is focused on detecting projectiles and targets when the main radar is turned off.

Active protection "Afghanit"

The Afghanit active defense complex is a radar recognition of threats and targets. Includes the following features and functions:

• automatic rotation of the turret towards the approaching projectile, which exposes the most protected frontal part to attack;
• opening return fire to protect the vehicle and nearby equipment, controlling a machine gun to shoot incoming shells;
• protection against electronic warfare and detection;
• providing stealth camouflage due to thermal insulation of the body and reducing radar visibility;
• creation of smoke-metal curtains to protect nearby infantry, including landing on the vehicle body, electronic destruction of incoming guided projectiles.

Given the range of the Afghanit radars, comprehensive protection is used both to repel threats and to coordinate and launch retaliatory strikes, including preventive measures. This aspect is relevant for actions as part of a tactical unit.

Layout

The T-14 "Armata" has a classic layout adjusted for crew accommodations. The design is divided into three parts:

• in the front there is an armored capsule with three crew members and all equipment for controlling the vehicle;
• the main ammunition is stored in the middle part, and the mechanism for feeding shells into the turret is also located here;
• in the aft part there is traditionally an engine-transmission compartment with fuel tanks.

The uninhabited turret of the Armata tank communicates with its middle part. It has its own division; part of the ammunition is located in the rear part. The main radars, weapons, surveillance and guidance devices are also located here.

Protection

"Armata" has a combined complex protection in several levels. In addition to the Afghanit system, capable of repelling threats on approach, there is the Malachite complex. The operating principle of the latter is designed for the preemptive detonation of approaching projectiles.

Such a system protects the tank from armor-piercing shells, light RPG missiles and heavy anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). Emphasis is also placed on protecting nearby infantry from ammunition detonation, as well as reducing the likelihood of blinding surveillance and targeting devices.

Passive protection of the T-14 hull is represented by the following elements:

• frontal protection based on composite materials, according to unconfirmed data, is capable of withstanding hits from ATGMs with a caliber of up to 150 mm and armor-piercing finned sabot projectiles (BOPS) up to 120 mm;
• internal armored fences isolating compartments in the event of hit and detonation of fuel tanks and ammunition.

Anti-cumulative screens are used primarily on the tower. They are also provided for fuel tanks, providing them with additional armor.

Mine protection

The Armata's mine protection is represented by two key aspects: a V-shaped armored bottom and remote mine detectors. The latter are connected to the remote mine destruction system. The explosion is carried out due to distortion of the tank's magnetic field.

The V-shaped bottom is complemented by energy-absorbing materials (closed-cell aluminum foam) and special mine-resistant seats. The design of the latter can significantly reduce the shock wave and the load on the crew from both explosions and movement on uneven surfaces.

Missile defense

The missile defense of the T-14 "Armata" is represented by three stages:

• the Afghanit active protection complex ensures interception of projectiles, suppression of their control, and destruction;
• dynamic protection "Malachite" ensures the reflection and destruction of projectiles of various calibers at close range;
• The tank's own armor protects against hits from ammunition that has passed the first two levels.

Information about the tank’s ability to withstand hits from modern guided munitions does not yet have accurate data. According to experts, the frontal armor of the vehicle, even without dynamic protection, cannot be penetrated by the best NATO ATGMs. Many Western analysts also believe that the Armata's armor is capable of withstanding hits from the most modern anti-tank shells.

Stealth technologies

The Armata's invisibility technology is represented by the following aspects:

• thermal insulation coating of the body on the inside;
• system for mixing exhaust gases with cold air;
• flat reflective edges in the hull design reduce radar signature;
• painting the tank reduces heating from the sun and ensures absorption of radar waves;
• There is a magnetic field distortion system.

All these factors significantly reduce the radar, infrared and magnetic signature of the Armata. In a number of cases, the identification of the T-14 as a tank or combat vehicle is excluded.

Engine and transmission

The Armata is equipped with a twelve-cylinder X-shaped four-stroke diesel engine with a 12N360 turbocharger. The power of the power plant is switchable and can correspond to one of three indicators - 1200, 1500 or 1800 hp. With.

The use of a four-stroke engine improved efficiency, which increased the march range without refueling. The vehicle's service life has increased, it starts more easily at low temperatures, and requires less air for blowing, which reduces the tank's infrared visibility. If necessary, the engine can be replaced within 30 minutes.

The Armata gearbox is automatic, with the option of manual shifting. There are 16 gears in total, eight each for forward and reverse.

Crew

The crew of the T-14 "Armata" consists of three people: a commander, a driver and a gunner. All three are located in the front part, in an armored capsule. The design of the tank, its layout, external and internal protection provide a high probability of crew survival even in the event of the loss of the vehicle itself.

Suspension

The Armata tank uses active suspension, which gives it a significant advantage over previous generations of vehicles. Unlike uncontrolled hydropneumatic and torsion bar suspensions, the active one, due to sensors, takes into account uneven terrain and independently commands the suspension system to vertically shift the rollers.

This principle of operation allows the machine to adapt to uneven terrain. Accordingly, the smooth running of the tank is ensured, speed is maintained, and the accuracy of target designation and shooting in motion is increased.

Maximum speed

The Armata tank, given its weight, is capable of reaching a speed of 80-90 km/h on the highway, and has a cruising range of 500 km. On rough terrain, the speed is reduced to 45-60 km/h. The power reserve in this case depends on the soil and the complexity of the terrain.

Dimensions and weight

The technical characteristics of the Armata tank in terms of dimensions have the following indicators:

• body length - 8.7 m;
• total length with the gun facing forward - 10.8 m;
• body width - 3.5 m;
• height - 2.7 m;
• track width - 2.8 m.

The weight of the Armata tank in tons is 48-55 tons, information varies from different sources. The specific pressure on the ground, taking into account the mass, is 0.775 kilograms per cubic centimeter.

Armament

Despite the concept of using the T-14 for reconnaissance and coordination of a tank unit, the Armata’s own weapons correspond to the parameters of a main battle tank. The following aspects are highlighted in this issue:

• 125 mm gun 2A82-1M;
• machine guns "Kord" and PKTM.

The guns and machine guns are guided by a fire control system (FCS). The ballistic computer makes the necessary calculations using the following parameters:

• determining the tank’s own position using the GLONASS receiver and inertial navigation system;
• gyroscopic calculation of the tank’s position based on its angular orientation in space;
• calculation of wind direction and speed;
• determination of air temperature and humidity;
• taking into account barrel curvature during heating.

All sensors are located on the roof of the tank. Taken together, the system allows you to automatically calculate the necessary parameters. Many experts agree that this operating principle makes weapon control more similar to a computer game than to real control of a combat vehicle.

Smoothbore 125 mm gun 2A82-1M

Armata tanks are equipped with 2A82-1M smoothbore guns with a caliber of 125 mm. Their range is 7 km, rate of fire is 10-12 rounds per minute. In terms of technical characteristics, such guns are superior to the best NATO tank guns by 17% in muzzle energy and 20% in accuracy.

The supply of ammunition is automatic. It is possible to load the gun with projectiles a meter long, which allows the use of high-power sub-caliber armor-piercing ammunition. The gun's total ammunition capacity is 45 rounds, but its staffing has not yet been approved.

If necessary, 2A83 guns of 152 mm caliber can be installed on Armata tanks. This weapon has the ability to penetrate armor equivalent to up to 1000 mm, which significantly exceeds the protection of modern NATO tanks. Given the power of such a gun, there is no need for armor-piercing shells - the kinetic energy of the fired ammunition is enough to tear off the entire turret of any tank.

Taking into account this factor, the installation of these guns is still considered inappropriate. This makes the T-14 upgradeable if necessary to enhance the firepower of a tank unit. The probable reduction in the ammunition capacity of the new gun is also taken into account - to increase it it is planned to use a turret niche.

Reflex-M missiles

In addition to standard tank shells, the T-14 can hit targets with Reflex-M solid-fuel anti-tank guided missiles. They are capable of hitting almost any highly protected surface, ground and low-flying targets.

The charging of these missiles is carried out according to a tandem scheme. The leading part is designed to overcome the dynamic protection of the target. The main charge is aimed at penetrating armor and directly defeating vehicles or pillboxes. The projectile's flight path is a helical line.

If necessary, the tank can use a version of the rocket with a thermobaric warhead. Such shells are designed to destroy enemy personnel, engineering structures and lightly armored vehicles.

PKTM machine gun

The Kalashnikov tank modernized machine gun (PKTM) on the T-14 is paired with a gun. Caliber - 7.62 mm. There is no information yet about the ammunition load. Designed primarily to engage infantry and lightly armored targets.

Machine gun "Kord" for destroying enemy shells and missiles

The Kord machine gun serves as an anti-aircraft installation for the tank and its air defense. Integrated with active tank protection. It has its own robotic turret, thermal imagers and AFAR radar, thanks to which it is capable of hitting even high-speed targets at a distance of 1.5 kilometers. Designed primarily to destroy shells and missiles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Taking into account the design and performance characteristics of the T-14, the following advantages of the new tank are highlighted:

• crew protection, improved protection of the vehicle itself and its components;
• high firepower, firing accuracy;
• high speed and smooth ride on rough terrain, taking into account how much the tank weighs;
• invisibility of the machine for various detection methods;
• high range of detection and destruction of targets;
• a resource for further modernization of the tank, including increasing firepower.

