New Russian armored personnel carrier. Russian Revolution: a new generation of armored vehicles Radical technical and ideological changes

11.03.2020

Colonel-General Alexander Dvornikov, Commander of the Southern Military District, told media representatives that BTR-82A armored personnel carriers have arrived at the Marine Corps units of the Caspian Flotilla stationed in Dagestan. Also . The website of the Zvezda TV channel talks about the new BTR-82A and how it differs from its predecessors. a wide range of combat and special tasks. By the end of the first decade of the 2000s, it became clear that the wheeled armored personnel carriers BTR-80 and BTR-80A, which were mass-produced in Russia, no longer fully met these requirements. In this regard, despite the fact that the development of new armored personnel carriers based on the unified wheeled armored platform "Boomerang" has already begun in Russia, Russian designers, in close cooperation with specialists from the Russian Ministry of Defense, developed a program for the deep modernization of armored personnel carriers BTR-80 and BTR-80A.

Time for new armored personnel carriers During its development and implementation, the designers took into account all the proposals and requirements of the customer, obtained in the course of a thorough study of the operating experience and combat use of armored personnel carriers. Two prototypes were made, which differed from each other in the composition of the armament complex: on one machine, as part of the armament complex, a large-caliber 14.5 mm KPVT machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun were used, on the other machine a 30 mm automatic 2A72 gun and coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun. On both vehicles, the weapons were stabilized in two planes and moved outside the habitable compartment, which practically eliminated gas contamination in the habitable compartment during firing. a decision was made to give them new names - BTR-82 and BTR-82A, respectively. During preliminary tests, the customer refused further work on the BTR-82, considering the armament complex of this vehicle not to meet modern requirements. Work on the BTR-82 was stopped. And the BTR-82A went through all the "circles of hell", or the entire cycle of tests, improvements, tests after improvements, and on December 6, 2012, by order of the Minister of Defense, the vehicle was put into service. The BTR-82AM was adopted by the same order. In addition to Russia, the BTR-82A is in service with two more countries. In 2015, the Republic of Belarus signed a contract for the supply of BTR-82A for the needs of the Belarusian army, but due to some financial difficulties, the execution of the contract was suspended until the Ministry of Defense of the fraternal country receives money for this contract. What's new? During the development of the modernization program for the well-proven but aging BTR-80 and BTR-80A, the main task was to comprehensively improve the basic combat properties of the armored personnel carrier - firepower, mobility, security and command controllability, as well as the operational characteristics of the vehicle. Thanks to the implemented measures, the combat effectiveness coefficient of the BTR-82A has doubled compared to the BTR-80A. PKTM millimeter machine gun. In addition, it is possible to install other types of machine-gun and artillery weapons, including foreign ones, in the unified module. To improve search capabilities and firing efficiency, a combined all-day gunner's sight TKN-4GA-02 with field of view stabilization is installed. Currently, the option of installing a new sight with a thermal imaging channel on the BTR-82A is being worked out.

Even at the stage of working out the terms of reference, it was determined that the accuracy and accuracy of firing from the BTR-82A automatic gun from a place and on the move should not be lower than these indicators for the BMP-2. It was a difficult technical challenge. Due to the design features of the automation of the 2A42 guns (on the BMP-2) and 2A72 (on the BTR-82A), their accuracy and accuracy of fire vary greatly, and not in favor of the 2A72. In addition, the tracked chassis provides better stability when firing than the wheeled one. But the designers of the armored personnel carrier, having worked out many different options, solved a difficult technical problem and ensured the effectiveness of firing from the BTR-82A at the level of the BMP-2. Unbelievable, but true! The security of the vehicle has been increased due to the use of anti-fragmentation protection made of modern aramid materials in the new armored personnel carrier on the internal surfaces of the hull, including on the floor. In addition to improving the protective properties, the installation of anti-fragmentation protection improves the thermal and sound insulation of the habitable compartment of the armored personnel carrier. The increase in mine resistance was achieved thanks to the design of the machine, where there is a significant space between the floor of the habitable compartment and its bottom, filled with transmission elements. On the floor of the habitable compartment, energy-absorbing mats are laid in the places where the crew and troops are located. The machine also uses an improved fire extinguishing system, which has significantly increased fire and explosion safety. A set of measures to improve the security of the armored personnel carrier made it possible to increase the survivability of the vehicle by 20%, to protect the crew, units and systems of the armored personnel carrier from being hit by armor-piercing bullets of the main means of infantry destruction from a distance of 100 meters and from secondary damage by fragments in case of penetration of the main armor of the armored personnel carrier. The ergonomics of the vehicle has been improved due to the installation of an air conditioning system as standard equipment. Mobility and comfort Mobility. Despite the weight of the armored personnel carrier increased from 14 to 16 tons, the vehicle's mobility indicators were increased due to the installation of a more powerful (300 horsepower versus 260 horsepower) diesel engine, new transmission and suspension elements. These measures made it possible to increase the overall resource of the vehicle, the average speed of movement, to increase the smoothness of the ride (which is important for ensuring high accuracy of firing on the move) and the reliability of the chassis as a whole.

