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MOSCOW. 4 Sep - RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. The Russian Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with the Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" for the supply of an experimental batch of the latest self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) "Coalition-SV", the official website of the military department reports on Monday. The press release emphasizes that serial deliveries of these weapons will begin in 2020. In the future, the "Coalition" will have to replace the self-propelled 152-mm installations of the divisional level "Msta-S" and towed "Msta-B" - the basis of the combat power of artillery ground forces. The new self-propelled guns, first presented to the general public at the Victory Parade in 2015, are currently undergoing state tests. But it is already clear that according to their performance characteristics"Coalition-SV" surpasses the best examples of artillery weapons of NATO countries. About the strengths of the best Russian self-propelled guns - in the material of RIA Novosti.
After "Msta"
Future of artillery: self-propelled howitzer"Coalition-SV"Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov hopes that the unique Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled howitzers will have great export potential after the start of serial deliveries to the Russian army.The predecessor of the Coalition is the Msta-S self-propelled artillery mount, which was put into service in 1989. These two weapon systems are even superficially very similar. However, the Msta-S, although it corresponded in terms of its combat performance to the self-propelled guns of a potential enemy, eventually began to seriously lag behind. In 1998, the PzH 2000 self-propelled guns were adopted by the German army, which many military analysts still consider the best in the world. A firing range of up to 40-50 kilometers, an automatic loader that provides a high rate of fire (up to ten rounds per minute), a thousand-horsepower engine that allows a 55-ton tracked vehicle to reach speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour - in the NATO bloc, these indicators were considered to be reference.
Development of a Russian response to the best Western howitzers began in 2002. Employees of the Nizhny Novgorod Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" designed a model of a multifunctional perspective combat module with a double-barreled artillery system. The first full-scale model of a self-propelled gun was made in 2004 at the Ural Transport Engineering Plant based on the Msta-S, but with a double-barreled gun. In parallel, a sample with one barrel was assembled, which, according to the test results, was selected for further development. The traditional scheme was recognized as more reliable and cheaper. From the double-barreled system, the new weapon inherited only the name - "Coalition".
The self-propelled gun is actually built around a 152mm rifled barrel 52 gauge long. A compensator brake is installed on the muzzle, which reduces the enormous recoil of the gun. The loading mechanism is automatic and ensures the supply of projectiles at any angle of vertical aiming of the gun. According to data from open sources, the Coalition's gun can fire as many as 16 shells per minute at a target. This is twice as much as modern main battle tanks can shoot in 60 seconds. The main ammunition of the howitzer is 152-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells, however, the Coalition can also fire guided munitions well-tested in combat conditions of the Krasnopol family. They are aimed at the target using satellite navigation or a laser designator-rangefinder.
"Unmanned" future
"Coalition" is capable of conducting aimed fire at a record distance of 70 kilometers. Not a single Western self-propelled gun can boast of such indicators. For example, the American M109 Paladin hits a maximum of 30 kilometers with an active-rocket projectile. Maximum firing range British self-propelled guns A S90 Braveheart - 40 kilometers, and French AMX AuF1T - 35 kilometers. Thus, the "Coalition" in its functionality is close to tactical missile systems and can destroy targets far behind the front line. She can hit command posts enemy, air defense and missile defense systems, supply lines, roadways, as well as conduct counter-battery combat, remaining invulnerable to enemy artillery.
“The Coalition-SV self-propelled guns will significantly strengthen the artillery power of the Russian Ground Forces. Meanwhile, the modernized version of the M-109 Paladin self-propelled guns of the 1960s will continue to be used in the American army,” writes the American The edition National Interest. “They are superior to their Western counterparts in many ways. They have a new guidance system, a more modern weapon and a loading mechanism."
A distinctive feature of the howitzer is the ability to arrange a so-called simultaneous fire attack on the enemy. "Coalition-SV" is capable of hitting a target simultaneously with several projectiles fired along different flight paths. Previously, only the German PzH 2000 could boast of such a function. As in the latest T-14 tanks on the Armata platform, the Coalition turret was made uninhabited, and the crew is located inside an armored capsule in the body of a self-propelled gun. This greatly increases his survivability. For combat at close range, the self-propelled guns are equipped with a 12.7-mm Kord machine gun, as well as grenade launchers for setting up a smoke screen.
It is worth noting that the "Coalition-SV" in terms of its automation came close to robotic artillery. In the future, a new "unmanned" howitzer will be built on its basis, independently deciding combat missions set by man.
"Robotization is one of the priority areas for the development of the armed forces. The development of the interspecific artillery complex "Coalition-SV" is being completed today. This sample is the first step towards robotization artillery systems, — told reporters in November last year, the head Missile troops and Artillery of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Mikhail Matveevsky. “In the future, we can talk about the creation of fully robotic artillery systems that perform tasks without human intervention.”
This tracked chassis won a convincing victory over American program Future Combat Systems is still at the design stage, providing the domestic defense industry with unlimited opportunities to create 28 types of heavy armored vehicles, including the unique T-14 tank and ultra-long-range self-propelled unit"Coalition-SV".
In 2013, Uralvagonzavod designers demonstrated general public universal tracked platform "Armata", which has a unique layout and running capabilities.
Instead of "blah blah blah" - the result
The confrontation between Russian and American designers of armored vehicles, which began in the late 1980s, trying to change the established parity, went on with varying success for many years. The new models of our tanks and infantry fighting vehicles did not differ much in design features from the Abrams and T-90s, which constantly increased their armor protection and the power of the weapons installed on them.
In 2003, the Pentagon spread information about the allegedly successful development of the Future Combat Systems project, the result of which was to be the creation of a series of armored vehicles capable of replacing the non-alternative Abrams. But already in 2009, the program, for which the American military department demanded $300 billion, was successfully curtailed, somehow quietly swallowing $18 billion from the pocket of American taxpayers.
Designers from Nizhny Tagil, who did not have even a small fraction of such a budget, were in no hurry to advertise their development, only in 2013 reporting that they had already completed (!!!) tests of the Armata manned tracked chassis, which had no analogues in the world.
