Military scientists are actively introducing modern research methods into the practice of improving tank technical support.
Armored troops are undoubtedly a formidable force on the battlefield. However, it's not just armor, gun caliber, and engine power that are the leading ingredients of success. A modern tank or other armored vehicle is a fusion of the latest technological innovations, including achievements in the field of digitalization and artificial intelligence, based on a reliable scientific foundation and rich combat experience of tank engineering.
A representative of the "Red Star" visited the 38th Scientific Research Testing Institute (Armored Weapons and Equipment) named after Marshal of Armored Forces Ya.N. Fedorenko of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, where he learned how military scientists create modern technology.
At the beginning of the meeting, the head of the Institute, Colonel Pavel Agarkov, gave a brief overview of the eventful and accomplished history of the unique military scientific and testing organization he heads, which has been chronicling since the early 30s of the last century. During this period, almost all samples of Russian armored vehicles were tested at the scientific testing armored training ground, which subsequently acquired the status of a research testing institute. Among the numerous samples of armored vehicles that received a start in life and subsequently became symbols of significant victories of Russian weapons are the legendary T–34 and KV, as well as the T-90M, which performed well during a special military operation.
Almost from the beginning of the landfill's operation, a unique collection of samples of foreign and domestic armored vehicles began to form on its sites, which became the basis for the creation of one of the world's largest Military Historical Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment.
In order to get more thoroughly acquainted with the modern achievements and prospects for further development of the 38th BTVT Research Institute, the head of the Institute recommended meeting with one of the leading scientists, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Lieutenant Colonel Andrei Trofimov. As the head of the research organization assured, the evidence of the officer's deep competence is that he was entrusted to become the scientific director of one of the most important scientific studies on the experience of organizing tank engineering and the use of samples of armored weapons and equipment during a special military operation. By the way, as Colonel Agarkov emphasized, this research work was awarded the second prize of the competition for the best scientific papers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, held under the auspices of the Military Scientific Committee of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
As it turned out, Andrei Trofimov grew up in an army environment from early childhood. His father, now a retired lieutenant colonel, a tankman, devoted his entire service to this branch of the armed forces. His love for armor and firepower was also passed on to his son, for whom, after graduating from high school, there was only one choice – the Omsk Higher Tank Engineering School, which he successfully graduated from in 2001.
Since the desire for scientific activity, supported by active rationalization work, was clearly manifested at the university, for further service, Lieutenant Trofimov was sent to the 38th Scientific Research Testing Institute, which is engaged in the research and improvement of armored weapons and equipment. Within its walls, he worked his way up from a junior researcher at the department to a leading researcher at the department.
In 2007, he defended his PhD thesis and subsequently prepared more than twenty scientific papers, articles and publications. He has repeatedly been on official business trips in the military, including in the zone of a special military operation, where he studied the experience of organizing tank technical support, which later formed the basis of scientific research activities.
Speaking about the current day of the country's only scientific research testing organization in the field of armored weapons and equipment, my interlocutor said that the institute is currently solving the tasks of substantiating the main directions of development of armored weapons and equipment, developing tactical and technical requirements for advanced models, and developing ways to improve the combat and operational properties of BTVT samples. and improving the system of tank technical support for troops in peacetime and wartime.
For these purposes, the Institute has a unique set of modern experimental equipment for conducting scientific research and testing of both armored weapons and equipment, as well as military equipment based on them.
Our communication took place not only in the scientist's office, but for the most part in workshops and laboratories, on test sites, where prototypes are subjected to artillery fire, mines and land mines.
And of course, the acquaintance with the armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine captured in the battles was of particular interest. Nowadays, these once powerful and well-publicized examples of the achievements of Western military-technical thought are a pitiful sight and serve primarily as objects for study.
Speaking about the research work awarded the prize of the competition for the best scientific papers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant Colonel Trofimov assured that this is the result of the joint and cohesive work of the team of co-authors, consisting of leading scientists and specialists of the Institute. There are nine candidates of technical sciences among them.
Among the most active members of this scientific team, its coordinator and supervisor named Candidates of technical sciences Lieutenant Colonels Evgeny Shcherbo, Viktor Shlemin and Alexander Mushin, Major Vladimir Sychev and many others with whom he worked on this scientific work.
"The staff of the Main Armored Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation provided us with great organizational and methodological support during the work on the scientific research," explained the scientific director of the study.
As Andrey Trofimov confirmed, as a result of the research, a range of scientifically sound conclusions and practical results were obtained. These include, for example, proposals to improve the tank technical support system, analytical materials on the design of captured samples of armored vehicles and weapons and their main characteristics, recommendations on countering foreign samples of armored vehicles, and a number of others. These results are already being implemented in the tank technical support system.
Among the most important results of the research is a set of specific proposals to improve the organizational and staff structure of the TTO, to introduce additive technologies into the technology of military repair, to organize teleconsultations during the restoration of armored vehicles and weapons, and a number of others. During the research, more than twenty technical solutions were developed based on the results of testing captured samples of equipment.
When asked how effective such contests are, the interlocutor confidently stated that participation in them contributes to the formation of a healthy competitive environment in the scientific community, gives an additional incentive to search for new technological solutions, as a result of which not only military science wins, but above all warriors on the battlefields armed with more advanced weapons., technologies and ways of their application.
The military scientist sees prospects for further development of scientific thought, primarily in the field of armored weapons and equipment, in the scientific justification for building a unified information environment of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in other words, large-scale digitalization of management decisions and the implementation of technological processes, including using artificial intelligence, which he plans to focus efforts on in the future.
–Andrey Valerievich is one of the leading and progressive–minded scientists at our institute," said Colonel Daniil Mayer, Deputy Head of the 38th BTVT Research Institute. "Because of this, he was chosen to be the scientific director of a large–scale comprehensive research project, as the command is confident in his ability to organize and lead a large research team," explained the Deputy head of Scientific Work. – Lieutenant Colonel Trofimov is always actively engaged in scientific and creative research, and has good analytical skills.
"In addition, an additional reason for this choice was the fact that Trofimov, Candidate of Technical Sciences, has a broad outlook in other fields of knowledge," Colonel Mayer added and confirmed that Andrei Trofimov is not only an expert in the field of tank engineering, but is actively interested in the history of his native land, archeology, writes and publishes articles on in these areas of activity, he performs on relevant thematic platforms.
A visit to an undoubtedly unique research and testing facility, meetings with the command and specialists, and familiarization with the well-established way of working of the 38th BTVT Research Institute made it possible to once again strengthen the idea that modern Russian military scientific thought is in constant motion, in search of new trends in the development of military affairs that meet the spirit of the times.
Oleg the Terrible