High navigable qualities of the machine while overcoming water obstacles remained at the same level. BTR-82A has a seaworthiness of up to three points, that is, without restrictions it can move on the water surface with a wave height of more than one meter. Three points - this is excitement, in which the armored personnel carrier can go by sea. What if you can't, but really want to? There were also such violators, they went across the sea in an armored personnel carrier and with five points. That is why the BTR-82A is popular with the Marines. And as an example of the high reliability and survivability of the BTR-82A, one can give the following example: the vehicle retains mobility with the loss of half of the wheels. It does not matter if there are two wheels on the axle or one. Foreign armored personnel carriers can also move with the loss of four wheels out of eight, but at the same time they must be on the axles in pairs. Command controllability. To improve the command controllability of the vehicle, modern digital communications equipment, the Trona-1 topographical orientation system with autonomous and satellite channels for obtaining navigation information, and the commander’s combined surveillance device TKN-AI were installed. This made it possible to improve the stability, secrecy and quality of communications, expand the functionality of control and ensure integration into a single tactical level control system.

For the first time on domestic armored personnel carriers, an autonomous power unit with a capacity of five kilowatts was installed. It saves the resource of the main engine by eliminating its operation during operations on the defensive, at checkpoints, etc., increasing the resource and battery charge, as well as reducing the visibility of the vehicle in the thermal and acoustic ranges.

In order to increase the comfort of the crew in the vehicle and reduce their fatigue during marches and combat, especially when operating at elevated temperatures, an air conditioning system is installed on the BTR-82A.

What is the difference between BTR-82A and BTR-82AM The armored personnel carrier BTR-82AM, adopted by the Russian army by the same order as the BTR-82A, is not a modernization of the latter, as some believe. On the contrary, the BTR-82AM is a modernization of the BTR-80A armored personnel carrier, which is not produced at the manufacturing plant, but at a repair plant. As a result of this modernization, the BTR-82AM, unlike the BTR-82A, does not have a new transmission, anti-fragmentation protection and energy-absorbing mats in the habitable compartment, air conditioning. significant funds.

Since the beginning of 2014, more than 100 of the latest BTR-82AM armored personnel carriers have been delivered to the Samara Combined Arms Army. The received armored personnel carrier will replace the BTR-80, which is in service with the formation, the press service of the Central Military District reported.

The firepower of the BTR-82A is more than double that of its predecessors. Instead of a machine gun turret, the new vehicle received a combat module with a 30 mm 2A72 automatic cannon, paired with a 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun. The armament is equipped with electric drives for vertical and horizontal aiming and a digital two-plane weapon stabilizer.

The armored personnel carrier is painted in khaki color, its mass is 16 tons, it is equipped with a KAMAZ turbocharged diesel engine with an HP 300 power. and has a reinforced transmission, and the presence of an autonomous diesel generator set allows all life support and communication systems to function when the main engine is not running. The ergonomics of the driver's seat and the operator's gunner have been significantly improved. To improve command controllability, armored vehicles are equipped with digital radio stations of the 5th generation R-168, topographic orientation systems "Tron-1" and combined observation devices of the commander TKN-AI. To increase the security of personnel, there is anti-shatter protection on the internal surfaces of the hull

This year, the formations of the Samara association of the Central Military District will completely switch to a new model of an armored personnel carrier. By the end of the year, it is planned to supply more than 200 BRT-82AM units.

Simultaneously with the purchase of new armored personnel carriers, the Ministry of Defense, in accordance with the state defense order, repairs and modernizes the BTR-80s in the troops. In particular, last year the military department was supposed to send 134 units of the BTR-80 for overhaul, bringing it to the form of the BTR-82AM. Estimated cost of repair and modernization is less than 2.66 billion rubles.

Compared to the BTR-80A, the new vehicle has a number of advantages: it is equipped with a 300-horsepower Kamaz turbodiesel engine, which allows it to reach a maximum speed of up to 100 km/h, which is 10-20 km/h more than the previous version BTR-82. The transmission and suspension received improvements, as a result of which the weight of the new armored personnel carrier increased to 15.4 tons.

The electrically controlled combat module contains a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon stabilized in two planes and a PKTM machine gun coaxial with it. Weapons control is carried out using the TKN-4GA-02 sight. On both sides of the tower there are 2 blocks of smoke grenade launchers of the Tucha system, 3 grenade launchers each.