Many characteristics and indicators remain unconfirmed or classified. However, the available data confirms the exceptional position of the Armata among modern tanks. At the same time, attention is also paid to the shortcomings of the T-14.

The main questions are raised by the decision to transfer the crew to an armored capsule. This increases its security, but does not allow visibility from the tower. Accordingly, the role of optical technology increases, which creates special requirements for its protection from damage and blinding.

Another disadvantage is the cost of a new tank. Even in mass production, its assembly costs about 250-350 million rubles, which casts doubt on the mass production of such tanks for the army, as well as the likelihood of their production for export.

Despite the inconsistency and inaccuracy of a number of aspects, the project is assessed positively. Western military analysts point to the design understanding of Russian developers of the modern concept of combat operations. The creation of the Armata demonstrates a transition from the quantity of equipment used to the quality combat capability of small tactical groups.

Comparison of Armata with other tanks

Comparing the T-14 with modern tanks, Western experts agree that the Armata belongs to the next generation. There are a number of advantages and developments that are combined for the first time in the design of one machine.

Thus, the Israeli Merkava tank also has an AFAR radar capable of calculating the position of a shot based on an approaching projectile. However, the latter does not have the ability to reflect ammunition, and its frontal armor is weaker. Taking into account the location of the engine in the front part of the hull, penetration of the frontal protection is almost guaranteed to disable such a vehicle.

British experts also express concerns about the ability of their own vehicles to engage in confrontation with the Armata. The current Challenger 2 is not capable of penetrating the armor of the T-14, which requires its urgent replacement.

The German Ministry of Defense put forward a similar assessment of Armata. According to his assessment, Leopard-2 is not capable of penetrating the armor of the T-14. Based on this aspect, a Franco-German concern was created to jointly develop a new modern tank.

Chinese developers are confident that their VT-4 is superior to the Armata, although they point to the better transmission of the T-14. At the same time, the government is considering the possibility of purchasing Russian tanks.

There are no official statements from the United States, however, according to experts and various news publications, the American Abrams is also inferior to the Armata in a number of parameters. An opinion is expressed about its modernization and its ability to be the first to detect the enemy, which increases its chances of survival.

Participation in exercises

The Armata tank has not yet taken part in large-scale exercises or combat operations. Since December 31, 2018, it has been undergoing state tests. Taking into account its cost, the initial purchase orders of the Russian Ministry of Defense were reduced. So far we are talking about assembling 132 vehicles, which include the T-15 infantry fighting vehicle.

Despite the absence of exercises using the T-14, the performance characteristics and design features of the Armata today form new requirements for next-generation tanks:

• on rough terrain, good speed and accuracy of mobile shooting must be maintained;
• AFAR radar for detecting threats is becoming a mandatory attribute of modern technology;
• the tank must be equipped with stealth technologies to reduce visibility, including creating jamming and dynamically changing signatures;
• previous smoke screens are not capable of hiding a vehicle in the infrared and radar range, which requires the creation of new opaque multispectral screens;
• the active protection of the tank must be able to defeat guided missiles and armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles;
• the anti-aircraft machine gun is also becoming obsolete, instead the emphasis is shifting in favor of robotic installations capable of shooting down objects at high speed;
• the tank's armament should include electromagnetic means of combat, at least against guided missiles;
• the frontal armor of the tank must correspond to an equivalent thickness of 1000 mm;
• the vehicle's reactive armor must repel attacks from hand-held grenade launchers and heavy anti-tank missiles with tandem warheads;
• To significantly damage a tank, it is no longer enough to break through its turret; a significant impact force is required;
• ammunition designed to damage the crew with shrapnel becomes ineffective in the presence of an armored capsule.

In the context of such descriptions and requirements put forward by the development and testing of the T-14, it is expected that other states will actively begin to develop new generation tanks. Whether "Armata" will remain competitive after the appearance of analogues in other countries - time will tell.

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Tank troops are considered one of the most powerful components of the modern army. Developers all over the world are paying special attention to improving tanks and other heavy armored vehicles so that they can carry out a large number of assigned combat missions.

Russia was no exception, where specialists decided to create powerful combat vehicles based on special tracked platform "Armata", which will allow us to unify armored units and units, as well as optimize the costs of producing tanks and armored vehicles.

From the whole family Almaty the most anticipated new product in military engineering was precisely main tank- a new combat vehicle, on the creation of which Uralvagonzavod specialists, engineers and designers worked hard.

Performance characteristics of the Armata T-14 tank

• Combat weight 48 tons
• Crew - 3 people
• Booking
  - combined multilayer armor
  - active protection complex "Afganit"
  - dynamic protection "Malachite"
• Armament
  - Smoothbore gun 125 mm 2A82-1M (152 mm 2A83)
  - Gun ammunition: 45 shells (32 in the automatic loader)
  - Machine guns - 1 × 12.7 mm Kord; 1 × 7.62 mm PKTM
• Engine
  - multi-fuel A-85-3A (12N360)
  - Engine power 1500 hp.
• Highway speed - 80 - 90 km/h
• Speed ​​over rough terrain - about 70 km/h
• Cruising range on the highway - over 500 km
• Specific power - 31 liters. s./t
• Suspension type - active.

Multi-level protection of the Armata tank

Main feature T-14 tank, is uninhabited tank turret- the crew is located in an isolated armored capsule; among other things, a multi-layer combined armor barrier is installed in the front projection of the combat vehicle, protecting tank crews during frontal hits from anti-tank shells and missiles. This approach to tank design allows the combat vehicle to withstand hits from most modern and future ATGMs and anti-tank shells, while preserving the lives of tank crews. The manned armored capsule also houses control computers, which makes the tank more survivable in modern combat conditions.

Location of components and modules of Almata

The engine, transmission, as well as the automatic loader with ammunition are isolated from each other, which dramatically increases the survivability of the Almata even if the armor of the turret or engine/transmission compartments of the tank is penetrated. That is, if there is no direct hit in the compartment with ammunition and automatic loader, then there will be no detonation of the ammunition. Even with multiple penetrations of the tank, the armored capsule will protect the crew and fire control systems, allowing the robotic uninhabited turret to fire. Another original solution is that the crew is positioned in a row, which reduces the area of ​​the side projection of the manned armored capsule, sharply reducing the likelihood of being hit.

On a tank T-14 new anti-mine V-shaped armor has been applied, remote mine detectors have been installed on the tank, which are connected to an anti-tank mine destruction system, which allows the tank to overcome minefields.

Turret of the T-14 Armata tank

The turret of the Armata T-14 tank, as we wrote above, is uninhabited; its armor consists of anti-fragmentation casings to protect instruments and weapons. The steel casing protects the turret instruments, as well as dynamic protection modules from light fragmentation damage; an additional function of the casing is to reduce the radio signature of the tank against ATGMs/ATGMs with radar guidance of the JAGM type, due to the geometry of the surface.

Active protection complex "Afganit"

But armor cannot 100% protect a tank from modern anti-tank weapons, so T-14 The Afghanit active protection complex has been installed, which has the ability to intercept modern ATGMs, cumulative RPG grenades, as well as sub-caliber armor-piercing shells while approaching the tank.

Defense Update experts, when analyzing the Afghanit system on the T-14, indicate that it consists of damaging and camouflage elements. The striking elements are located in shotgun pedestals under the turret, operating similarly to the Drozd KAZ, but more efficiently - the reaction time allows you to intercept even sub-caliber shells. The Afghanit developers also received patent RU 2263268 for an active protection system based on the “shock core” principle, which allows them to shoot down promising ammunition at speeds of up to 3000 m/s.

The camouflage elements of the Afghanit active protection complex are located in small mortars on the roof of the tank turret. Defense Update experts report that, presumably, the camouflage elements operate simultaneously as: a smoke screen, a multispectral curtain (including the IR range) and a curtain opaque to millimeter-wave radars (by releasing a cloud of miniature dipoles). According to Defense Update, this completely blocks anti-tank systems built on the principle of laser (ATGM Hellfire, TOW, Fagot, Skif, Stugna-P), IR guidance (ATGM Javelin, Spike) and with its own MW radar (ATGM JAGM, Brimstone) , making Armata protected from these anti-tank missiles, as well as from gliding homing charges (“roofbreakers”).

To counteract guidance radars and AWACS aircraft, the T-14 tank uses modern elements of stealth technology with characteristic flat edges (see, for example, the casing on the turret of the Armata tank). Defense Update experts indicate that the combined destructive and camouflage KAZ "Afganit" is triggered by an AFAR radar, which is divided into 4 separate matrices directed in different directions, the rear matrices are turned upward to control the upper hemisphere, so the AFAR radar has circular coverage. The tank's optical surveillance equipment is also integrated with a system for proactive delivery of curtains.

Previously, the developers of the T-14 also reported that the machine gun mount, based on data from the AFAR radar, is capable of protecting the tank not only by shooting down incoming anti-tank missiles, but also having a significant probability of hitting anti-tank shells in order to change the flight path of sub-caliber shells or damage cumulative ammunition.

New steel for armor of the Armata tank

For combined multilayer armor, specialists from the Research Institute of Steel developed new armor steel grade 44S-SV-SH electroslag remelting of high resistance, as well as new materials and filler designs. This made it possible to reduce the total weight of the tank's armor protection by 15% while maintaining armor resistance. Dynamic protection of the T-14 was created according to the principle of design and modification of the configuration to suit the scenario of combat use of the tank. On the march, dynamic protection can be removed, and additional modules can be installed for an urban combat scenario.