The main feature of the domestic development was that absolutely all technologies and designs were created at the enterprises of the Russian defense industry. The production of the Armata combat chassis did not depend on the whims of Western and Eastern suppliers capable of imposing unexpected economic sanctions (one must pay tribute to their foresight).
Modest platform efficiency
The uniqueness of the "Armata", which was immediately appreciated by military experts, was that the habitable tracked platform was calmly controlled by 3 crew members, who were in special armored capsules behind a reliable layer of dynamic armor and the Afganit active protection system.
The Armata chassis has an anti-mine armored bottom, automatic remote mine detectors and a mine destruction system. Stealth technologies do not allow enemy guided missiles to identify this military equipment, and most of them explode away from the "Armata"
Even the most effective American Javelin anti-tank missile system is not capable of penetrating the armor protection of Russian tankers, making them practically “immortal”.
The active suspension allows the crew to feel comfortable while driving, and the A-85-3A engine with a capacity of one and a half thousand horsepower makes it possible to accelerate the chassis to a speed of 90 km per hour, literally “flying” over obstacles.
Unique "designer" of armored vehicles
The developers proposed to install uninhabited towers with various systems weapons that can be controlled remotely using a computer communication system. (also purely Russian development).
In fact, this is a kind of constructor that allows you to assemble 28 units of combat and sapper equipment at minimal cost, including the T-14 main tank, T-15 infantry fighting vehicle, T-16 armored recovery vehicle, Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled guns and others.
Already in 2013, the first two samples of the Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled artillery mount shocked foreign observers by hitting a target located at a distance of 70 km with a 152-caliber projectile.
At the Victory Parade in 2015, the first T-14 Armata tanks passed through Red Square, which already in 2017 went to mass production. The tank is equipped with a 125- or 152-mm cannon, and the dynamic Malachite armor allows you to maintain the survivability of the mechanisms of an uninhabited tower even after a dozen direct hits by enemy shells and missiles.
The fundamentally new T-15 Armata infantry fighting vehicle, capable of carrying up to 9 fighters in its armored capsule, also passed in the same parade formation with the T-14. Its four Kornet-EM anti-tank missile systems will cope with the armor of the Abrams and Mojave tanks, and the automatic 30-millimeter cannon is capable of smashing temporary enemy defenses to smithereens.
In 2016, the BREM T-16 armored recovery vehicle was created, which is distinguished by excellent performance and a high level of crew protection. On the Armata caterpillar platform, the designers installed a 30-ton hydraulically operated slewing crane, a bulldozer blade that allows you to tear down obstacles, clearing the way for tanks and armored personnel carriers. A special manipulator can grab and move loads weighing up to 3 tons, and a special hitch makes it possible to deliver military equipment damaged in battle to repair bases.
The Terminator-3 fire support combat vehicle is capable of supporting a tank attack, promptly identifying and destroying enemy anti-tank weapons. The development of the combat vehicle of the BMO-2 flamethrowers, the UMZ-A mine layer, the MT-A bridge layer and the PTS-A amphibious armored personnel carrier is already being completed.
It is planned to create a tracked armored personnel carrier with a Boomerang-type turret, mobile radar stations and mobile systems for jamming enemy radio signals, multi-barreled self-propelled guns and missile systems anti-personnel, anti-tank, anti-missile orientation.
The production capacities of Uralvagonzavod allow the production of up to 500 tanks and other Armata armored vehicles, which will allow for several years to re-equip the Russian armored forces with the latest equipment that has no analogues in the world. Neither in terms of its combat power, nor in terms of the level of crew protection.
"Guns from higher education”- this is what Marshal of the Armored Forces M.E. Katukov called heavy self-propelled guns. But what is special about this type military equipment? And what are its possibilities in Armored Warfare: Project Armata?
If you are a supporter of a measured, relaxed and slow game, but at the same time want to help your team win, pay attention to such a game class as an SPG.
Artillery in Armored Warfare: Project Armata is a “support”, it is a support that can significantly increase the firepower of its team when breaking through one or another direction on the map; which can help in detecting the enemy, or, conversely, hide your teammates from overly prying eyes, triplexes and sights.
Although the self-propelled guns do not come into close fire contact with the enemy, they are nevertheless capable of providing big influence to the outcome of the battle.
self-propelled guns in the game
On the this moment Armored Warfare: Project Armata features seven self-propelled guns: Gvozdika, Akatsia, PzH 2000, М109, Palmaria, М109А6 Paladin and FV433 Abbot premium artillery.
Choosing any of them, the player must understand that his main role is support, and his main task is to give firepower where the outcome of the battle is decided.
It is on this principle that the choice of goals should be made. The player must shoot not just at the first tank that comes across outside cover - he must fire where it is important for the team.
Are the Blues advancing with a large number of vehicles in one direction?
Support them there, shoot at the defending enemy forces, try to target vehicles with high firepower and pose the greatest threat to the team.
The situation is exactly the opposite, and the “reds” are pushing teammates?
Unleash projectiles on advancing enemies, slow down their progress, or disrupt the attack. Think strategically and try to understand where and in what place your help is needed.
Also remember that you have the ability to deal damage with overhead fire. Other classes of this skill are deprived, and therefore self-propelled guns have an advantage in shelling the enemy, who decided to settle behind cover in a convenient position and make burning wrecks out of your allies' tanks.
Try not to let this happen, fire at IT and AFVs that launch ATGMs. Even if your opponent gets out of the fire with minimal damage, you will scare him from his familiar position and thus help your team.
Do not forget about MBT and LT, which, if you have a comfortable position, are also very dangerous for your team.
Counter-battery shooting
Another important aspect of the game on self-propelled guns is counter-battery combat. Your allies will be grateful to you for saving them the trouble of hiding in cover while receiving a warning of shelling.
But remember: the enemy can also fight the artillery of the opposing team, so be always on the alert.
A few tips below will help you successfully deal with enemy self-propelled guns and, conversely, avoid their shots and not let yourself be defeated in an artillery duel.
- After the SPG is fired, a circle appears on the mini-map showing the approximate location of the artillery. At first it is a circle of large diameter, but if the machine continues to fire from the same position, it narrows, and by the third shot the circle will show the exact location of the artillery. Therefore, when playing on self-propelled guns, always keep an eye on the mini-map.