The structure of the module is also an innovation - thanks to a special layout of weapons, powder gases do not enter the fighting compartment of the vehicle. The vertical aiming angle of the main armament is from -7 to +70 degrees. The Russian army, however, did not refuse to purchase the previous modification of the BTR-82, the armament of which consists of a 14.5-mm KPVT machine gun and a 7.62-mm PKTM machine gun.

The security of the BTR-82A is estimated at the level of its predecessor, the BTR-80A, but a number of improvements have been included in the design of the protection system: armor lining, blast-proof crew seats and an improved fire extinguishing system. The armored personnel carrier is equipped with a system of protection against nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD), as well as an air conditioning system.

The arms industry does not stand still and continues to develop in the countries of the planet. New weapons and combat vehicles are being invented. Most countries are developing armored vehicles with a specific characteristic that is currently needed. Russian developers are not far behind in this regard, the news was the creation of a universal combat platform "Boomerang".

The armored personnel carrier differs from the existing ones in its design and manufacturability. For public viewing, the Boomerang armored personnel carrier was demonstrated at a military parade on May 9, 2015.

Creation

"Boomerang" is declared an integrated platform for military purposes, on its basis they are going to create hitherto unprecedented models of armored vehicles. The military industrial enterprise LLC has been developing an armored vehicle since the beginning of the 2000s, and the same enterprise plans to release it.

The Boomerang was developed on the Gilza and Rostok projects, but the Russian military renounced them, they motivated the refusal by the fact that the equipment did not meet the requested requirements.

For example, the Gilza armored personnel carrier should place a power plant in the middle of the hull, it was also planned to supply military weapons similar to the BTR-82, and dynamic protection.

The released armored vehicle turned out to be unsuccessful, there was no space inside and they did not begin to modernize the “Sleeve” further. However, thanks to the experience associated with working on past projects, the creation of Boomerang was productive.

The best design solutions were transferred to this model, so the Boomerang is listed as the latest generation of armored personnel carriers, and not a modernized model.

The model was presented in 2013 at the Russia Arms EXPO show for a narrow audience. In 2019, it is planned to deliver the first serial Boomerang armored personnel carriers.

Design

The Boomerang device complies with the technical requirements:

The model weighs 20 tons.
Landing and disembarkation of troops is carried out from the stern.
The platform is equipped with military weapons that can be controlled from a distance.
Power unit, four-time turbocharged UTD-32 diesel engine, 510 hp. with., with hydromechanical transmission and hydrostatic transmission, located in the front hull of the armored vehicle.
The model has retained the generally accepted 8x8 wheeled view.
Jet motors located at the rear of the hull help move along the water surface.
The air collector and snorkel located above the body make air access to the hermetically sealed engine and internal compartments hassle-free.

The armored personnel carrier easily moves over rough terrain, develops a speed of 100 km / h on the highway, with a cruising range of 800 km. We increased the space of the compartment for the paratroopers, which added convenience and comfort, since, in the army, soldiers currently have more equipment. In addition, getting out of a spacious car is much easier.

Armor

When creating the "Boomerang" VPK-7829, they used multi-layer armor containing ceramics. This type of protection is many times more effective than homogeneous protection. The main peculiar feature that distinguishes multi-layer armor is an indicator of protective properties against cumulative projectiles.

According to the terms of reference, the frontal armor of the armored personnel carrier should have an appropriate resistance to anti-tank grenades, heavy and small-caliber machine guns, and small-caliber artillery shells.

Armament

Unfortunately, there is no information about the performance characteristics and engines of the Boomerang yet, it is kept secret. But that version of the BMP, demonstrated on May 9, contains:

military weapons controlled remotely;
automatic gun 30 mm 2A42;
machine gun PKT;
a complex of anti-tank missiles, guided missiles "Kornet".
The automatic cannon contains a combat set of 500 rounds.

Fire is on:

Gunner operator.
Commander of an armored personnel carrier.

Combat kits are isolated from close proximity to the airborne department and the team.

The Boomerang is also equipped with the promising AU-220M or Baikal automatic weapons (as this combat unit was unofficially called). He has a 57 mm cannon with a speed of 120 rounds per minute, a combat set designed for 200 rounds, the distance of the shots fired is 12 km.

The tower rotates 360 degrees, the barrel rises 75 degrees.

This gun is fast-firing and capable of hitting any target, but there are still exceptions, these are heavy tanks and specialized long-term firing points. Experts note that 57 caliber is capable of firing to kill at:

light armored vehicles;
enemy hideouts;
high altitude targets.

"Baikal" uninhabited weapons in the form of a tower, controlled from an armored vehicle.

Combat use

Armored personnel carrier "Boomerang" is intended:

Transport cargo, infantry companies.
Support fire and cover the corps of soldiers going on the offensive.
It is possible to overcome water barriers to achieve the goal.