Chassis and engine of Almaty

The new Armata medium tank is equipped with a 12-cylinder four-stroke X-shaped turbocharged diesel engine A-85-3A (12N360) with a power of 1,500 horsepower. Engine 12N360 multi-fuel, with direct injection, developed by the Chelyabinsk design bureau "Transdiesel" and produced at ChTZ (Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant).

The tank has a 7-roller active suspension on vane shock absorbers with a differential steering mechanism with hydrostatic transmission. The new active suspension eliminates the swaying of the tank while moving, which makes it possible to reduce the time of target acquisition by optical-electronic guidance means by 2.2 times, reducing the time of hitting a “tank” type target by 1.45 times!

T-14 Armata is equipped with a tank information and control system (TIUS), which monitors all components and assemblies, controls on-board systems, and diagnoses faults, which allows the driver to control the engine and chassis without leaving the armored capsule for inspection and diagnostics - the need for repairs is determined by the electronics.

IN T-14 changed design of additional fuel tanks, for the first time for Soviet and Russian tanks they became non-removable and recessed behind the armor and anti-cumulative screen. In this case, the tanks participate in additional protection of the engine, taking on shock deformations. The exhaust of Almaty engines is produced through pipes running through additional fuel tanks, which, taking into account the high heat capacity of hundreds of liters of fuel, reduces the visibility of the tank in the infrared range.

Although the new tank is being created according to all Russian tank building standards and is quite often compared with "Black Eagle", the model is an absolute novelty that has no analogues. An important distinguishing feature is the development of a high level of safety for the crew, which will be housed in a special armored capsule.

Armata tracked platform - a universal combat transformer

"Armata" is a heavy tracked platform, which was developed by the Uralvagonzavod enterprise and can be used unified in the production of various types of modern heavy armored vehicles. Based on this unique project, it is planned to create several types of armored vehicles, the development of which Russian specialists have already begun to engage in. The main positions are:

1. T-14 (object 148)- Main battle tank;
2. BMP-T T-15 (GBTU index - object 149)- Infantry fighting vehicle;
3. BREM-T T-16 (object 152)- repair and recovery vehicle;
4. BMO-2- flamethrower combat vehicle;
5. TOS BM-2- heavy flamethrower system;
6. TZM-2- transport-loading vehicle for a heavy flamethrower system;
7. 2S35 "Coalition-SV"- self-propelled artillery installation;
8. USM-A1- mining system;
9. UMZ-A- minelayer (project);
10. MIM-A- multi-purpose engineering vehicle;
11. MT-A- bridge layer (project);
12. PTS-A- floating conveyor (project).

Also, the Armata universal tank tracked platform can serve as the basis for creating a chassis for self-propelled artillery units and various types of specialized engineering vehicles. The general public first met the Armata at the Victory Parade on May 9, 2015. Participation of a new tank T-14 Armata attracted the attention of not only Russians; the new tank was watched by a huge number of military specialists from all over the planet.

Tanks became the striking force of World War II. In almost all countries of the world, the dominant doctrine is currently considered to be network-centric warfare. That is, achieving superiority over the enemy due to greater information and communication, as well as the speed of making tactical decisions in a single center and the prompt receipt of orders by units. This concept is contradicted by several others, for example, there is the doctrine of targeted strategic suppression, that is, finding the enemy’s weak points, issuing orders to the unit to carry out a combat mission. They intersect in many ways and complement each other, but in one area they are incompatible - the tactics and strategy of using tank formations. The first concept takes tanks into account, but the second does not.

It is heartwarming that a “breakthrough” was made in the Russian Federation, whose armed forces are already beginning to adopt the Russian T-14 Armata tank, which fits perfectly into the doctrine of network-centric warfare.

History of creation and prospects for application

At the beginning of this decade, confidential information appeared about the appearance in Russia of a long-developed new generation tank. Only those who were interested noticed her. Therefore, the passage on 05/09/2015 through Red Square became a presentation of the Armata tank, produced in small quantities (up to 15 copies) as part of a pre-production “package”.

The secrecy of the Russian “combat systems of the future” program and the reasons why this particular tank was chosen will not be removed for a long time. The only open information is the refusal to produce the fourth generation main tank T-95.

By the way, at the development stage, the Armata tank received the name “Object 148”, and the number 14 in the final name was derived from the year the project was implemented – 2014.

Perhaps the Armata medium tank, whose mass is about 50 tons, was chosen as the main one, since it is multifunctional and is intended to work as part of a group as a “leader”. It perfectly copes with the functions of a remote reconnaissance, target designator and fire spotter.

To do this, he has two detection systems (a surveillance radar with a range of one hundred kilometers and equipment operating in different “light” ranges), as well as a Pterodactyl drone with an unlimited operating time, since it receives energy from the T-14 Armata "via a special wire.

Having received operational data, “Pterodactyl” can transmit it to everyone (in a regular format and/or video) who needs it, including its escort:

• heavy infantry fighting vehicle T-15;
• attack helicopters;
• complexes of the “Pantsir-S1” type;
• other equipment included in the group.

By the way, the T14 “Armata” in the same format can receive data from its tactical group, command, other similar groups, as well as airplanes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Versatile platform, powertrain and suspension

The fourth generation T-14 Armata is being developed in accordance with a network-centric concept, according to which it must have at least:

• NeoBash with automatic charging and reloading;
• isolated armored capsule for the crew;
• part of fully automated functions (partly robotic tank).

By the way, the fifth generation will in fact be a tank without a crew, that is, completely robotic.

The platform of the Armata tank was made unified by Uralvagonzavod. Being a heavy tracked vehicle, it is suitable for transforming the T-14 Armata itself, for example, into something close to a self-propelled gun - a combat artillery vehicle. It will also be suitable for the production of several dozen types of other military equipment, including cars. At the same time, many sections and even blocks mounted on valves (communication, control, active protection, and so on) can be installed on this equipment.

The universal combat platform makes it possible to implement new tactical concepts and actions of the T-14 Armata.

The T-14 is equipped with an engine common to the universal Armata platform with the following performance characteristics (hereinafter referred to as performance characteristics):

№№	Engine performance	Numerical engine parameters
1	Twelve-cylinder, diesel, turbocharged	X-shaped
2	Power (max 1)	1200 l/s
3	Power (max 2)	1500 l/s
4	Speed ​​(maximum)	90 km/h
5	Travel range (without refueling)	500 km.
6	Time to replace the engine	30 minutes
7	Weight (weight) (including additional “body kit” for combat in urban conditions)	Up to 55 tons

On a universal platform, it is possible to install the engine in three places (front, rear and middle.). On the T-14 “Armata” it is customary to place the engine at the rear, and, for example, on its combat “friend” the T-15 BMP, which should always be located nearby - in the front.

Active suspension and BIUS

Active suspension, through automatic suspension of the T-14 "Armata", gives it the opportunity to not significantly reduce the speed of movement off-road. By reducing the pitching amplitude, the accuracy of the shot improves by 2 times, which is not small in real combat conditions. Provided that the speed of the T14 tank at this moment will not exceed 30 km/h. The gearbox is semi-automatic, with 16 gears (half for forward movement and the same number for reverse).

The brain, the main element of its automated “digital board” system, is its information and control system (hereinafter referred to as BIUS). It controls almost everything until the commander or another crew member (there are three tank crews in total on the Armata Tank) takes control of this equipment.

The BIUS device controls the engine and suspension, active protection and target search, constantly performs diagnostics, if necessary, informing the crew about its results and even giving them voice commands. Add artificial intelligence to it and a fifth-generation combat vehicle is ready.

Protection complexes and armor

The main thing is the armor. Its role increases even more with the rising cost of production and operation of a modern tank. Prototypes of the T-14 "Armata" were purchased for 0.5 billion rubles. for each copy.

The cost of a series of 100 units for testing, according to the general director of Uralvagonzavod, under the contract is just over 25 billion rubles.

The unit price will decrease as supplies of the T-14 Armata increase to Russian troops. The plant's capacity allows it to produce at least five hundred cars per year. But even now, in comparison with NATO tanks, the T-14 Armata is the cheapest tank.

Due to the enormous cost, it is very important to keep the T-14 Armata tank in combat. Everything has been done for this - it is difficult to hit the T-14, and even more difficult to penetrate all its protective layers. Disabling it is one thing, but completely destroying it with its entire crew is another.

The worst thing is if the ammunition detonation occurs (destruction of tracks, power plant and similar damage can be repaired and/or replaced with appropriate units relatively easily). In this case, special screens are provided to divert the energy of the explosion from the armored capsule with the crew and it will most likely survive.

Active protection complex (hereinafter referred to as KAZ) “Afganit”

First, the defense equipment of the Armata tank (a set of numerous radars, direction finders and cameras in the ultraviolet and infrared ranges, with a review of 3600) detects the enemy weapon. Then the KAZ Afganit automatically turns the NeoBash in this direction. This action is performed for:

1. Blinding and/or changing the trajectory of guided projectiles and missiles by disorienting curtains, fired by heat traps, as well as means that disable electronics and their other “stuffing” (except mechanical), including laser guidance.
2. Destruction and/or interception of the impact core of a rocket (projectile) within a radius of twenty meters using appropriate means of active protection, including automated mortars installed under the NeoBash (the main damage is fragmentation), and an automatic machine gun on the tower itself.
3. Meeting the projectile, if it is not destroyed before contact with the armor of the Armata tank, its frontal armor, which has the greatest protection (the thickness of the armor is equivalent to more than one meter of reference armor).
4. Delivering a retaliatory strike against an attacking enemy.