- Once fired, the self-propelled howitzer becomes visible for 10 seconds, but without outlines or any markers. This, combined with the circles mentioned above, makes it possible to quickly locate the enemy SPG and fire at it. This fully applies to you, so do not fire from one position - after the shot, it is advisable to look for a sufficiently high cover (stone, building or terrain folds) that will hide you from the artillery of the opposing team.
- Self-propelled guns do not receive shelling warnings. Therefore, not seeing a familiar marker above your car, you should not think that no one is firing at you. And if, having fired and not driven away from the position, you see a red circle on the mini-map, then most likely they are shooting at you.
- Most artillery players prefer to change position after firing. Therefore, when shooting at the detected self-propelled guns, calculate the lead, or wait for the moment when the player on the enemy artillery stops and decides that he has driven far enough.
When playing a self-propelled gun, do not forget that in addition to high-explosive fragmentation shells, you are armed with smoke and lighting ammunition.
Smoke ammo is needed to hide allies from "light", which can be useful both defensively and offensively (especially if you play in a platoon).
Illumination ammunition is designed to detect enemy equipment in some areas.
Use them at the start of the game to understand how enemy vehicles are moving around, shoot them at standard positions for AFVs and ITs to prevent these vehicles from reconnaissance and firing, use illumination shells to detect enemy self-propelled guns.
Finally, a few more tips that are useful when playing artillery.
- If, due to the relief of the map, you cannot reach the enemy, try changing your position. Do not stand in one place, try to find a point from where you can effectively fire.
- When choosing a place to shoot, evaluate whether you can quickly get to the shelter after the shot and not receive damage from enemy self-propelled guns.
- When you shoot at someone, they will light up a warning about shelling. In most of these situations, the tanks begin to back out. Therefore, when aiming, choose a point a little behind the enemy’s car so that, when driving away, he gets under your projectile. If he does not go anywhere or moves forward - correct the shooting, adapt to the manner of the enemy.
- If you went into battle on a self-propelled gun, where the shells are loaded into the "drum", - try to shoot it right away and then immediately retreat behind cover. In this case, you will reduce the risk of getting high-explosive projectile from the artillery of the opposing team.
- Do not get carried away with excessive counter-battery combat. Sometimes the time spent fighting the "Red" self-propelled guns would have been better spent dealing damage to other classes of enemy vehicles. But do not forget about it and do not neglect the fight against the artillery of the opposing team when necessary.
- If an ally’s tank enters the “clinch” with the enemy you wanted to shoot at, do not fire, as there is always a risk of hitting your own, which is very undesirable.
Video
A video tutorial on self-propelled artillery mounts, one of the five vehicle classes in Armored Warfare: Project Armata.
From this video you will learn about the strengths and weaknesses ACS, features and tactics of their use.
History reference
Let's find out what self-propelled artillery is in reality and how it developed from a "truck with a gun" to modern artillery systems capable of inflicting enormous damage on the enemy.
Artillery moves to tracks
First of all, it is worth saying that out of the whole variety of self-propelled artillery installations (and these are tank destroyers, assault guns, anti-aircraft guns, and so on) in the game Armored Warfare: Armata Project, the self-propelled howitzers and long-range guns - guns on a wheeled or tracked chassis , designed for firing from closed firing positions (that is, firing at targets that are not in direct line of sight of the self-propelled guns), including from very long distances.
In fact, this is the same artillery, but which does not need to be towed with the help of tractors, trucks or horses - it will reach the desired position on its own, prepare to fire, shoot where necessary and leave this position as soon as possible.
All that remains is to deliver ammunition in time and ensure the adjustment and control of artillery fire.
For the first time self-propelled guns entered the scene during the First World War. At that time, a deadlock situation developed - it was not possible to overcome the well-fortified positions with the forces of infantry, cavalry and artillery without colossal losses.
The problem was solved by the first tanks - albeit clumsy, slow and not reliable enough, but they were capable of breaking through fortified defense lines.
But further arose new problem: the classic towed artillery did not keep up with the tanks, and therefore could not support them with their fire or provide counter-battery combat. The solution was obvious enough - to add a self-propelled chassis to the gun.
The first self-propelled guns were created both on the basis of tractors and trucks, and on the chassis of the first tanks - in 1917, Gun Carrier Mark I self-propelled guns, created on the basis of the Mark I tank and armed with 60-pound guns, began to be sent to the British army.
The French also created the Renault FT BS, a self-propelled gun with a 75 mm gun based on the ReanultFT-17 tank.
During the period between the world wars, also called the interbellum, there was no particularly active development of self-propelled howitzers, although some copies were still created.
The second impetus to the development of self-propelled guns was the Second World War, where the issue of artillery mobility became even more acute.
Therefore, by one time or another, all parties to the conflict acquired vehicles that were able to move independently (and quite quickly) and provide artillery support.
In the Third Reich, these were, for example, Sturmpanzer I and II, Hummel, Wespe and Grille, in the USA and Great Britain - M7 Priest, Bishop and Sexton, and in Soviet Union the role of self-propelled howitzers was assigned to the assault self-propelled guns SU-122, SU-152 and ISU-152, which were capable of firing from closed positions.
The Second World War died down, but soon after its end, a new confrontation began, called the "cold war" and was accompanied by many local conflicts around the world and the constant threat of a large-scale clash between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.
And large countries are constantly developing, putting into service and improving their military equipment in order to always be ready for the beginning of the confrontation. This fully applied to self-propelled howitzers.
The Soviet Union was armed with "Carnations", "Acacias", "Peonies" and other representatives of the "flower" series of self-propelled guns. The United States, on the other hand, used the M109 as the main self-propelled guns, which, in many of its modifications, has been in service since 1963 and still is.
In addition to her, the Americans created the 175 mm M107 and 203 mm M110. Other countries also did not lag behind and created their own self-propelled guns, such as the British Abbot or the Italian Palmaria known to Armored Warfare players.
And it is during the period cold war the optimal concept of self-propelled guns was determined, on the basis of which most of them are built today.