These indicators allow the use of armored personnel carriers by the Ground Forces and the Navy for amphibious assault.

Tactical and technical characteristics

Motor armored personnel carrier "Boomerang":

UTD - 32 TR.

Speed indicators:

on the highway - 100 km / h.

Weapon arsenal:

30 mm gun;
2A42 combat set, 500 rounds, 160 BPS-340 OFS;
shot distance 4000 m;
4 installations "Kornet", shot distance 8000 m, NDC - 10 000 m;

PKTM contains a combat set of 2000 rounds.

Prospects for further modernization

For this period, one type of weapon was demonstrated, which the Boomerang is equipped with. In the future, the combat platform may be armed with another type of weapon. Serial production of the Boomerang is planned for 2017-2018, and VPP LLC is going to start a large-scale supply for the army in 2019.

The developers plan to modernize the armored personnel carrier and create new models based on it. Such as the:

Mobile anti-tank complex.
Wheeled tanks.
Other types of special vehicles.

All models will be different from each other and each with special weapons. There are already in stock created on the basis of the "Boomerang": the K-16 armored personnel carrier and the K-17 infantry fighting vehicle.

Competitors

Every year, new types of weapons are presented on the world military equipment market, which includes armored personnel carriers. But the invention of a new sample does not yet speak of its good functionality. Some countries produce armored personnel carriers, but expert assessments speak of their mediocre capabilities and inflated, sometimes in vain, prices.

True, from the foreign technology of armored vehicles, the Black Widow Spider, developed by the Thailand Institute of Defense Technology, is noted. The model does not shine with originality, the military armament has a 30 mm cannon connected to a STANAG 4569 machine gun. Experts note the fact that the accelerated production of this armored personnel carrier is an alternative to the supply of BTR-3E1 made in Ukraine to the country.

Also tested in Iraq, Afghanistan, armored personnel carriers from Canada LAV-25 and the weighted model M1126 Stryker, according to expert estimates, have already demonstrated weak protective qualities and a low fire rate.

Military armaments experts, speaking of foreign models of armored vehicles, speak of them as intermediate variants of armored personnel carriers, high-profile presentations launched on this occasion by a PR move by manufacturers.

As for the Russian Boomerang project, experts point to equipping this vehicle with modern weapons, surveillance equipment, and protective systems. Initially, it was announced that it would not be like other, modern armored vehicles, a model. The tests carried out showed the good functionality of the armored personnel carrier.

The armored personnel carrier turns into a tank destroyer and into an inaccessible object for an enemy projectile, due to the high protection of the armor. There are many interesting points about the armored car that are still a secret, from which the car becomes mysterious and the media is filled with rumors. Let's hope that the developers will eventually demonstrate the wonders of technological progress, and new models of armored personnel carriers will exceed all expectations.

Video

Currently, the main armored personnel carrier on which the Russian infantry moves is the BTR-80 and its modification, the BTR-82. These are good cars that have been repeatedly tested in various conflicts, but they are already outdated. Already today, the Russian Ground Forces need a new armored personnel carrier. This should be a fundamentally new machine, and not just another modernization of old Soviet models.

One of the main intrigues of the Victory Parade, which took place in 2019, was the display of the latest Boomerang armored personnel carrier, rumors about it have been circulating on the pages of various media for several years now. Shortly before the event, the military slightly lifted the veil of secrecy over the new car, but a lot of details remain unknown to this day. So far, we practically do not know the performance characteristics of the new machine.

In fact, the Boomerang armored personnel carrier should become not only a new vehicle, but a real unified platform, on the basis of which new types of armored vehicles will be created. The development of the Boomerang is carried out by the Military Industrial Company LLC, which will also produce these machines.

The path to the birth of a new car was long and difficult. When developing the Boomerang, the experience of creating several armored personnel carriers was used.

History of creation

"Boomerang" is a continuation of two projects to create a new BRT, which were conducted in Russia over the past years. Initially, the project was called "Sleeve" and it actively used the developments obtained during the creation of the BTR-90 "Rostok".

The Russian military abandoned both vehicles, citing the fact that these armored personnel carriers do not meet their requirements. On the machine, which was created during the implementation of the "Sleeve" project, it was planned to place the power plant in the middle part of the hull, install an armament module similar to that on the BTR-82 and use a dynamic protection system. However, the car turned out to be not very successful: the space inside the hull turned out to be very cramped, it had no opportunities for further modernization. But the experience of working on these projects was very useful in the development of the Boomerang: all the successful design solutions were transferred to the new car. However, despite this, the Boomerang is a completely new machine, it is not a deep modernization of Soviet models.

For the first time, official information about the development in Russia of a fundamentally new armored personnel carrier appeared in 2010. This was stated by the commander of the Ground Forces Alexander Postnikov.

