TASS news agency said that the group of southern forces of Russia used the T-14 Armata tank on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Russian T-14 Armata tank officially entered the war in Ukraine
A source in the Russian defense industry said that Russia’s Southern Forces group has officially used the advanced T-14 Armata tank in combat in Ukraine.
The source said: “The combat crews of the Southern force group have actively used the T-14 Armata in combat. Some of the vehicles have participated in combat to evaluate how they will perform. Then There, they withdrew from the front lines.”
Another source told TASS news agency that the tank has already entered service with units of the Southern Military District. “The necessary tests for the T-14 tank are still continuing,” he added.
To date, no official information has been released about the possible use of Armata in Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
Armata is a standardized heavy-duty crawler platform for the development of main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and several other armored variants.
The tank based on the T-14 Armata platform, developed by defense manufacturer Uralvagonzavod, was presented to the public for the first time during the Victory Day Parade on Red Square in Moscow on May 9/ 2015. In 2019, the T-14 Armata underwent preliminary tests.
The new combat vehicle is fundamentally different from its predecessors, possessing many advantages such as having an unmanned turret while the crew is located in an isolated armored compartment in the fuselage to operate weapons remotely. , greatly increasing the crew’s survivability in combat.
Russia’s state-owned arms import and export company Rosoboronexport presented the export version of the T-14 Armata at the International Military Technical Forum ARMY 2022.
The export version of the tank was launched as a model at the IDEX Arms Show 2021 in Abu Dhabi.
The fact that Russia launched the T-14 Armata into a brief war in Ukraine and then quickly withdrew is completely understandable because it will become the target of the enemy’s pursuit, so the Russian Army must find ways to protect it. for his “baby” tank.
It seems that Russia intentionally evaluated the T-14 on the battlefield to learn from its limitations to continue researching and optimizing its performance. Only when this line of tanks is produced and put into service in large enough numbers will they have the opportunity to participate more actively.
What is special about the T-14 Armata tank?
The T-14 Armata is considered a breakthrough in the field of Russian tank manufacturing with a “unique” design that includes the following outstanding advantages:
First, about firepower. The T-14’s turret is equipped with a very powerful new generation 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore cannon with an automatic loader and 32 rounds of ammunition.
Second, about the ability to hedge. Armata is equipped with a skin that is capable of stealth before radar and 3 layers of defense, including active defensive armor Afganit, the latest generation of explosive reactive armor (ERA) Malachit and complex armor, made from many different types of armor. high-strength steel armor combining fiberglass reinforced and ceramic materials.
The frontal armor of the T-14 Armata has a thickness equivalent to 900 mm of uniform steel armor (RHA) against kinetic energy bar ammunition (APFSDS) or 1,400 mm of RHA if encountered with a recessed explosive penetration (HEAT) projectile.
Third, powerful engine, high maneuverability. The T-14 Armata tank is equipped with a turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 1,500 horsepower, helping the vehicle to reach a cruise speed of up to 75km/h in field terrain. Cruise reserve according to fuel is about 600km.
Fourth, the crew compartment is completely separate from the turret and the weapon system on the vehicle is fully automated. This basic design provides maximum protection for the crew.
With the characteristics of high automation, fast speed, strong firepower, and good protection, the T-14 can be judged as a perfect tank, especially the ability to operate in hot conditions. high altitude, lots of sand.
However, because the cost is much higher than the cost of manufacturing domestic tanks and the economy is currently struggling, in the near future it seems that Russia will not massively equip the army but focus focused on producing and upgrading older tanks to meet the requirements of the Ukrainian battlefield.