The standard self-propelled howitzer had the following layout: in front of the control compartment with a driver and an engine compartment with an engine and transmission, in the rear of the combat vehicle there was a fighting compartment with a gun in a rotating turret.
Some differences from this design are Russian self-propelled guns 2S19 "Msta-S" and 2S35 "Coalition-SV", where the engine and transmission are located in the stern of the vehicle, and heavy self-propelled guns with 175-203 mm caliber guns (M107, M110 and Pion) , where the fighting compartment is open and has no turret, and the gun is placed in an installation that provides horizontal guidance of the gun at a relatively small angle.
What can self-propelled guns now?
The development and improvement of self-propelled howitzers does not stop even now. Modern models of self-propelled howitzers, such as the Russian Msta-S and Koalitsiya-SV, the German PzH-2000 or the American M109A6 Paladin, boast many improvements and improvements over their predecessors:
- the use of powerful propellant charges, actively rockets and sufficiently long barrels allowed modern self-propelled guns to bring the firing range to 30, 40, and even 50 or more kilometers. This makes it possible to hit targets both at the near line and behind the main front line;
- automated loading of the projectile and mechanized - propelling charges in combination with a fairly strong bore. This helps to achieve record rates of fire - from 8 to 12 rounds per minute, which allows you to make a quick, but very destructive fire raid and leave the position before return fire begins on it;
- modern FCS (fire control systems) and communication systems that allow you to automatically calculate the required angle of elevation of the barrel, automatically open fire with the entire battery or one self-propelled guns, quickly transfer fire from one target to another and provide an extremely high level of interaction with the rest of the military branches;
- fast deployment time to the combat position of modern self-propelled howitzers, which allows you to quickly prepare the battery of self-propelled guns for firing, shoot the required number of shells and just as quickly leave the position, which is extremely important in the conditions of counter-battery combat.
All of the above capabilities of modern self-propelled guns are complemented by a huge amount of available ammunition, such as active rockets, corrected and guided projectiles, cluster munitions with cumulative warheads, smoke and illumination projectiles, jammers and much more.
This allows you to significantly expand the scope of use of self-propelled guns in combat and adapt to the fight against one or another type of enemy.
Now you know how self-propelled guns have developed from the very beginning and what they can do now. You can also see how this class of vehicles is represented in the game.
Unfortunately, a lot of players consider artillery superfluous in computer tank battles, but this myth will be dispelled. Whether you're an avid tanker or a beginner, artillery gameplay is done in a completely new way, without the tedious waiting and using one mouse.
I will omit the entire preface and explanation of why this happened, and immediately proceed to the description of artillery in our game, and also tell you what mistakes new players make when playing SPGs. Before you get started, I highly recommend that you familiarize yourself with all of the AW technique types in .
Perhaps the most important thing in mastering artillery is the gameplay, which I will talk about. Of course, the player must know every subtlety and feature of a particular machine in order to be as useful as possible in battle. After choosing the right artillery, you start your fight, but don't be in a hurry, you should find yourself a certain cover, preferably a little away from your spawn point. And this is done so that in the future, already directly during the battle, you do not lose your grip and do not fall into the clutches of enemy artillery.
Depending on the chosen self-propelled guns, you may have a different weapon: drum feed or the most common one, familiar to us. This will change not only the reload time, but also a certain waiting time between shots from the drum feed self-propelled guns, which will also change the gameplay.
After the first artillery shot, a radius appears on the map in which the enemy or allied self-propelled guns are located, if you move the mouse there, you can see it for a few seconds and fire a shot. Remember artillery can only be seen by artillery, for example, if you play on a self-propelled gun, then you can see the enemy, and if on a tank, then you can’t.
If you shoot the entire drum in a short period of time, then on the map you will no longer see the radius, but the specific point where the artillery is located. That is why we will need to find a certain shelter. To date, players have already come up with many tactics related to various shelters, whether it be houses, humps, rocks or ordinary stones.
Further, which should undoubtedly please absolutely everyone - damage balancing. Here you will hardly see people who will complain so much about SPG players, simply because the developers have very carefully approached the issue of damage to artillery. The artillery is very precisely balanced, it will not be able to deal much damage, but it will not remain outsiders either. High damage has been removed in order to even out the odds a bit between SPGs and other vehicles.
Artillery is mainly made with an emphasis on helping the allies, it can both help in the destruction of the enemy tank, and in the retreat of the allied, but how, I will tell further.
All artillery in the game has 4 different types shells which I will divide into 2 categories:
- High-explosive fragmentation projectile (OFS) and Active Rocket Projectile (ARS)- are intended, directly, for causing direct and indirect (splash) damage. Outdoor modules are more likely to be damaged, making life difficult for enemy vehicles. Splash is perfectly implemented in the game - damage from an indirect hit of a projectile, although it will be much less.
Fortunately, the splash in this game is quite well implemented, which allows you to hit multiple targets in one shot. The Active-Rocket Projectile (ARS) differs only in increased flight speed, which makes it much easier to bomb enemy vehicles on the move.
- smoke and lighting projectile- charging takes place separately from other shells, which allows you to change them with a minimum expenditure of time. When hit in a certain area, it allows you to hide allies from light, but you must always understand where and when to shoot.
Illumination projectiles detect all enemies in a certain area. Its radius is also 30 meters, the duration of the projectile is 10 seconds. For detecting an enemy and for the damage that allies inflict on the targets found, you will receive a bonus.
We currently have 7 unique self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) at our disposal, some of which are equipped with fairly new and innovative equipment and equipment. Details of each machine are written below.
Marat Shishkin (I think his SPG branch is the best):
Sophie Wölfli:
I hope I managed to convey all the main points about the game for such a unique class to you! Write corrections or your thoughts in the comments.
In 2015, at a military parade in Moscow dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the latest Russian development was presented to the general public - the T-14 Armata tank, which should drastically affect the equipment ground armies Russia and determine the concept of their application for the coming decades. This tank, positioned as a 4th generation tank, aroused great interest both in our country and around the world.
In this article, we will look at the history and background of the creation of the Armata tank, its distinctive features and specifications, as well as prospects for use in real combat operations.