One of the main problems of the BTR-80 was a rather weak level of protection, especially against mines and land mines. Therefore, fighters prefer to move on top of the car, and not inside it. It was the weakness of mine protection that was one of the main reasons for starting work on a new armored personnel carrier. It was not possible to modernize the old Soviet armored personnel carriers in this direction, they have completely exhausted their modernization resource. It was necessary to create an armored personnel carrier with a new hull shape, a new layout and armor made from modern materials. When creating the Boomerang, special attention was paid to protecting the crew and paratroopers from mines and land mines.

Also, various anti-tank weapons pose a great danger in modern combat. The developers of the machine paid special attention to the protection of armored personnel carriers from cumulative ammunition.

BTR "Boomerang" was first shown at a closed presentation, which took place in 2013. The car was shown to the general public during the Victory Parade in 2019. Serial deliveries of new equipment are planned to begin in 2019.

Machine Description

Today we do not have comprehensive information about the characteristics of the Boomerang armored personnel carrier. There is only scattered information. Based on it, we will try to present you a new armored personnel carrier.

It is known that the weight of the new vehicle is about 20 tons, while some of the modifications created on the basis of the Boomerang will weigh up to 25 tons, thanks to increased armor protection. The power compartment is located in the bow of the vehicle, increasing the protection of the armored personnel carrier from explosions and enemy frontal fire. The hatch for landing is located in the stern - the most protected during the battle. Significantly increased the volume of the troop compartment, compared with machines developed in the USSR. In those days, bulletproof vests were not practically used, so the fighters needed less space. A modern soldier has much more weapons and ammunition, so he needs more space. And it takes less time to leave a more spacious car, so in this case, size is not only a matter of convenience, but also safety.

When creating the Boomerang armored personnel carrier, multilayer armor was used, which includes ceramics. This type of armor is much more effective than conventional homogeneous armor, and it has never been used in the creation of light armored vehicles. Usually it is used when creating tanks. The main distinguishing feature of multilayer armor is its high efficiency against HEAT ammunition. According to the terms of reference, the frontal armor of the Boomerang must withstand the fire of small-caliber artillery, the vehicle must withstand the hit of an anti-tank grenade from any side, as well as the fire of a heavy machine gun.

What kind of engine was used to create the Boomerang armored personnel carrier is still unknown, we do not know its power and other characteristics of the power plant. One thing must be said for sure - this engine is definitely more powerful than on the BTR-80. Given the rather serious weight of the Boomerang, it should also have a more powerful engine. Most likely, the power will be more than 600 horsepower.

The new armored personnel carrier retains the traditional 8x8 wheel arrangement. It can swim, propelled through the water by jet engines mounted on the back of the hull. Information about the speed that the new car will be able to develop is not yet available.

The one that could be seen at the parade in Moscow is armed with a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon, a PKT machine gun and an anti-tank missile system that fires Kornet guided missiles. Armament is assembled into a single combat module, which is controlled remotely. The ammunition load of the automatic cannon is 500 rounds. Both the commander of the vehicle and the operator-gunner can fire. Ammunition is securely isolated from members of the landing group and crew.

However, so far we have seen only one version of weapons that can be installed on the Boomerang. This combat platform can be equipped with various types of weapons.

On the basis of this Boomerang, they plan to create a mobile anti-tank complex, infantry fighting vehicles, a wheeled tank, an armored personnel carrier, and many types of special vehicles. All of them will differ in their weapons.

It is likely that the latest surveillance and fire control systems will be installed on the armored personnel carrier. Most likely, these vehicles will be included in a unified tactical-level control system, which will allow the commander to see the vehicles on the battlefield online.

While it is difficult to give a final assessment of the new car. We are waiting for the appearance of official information about its performance characteristics and its cost.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

The February issue of IHS Jane's International Defense Review magazine published an article by the world's leading expert in armored vehicles, Christopher Foss, "The Russian Revolution: A New Generation of Armored Vehicles." In his opinion, the program for re-equipping the Russian army with tracked and wheeled armored vehicles of a new generation is the most ambitious among programs of this type.

After a number of unsuccessful attempts, it is expected that in the near future the Russian army will acquire a new fleet of tracked and wheeled armored vehicles designed to replace platforms, the designs of which were developed more than 30 years ago and further modernization of which is impractical.

Given the scale of this ambitious program to re-equip the army with armored vehicles, the current state of the country's economy, as well as the impact of Western sanctions, it remains unclear whether its schedule will be maintained and whether the required number of new platforms will be delivered in the next five years.

In order to reduce the cost of the life cycle, where possible, these new Russian armored vehicles use unified components and assemblies. In addition, it will also simplify training and logistics.

