Russian tankers celebrate their professional holiday on September 13, 2020.
As emphasized in the Ministry of Defense, tank troops are still of great importance for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, having passed the "heroic path of formation" lasting 100 years.
The first Soviet tank is considered to be a tracked vehicle that left the shop of the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Nizhny Novgorod in 1920.
The tank was modeled on the French Renault FT and received, as was customary in those years, the revolutionary name "Fighter for Freedom Comrade Lenin".
The Soviet industry produced mainly light tanks with small arms, relying on their high-speed qualities.
However, since the mid-1930s, Soviet engineers began to master the production of heavy vehicles.
So, shortly before the Great Patriotic War, the KV-1 ("Kliment Voroshilov") with a mass of over 40 tons was adopted.
However, the T-34, developed by talented designers Mikhail Koshkin and Alexander Morozov, became an absolute hit of Soviet tank building.
This machine, produced in various modifications, made an invaluable contribution to the victory of the Red Army over the Nazis.
As stated in the materials of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, not a single operation during the Great Patriotic War could do without tanks.
More than 1.1 thousand tankers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, more than 9 thousand workers, technicians and engineers received high state awards.
Soviet tanks of the mid-20th century in the Patriot Park (Kubinka)
© Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
In an interview with RT, candidate of military sciences Sergei Suvorov noted that the flourishing of domestic tank-building thought began in the late 1930s and continues, in fact, to this day.
The most significant milestones in this area, from his point of view, were the creation of the T-34, T-54/55, T-64 and T-14 on the Armata platform.
“These are completely unique machines, revolutionary for their time.
For example, a number of design features incorporated in the T-64 are still widely used, including in the world of tank building.
The newest T-14 is also our view into the future.
What is implemented in this car today, no other country has.
This is the only third-generation tank in the world, ”Suvorov explained.
Waiting for "Armata"
At present, the Russian tank fleet, in addition to the T-14, is represented by deeply modernized versions of Soviet vehicles - T-72B3 (T-72B3M), T-80BVM, T-80U, the T-90 family, including the latest modification called "Breakthrough".
According to experts, these types of equipment for some mechanisms and systems are unified with each other and are designed to perform the same task - breaking through the enemy's defense.
True, the type of power plant became a significant difference between the machines in service with the Russian Federation.
The T-72 and T-90 run on diesel units, while the T-80 range runs on more powerful gas turbine engines (GTE).
According to experts, the upgraded versions of the T-80 are most in demand in regions where low temperatures prevail, although there are no restrictions for them when operating in the middle lane.
For example, the T-80BVM is in service with units of the Northern and Pacific fleets, as well as the Kantemirovsk division stationed in the Moscow region.
The advantage of a gas turbine engine is that it practically does not need to be warmed up, unlike diesel installations.
The T-80s are considered to be faster and more maneuverable than their diesel cousins.
Among the disadvantages of the GTE are high fuel consumption and exposure to the negative effects of dust.
However, in the process of improvement, the designers managed to reduce the gluttony of power units and increase the protection against dust.
Sergei Suvorov is confident that the modernization of the T-80 has benefited the Russian Armed Forces.
Gas turbine tanks have become more secure, reliable and unpretentious.
“Of course, the T-80 are still expensive to operate, but there are not so many of them in our troops.
There are different views on this tank, but I believe that given the prevalence of extremely low temperatures in a large part of the territory of Russia, this tank should not be abandoned.
In addition, the designers did a good job of increasing the survivability of the upgraded versions of the T-80 on the battlefield, "Suvorov explained.
Military expert Alexei Khlopotov takes a slightly different point of view.
According to him, in the future of the Russian army it is better to acquire a uniform tank fleet.
The analyst sees the greatest development potential in the T-72 and its improved successor, the T-90 Vladimir.
Shooting from the main battle tank of the RF Armed Forces
© Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
“I would like the Russian tank forces to come to some common denominator.
There are two options here: make the T-90M the main tank of the army, or raise the T-72 to the level of the T-90M.
And then we will wait for improvements and serial admission to the troops of "Armata", says Khlopotov.
T-90M "Breakthrough" is an updated modification of the "Vladimir".
One of its advantages over its predecessors is the significantly more powerful engine.
The machine is equipped with a V-92S2F diesel unit with 1130 hp.
At the same time, the T-90 line was previously equipped with V-84MS engines with a capacity of 840 hp.
"Breakthrough" has received the third-generation universal dynamic protection "Relikt".
Armor plates are capable of absorbing the impacts of cumulative and sub-caliber ammunition, and in case of damage they can be easily replaced with new ones.
Also, Russian engineers worked on the filling of the tank.
The T-90M tower module is equipped with an updated automatic loader, an automated fire control system, a software and hardware complex and a multi-channel panoramic thermal imaging sight.
However, experts expect that the T-14 will play the main role in the theater of operations in the coming decades.
To date, the designers have managed to solve a number of fundamental problems that were inherent in the first models of the third generation tank.
According to the Rostec state corporation, we are talking about engines and thermal imagers.
The T-14 was created to perform tasks in the framework of the so-called network-centric wars, where different types of military equipment operate in a single tactical link - tanks, armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery installations and helicopters.
In this case, the T-14 is assigned the role of a target designator, a fire spotter and a scout.
“The T-14 can be called the world's first smart tank - it is so full and permeated with modern digital electronics.
With its help, the crew in real time monitors the situation, the state of equipment, controls the movement, conducts targeting and fires.
The open nature of the layout allows you to easily replace some devices with others without rebuilding the entire system, ”says Rostec.
"Special school"
Aleksey Khlopotov believes that domestic tank building has achieved significant success, which are expressed in the appearance of the T-14 and an increase in the combat potential of the modernized Soviet models.
At the same time, as the expert said, Russian tracked vehicles are well suited for mass production and, as a rule, are inexpensive.
“Russia has developed its own special school of tank building.
In terms of their firepower, security and weapons, Russian tanks are in no way inferior to Western ones, and often even surpass them.
With proper training of the crew, the probability of hitting targets by guided missiles that are part of the arsenal of Russian tanks is almost 100%, ”Khlopotov said.
According to him, the development of Russian tank building is in line with the global trend towards robotization.
In the T-14 and modernized domestic machines, electronics take up significantly more space.
In the long term, this approach should lead to a decrease in the risk to the life of servicemen, Khlopotov predicts.
Tank of the third generation T-14 at the forum "Army"
© Alexey Zakvasin / RT
Sergei Suvorov believes that the quality of Russian tanks is superior to Western models in many respects.
According to the analyst, domestic tracked vehicles are more reliable, unpretentious and easier to operate.
For this reason, tanks from the Russian Federation are popular on the international market.
“Our tanks have the most optimal layout and, therefore, observe rather modest weight and size characteristics.
Western tanks are more massive.
Plus, our machines are designed to operate in the harshest conditions, with temperature ranges from -50 ° C to + 50 ° C.
This always gives additional advantages, "Suvorov summed up.