History and prerequisites for the creation of a new tank "Armata"
Another way
At the turn of the 2000s, 2 projects of a promising main battle tank were being developed in Russia, which should have been a replacement for the current Russian MBT - T-90. One of them is "Object 460" or "Black Eagle"(see photo above) - was developed by Omsk design office. It had an elongated modified chassis from the T-80U tank, in which another one was added to six rollers, as well as a narrower turret of a new design, armed with a standard 125 mm smoothbore gun that had already proven itself. It was assumed that the mass of the tank would be about 48 tons, and it would be equipped with a 1500-horsepower gas turbine engine, which would give it a specific power of more than 30 hp / t and make it one of the most dynamic tanks in the world.
The second project - "Object 195" or "T-95"(see photo below) - was the development of the Ural Design Bureau and the Uralvagonzavod corporation. It was an "Ubertank" for its time, in which an uninhabited (unmanned) turret, armed with a formidable 152 mm smoothbore gun, was also installed on a seven-roller chassis. The crew of the tank (a total of 2 people) was housed in an isolated armored capsule in front of the hull. The weight of the tank was not small - about 55 tons, and it was supposed to be equipped with a 1650 hp diesel engine, which would also give it good dynamic characteristics.
It was assumed that kinetic energy projectile fired from the 152 mm smooth-bore gun "Object 195" is so large that if it hits the turret of an enemy tank, it simply tore it off.
But in 2009-2010, both projects had to be curtailed for several reasons. Firstly, the development of both tanks was not very active, and during the design and testing period (which is about 15-20 years), they simply became obsolete. Secondly, the transition to the use of such supertanks as the T-95 - quite expensive and resource-intensive in production - would be, to some extent, a transition to the German path of development of tank building during the Second World War, i.e. absolutely not justified itself "the path of royal tigers and mice." What we needed was a universal, mass-produced tank with the best value for money, like our famous T-34. And, thirdly, both of these tanks did not quite correspond to the concept of network-centric warfare.
The concept of network-centric warfare
Network-centric warfare is a modern military doctrine focused on increasing the combat effectiveness of various military formations participating in armed conflicts or modern wars, by combining all combat and auxiliary units into a single information network and, as a result, achieving infocommunication superiority over the enemy.
Those. it turns out that by combining and almost instantaneous communication of command and control means, reconnaissance means, as well as means of destruction and suppression, a more accelerated control of forces and means is achieved, an increase in the effectiveness of defeating enemy forces and the survivability of their own troops, and each combatant receives full and timely information about the real combat situation.
Tank formations must also be adapted to modern realities network-centric warfare, for this the tanks themselves must be able to connect to a single information network and be able to almost instantly transfer to it information received by the tank from the outside due to its own "overview" modules. In fact, this is practically one of the requirements for the new 4th generation tanks.
Tank 4th generation
"Object 195" in the view of the artist.
The classification of tanks by generation is actually not official, it is very conditional and looks something like this:
To the first generation include tanks from the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Soviet T-44 and T-54, the German Panther, the English Centurion, and the American Pershing.
Second generation associated with the emergence of the so-called main battle tanks (MBTs). It includes tanks of the 1960-1980s, such as the Soviet T-62, the American M-60, the English Chieftain, the German Leopard and the French AMX-30.
To the third generation include the latest modern tanks, such as the Soviet T-80 and Russian T-90, the American Abrams, the French Leclerc, the English Challenger, the Ukrainian Oplot, the South Korean Black Panther, the Israeli Merkava, the Italian " Ariete" and the German "Leopard-2".
It is clear that later generations of tanks were distinguished by stronger armor, more advanced protection and more formidable weapons. This also applies to the 4th generation of tanks, the appearance of which is long overdue. But besides this, as mentioned above, tanks of the 4th generation should be maximally adapted to network-centric warfare, and also, if possible, meet a number of other requirements:
- have an uninhabited tower and an automatic loader;
- the crew must be isolated in an armored capsule;
- the tank must be partially robotic.
By the way, a fully robotic unmanned tank can be considered a 5th generation tank.
Approximately with such a list of requirements, our designers approached the development of a new tank, when in 2010, after the phasing out of the Object 195 and Object 640 projects, they were given the task to design a new generation tank as soon as possible.
Platform "Armata"
The order for the design, testing and production of a new tank was received by the state corporation UralVagonZavod, located in Nizhny Tagil and engaged in the development and production of various military equipment. When developing a new tank in the Ural Design Bureau, tied to UralVagonZavod, ready-made promising developments were actively used on the Object 195 already being developed here, as well as on the project of the Omsk Design Bureau - Object 640. Both closed projects to a large extent helped our designers to quickly cope with the task.
But the most important thing is that this time our designers (as well as our military leadership) saw the problem of building a new tank more widely, and it was decided to develop not just a 4th generation tank, but a universal tracked platform that could be used for the design of the most diverse military equipment, which would solve the above-described problem of universality, mass character and value for money.
Thus, "Uralvagonzavod" designed and implemented the so-called unified combat heavy tracked platform "Armata", on the basis of which it is planned to create about 30 different types of military equipment. Moreover, not only the platform will be common to them, but also general system combat control, a common communication system, a common active defense system, and many other units and modules.
The universal heavy combat platform "Armata" has three engine layout options: front, rear and middle. This allows you to use the platform for the construction of almost any type of military equipment. For a tank, for example, they use the rear engine placement, but for an infantry fighting vehicle, on the contrary, the front one.
At the moment, our defense industry has already received the first pieces of equipment based on the new platform - this is armored recovery vehicle BREM T-16(so far only as a project), infantry fighting vehicle BMP T-15 and of course the main combat tank T-14 "Armata", which we could already see at the Victory Parade in Moscow.
The T-14 tank is the latest Russian tank of the 4th generation on the Armata universal combat heavy tracked platform. The tank received the index "14" as usual for the year of the project - 2014. At the project stage, the tank had the designation "Object 148".
It is believed that the T-14 "Armata" tank is the world's first tank of the 4th generation, the first tank in the framework of the concept of network-centric warfare, and that it has no analogues at all. In general, according to many of our and foreign experts, today the Armata is the best tank in the world.