Currently, the production of Russian main battle tanks (MBTs) is concentrated in Nizhny Tagil, while the production of tracked infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3, airborne combat vehicles BMD-4M and multi-purpose amphibious armored vehicles is carried out in Kurgan. The production of a family of eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers (APCs) is concentrated in Nizhny Novgorod.

A few years ago, the plant located in St. Petersburg ceased production of MBTs, and the Omsk plant completed the production of T-80U tanks and is now aiming to focus on the production of armored support vehicles.

The other major Soviet tank factory was in Kharkov in the Ukraine, but production ceased there as well. Currently, Ukraine is implementing its own programs for the development of MBT and armored vehicles and competes with Russia for contracts on the international market; it has already received a number of major export contracts from the armies of Iraq, Pakistan and Thailand.

The end of the Cold War had a significant impact not only on the major manufacturers of Russian armored vehicles, but also on R&D organizations and many subcontractors, without whom assembly plant production lines cannot function.

Due to a significant reduction in new orders for armored vehicles for the Russian army, export contracts concluded with major customers (India, Libya, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela) have proved to be extremely important for Russian industry.

Russia also started a number of joint programs with Western military contractors, but they were stopped due to sanctions. For example, the French company Thales Group supplied a large number of thermal imagers for Russian T-90 tanks, and the German company Rheinmetall Defense had contracts for the supply of training equipment. Similarly, the French company Renault Trucks Defense, together with Uralvagonzavod, developed an eight-wheeled Atom infantry fighting vehicle, a mock-up of which was shown in 2013, but this program has also been discontinued since then.

MBT T-14 "Armata"

The T-90 tank, which was originally designated as T-72BU, is the most recent MBT to enter service with the Russian army. The tank was finally put into service at the end of 1992, and its production is carried out at the plant of the Uralvagonzavod corporation in Nizhny Tagil, which is currently the only operating tank plant in Russia.

Several unsuccessful attempts were made to re-equip the dwindling fleet of Russian tanks, the latest of which was the T-95 tank, equipped with a 152 mm 2A83 gun with an automatic loader.

Currently, apparently, is the tank of the future. It was developed by Uralvagonzavod with the assistance of many contractors, including Artillery Plant No. 9, which is responsible for the weapons system and is also part of the Uralvagonzavod corporation.

The Armata tank was presented to the public with great fanfare at a parade on Red Square in Moscow in May 2015. In "Armata", as in the canceled project of the T-95 tank, the commander, gunner and driver are in an armored capsule located in front of the hull. A remote-controlled 125 mm smoothbore gun is installed in the middle of the vehicle, and the diesel engine is in the rear. According to experts, the total weight of the machine is 57 tons.

The 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun is said to provide greater accuracy than the 125mm 2A46M tank gun mounted on the T-90 MBT. It is equipped with a thermal protective casing and a barrel bend sensor. The gun is equipped with an automatic loader and, in addition to conventional ammunition, can fire laser-guided projectiles at a distance of 5000 m (similar to that on the previous T-90, T-72 and T-80 tanks). The tank's ammunition load is 45 125-mm rounds (32 in the automatic loader).

The advanced automated fire control system (FCS) is equipped with combined day-night stabilized sighting systems for the commander and gunner with a built-in laser rangefinder. The commander has a panoramic sight mounted on the roof, which allows hitting targets in the “hunter-shooter” mode, in which the commander first detects the target and, if it is confirmed that it is an enemy, passes it to the gunner for destruction.

The T-14 Armata tank is also equipped with a remotely controlled weapon station with a 7.62 mm machine gun. The first samples of the tank, apparently, do not have a 7.62-mm machine gun coaxial with a cannon, which was traditionally installed on Russian tanks.

No details were given on the armor design, but the base hull and turret are made of welded steel. The advanced passive armor system includes dynamic protection units (ERP) installed to provide a higher level of protection against armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles and cumulative ammunition. The stern area of the tank is protected by lattice screens.

In addition to passive armor, the survivability of the T-14 tank is also ensured by the Afganit active protection system and the optoelectronic countermeasures system.

All previous Russian tanks were able to install a smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into their exhaust manifolds, and it is likely that the Armata also has this capability.

The standard equipment of the T-14 tank includes a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction, an air conditioning system, a combat control system and all-round television cameras to monitor the situation around the tank.

According to reports, from 20 to 24 prototypes or pre-production samples of the T-14 Armata tank were made, but so far the tank has not been officially adopted by the Russian army. Initially, it was planned to produce 2300 T-14 tanks with a production rate of up to 500 vehicles per year.

Heavy infantry fighting vehicle T-15

The heavy infantry fighting vehicle (BMP) T-15 is a new type of armored vehicle for the Russian army. Its closest analogue in the West is the Israeli BMP Namer ("Tiger"), created on the basis of components and assemblies of the Merkava Mk-4 tank, the main tank of the Israeli Defense Forces.