Infrared cameras allow KAZ to:

• carry out their functions when the radar is disabled or disabled, as well as in the conditions of the enemy’s use of electronic suppression means.
• control and suppress the possibility of false radar alarms.
• solve a very complex technical problem by detecting laser irradiation of the T14 Armata.

Cellular protection, dynamic protection complex (hereinafter referred to as KDZ) “Malachite”

The second level of protection for the Armata tank is the Malachite KDZ. Dynamic protection consists of three blocks made up of containers with special filling, cells of different sizes which can be refilled after use. In automatic mode, the updated version of the Malachite KDZ participates in the active protection of the Armata tank.

Induction current sensors react to the magnetic field of the damaging enemy weapon, “throwing” towards it with an explosion a special damaging cell cover. If this does not help or a “tandem” projectile is used, it is met by a special filling of the dynamic protection cell, which practically “grinds” the enemy ammunition and dissipates the cumulative jet.

KDZ "Malachite" allows for mounting additional dynamic protection units on the front part of the T-14 "Armata". They cover the NeoBash from above and the hull on the sides by about 2/3, with a tank length of 10.5 meters, and a height and width of 3 and 4 meters, respectively.

The blocks are filled with cells in several layers, with different numbers of layers of cells in different places, and inside they are painted with the thinnest layer of a special coating.

Thanks to this, compared to the 3rd generation of tanks, the Malachite should be able to “cope” better with American and NATO finned sabot shells and heavy missiles.

The complex is safe for infantry if it, fulfilling the requirements of the Charter, moves behind the T-14 Armata tank (without armor protection) at a distance of more than 50 meters. Active protection is focused on disabling missiles more with “counterelectronic” means and the use of various “curtains”, and with grenade fragments - only within 20 meters of the T14 Armata.

Reservation of the turret, hull and compartments

The third and final line of defense is the T-14 Armata tank’s own armor, improved (by at least 10-15%%) compared to 3rd generation tanks. In some places it is reinforced with armored partitions inside the hull. The armor was specially created to maximize the deflection of guided and unguided missiles from an axial impact into the plane of the armor.

Their penetration today does not exceed 700 mm in armor equivalent, while the hull armor of the T-14 Armata is close to 1 meter of homogeneous metal armor (expert assessment, data is naturally classified), and NeoBash is significantly higher.

Ceramic inserts in the armor, when destroyed, absorb almost the entire kinetic force of the ammunition and shift the axis of its impulse.

A crew of three is located in the front of the T-14 Armata hull in a well-armored and insulated compartment of the tank - an armored capsule. It is believed that it will not only withstand being hit by any type of ammunition, but will protect the crew from the explosion of ammunition and from the effects of the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion (except for getting into its epicenter).

Whether this is true or a “sweet” lie will be shown by the currently ongoing “field” tests and maneuvers close to combat conditions after the start of delivery of at least several hundred T14 tanks to the Russian troops. A good test for them could be participation in some local conflict such as the “civil war” in Syria.

In addition to the semi-automated electronic and mechanical equipment necessary for the T-14 Armata to perform its functions, the armored capsule has air conditioning and several all-round viewing screens that provide a high-resolution “picture”, regardless of the weather and time of day. It is argued that the armored capsule is freer than in a modern Mercedes-Benz car, only the design is poorer.

The armored screens located above the tracks cover the dynamic protection of seven blocks for approximately 2/3 of the length of the tank, and the rear part of the NeoBash and the hull are covered with lattice screens. All this additional protection weighs just over one ton, which is only 2% and practically does not reduce the maneuverability of the Armata tank. For greater invulnerability when fighting in urban conditions, dynamic “armor” in soft packaging is hung on top of the side armor plates, as well as on the back and sides of the NeoBash.

The lower part of the T-14 Armata is well protected by armor. Also, in order to dissipate the shock impulse of anti-tank mines, it has a V-shape. In addition, it is equipped with a unique system for determining the location of mines with magnetic fuses and their remote detonation due to distortion of the magnetic field. So there doesn’t seem to be any danger from the T-14 “Armata” from below. But the design of the crew seats includes elements that partially absorb and also divert most of the explosion energy.

Fuel compartment protection

Fuel tanks are made non-removable for the first time. They are located on the sides of the T-14 Armata and in the center of the hull in front of the engine. They are protected from fire by a special filler, and from hit by enemy ammunition, in addition to the protection described above, by an additional anti-cumulative screen.

It is separated from the engine compartment and the compartment with “shots” by an armored partition, which rather provides additional protection for these sections of the hull, and from the compartment with the crew, accordingly, by the armor of the crew “capsule”.

If you look from the inside, the body of the T-14 "Armata" is divided into four parts in the middle of which there is a fuel compartment, bordering the engine compartment, the crew's armored capsule, and also going around the sides of the ammunition compartment. It is believed that this arrangement will, at least slightly, reduce the impact on the crew and engine when the ammunition capacity, which amounts to 45 rounds, is detonated.

The total capacity of the fuel system is 2 tons (with additional tanks). About half of the fuel is inside the hull, and the rest is located outside the hull on its sides on the fenders. All compartments of the T-14 "Armata" are equipped with fire extinguishers that are automatically activated when an open flame appears and the temperature corresponds to this.

Applicable stealth technologies

In order to make the Armata tank as inconspicuous as possible for enemy detection means, many developments in stealth technology have been applied. Currently, the strength of the Russian army lies not so much in firepower, but in the difficulty of detection by the enemy of its combat vehicles, which significantly increases their survivability.

For this there is:

1. Flat reflective sides of the body with a unique coating, which not only hides the Armata tank in a wide range of radio waves, but also prevents it from getting sunstroke.
2. Thermal insulation of the hull and heat traps make it difficult to find the T-14 "Armata" in the infrared wavelength range and radically change its appearance if it is exposed.
3. A lightweight casing on the turret that reduces visibility and distorts enemy radar data.
4. Equipment for distorting the magnetic field around the T14 "Armata", preventing the determination of its exact location in the event that the enemy has a magnetometric weapon.
5. “Mixer” of exhaust gases with the external environment, as well as imitation of non-existent exhaust pipes, to disorient weapons and detection equipment operating in the thermal range.

Detection complexes (hereinafter referred to as KO)

The most important function of the T-14 “Armata” is to establish the location of enemy forces both at the short “approaches” within a radius of 10 km, and at long distances – up to 100 kilometers. For this purpose, it is equipped with a 4-section aerotype radar and cameras synchronized with it, operating in other ranges.

The phased array radar can detect and “guide” up to 40 ground and 25 air targets. If the target is carefully camouflaged, then human intervention is required to operate the automatic control of the infrared sight. The automation also controls conventional panoramic sights, which are included in the KO, to clarify the correct detection and “tracking” of targets without their “loss” from the counteraction of enemy counter-electronic warfare systems.

The KO panels are covered with light armored screens.

Existing optical periscopes are needed for driving, including at night. The headlights also have infrared illumination capabilities.

T-14 "Jurassic"

In addition, for the first time in Russia, short-range reconnaissance will be carried out by a Pterodactyl unmanned vehicle launched, not in free flight, but over the length of a cable shielded from electronic reconnaissance equipment (up to 100 meters). It constantly transmits a video image to the screen of the T-14 “Armata” commander, and receives energy for operation through the same cable.

“Pterodactyl”, whose visibility horizon is 10 km, gives the T-14 “Armata” a unique opportunity to fire from a “closed” position or from a cloud of special suspension masking it. The drone can be in touch and transmit a picture to the entire tactical group, an individual combat vehicle, or a support and logistics vehicle. Naturally, all this can be done in relation to your command and/or tactical groups and units operating nearby.

When determining the TO of a target at a distance of up to six kilometers, a deviation of up to 10 m is permissible, and at ten kilometers - 17 m. This is quite enough to hit infantry and lightly armored targets with artillery or tank ammunition. The T-14 Armata is also valuable as a fire spotter, as it clearly records the location of the explosion.

In addition, based on the flight path of enemy ammunition, KOs can calculate the location from which the shot was fired and even open fire in automatic mode, although it is more effective to reconnoiter the target. After “capturing” an air target, data can be transmitted to destroy it:

• accompanying BMP T-15, which has a good anti-aircraft gun;
• a unit equipped with man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems;
• SAM "Pantsir-S1" (when it hits a target, it does not unmask itself by using its own detection means).

Weapon systems

If the Armata’s defensive systems operate in automatic mode and crew intervention is required only in exceptional cases, the attacking actions of the T-14 itself are carried out in semi-automatic mode, with the active use of various types of sighting devices by the commander and gunner.

In addition to conventional optical sights and rangefinders with twelve-fold magnification, modern electronic technology is used to target enemy equipment and manpower, operating in all available ranges, including laser sights. “Capture” of a target by the heat it emits occurs if it is no more than 3.5 km away, and by rangefinders – 7.5 km.

Former Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Government Rogozin, listing the characteristics of the T-14, jokingly said that crews for the Armata tank should be recruited from fans of the online game World of Tanks, since they already have almost all the skills to control a tank. As they say, there is only a grain of joke in a joke. Indeed, the management process diagram is similar.