First, let's take a quick look at what this new tank"Armata", what design solutions our design engineers embodied in it, what main features it has:
The main features of the T-14 "Armata" tank
- The tank has an uninhabited tower. It is equipped with the already proven remote-controlled 125 mm smoothbore gun with an automatic loader.
- The design of the tank allows you to install on it a 152 mm gun, already tested on the "Object 195".
- The crew of the tank is located in an isolated armored capsule that can withstand a direct hit from all existing modern anti-tank shells.
- The armored capsule with the crew is securely separated from the ammunition and fuel tanks.
- The active suspension will allow the tank to conduct accurate aimed fire at speeds up to 40-50 km/h.
- It is assumed that the active suspension will allow the tank to move at speeds up to 90 km / h, not only on the highway, but also on rough terrain.
- used in tank the new kind combined multilayer armor 15% different than that used in domestic tanks 3rd generation. The armor thickness equivalent is about 1000 mm.
- All modules of the tank are controlled by the latest tank information and control system (TIUS), which, in the event of any malfunction, notifies the crew of this by an appropriate voice message.
- The Armata radar complex uses active phased array radars capable of conducting about 40 ground and 25 air targets at a distance of up to 100 km.
- In the event that a projectile flying into a tank is detected, the Afghanit active protection system automatically turns the tank turret towards this projectile in order to meet it with more powerful frontal armor and be ready to strike at the enemy that fired this projectile.
- The range of destruction of 125 mm guns is up to 7000 m, while for the best Western models this parameter is 5000 m.
- The Armata tank uses a large number of effective stealth technologies that make it virtually invisible or difficult to detect for many types of weapons.
TTX tank T-14 "Armata"
Infographics and location of modules in the T-14 tank
A good infographic of the T-14 tank with the location of the modules was made by the RIA Novosti agency:
Video review "Multi-purpose tank T-14 on the tracked platform Armata"
For the 80th anniversary of Uralvagonzavod, an interesting mini-video review about the T-14 Armata tank was released:
Radar complex
The T-14 is the first tank in the world to use an active phased array radar (AFAR radar). Radars of the same type are being installed on the new Russian fifth-generation T-50 multirole fighters, which are to replace the SU-27. Unlike passive array radars, AFAR radars consist of a large number independently adjustable active modules, which significantly increases the tracking ability and reliability, since in the event of a failure of one of the radar modules, we will get only a slight distortion of the “picture”. True, the cost of such radars is somewhat higher.
Armata uses 4 AFAR radar panels located along the perimeter of the tower (see photo above). They are protected by bulletproof and anti-fragmentation screens, but, nevertheless, can be easily replaced in the field (the photo shows plastic loops for removing radar panels).
The radar complex of the T-14 tank can simultaneously track up to 40 ground moving and up to 25 airborne aerodynamic targets, which makes it one of the key elements on the battlefield within the concept of network-centric warfare. The target tracking distance is up to 100 km.
If, for the purpose of camouflage, the main surveillance radar of the tank is turned off, then at close range it is replaced by two ultra-fast reaction radars, which are also used to trigger destructive elements of active protection against projectiles fired at the tank.
Target detection systems in the infrared and ultraviolet range
On the T-14 turret, on the same axis as the machine gun mount, a panoramic sight is installed, which serves to determine the coordinates of targets received by various survey modules, while it rotates 360 degrees regardless of the machine gun.
The panoramic sight includes a visible camera, an infrared camera and a laser rangefinder. As each new target is captured by the radar, the panoramic sight automatically turns in its direction to determine its exact coordinates. The information received is displayed on the monitors of the tank crew in the form of a tactical map with the coordinates of fixed targets, and if necessary, you can specify the coordinates of a particular target by pressing your finger on the image on the touch screen.
In addition to the panoramic sight, the T-14 tank is equipped with six autonomous high-definition cameras that allow the crew to monitor the situation around the tank along the entire perimeter. These cameras allow tankers to assess the situation when the radar is turned off and in the conditions of the enemy's electronic warfare, and also record laser pointers aimed at the tank.
In addition, these HD cameras can see through a smoke screen (in infrared), giving Armata a significant advantage using this type of camouflage. This gives the following example:
When the T-14 tank is surrounded by enemy infantry, it can put a smoke screen around it, making it invisible to enemy grenade launchers, and shoot them from a machine gun mount according to infrared HD cameras.
Active protection complex "Afganit"
Both the radar complex of 4 AFAR radars and 2 high-speed radars, and infrared HD cameras are part of the active tank protection complex, which serves not only for reconnaissance of targets, but also for the timely detection of threats to the tank and their elimination. Here are the features of the Afghanit active protection system installed on the Armata:
- When an enemy projectile flying towards the tank is detected, the Afghanit automatically turns the tank turret towards this projectile in order to meet it with more powerful armor on the one hand, and on the other hand, to be ready to strike at the object that fired this projectile.
- When shells flying up to the tank are detected, Afghanit automatically controls the machine gun mount to destroy them.
- In case of need for increased camouflage, Afghanit can operate in passive mode with the radar turned off, focusing on HD camera data.
- "Afghanit" is safe for its infantry, located near the tank, as it uses to a greater extent the means of electronic warfare and smoke-metal curtains to counter enemy missiles.
- In addition, according to the latest data, "Afganit" successfully resists modern armor-piercing projectiles with cores.
The Afganit active defense complex is capable of hitting projectiles flying up to the tank at speeds up to 1700 m/s. But our designers are already developing a new active protection - "Barrier", which will be able to intercept shells flying up at speeds up to 3000 m / s.
Complex of dynamic protection "Malachite"
On the T-14 tank, the Malachite dynamic protection complex is also installed. Here are the features it has:
- "Malachite" successfully resists not only various HEAT shells, but is also capable of destroying the latest NATO sub-caliber shells, which were specially designed to penetrate such pre-Malachite dynamic defenses as Relikt and Kontakt-5.
- Malachite is much better at resisting the most advanced anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs).