The diesel engine is located in front of the vehicle, immediately behind it are the commander and driver, and the rest of the body is occupied by the troop compartment. Landing and disembarkation of troops is carried out through a wide aft ramp with a drive.

Heavy infantry fighting vehicle T-15 on the platform "Armata"

On the roof of the BMP, a remote-controlled combat module "Epokha", developed by the Tula KBP, is installed. It is equipped with a standard Russian 2A42 selective-fed automatic cannon, a coaxial 7.62mm PKTM machine gun, and two twin laser-guided Kornet-EM ATGM launchers. These ATGMs can be equipped with a tandem cumulative or thermobaric warhead, the latter being especially effective in combat operations in large population centers. The maximum range of the Kornet-EM ATGM, depending on the modification, is from 8000 to 10000 m.

The 30mm 2A42 selective-fed gun has an ammunition capacity of 500 rounds ready to fire, including 160 armor-piercing and 340 high-explosive fragmentation. Ammunition 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun - 2000 rounds.

The computerized FCS is equipped with stabilized day-night sighting systems mounted on the roof and having a built-in laser rangefinder.

Like the T-14 tank, the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle has improved armor protection, which includes remote sensing blocks that protect the frontal and side projections of the vehicle. To reduce the overall width of the machine during transportation, the side blocks of the DZ are made folding. The BMP is also equipped with an active protection complex (Afganit) and an optoelectronic countermeasures system.

In addition to the T-14 Armata MBT and the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle, Russia is developing a number of other heavy combat vehicles on the same platform or using similar components and assemblies, although none of them were shown during the parade on Red Square in May last of the year. These include the BREM-T (T-16) armored recovery vehicle, the MT-A tank bridge layer, the MIM multi-purpose engineering vehicle, the BMO-2 flamethrower combat vehicle, the tank support combat vehicle, and the USM-1 mining system.

BMP "Kurganets 25"

The BMP on the platform, which is a new tracked infantry fighting vehicle, has a combat weight of about 25 tons. It was developed by Kurganmashzavod, which currently manufactures BMP-3 vehicles for export.

The driver is seated at the front left, the diesel engine is located on the right, and the commander and gunner sit side by side directly behind. The troop compartment can accommodate six infantrymen, the landing and disembarkation of which from the BMP is carried out through a wide powered ramp.

Unlike the previously produced BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-3 armored infantry vehicles, the BMP of the Kurganets 25 platform is not equipped with loopholes and corresponding surveillance devices.

BMP "Kurganets 25"

The base model "Kurganets" is equipped with the same remotely controlled weapon station "Epokha", which is used on the heavy BMP T-15.

Among other variants of the Kurganets 25 platform is a basic armored personnel carrier equipped with a remotely controlled weapon station with a 12.7-mm machine gun. There is also a repair and recovery option, and a command vehicle is expected in the future.

It is assumed that the hull of the BMP is made of welded steel, and from the above photos it can be seen that additional armor was installed to increase survivability on the battlefield. Apparently, the BMP is also equipped with two sets of active and optoelectronic protection.

BMP "Kurganets 25" is fully floating, and its movement through the water is provided by two jet engines installed on both sides in the aft part of the hull. The maximum speed on the water is 10 km/h.

To power the jet engines, the driver must raise the water deflector, which retracts under the front of the hull, turn on the bilge pumps, and lift the snorkel located on the left side of the hull directly in front of the turret.

Eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier "Boomerang"

The Russian army has always adopted tracked infantry armored vehicles in combination with wheeled armored personnel carriers. At the same time, the latter have increased strategic mobility, since they do not require heavy transporters for their transfer over long distances.

Amphibious eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers BTR-60/BTR-70/BTR-80 were produced in large quantities for the Russian army and export markets. There was also a larger BTR-90 armored personnel carrier, but only a few samples were made, and its promotion to the market stopped.

Wheeled armored personnel carrier "Boomerang"

The Military Industrial Company (VPK) is the main contractor for the production of amphibious eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers of the BTR series. Further development of the BTR-80 / BTR-80A led to the appearance. The latter was produced for the Russian army in limited quantities in anticipation of the entry into service of the Boomerang armored personnel carrier.

The layout of these eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers (BTR-60 / BTR-70 / BTR-80 / BTR-82 / BTR-90) is almost the same: the commander and driver are located in front, the troop compartment / combat module is in the middle, and the engine is in the rear of the vehicle .

The latest model of the Boomerang APC has a completely new design - similar to the latest models of Western eight-wheeled APCs, in which the driver sits at the front left, the engine is located on the right, and the troop compartment is located in the rest of the body.

