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| Russia Ready To Deploy T-14 Armata To Ukraine To Fight US M1 Abrams Tanks |
Moscow - According to British intelligence, a small number of the latest Russian T-14 Armata tanks are ready for use on the front lines of the Ukrainian battlefield. Moreover, in November 2022, the T-14 Armata tank was recorded carrying out tests at a military training ground in Kazan.
According to European Truth, the UK Defense Ministry said the Russian Federation has prepared a small number of T-14s for front-line use in the war against Ukraine. This will be the first use of the T-14 Armata tank model in real combat.
However, Russian combat troops are reportedly still hesitant to use the T-14 Armata tank due to "unsatisfactory conditions." It is not yet clear what "unsatisfactory conditions" halted production of the T-14 Armata tank.
According to Western reports quoted from the Bulgarian Military website, Friday (27/1/2023), Russia has problems with tank engines. It also stated that a problem had been discovered with the main battle tank's thermal imaging system.
In 2021, Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu described the production planned for 2022 as a trial batch. So it is unlikely that the T-14 being used meets the new weapon standards by which it can be considered fully ready for service.
The Russian armed forces are currently using the T-72, T-80 and T-90M Proryv tanks for the war against Ukraine. In November, it was reported that the T-14 Armata was conducting tests at a military training ground in Kazan.
Video of part of the training session shows the T-14 Armata tank moving at high speed over muddy off-road terrain, followed by Russian infantrymen. The video is one of the reasons some have speculated that Russia is preparing to send its newest main battle tank to Ukraine.
So the delivery of T-14 Armata tanks to the Ukrainian battlefield is possible. Moreover, Russia has shown in recent years that they are not afraid to test their new weapons in battle. It is known that Syria is often used to test the Armata, Su-57, and new modifications of the Su-35.
Specifications of the T-14 Armata Tank
Quoted from Military Today, the T-14 Armata is a new generation of Russian Main Battle Tank (MBT). The T-14 Armata tank was developed as a replacement for the canceled T-95, and may use some of its technology.
The T-14 Armata tank shares little in design with the T-90 and other older Soviet tanks. In fact it is the first completely new Russian production tank since the T-72, which was adopted in 1973.
The design of the T-4 Armata tank focused on heavier armor and crew endurance. The exact technical specifications of the new Armata MBT remain under wraps. However, the dimensions of the new tank were larger than those of the T-90 and almost as large as the German Leopard 2A7.
This tank has a fully unmanned turret. While the concept of an unmanned turret tank is nothing new, the Armata is the world's first production tank with an unmanned turret. This main battle tank is operated by a crew of 3, including commander, gunner and driver. The Armata does not have a shooter, as the weapon is loaded by an autoloader.
It should be noted that most Western MBTs have a crew of 4. The T-14 Armata tank is perhaps one of the most heavily armored MBTs in the world and is newly developed, made of steel, ceramic and composite materials. The T-14 Armata tank also has a new add-on Malakhit explosive reactive armor which is claimed to be a new generation.
The T-14 Armata tank also uses electric weapon stabilization and turret traverse systems. It is more reliable and safer for the crew than older hydraulic systems. In addition, it provides a quick change of weapons in the right direction.
The T-14 Armata tank is armed with a 125 mm smoothbore 2A82 (or 2A82-1M) gun. This new weapon has a longer range and is more accurate than the older 2A46M gun from the T-90 MBT. The tank is also capable of firing programmable ammunition. The Armata is capable of firing anti-tank guided missiles in the same manner as regular projectiles.
The missile has a range of about 5 km and can also target low-flying helicopters. This tank carries 40 bullets and 32 of them are ready for use.