The commander points the cursor at the target, presses a button to capture it and forwards the data to the gunner. He also presses the button - the target will most likely be hit. Moreover, one can note the order in which several targets are hit. Whether everything will be so simple and whether the tank and its fate in a real battle will be so good - time will tell.

gun

Currently, NeoBash is equipped with a 125 mm remote-controlled gun. In terms of destruction range, this gun is significantly superior to analogues installed on NATO tanks. When aiming, even the bending caused by heating of the chrome-plated and autofretted barrel from the inside is taken into account. The corresponding sensor is located on the tank barrel and placed in a container.

The new ammunition, which includes both guided and unguided missiles launched through the barrel, doubles the power of military equipment equipped with this gun.

In addition, the T14 "Armata" from this gun now has the ability to shoot down drones and helicopters with air-to-air missiles, and with ammunition with controlled detonation in flight - to hit targets in equipped and natural shelters.

The Armata universal combat platform allows the installation of a heavy 152 mm gun on the T-14. Advantage over the currently installed gun:

1. This is her power. It is enough for a projectile to hit an enemy tank. It doesn’t matter where, because if it doesn’t penetrate the armor, it will demolish the tower. And to destroy or seriously damage lightly armored, and especially unarmored, equipment, it is enough for the corresponding ammunition to hit the target. In this capacity, the T-14 turns into a “fire support” tank.
2. The final transformation of the Armata tank into a kind of control center of its tactical group, which, in addition to coordinating actions, provides direct fire support, located in positions remote from direct contact with the enemy.
3. The ability to launch long-range anti-aircraft missiles with twice the range.

Disadvantages over the currently installed gun:

1. A 10% reduction in ammunition, a 25% reduction in automatic loader, therefore, it is necessary to have more equipment nearby that transports ammunition.
2. The absence of a fourth-generation “breakthrough tank” and, therefore, the need to take action in this direction.

Performance characteristics of the gun

№№ p/p	Weapon performance	Weapon parameters
1	Service personnel, persons	1
2	Anti-tank barrel caliber 1, mm.	125
3	Barrel caliber 2, mm.	152
4	(barrel caliber 1), km.	up to 5
5	Range of hitting a target with a surface-to-surface missile (barrel caliber 1), km.	up to 8
6	Range of hitting a target with a surface-to-air missile (barrel caliber 1), km.	up to 5 km.
7	Range of hitting a target with a projectile (barrel caliber 2), km.	more than 5
8	Range of hitting a target with a surface-to-surface missile (barrel caliber 2), km.	up to 20
9	Range of hitting a target with a surface-to-air missile (barrel caliber 2), km.	until 9
10	Armor-piercing barrel 1, meter of reference armor	up to 1
11	Armor-piercing barrel 2, meters of reference armor	up to 1.4
12	Rate of fire (barrel caliber 1), rds/min	up to 15
13	Rate of fire (barrel caliber 2) rds/min	up to 12
14	Ammunition (barrel caliber 1), rd.	up to 45
15	Automatic loader (barrel caliber 1), rd.	32
16	Ammunition (barrel caliber 2), rd.	up to 40
17	Automatic loader (barrel caliber 2), rd	24

Ammunition

The very idea and practice of launching missiles through the barrel was implemented in third-generation tanks. What is new in this matter is the controllability and range of the missiles. From the above list it is clear that a 152 mm caliber cannon “shoots” missiles over significantly longer distances. This also applies to air targets. Unlike a 125 mm cannon, a missile can also shoot down planes and missiles flying at speeds of up to nine hundred kilometers per hour.

It should be noted that the finned shells included in the ammunition can also be guided in the case of a 152 mm gun caliber. They are clearly being prepared for use not against enemy armored vehicles. Their targets are command and control structures, anti-aircraft missile systems and similar “valuable” objects. It is possible that over time the T-14 “Armata” will be equipped with “shots” currently being developed, which have a flight range of up to 50 km due to their active-reactive nature.

Western publications admit the possibility of including “nuclear” shells and/or missiles in the ammunition load of the T-14 “Armata” - up to one kiloton.

For the Armata tank, their use is relatively safe at a distance of more than 6 km. Common sense dictates that this kind of ammunition (even if it is available) can only be used if a nuclear conflict has already begun, which is carefully avoided by all countries that have such weapons.

Machine gun weapons

The modernized tank machine gun of our genius - Kalashnikov. It was this standard and very minimal caliber that was chosen to equip the Russian Armata tank. Of course, it is integrated with all systems and can operate both automatically and under crew control. Located on NeoBash in an armored casing that increases the height and visibility of the T-14 Armata.

A spare belt for another 1,000 rounds is also stored in a secure location, and loading is automatic. But one gets a double impression - either this is a very cunning idea (here’s a very noticeable turret, aim at it - you don’t mind losing it), or they argued until they were hoarse, decided nothing and left it for later. But something needs to be installed, and at the last moment we decided to install this machine gun.

Conclusion

“Armata” is the Russian name for cannons brought to Rus' (Moscow, Tver) in 1389 from Europe. In Latin, weapon is arma, but we added a suffix and an ending. All officials regarding the T-14 “Armata” state in different terms, but the same information. This tank made a “revolutionary” breakthrough and surpasses the tanks of the leading military powers of the world by at least 10...40%. The existing groundwork will provide Russia with an advantage for a long time, even taking into account that Western analogues will soon begin to appear.

In 2018, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation began accepting the first batch of T-14 “Armata” and it is expected that at least a hundred copies will be accepted. In total, by 2021 (for various reasons, the period can be extended until 2025), more than 2,000 such tanks should enter service (the number may also change).

The strategically set task (the terms are not specified or not named) is to create an entire “Armata family”, transferring about 30 combat vehicles and support and support vehicles to the appropriate universal platform.

In addition to the roar of fanfare and the flow of praises, a debate is flaring up in interested circles about directions for improving the T-14 “Armata”, eliminating obvious shortcomings and shortcomings, as well as comprehending critical comments. In the T-14 "Armata" is criticized:

1. Increasing size, and most importantly height.
2. Narrow field of view for the commander in the event of complete or partial failure of the electronics.
3. The functions of the machine gun are unclear, as well as the lack of anti-aircraft weapons on the Armata tank.
4. Uncomfortable working posture of the crew.

Our designers and production workers are working on a fifth-generation tank - fully robotic. And as a first step in this direction, it is planned to reduce the crew of the T-14 “Armata” to two people, and allocate the freed up space to increase the ammunition load. Whether this is right or not, time will tell. Perhaps the freed up space will be allocated for new “brains”; there are never many of them.

Video

Tank T-14 "Armata" p latest news 2017

T-14 (GBTU Index - Object 148) is the latest Russian main battle tank with an uninhabited turret based on the Armata universal tracked platform. The T-14 was presented to the general public at the Victory Parade in 2015 along with other products based on the Armata.

Tank T-14 Armata - video

As part of the state arms program, a state order was placed for the production of 2,300 T-14 tanks until 2020-2025. In 2015, a pilot batch of 20 tanks was manufactured. In 2016, serial production of tanks began, which is not planned to be reduced even in a crisis. At the same time, the procedure for military acceptance and elimination of deficiencies has begun.

The T-14 is the world’s first tank within the framework of the “network-centric warfare” concept, where the T-14, due to the medium-range circular AFAR radar used in the tank, and infrared HD surveillance cameras with 360° all-round coverage, is used as a reconnaissance vehicle, target designation and fire adjustment of self-propelled guns, air defense systems and escorts from T-90 tanks of their tactical unit.

The T-14 is the world's first "stealth tank" not only with a radical reduction in visibility in the infrared, radio and magnetic ranges, but also with the use of innovative technologies of "signature distortion", that is, distortion of its visual image in these ranges, making it difficult to find the tank Javelin, Spike or JAGM class ATGM seeker among discarded infrared decoys and clouds of dipoles. Equipped with a new generation of the Afghanit active protection complex, capable of intercepting even anti-tank shells and, safely for infantry and equipment surrounding the tank, blinding anti-tank guided missiles by using smoke-metal curtains or burning out the electronics of their homing heads through the use of electromagnetic weapons.

The T-14 is equipped with fourth-generation dynamic armor "Malachite", capable of reflecting with a probability of more than 95% shots from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, as well as destroying modern sub-caliber anti-tank shells, even those fired at the side of the tank.
The multilayer metal-ceramic frontal armor of the tank cannot be penetrated by existing shells and anti-tank missiles. The world's first tank with an armored capsule for the crew, guaranteeing its survival even if the ammunition detonates.

The history of the creation of the T-14 is associated with the continuation of the USSR's developments in tanks with an uninhabited turret, as well as competition between the Russian Federation and the United States for the creation of a tank for the concept of “network-centric warfare”, where the competitor of the Armata project was the Future Combat Systems program. The authoritative American publication National Interest, assessing the competition between the Armata and Future Combat Systems programs, notes that the American military-industrial complex suffered a serious defeat for the national prestige of the United States, failing to complete the development of a replacement for the Abrams tank.

Unlike traditional tanks, the T-14 is a “net-centric tank”, that is, it is designed not for single combat, but to work with a group of different combat vehicles in one tactical level, performing reconnaissance, target designation and remote control functions through a single tactical level control system from the Sozvezdie concern, which allows all vehicles of the Armata platform to receive the operational situation in real time and automatically calculate ballistic data for fire control systems in the scenario of hitting targets not with one Armata, but attacking the target with the whole group at once, which includes, in addition to the T-14, there are also several heavy T-15 infantry fighting vehicles, a 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled gun and an attack helicopter.

The T-14 has a GLONASS navigation antenna and a radio communication system protected from electronic warfare, which is described in more detail in the article on the ESU TK.

