Coordinated actions of the latest military equipment were worked out at the Center-2026 exercises.
During the active phase of the Center-2026 strategic command and staff exercises at the Chebarkulsky training ground (Chelyabinsk Region), Russian President Vladimir Putin was shown various achievements of the Russian defense industry during a training battle - many samples of military equipment were shown for the first time. When creating them, the experience of a special operation was taken into account. It is no coincidence that the calculations demonstrated coordinated actions at the shooting range. Some of the combat vehicles, drones, air and ground, are already in operation at the front.
Tank drone "Sturm"
The main premiere was the heavy robotic assault complex Sturm created by Uralvagonzavod.
The tank, controlled remotely from a special well-protected vehicle, operated in conjunction with conventional T-90MS, fired accurately at the "enemy" and advanced on the streets of the "settlement".
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| Heavy robotic assault complex "Sturm". |
| Source: "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
The newcomer differs from the already familiar models with crews inside by its unusually compact turret with a video camera unit on the roof, nicknamed the "mushroom", and the shortened barrel of a powerful cannon.
TTX
The main armament is a 125 mm cannon, which has a shorter length. This is necessary for successful maneuvering on narrow city streets. There is a twin 7.62mm machine gun.
Since the tank was created on the basis of the T-72B3M, it has a 1,130-horsepower diesel engine, which provides good mobility on highways and rough terrain. The combat weight is about 45 tons.
Sturm's partner is Spiridon
The Sturm tank can be accompanied by an uninhabited version of the Spyridon combat support vehicle. It is equipped with a similar combat module with weapons. Much attention is paid to security, therefore additional elements of dynamic protection are installed.
Firepower is enhanced by single-use rocket-propelled flamethrowers "Bumblebee-M."
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| An uninhabited version of the Spyridon combat support vehicle. |
| Source: Infographic "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
The engine is the same as that of a tank, so the speed and maneuverability are the same.
TTX
Armament: two 30-mm rifled 2A42 automatic cannons, a PKTM machine gun. Disposable rocket flamethrowers "Bumblebee-M." A bulldozer dump has been installed to overcome rubble, minefields and destroy barricades.
Control is possible both from a special armored tracked vehicle and from a remote control that displays information about the combat situation.
T-90M with Arena-M.
The T-90M main battle tanks have been participating in the special military operation almost from the very beginning and during this time have proven themselves as maneuverable, high-firepower combat vehicles.
However, the design idea never stands still, and the "nineties" began to equip the Arena-M active protection systems against drones, which have already been successfully tested on their own, however, based on the T-72B3M.
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| T-90M with Arena-M. |
| Source: Infographic "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
Now such complexes for countering various weapons have appeared in the T-90M. During the attack on the "enemy's" defenses, they withstood numerous drone strikes, including aircraft-type ones.
TTX
Armament: 125-mm 2A46M-5 smoothbore cannon, twin 7.62-mm PKTM machine gun and 12.7-mm remote-controlled machine gun.
Fire control system - with multi-channel sights of the commander and the operator's gunner. The multi-layered armor is reinforced with built-in dynamic protection units "Relict".
The power of the diesel engine is 1130 hp. The maximum speed is 70 km/h. The fuel reserve is 550 km. The crew consists of 3 people. The combat weight is more than 51 tons.
The Arena-M active protection kit is expected to receive a large number of counter-munitions in the future, which will make it possible to repel attacks by swarms of UAVs.
Caterpillar Fortress - BMO-T
For the first time, an improved BMO-T flamethrower combat vehicle was presented at the Center-2026 strategic command and staff exercises. Compared to the earlier version, it received a remote-controlled module stabilized in two planes.
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| Improved BMO-T flamethrower combat vehicle. |
| Source: Infographic "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
The sight, which has television and thermal imaging channels, allows you to see at night as well as during the day. A commander's turret has now appeared on the roof, significantly improving visibility. New side screens and more advanced track belts have been introduced.
TTX
The BMO-T has anti-shell armor built on the chassis of the T-72B tank.
The maximum speed on the highway is up to 60 km/h. The fuel reserve is more than 700 km. The crew consists of 2 people, and the landing party consists of 7 military personnel.
The 12.7mm Kord machine gun is used. It carries at least three dozen rocket-propelled infantry flamethrowers.
Drone Hunter - 2C38 "Derivation-Air Defense"
To combat air targets at the Chebarkulsky training ground, the 2C38 Derivation-Air Defense self-propelled gun was used.
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| Self-propelled gun 2S38 "Derivation-Air defense". |
| Source: Infographic "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
This armored vehicle is based on a proven BMP-3 chassis, which is equipped with an uninhabited combat module with a 57 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun. The combined reconnaissance and sighting system operates in a hidden, undetectable mode.
TTX
The maximum range is 6,000 meters. The rate of fire is 120 rounds per minute. The engine power is 500 hp. The maximum speed is 70 km/h.
The car can overcome water obstacles by swimming. Weight - 21,500 kg. The crew consists of 3 people.
"Dan-T" with ground installation
Being a hybrid of a cruise missile and a drone, the Dan-T can now be launched not only from attack aircraft and helicopters like the Mi-28, but also from ground-based launchers.
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| A hybrid of a cruise missile and a Dan-T drone. |
| Source: Infographic "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
This particular option was first presented at an exhibition held during the Center-2026 exercise.
Equipped with a small turbojet engine, this weapon of destruction, which is barely noticeable to enemy radar stations, can fly at extremely low altitude while skirting the terrain.
TTX
The weight in the aircraft application variant is 270 kilograms. The mass of the warhead is up to 135 kg. The maximum speed is 500 km/ h. The range is up to 450 kilometers.
LMUR - starts from the ground
The LMUR missile, which proved itself well during its military operation, was previously used only from Mi-28 and Ka-52 helicopters.
Now, at the Center-2026 exercises, the work of the ground version was shown. The launcher is based on a three-axle off-road vehicle "Ural" with an armored cabin.
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| LMUR. |
| Source: Infographic "RG" / Alexey Moiseev / Leonid Kuleshov |
There are two guides in the body. During the movement to the starting point, they are hidden under a sliding awning. The complex is serviced by a small crew.
TTX
Earlier it was reported that the air-to-ground version has a mass of 105 kg. Including a high-explosive fragmentation warhead - 25 kg. The initial flight range is 14.5 km. In the upgraded version, it reaches 20 km.
Alexey Moiseev