In addition to the three crew members, the APC accommodates nine infantrymen who enter and exit via a powered aft ramp. Unlike earlier series of eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers, there are no loopholes in the troop compartment. The BMP version of the Boomerang platform is equipped with the same Epoch combat module as the heavy T-15 infantry fighting vehicle and the Kurganets 25 infantry fighting vehicle.

There are a number of specialized variants of the Boomerang platform, including a basic armored personnel carrier equipped with a remotely controlled weapon station with a 12.7-mm machine gun. Later, other specialized options are expected, such as a command vehicle or a medical / recovery vehicle.

Apparently, the hull is made of welded steel and equipped with applied armor. Compared to the earlier eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers of the BTR series, the design of the Boomerang's hull is much simpler and has a more streamlined shape, which makes it easier to install additional armor.

Russia has always paid great attention to the amphibious capabilities of its infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, and this capability is retained on the Boomerang platform, which is propelled by two water cannons.

It is expected that 2,000 Boomerang eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers in various configurations will be delivered to the Russian army.

SAU "Coalition-SV"

The latest Russian 152mm self-propelled artillery mount to enter service is the 2S19 Msta-S. It is still offered in several variants for export, including a 155mm barrel that fires standard NATO ammunition and uses a modular ordnance system.

The original 2S35 "Coalition-SV" ACS, which did not go into production, was based on a modified tank hull and had a turret equipped with two 152-mm barrels stacked on top of each other, each of which had a muzzle brake.

The latest model of the Coalition-SV self-propelled guns uses a new hull, which uses the components of the T-14 Armata tank * with the crew located in the front, the combat module in the middle, and the diesel engine in the stern. The stern of the Coalition-SV differs from the Armata tank, which may indicate the use of a different diesel engine in it.

In the 152-mm Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled artillery system, the crew is located in front of the hull, the remote-controlled turret is in the middle, and the diesel engine is in the stern

The track rollers of the self-propelled guns of the Coalition-SV self-propelled guns also differ from those used in the Armata, and are more similar to those used on the T-72 and T-90 tanks.

The remotely controlled combat module is equipped with one 152-mm barrel with an ejector and a muzzle brake. In the stowed position, the barrel is held by a latch located in front of the body. The self-propelled guns use an automatic system for loading and unloading ammunition, which provides loading of a 152-mm projectile, and then a propellant charge.

Apparently, a new family of 152 mm ammunition was developed, including a projectile with a maximum range of 70 km, which could be achieved through the use of a bottom gas generator and a rocket engine.

Like most other systems, the Russian self-propelled guns "Koalitsiya-SV" fires conventional ammunition such as high-explosive, smoke, flare, extended range, overhead attack and laser-guided projectiles.

The Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled guns are equipped with a computerized fire control system and a ground navigation system, which ensures autonomous execution of fire missions - as a rule, it will conduct short-term fire with a change in firing position. In addition, apparently, it is also equipped with a radar muzzle velocity meter, which will transmit information to the FCS to improve firing accuracy.

There are no details on the armor protection of the SPG, but since the system is not expected to be deployed in close proximity to the front line, it is likely to have a lower level of protection than the T-14 Armata tank and the heavy T-15 infantry fighting vehicle.

Three 81-mm electric grenade launchers are installed on both sides of the tower, and a remote-controlled weapon station with a 12.7-mm machine gun is installed on the roof.

In addition to the Koalitsiya-SV tracked self-propelled guns, Russia is also developing a wheeled version based on an eight-wheeled chassis, which will be lighter and therefore have higher strategic mobility.

Like Russia, China has always used 152mm towed and self-propelled artillery systems, but in China these are now being replaced by 155mm systems that fire Western ammunition and therefore have greater export potential.

Role expansion

It was expected that Russia would acquire a large number of light multipurpose LMV vehicles from the Italian manufacturer Iveco Defense Vehicles, but after the delivery of 368 such vehicles to the Russian army, this program was terminated.

At the same time, the military-industrial complex continues to produce four-wheeled Tigr armored vehicles, which are similar in concept and appearance to the Italian LMV and, in addition to the standard version of the command and staff vehicle, are currently used to perform a wide range of tasks.

Four-wheeled armored car "Tiger" with ATGM "Kornet-EM"

The Tiger can be equipped with a remotely controlled weapon station with a 7.62 mm machine gun, and can also be used as a platform for installing the Kornet-EM ATGM with four ATGMs ready for launch. The missiles are located in two twin launchers. This ATGM is capable of hitting two targets at ranges from 8000 to 10000 m.

Other wheeled armored vehicles to enter service include the six-wheeled Typhoon-K (KAMAZ-63968) armored personnel carrier and the Typhoon-U (Ural-63095) six-wheeled armored vehicle with enhanced mine protection.