Since the T-14 radar is stated to be Ka-band, this means that it has a theoretical accuracy of up to 5 arc minutes (0.08°). In practice, for similar radars like “Credo-1E” it is possible to achieve an accuracy of about 10 meters in range and 0.1° in azimuth. The T-14 panoramic infrared sight with independent rotation can clarify the azimuth of a detected target with even greater accuracy, as was done on a similar XM1209 machine in the Future Combat Systems program. However, even without taking into account the refinement of target coordinates by optical methods, the radar allows you to effectively adjust the fire of self-propelled guns following the T-14, and in general, conduct your own fire quite effectively with high-explosive fragmentation shells. Indeed, the radar, with an accuracy of 0.1° at 6 km, can provide coordinates with an accuracy of about 10 meters. At 10 km the error will be about 17 meters, which is enough to fire at infantry and lightly armored vehicles from self-propelled guns with 152 mm shells. Note that even small Doppler radars also clearly see shell explosions based on flying fragments, so they can be used to adjust artillery fire, informing the shooting correction. An important fact is that even after specifying the azimuth using the panoramic sight, the tank commander may not use the laser range finder and the target will not be able to take self-defense measures like a smoke screen.

Some experts point out that the T-14 pulse-Doppler radar can calculate the trajectories of projectiles like an artillery reconnaissance radar, that is, it is capable of automatically calculating the coordinates of the positions of enemy tanks and artillery from the trajectories of projectiles flying past the T-14 and automatically firing at them. Indeed, a similar radar like the ELM-2133 from Trophy supports calculating the coordinates of an ATGM, RPG or projectile shot with data transmission to the fire control system for opening return fire. However, following the example of a similar system in Merkava, one can expect that the accuracy of determining the coordinates of the missile launch site using this method may not be sufficient to launch a retaliatory artillery strike only on them; additional reconnaissance of the target with optical means will be required.

Since the T-14 uses a pulse-Doppler radar capable of calculating the velocity vector of a target, the radar can provide very accurate angular coordinates of a helicopter or aircraft in the air to indicate the sector for launching missiles for light air defense systems of the Sosna class, Strela-10M4 or OSA air defense systems that do not have their own surveillance all-round radars, but equipped with equipment for external target designation and radio control. For more powerful air defense systems of the Pantsir-S1 class, such an external target designation scenario is also of extreme value, since it allows one to avoid unmasking the air defense system due to the operation of its own radar with the risk of being destroyed by an anti-radar missile.

Experts report that the T-14 will be able to indicate targets to its escort from numerous old T-90MS tanks modernized with the installation of anti-jam communications and GPS/GLONASS navigators. Obviously, the accuracy of the T-14 radar is excessive for such a scenario, since the T-90MS will perform the final precision targeting with its infrared sights. However, the implementation of such a scenario is much more important, since it allows the T-14, being the most valuable control vehicle, to evade contact combat, and, having entered contact combat, not destroy its own tanks.

The concept of “network-centric warfare” leads to the massive introduction of robotics, for example, Uralvagonzavod reported that the T-14 will be remotely controlled, and by 2017-2018 prototypes of the T-14 will be produced without a crew and controlled by a robot with artificial intelligence. As the first stage in creating an “unmanned” T-14, the crew should be reduced to 2 people in the production version of the tank; the free space is planned to be used for additional ammunition. The Chinese news agency Sina, commenting on this, notes that the T-14 could become a “combat droid” that automatically destroys detected targets without human intervention, where the operator issues only general tactical tasks. Note that such modes of automatic destruction of all targets that have not responded to the “friend or foe” request have been operating in air defense systems for many years, so the novelty of the technology is only in its application to tanks.

Afganit active protection complex

Location of KAZ Afghanit cameras and radars on the turret of the T-14 tank

The Afganit active protection complex (APS) has long-range threat warning radars, and is therefore also used for target reconnaissance. Afghanit defense scenarios also include the integration of a fire control system for an aggressive fire response in the event of an attack on the protected armored vehicle. Among other things, Afghanit controls the automatic rotation of the turret towards the approaching ammunition in order to deploy more powerful armor and protective equipment in its direction, and most importantly, the strike is carried out according to the calculation of the ATGM.

The Afghanit surveillance radio-optical radar consists of four AFAR panels of a pulse-Doppler radar and integrated with it circular HD cameras of the far and near infrared range. Due to integration with infrared surveillance equipment, Afghanit has increased resistance to electronic warfare and can also only be in passive mode with the cameras turned on, but with the camouflage radar turned off. The complex is safe for surrounding infantry, since it is focused on disabling missiles using smoke-metal curtains, an electromagnetic pulse from a stationary generator using an SOS diode, and EMP grenades. To enhance the effectiveness of camouflage curtains, the T-14 is equipped with stealth means, such as thermal insulation of the hull and reduced visibility in the radio range.

Afghanit has the ability to control a robotic machine gun mount to destroy incoming ammunition. Afghanit can destroy even shells attacking armored vehicles due to additional 2 high-speed short-range Doppler radars, manufactured using PFAR technology and operating with illumination from a constant source.

Dynamic armor complex Malachite

The T-14 is equipped with a new version of dynamic reservation, which can also be implemented electronically. At the moment, the developers have only disclosed data that the Malachite VDZ is capable of breaking shells inside itself and reflecting heavy ATGMs. The safety of the VDZ for tanks and infantry is declared by reducing the amount of explosive used by the VDZ to destroy ammunition.

Radar complex

AFAR radar N036B-1-01 created on LTCC technology used for T-14 radars

The T-14 radar is used for reconnaissance of targets of all types, from enemy armored vehicles to identification of ATGM flights. The radar itself is part of the Afghanit active defense system, although it can be used in attack scenarios.

According to the terms of reference of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for the purchase of the T-14, the tank will be the first in the world to use an active phased array radar, made using the same technology as the fifth-generation fighter T-50 - low-temperature ceramics for the Ka-band 26.5- 40 GHz (LTCC technology). The peculiarity of AFAR technology at LTCC is the moderate cost of the radar and reliability. The AFAR radar consists of 4 LTCC panels on the tank's turret and provides 360-degree surveillance of targets without rotating the radar. In general, the radar resembles in design the four panels of the ELM-2133 radar from the Trophy active protection complex for the Merkava tank. The radar panels are also covered with bulletproof and anti-fragmentation screens. Plastic hinges are provided for quick removal and replacement of protective screens or a damaged radar module.

AFAR radars of the T-14 are visible on the tank turret

The T-14 surveillance radar can simultaneously track 40 ground-based dynamic and 25 airborne aerodynamic targets at a distance of up to 100 km. Previously, manufacturers of radars for KAZ, before the release of Afganit, even struggled with the target detection range, reducing the power and range of the radar as much as possible. The Arena KAZ had a built-in mode for reducing the pulse power as the ammunition approached. But all such measures generally turned out to be ineffective against the ultra-sensitive antennas of electronic reconnaissance systems and especially AWACS aircraft, which automatically calculated the positions of tanks at long distances immediately after they turned on the KAZ radars, even with a weak signal. In the T-14 concept, they decided not to fight this, but to make the disadvantage an advantage, that is, to strengthen the power of the radar, making it even more noticeable, but turning it into a means of target reconnaissance in the “network-centric war” scenario, for issuing targets for destruction in the first place other combat vehicles.

In addition to the four surveillance radar panels, the T-14 also has two ultra-fast response short-range radars. These radars are needed to trigger the destructive elements of the KAZ against projectiles (BOPS), as well as for camouflage purposes when the main surveillance radar of the T-14 is turned off; this technology is described in more detail in the section on the active protection complex. A 4-panel surveillance radar controls the deployment of multispectral screens and also performs target reconnaissance functions.

Infrared target detection complex

Turret of the T-14 tank with clearly visible infrared devices

The turret with a machine gun mount has a panoramic sight with independent rotation of 180° from the machine gun axis with a highly sensitive and high-precision infrared system with cryogenic cooling produced by the Kazan Optical-Mechanical Plant. The infrared camera is paired with a camera in the visible light spectrum and a laser rangefinder. Together with the machine gun mount, the panoramic sight is capable of rotating 360°. The mode of independent rotation of the sight and machine gun was first publicly demonstrated on April 2, 2016 during testing of the T-14. In general, the joint movement of the mechanics of a panoramic sight independent from a machine gun is classic and the same solutions can be seen in demonstrations from Raytheon.

Traditionally, panoramic sights are used by tank commanders to detect the coordinates of targets. In the case of a “network-centric tank” like the T-14, the panoramic sight is, like the XM1209, integrated with the tank's radar and robotic mechanics quickly rotate the panoramic sight to survey targets one by one, detected by the tank's radar, or by the 360-degree infrared cameras described below. In this way, the coordinates of targets are clarified, the low resolution of the radar and the possible loss of contact with the radar target due to the use of electronic warfare are compensated.

The tank commander receives a map of the tactical situation on a computer monitor, on which the coordinates of targets are superimposed, and gives commands to the gunner which targets to examine or fire in more detail. The identified coordinates of ground and air targets are also transmitted from the T-14 to the ESU TZ command vehicle, which will select the weapon.

The tank's infrared sight is designed for precise aiming of the gun at the target and is used as part of the fire control system described below, as well as for inspecting the target received from the tank commander by the gunner operator. Moreover, the gunner, using the touch screen, can press his finger on the image to clarify the coordinates of the target, which is necessary for target designation of carefully camouflaged targets when the computer requires human assistance.