- By reducing the number explosive in the dynamic protection "Malachite", the option of defeating one's own infantry and damaging the tank's observation devices is practically excluded.
Armament of the T-14 tank
The fire control system of the T-14 tank is connected to the Afghanit active protection system and its radio-optical modules. With their help, the tank's weapons are guided to the detected targets. Besides, aiming uses data from the following sensors:
- gyroscopic sensors of the tank's angular orientation in space;
- air temperature and humidity sensor;
- wind direction and speed sensor;
- barrel bending sensor from heating.
The tank receives its own coordinates using satellite system GLONASS.
As we wrote above, the T-14 tank can be equipped with both a standard 125 mm gun and a 152 mm cannon. As standard, the Armata is equipped with the already proven 125 mm 2A82-1C smoothbore gun, which has a 17% higher muzzle energy and 20% greater accuracy than the best examples of Western tank-mounted guns.
It should also be noted that the range of destruction from this gun is about 7000 m, which exceeds the performance of foreign tank guns, for the most part of which the range of destruction does not exceed 5000 m. This again gives the Armata a significant advantage - it is our tank that will own the right " long arm”, i.e. he will be able to shoot enemy tanks without even approaching them at their range.
In addition, the 2A82 gun has the ability to fire ammunition up to 1 meter long (for example, such as high-powered armor-piercing shells "Vacuum-1"). The T-14 is equipped with an automatic loader for 32 rounds, due to which a rate of fire of 10-12 rounds per minute is achieved.
Some of the Armata tanks are going to be equipped with a 152 mm 2A83 gun, whose armor-piercing shells are more than 1000 mm, and their speed is 2000 m / s, which leaves no chance for everyone known modern tanks. In addition, as the leaders of the Uralvagonzavod corporation say, the kinetic energy of the 152 mm gun projectile is such that more often it will simply tear off the turret of the enemy tank being hit.
Both guns allow their barrel to be used to launch guided missiles. It is assumed that for 152 mm guns, missiles with armor-piercing up to 1500 mm and a range of up to 10,000 m can be used, which can hit both ground and air targets.
At the same time, some experts point to the possibility of using guided active-rocket projectiles with a range of up to 30 km on T-14 tanks armed with 152 mm guns, which turns such an “Armata” into a fire support tank using both against enemy infantry and against heavily protected enemy targets.
Of the machine gun armament, the Armata is equipped with a large-caliber 12.7 mm Kord machine gun, remotely controlled by the crew and included in the Afganit active defense complex, as well as a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun, coaxial with a tank gun. Moreover, for reloading "Korda" there is a special automated system that does not require the participation of crew members.
Reservation of the T-14 tank
As we indicated above, one of the main features of the Armata tank is the presence of a special isolated armored capsule, separated from the rest of the tank by armored partitions and serving to accommodate the entire crew with control computers. In addition, the armored capsule protects against weapons of mass destruction and has an air conditioning system and a fire extinguishing system. All this significantly increases both the survivability of the crew and the survivability of the tank itself. It is stated that the maximum duration of the continuous stay of the crew in the armored capsule is about 3 days.
In the production of Armata tanks, a new type of armored steel with ceramic inserts is used, which has increased armor resistance. This made it possible, with the same armor thickness, to achieve a smaller mass of the tank, and, accordingly, better dynamics. Nevertheless, it is expected that in the frontal projection, the T-14 has an armor equivalent of more than 1000 mm against sub-caliber projectiles and about 1300 mm against HEAT projectiles. This makes the tank resistant to any modern ammunition hit in the forehead and able to withstand such formidable anti-tank weapons like an american heavy anti-tank missile system "TOW" and American portable Javelin anti-tank missile system.
Tower T-14
The structure of the tower is classified information, however, it is assumed that it consists of an external anti-fragmentation casing, under which the main armor of the tower is hidden. The anti-fragmentation casing performs several functions.:
Protection of tank instruments from fragments, high-explosive shells and bullet penetrations;
- reduction of radio visibility to counter ATGMs with radar guidance;
- shielding of external electronic fields, which makes the tower devices resistant to various kinds of magnetic impulses.
Below is a video with a possible device for the T-14 tank turret:
stealth technology
Another significant feature of the T-14 is the use of various stealth technologies, which drastically reduce the visibility of the tank in the infrared, radar and magnetic observation spectra. Here are the stealth tools used in "Armata":
- a unique GALS coating that reflects a wide range of waves and protects the tank from overheating in the sun;
- flat reflective edges of the hull, which reduce the visibility of the tank in the radio range;
- a system for mixing exhaust gases with ambient air, reducing the visibility of the tank in the infrared range;
- thermal insulation on the inside of the case, which also reduces the visibility of the T-14 in the IR range;
- heat traps that distort the "signature" (the visual image of the tank) in the infrared range;
- distortion of one's own magnetic field, which makes it difficult to determine the location of the tank for magnetometric weapons.
All this causes significant difficulties for the enemy in detecting the "Armata", in determining its coordinates and in general in identifying it as a tank.
Many experts believe that the T-14 Armata is the world's first stealth tank.
Engine
The T-14 tank is equipped with a multi-fuel 12-cylinder four-stroke X-shaped turbocharged diesel engine (12N360), which was designed in Chelyabinsk and is produced there at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. The engine has a switching power from 1200 to 1500 hp, but on serial vehicles it is planned to install an engine with a maximum power of 1800 hp. This will provide the tank with excellent dynamic characteristics - so maximum speed on the highway will reach 90 km / h. In addition, this four-stroke engine is much more economical than the old two-stroke ones, which ensures a cruising range of 500 km without refueling.
The box on the T-14 is automatic robotic with the ability to switch to manual control.
It should also be noted that the exhaust gases are removed through pipes passing through additional fuel tanks. This provides them with additional cooling and ultimately reduces the visibility of the tank in the infrared range. The tanks themselves are covered with armor plates and anti-cumulative screens, and they are protected from fire by an open-cell filler.
The engine and transmission are combined into a separate module, which allows you to replace the failed power unit in less than an hour.
active suspension
If earlier on Russian tanks a 6-roller chassis was used, then the Armata platform has a 7-roller one, which makes it possible to build equipment with a maximum weight of up to 60 tons on its basis. Therefore, the T-14 tank has a huge potential for all kinds of upgrades.