Since the device is automatically closed by armored curtains, it does not participate in the automatic system of continuous target search. The only non-electronic optical periscopes on the T-14 are available to the driver and commander of the tank for viewing for driving purposes. To drive at night, the driver uses a night vision device, and the tank's LED headlights allow you to switch to infrared illumination of the road so as not to reveal the tank at night. Since the device is automatically closed with an armored cover, it does not participate in the automatic system of continuous target search.

Complex of circular target detection in the infrared and ultraviolet spectra

T-14 infrared survey camera with crystalline germanium lens. On the left is the hydrotreating tube

The T-14, in addition to the optical instruments included in the control system, is equipped with six HD-resolution cameras on the tank’s turret, which allows the crew to observe the situation around the tank at 360 degrees without leaving it. The cameras are equipped with autonomous power supply and a system for hydrocleaning the optics from dust and dirt.

All-round HD cameras are connected to the Afghanit active protection system, allowing it to:

• Operate with radar turned off
• Avoid misfires
• Work in electronic warfare conditions
• Determine tank laser exposure

Microbolometer video cameras also make it possible to find targets in the infrared range through fog and smoke, which is important given that the T-14 is heavily focused on blinding enemies with smoke screens. For example, a T-14, when surrounded by enemy infantry, can put a smoke screen around itself, making itself invisible to grenade launchers, and shoot them from a machine gun mount according to IR data.

Armament of T-14 Armata

Fire control system

The fire control system receives data for firing targets from radio-optical means for detecting their coordinates, described above. To target the tank's weapons, the ballistic computer also uses data from the following sensors mounted on the roof of the tank.

• Own position of the tank from the GLONASS receiver and inertial navigation system
• Gyroscopic sensors for the angular orientation of the tank in space
• Wind direction and speed sensor
• Air temperature and humidity sensor
• Barrel bending sensor due to heating

T-14 Armata gun

The first copies of the tank were equipped with a 125-mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun (in an uninhabited turret, with fully remote digital control), developed by Plant No. 9, which had the ability to fire while moving. There is a sensor for barrel bending due to heating for taking into account in ballistic calculations (fixed in a small container above the barrel). The range of destruction of targets is up to 7000 meters and the rate of fire is 10-12 rounds per minute. The 2A82 gun has 17% higher muzzle energy and 20% greater accuracy than the best NATO gun on the Leopard 2 tank. A special feature of the 2A82 autoloader is the ability to fire long ammunition up to 1 meter in length, which is critical for high-power sub-caliber armor-piercing projectiles, such as the Vacuum-1, similar to the M829A3 for Abrams. Taking into account the fact that the T-14 will most likely be practically used in local wars against old tanks of third world countries, then, most likely, the 2A82-1M will remain the main weapon due to the advantage of twice the ammunition load over other versions of the 152-mm caliber gun , which is likely to have a smaller number of T-14s.

Some production T-14s will also be equipped with a 152-mm 2A83 gun. In February 2016, the procedure for military acceptance of the T-14 began, including the version of the tank with a 152 mm gun. The 2A83 gun has an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile of more than 1000 mm, which obviously exceeds the armor of modern tanks, and therefore experts assess the gun as redundant relative to the already most powerful tank gun in the world, the 2A82-1M. For comparison, the latest modification of the Abrams M1A2 has a BOPS armor equivalent of ~900 mm (not to be confused with the 1350 mm equivalent of monoblock ATGMs). Analysts from the US Department of Defense note in their report that Rosatom is developing a new armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile made from depleted uranium for the 152 mm gun, which allows it to destroy the strongest armored steel. Deputy General Director of the Uralvagonzavod Corporation Vyacheslav Khalitov also noted that 152 mm shells often do not require armor-piercing in the classical sense of the word, since the kinetic energy of the shell is enough to tear off the entire turret of an enemy tank even without penetrating its armor. The projectile's flight speed is 1980 m/s due to the use of a number of new developments.

The tank can easily be re-equipped with a 152 mm caliber gun, however, the 152 mm gun has the disadvantage of smaller ammunition compared to the 125 mm, however, it is possible to use the turret niche to transport additional ammunition.

T-14 Armata with 152 mm gun

The original known standard projectiles of the “Grifel” family for the 2A83 gun, like any armor-piercing finned sub-caliber projectiles, were unguided. However, since the 152-mm 2A83 gun was developed on the basis of the 2A65 gun, a modification of which is used in the 2S19 Msta-S heavy self-propelled gun, some experts suggested the possibility of using guided projectiles from the Msta-S Krasnopol type. Lev Romanov noted that if guided missiles are created for the T-14, then they will, unlike the Krasnopol, be radio-controlled, taking into account the presence of a radar on the T-14. In general, the idea that T-14s will be equipped with a 152-mm gun and guided projectiles, allowing for combat use scenarios that are more reminiscent of self-propelled guns, is also supported by Viktor Murakhovsky, who points to the effectiveness of fighting infantry using high-explosive fragmentation shells with remote detonation above their position, and calls the T-14 a “fire support tank” in such a scenario. The designers of Uralvagonzavod also note that the T-14 with a 152 mm cannon turns into some kind of hybrid of a tank and a self-propelled artillery mount, so they call this version of the T-14 not a tank, but a “combat artillery vehicle” (BAM).

Experts' assumptions about the presence of guided projectiles for the T-14 were also confirmed by a statement from the specialized design bureau NTIIM, which announced the launch of the "Trajectory" test complex of new guided 152-mm projectiles for the T-14 and self-propelled guns "Coalition-SV", but the developers refuse to disclose them accurate performance characteristics, noting only that this ammunition will have means of bypassing promising air defense systems capable of shooting down shells, and will also be capable of bypassing means of countering electronic warfare jamming, which indicates that this ammunition is not designed for tank duels, but for defeating highly protected objects such as anti-aircraft missile systems or command posts that were within the reach of the T-14 during tank breakthroughs. Judging by the disclosure of data on the manufacturer’s website, the T-14 guided projectiles will be adjustable active-reactive projectiles, since the “Trajectory” is designed to monitor the jet engines of active-reactive projectiles. Active-rocket projectiles have a long range, judging by the fact that test firing of T-14 guided projectiles is carried out at a training ground converted for them for distances of 30-50 km, then this is probably the range of action of this precision-guided ammunition.

Missile armament T-14 "Armata"

Like its predecessors, the T-14 will have the ability to launch missiles through the gun barrel using the next version of the Reflex-M missile system. The presence of the T-14’s ability to fire guided missiles is confirmed by an expert report from the US Department of Defense OE Watch magazine.

Viktor Murakhovsky also notes that the 152 mm caliber is the same as the Kornet ATGM and allows the use of its missiles, which have twice the range (10 km versus 5 km) and armor-piercing power (1400 mm versus 850 mm) than the 125 mm caliber missiles. Reflex-M". Also included in the Kornet range is the 9M133FM-3 air defense missile, which significantly exceeds the capabilities of the Invar-M air defense missile for Reflex-M, which, although it can hit a hovering helicopter, the range of the 9M133FM-3 is twice as high (10 km) and , most importantly, this missile is specially designed to destroy air targets at an altitude of up to 9 km and aircraft at speeds of up to 900 km/h. Many domestic experts advocate for the 152 mm caliber precisely because of the ability to launch anti-aircraft missiles and perform air defense functions.

Note that there is no critical need to launch 152 mm missiles in the T-14, since the T-14 tank is designed to work in a tactical group with the heavy T-15 infantry fighting vehicle, which is already armed with the Kornet ATGM and is more effective in firing at air targets from his anti-aircraft gun.

Machine gun weapons

The machine gun armament consists of an anti-aircraft installation with a Kord machine gun, controlled remotely by the commander or gunner, and a coaxial PKTM gun. The Kord anti-aircraft machine gun is mounted in its own robotic turret, integrated with the tank’s AFAR radar, thermal imagers and is capable of hitting even high-speed targets at a distance of up to 1,500 meters, therefore, in addition to the air defense function, it is integrated into the tank’s active defense complex.

Tower armor

Presumably, the armor of the T-14 turret consists of the main armor and the anti-fragmentation casing; the instruments on the turret are located between the armor layers. The casing protects the tank's instruments from fragmentation, high-explosive and bullet damage, and is also used to reduce radio signature against the most advanced radar-guided ATGMs in various frequency ranges. In addition, the tower casing, performing the function of a “Faraday cage,” is one of the means of ensuring the declared resistance of devices to electromagnetic pulses. The casing is removable with latches, which allows quick access to the devices underneath for repair and maintenance purposes. Part of the equipment on the turret, such as KAZ surveillance radars, can be quickly replaced in field conditions without disassembling the turret casing through plastic pull cables.

The T-14 probably used storage of part of the ammunition in the rear part of the turret, similar to the Leopard-2 and Merkava, which allows, when the ammunition detonates, to throw out a blast wave using the turret panels without serious destruction of the tank, and also to additionally cover the separation of the ammunition from the ATGM attacking in tank roof. It is quite possible that in the rear part of the tower there is stored a supply of long high-power BOPS “Vacuum-1”, which, due to their meter length, may not fit into the floor carousel with other projectiles. Sources confirm that there is spare ammunition for the machine gun in the rear of the T-14 turret. At the same time, it is stated that there is a special robot for reloading the machine gun with this ammunition without the need for the crew to leave the tank.