The suspension used in the T-14 tank is active, that is, it is capable of detecting irregularities under the tracks using sensors and automatically adjusting the height of the rollers. This feature not only increases the tank's speed over rough terrain, but also significantly (by about 1.5 - 2.0 times) improves aiming accuracy on the move. High-precision shooting while moving fast across the battlefield is another undeniable advantage"Armaty" with a possible "meeting" with such quite probable opponents as "Leopard-2" or Abrams, which still use uncontrolled hydropneumatic suspension, developed more than 30 years ago.
Tank information and control system
One of the best tank information and control systems (TIUS) is installed on the Armata, which monitors all the modules of the tank in real time and automatically checks them for malfunctions. In the event that any problems are detected, the TIUS system informs the crew about this in voice mode and gives recommendations for their elimination.
Defense Order
At the parade in Moscow in 2015, T-14s from the first pilot batch (20 tanks) were presented to the public. Serial production of "Armata" began in 2016 and by its end it is planned to produce about 100 more machines, which will be actively used in various tests and exercises to identify shortcomings and determine the necessary improvements.
In total, by 2020, it is planned to commission 2,300 T-14 Armata tanks. This is how the state order was presented by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation to the state corporation Uralvagonzavod. Moreover, it was separately indicated that the serial production of Armata tanks would not be stopped even in the conditions of a severe economic crisis.
By the way, the management of Uralvagonzavod indicates the cost of the tank at 250 million rubles (this is about 4-5 million dollars). This means that the entire batch of T-14s in 2300 tanks will cost our state 10 billion dollars.
Other combat vehicles on the Armata platform
Infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) T-15 "Armata"
In addition to the T-14 tank, on a unified heavy combat tracked platform, it is planned to produce an armored combat vehicle infantry T-15, the first copies of which were also demonstrated at the Victory Parade in Moscow. I must say that this is the first heavily armored infantry fighting vehicle in Russian army. Its tank armor level is impenetrable for modern ATGMs with a caliber of up to 150 mm and BOPS with a caliber of up to 120 mm, as well as the presence of active protection "Afghanit" allows it to operate in one tactical group along with T-14 tanks and makes it a "network-centric" combat vehicle.
The mass of the BMP T-15 is about 50 tons, the crew is 3 people, in addition, it has a landing module for 9 people behind it.
The versatility and modularity of the Armata platform allows the T-15 BMP to have several combat configurations:
- The main version with the Boomerang-BM combat module, the armament of which includes the Kornet-EM anti-tank missile system, 30 mm automatic anti-aircraft gun 2A42 and 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun, allows it to successfully withstand various ground and air targets at a distance of up to 4 km (universal air defense configuration).
- A variant with the Baikal combat module, whose armament includes a modified shipborne 57 mm anti-aircraft gun with higher firepower and a range of up to 8 km (long-range air defense configuration).
- Variant with 120 mm heavy mortar (anti-personnel configuration).
Below is an infographic from the performance characteristics of the BMP T-15 "Armata":
Armored recovery vehicle (BREM) T-16 "Armata"
Above is a photo of the BREM-1M armored recovery vehicle, created on the basis of the chassis of the T-72 tank and designed to evacuate damaged or stuck equipment in combat conditions. On the basis of the Armata universal heavy platform, it is planned to release a new BREM under the T-16 index, which will be equipped with a more powerful cargo crane and a whole range of various special equipment.
Self-propelled artillery mount (SAU) "Coalition-SV"
In order to include equipment with powerful and long-range fire support in the same group with T-14 tanks and T-15 infantry fighting vehicles, it is planned to transfer equipment to the heavy combat platform "Armata" and our latest self-propelled artillery mount 2S35 "Coalition-SV", which replaced the outdated self-propelled guns 2S3 "Acacia" and 2S19 "Msta-S". Developed by the Burevestnik Central Research Institute and manufactured at the Uraltransmash plant, which is also part of the Uralvagonzavod corporation, the 152 mm self-propelled howitzer has a wide range of purposes: from destroying enemy tactical nuclear weapons and destroying its fortifications to counteracting its manpower and equipment.
When designing the Coalition-SV, they also adhered to the principle of modularity and versatility, so this howitzer can be installed on almost any platform, including a ship one.
The main feature of the new self-propelled guns is its range - up to 70 km, which significantly exceeds all known foreign analogues in this parameter. Ammunition "Coalition-SV" is 70 shells, rate of fire - 10-15 rounds per minute.
Besides, on the basis of the universal platform "Armata" it is also planned to build the following types of equipment:
- Fighting vehicle of flamethrowers (BMO-2)
- Heavy flamethrower system (TOS BM-2)
- Multipurpose engineering vehicle (MIM-A)
- Heavy transport and loading vehicle flamethrower system(TZM-2)
- Mine layer (UMZ-A)
- Floating conveyor (PTS-A)
- Bridgelayer (MT-A)
Prospects for the use of the tank "Armata"
As we wrote above, the T-14 Armata tank was developed as part of a network-centric concept, therefore it is designed to conduct combat operations as part of a tactical grouping, including equipment and systems of a very different nature: other Armata tanks or tanks upgraded for network-centric warfare T-90S, several T-15 infantry fighting vehicles, a battery of self-propelled guns "Coalition-SV", attack helicopters KA-52 "Alligator" and other equipment. At the same time, the T-14 "Armata" in this group is assigned one of the key roles, namely the role of a reconnaissance, target designator and command tank that controls the battle through a single control system.
Conclusion
All this is good that in terms of military projects we do not lag behind, but somewhere we are ahead of other leading military powers of the world, and the development and implementation of the Armata universal heavy platform should significantly improve the defense capability of our country in case of a major (third world) war. The only question is what kind of big war it will be and whether it will be possible to emerge victorious from it?
P.S. Below is a video of recent history of our tank troops, presented by the Ministry of Defense on Tankman's Day, in which you can also see the hero of our review - the T-14 Armata tank.
/According to in-rating.ru/