An analysis of the first experiments with uninhabited towers such as “Object 477” can give some idea of ​​the main armor of the T-14 turret with a casing. The exact structure of the turret under the casing is classified in detail, but experts offer various options for visualizing the design, based on their assumptions.

Hull armor

The T-14 uses common passive armor elements for the Armata platform:

System for mixing exhaust with cold air and simulating exhaust ports to disorient ATGMs with IR seeker like Javelin

Engine and active suspension

T-14 uses an engine and active suspension common to the Armata platform with the following characteristics

• Engine with automatic transmission and variable power from 1200 to 1800 hp. provides movement up to 90 km/h and range up to 500 km
• The active suspension provides a drastic reduction in the swaying of the tank while on the move, which increases the accuracy of shooting on the move and the speed of movement.
• rough terrain
• The tank's BIUS controls the engine, transmission and active suspension devices, automatically making decisions on tank maintenance and issuing voice commands to the crew

Comparison of the T-14 "Armata" with other tanks

When comparing the T-14 with NATO tanks, it should be noted that the general analytical agency FMSO under the US Department of Defense notes in its report that the T-14 is a next-generation tank relative to existing ones. As FMSO analyst Charles Bartles notes in this report, the T-14 has a number of advantages over existing NATO tanks: a long-range radar, an active suspension that increases the speed and accuracy of the tank's fire, frontal armor that is impenetrable to modern missiles and projectiles, and an active defense system , capable of intercepting even projectiles.

Currently, only two tanks in the world are supplied with a standard active defense system equipped with an AFAR radar with the function of automatically calculating the position of a missile or projectile fired at a tank: the T-14 and the Israeli Merkava tank. Although the frontal armor of the Merkava is weaker than that of the T-14, the engine located in front of the tank guarantees protection for the crew, however, at the cost of losing the tank’s mobility. The active protection of both the Merkava and other promising NATO tanks is not able to repel projectiles.

The opinion of British General Staff officers is that the main battle tank Challenger 2 cannot penetrate the protection of the T-14 with its gun and therefore needs to be replaced.

The newspaper Die Welt published information from the conclusion of the German Ministry of Defense on the need for an urgent replacement of the Leopard 2 in connection with the appearance of the Armata T-14, which led to the creation of a Franco-German joint tank concern. The press reports that the main reason for the concerns of the German military coincides with the British ones, namely the inability of the Leopard 2 to penetrate the protection of the T-14.

Chinese tank builders claim that their VT-4 is superior to the T-14 Armata, but as an argument they put forward the assumption that their transmission implementation is better. At the same time, the Chinese government has shown interest in purchasing the T-14.

According to Polish media, the T-14 is superior in combat power to all existing tanks in the world.

It should be noted that comparison of the T-14 with other tanks goes beyond just tables with performance characteristics. The National Interest magazine, in a comparison of the T-14 and Abrams, notes that the T-14 has many protective technologies that are not found not only in the Abrams, but in no other tank in the world. However, the expert believes that after completing the upgrades, Abrams will be able to hit the T-14. The expert considers the key criterion not even the defensive or offensive means of the T-14 and Abrams, but the tank’s ability to see its opponent earlier, that is, the ability of radars and stealth technologies, since the one who was able to see the opponent first, according to the expert, will win the battle .

The second key criterion, according to the National Interest expert, is the ability of the Russian military-industrial complex to produce a sufficient number of T-14s in conditions of the economic crisis. The National Interest experts are supported by noted economist Rick Smith, who notes that the Pentagon failed with the Future Combat Systems program by trying to create a tank platform similar to the Armata and spending $16.1 billion on research. The US military realized it needed another $300 billion and couldn't afford it. However, economically, the Armata program does not look so expensive, according to Smith.

The release of the T-14 itself requires expanding the criteria for comparing the performance characteristics of tanks due to new technologies in a new generation tank:

• It is necessary to take into account not just the speed of the tank on the highway, but the speed of the tank over rough terrain, which, due to the active suspension of the T-14, reaches 90 km/h, which is a record, and shooting accuracy should not be seriously affected by driving over rough terrain.
• The presence of an AFAR radar for detecting threats and targets is becoming a mandatory attribute of a modern tank.
• A modern tank must have various stealth technologies in the infrared, radio and magnetic ranges.
• A modern tank must have not just stealth technology such as reduced visibility, but technologies for “dynamically changing signatures” in the infrared, radio and magnetic ranges to block tank recognition systems among interference and traps using a library of signatures.
• A modern tank must have the means to automatically deploy not just smoke screens that are transparent in the infrared and radio ranges, but also the automatic deployment of multispectral curtains that are opaque in the infrared and millimeter range.
• What is required is not just the presence of an active protection complex, but the ability of active protection to repel not only missile attacks, but also to shoot down sub-caliber armor-piercing shells.
• What is required is not just an anti-aircraft machine gun, but a high-precision robotic anti-aircraft installation capable of shooting down missiles and even shells according to AFAR radar data.
• A modern tank must be equipped with electromagnetic weapons, at least against missiles.
• The frontal armor of the tank must exceed 1000 mm equivalent.
• The dynamic armor of the tank should be virtually invulnerable to hand grenade launchers and with a high probability of repelling attacks by heavy anti-tank missiles with tandem warheads.
• The turret of a modern tank should require not just penetration of the armor, but serious destruction to disable the turret. Ammunition designed to destroy the loader and gunner with small fragments in the turret should be ineffective against a modern tank.

Comparison of dimensions of T-14 and T-90

Purchases of T-14 "Armata" for the Russian Armed Forces

The manufacturing plant stated that as of 2015, the cost of the tank is 250 million rubles. Due to the depreciation of the ruble, the use of components of Russian origin, the T-14, despite more powerful equipment than Western tanks, costs 1.5-2 times less. According to the director of Uralvagonzavod Oleg Sienko, the company received an order for the production of 2,300 copies of the T-14 by 2020, but if the military budget of the Russian Federation is reduced, the plan can be expanded until 2025. According to expert Viktor Murakhovsky, funding for the T-14 project will be a priority for the Russian Defense Ministry, even to the detriment of other projects, since it is obvious that possible local wars in which Russia may take part will be in the nature of land battles near its borders.

This point of view is supported by FMSO analysts of the US Department of Defense, who point to the repeated mention in the analytical report on the State Arms Program of the Russian Federation on the effectiveness of arms procurement, issued for the public council under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the scientific expert council under the Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation on Defense, of lessons learned from the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine with conclusions about the need for massive purchases of T-14 tanks. It is assumed that “the deployment of mass purchases of brigade sets of Armata tanks should become one of the main directions of the State Armament Program of the Russian Federation... The Armata platform, as providing qualitative superiority over any modern tank, should be considered an absolutely priority program for delivery to production and procurement.” At the same time, given the lack of budget of the Russian Ministry of Defense, it is proposed to aggressively increase purchases of land weapons, while simultaneously reducing purchases of the Navy, including the new Yasen-M nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, any analogues of the Mistral large landing craft and others.

In April 2016, the media reported an order for a limited batch of 100 tanks for military testing. A batch of 100 test tanks will make it possible to detect possible shortcomings, as well as give engineers tasks to improve some characteristics. Already, the military is putting forward demands to strengthen the engine to 1500 l/s and increase the caliber of the gun to 152 mm. In the future, it is possible to create a robot tank based on this tank, operating without placing a crew in it.

Export

Export of tanks based on Armata is possible after meeting the needs of the state defense order. Uralvagonzavod stated that in order to obtain permission to export the T-14, the classification of secrecy will be removed from it in the future.

India, China, Egypt and the countries of Southeast Asia showed interest in the tank.

India may purchase 1,000 T-14 tanks. The Thai Ministry of Defense is considering the purchase of the T-14 due to the termination of the contract for the purchase of the Ukrainian Oplot tank, but the T-90S will most likely be purchased, as the Thai military is looking for offers in the lower price category of tanks.

National Interest, having interviewed experts, received a positive conclusion about the export prospects of the T-14 based on the following reasoning:

• The modularity of the Almata allows you to quickly create different export configurations of the T-14 for the specific needs of different customers, flexibly vary the price in different configurations and provide customers with rich prospects for modernization
• The emphasis on crew security will certainly attract the military as customers
• Their own Chinese and Indian tanks are in fact only modernizations of tanks from the 1980s, and new modernization options cause complaints from the military in terms of reliability and combat effectiveness.

Performance characteristics of the T-14 Armata

Crew, people: 3
Developer: UKBTM
Manufacturer: Uralvagonzavod
Years of development: 2009-2014
Years of production: 2014 - present
Layout diagram: fire monitor with uninhabited tower

Weight of T-14 Armata

Armor T-14 Armata

— Armor type: Combined multilayer
— Active defense: “Afghanite”
— Dynamic protection: “Malachite”

Armament

— Caliber and brand of gun: 125 mm 2A82 or 152 mm 2A83 upon request
— Gun type: Smoothbore gun
— Gun ammunition: 45 shells
— Machine guns: 1 × 12.7 mm Cord. 1 × 7.62 mm PKTM

Engine T-14 Armata

— Engine power, l. pp.: Varies depending on boost 1350/1500/1800

Speed ​​T-14 Armata

— Highway speed, km/h: 80-90
— Cruising range on the highway, km: 500
— Specific power, l. s./t: 31
— Suspension type: Active

Inside the T-14 Armata

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 is worth considering that a significant part of the tower area is accounted for by the body kit, which would break the devil’s 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 forward gun 9830 mm, anti-aircraft machine gun height 2822 mm, turret 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.