The expert commented on the rumors about the replacement of the "Armata" with a tank with ETH
A fundamentally new generation of Russian tanks, which, in particular, can replace the T-14 "Armata" vehicles, will receive an electrothermochemical gun (ETH), media reports, citing confidential sources in the military-industrial complex. Military observer " Newspaper.EN " Mikhail Khodarenok dealt with the details of this innovation.
Unsurpassed " Armata»
There has been talk that the t-14 Armata tank will receive another tank gun in the future. First, it was supposed to install a 152-mm 2a83 gun on a promising combat vehicle. In comparison with the standard 125-mm gun "Armata" 2A82-1M 152-mm gun 2A83 has a significant advantage in almost all parameters. Its projectiles are almost a meter long. The range of ammunition for 2A83 may be expanded to include depleted uranium sub-caliber projectiles that Rosatom specialists are working on. Previously, it was assumed that a limited series of T-14 tanks would be produced with the 152-mm 2A83 gun - to perform more narrow tasks as part of a tank group. However, this idea has not yet been implemented.
However, without achieving the practical implementation of this idea, the developers have already taken up the gun, built on new physical principles - electrothermochemical gun. According to media reports, the ETCP uses preheating of the propellant and then feeding it under high pressure into the gun barrel, where it is converted into plasma using electric energy. In this case, it is possible to get a smoother pressure curve in the barrel channel than in conventional guns and, as a result, increase the initial velocity of the projectile to almost 4500 meters per second. This is how it all looks in theory.
Now we need to figure out where all these guns are going to be installed. In other words, what is the promising Russian t-14 Armata tank today?
The t-14 Armata is the latest Russian main battle tank with an uninhabited turret based on the Armata unified heavy-weight tracked platform. At the same base, the t-15 infantry fighting vehicle and the t-16 armored recovery vehicle were created.
The t-14 is the world's first tank of a fundamentally new layout with a crew of three (commander, gunner-operator, mechanic-driver) in a habitable protected sealed compartment in the nose of the hull, separate from ammunition and fuel.
For the first time, the tank is equipped with a unified on-Board information and control system (bius) for armored vehicles. The key to the new system is the principle of network centrism and open architecture. The main element of the electronic Board is a digital information exchange network that covers all units, nodes, complexes and subsystems. The network provides a standard interface for connecting subscribers to it. The role of subscribers is performed by electronic blocks embedded in functional units, aggregates, complexes and subsystems.
The noise in the media
"Before discussing only the hypothetical possibility of installing an electrothermochemical gun in the t-14 Armata (or this gun in next-generation tanks), it seems appropriate to look at the situation in the domestic tank forces somewhat more broadly," he said in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru "chief editor of the magazine" Arsenal of the Fatherland " Colonel Viktor Murakhovsky.
The expert pointed to the low level of awareness, and sometimes competence of domestic and foreign media in the tank industry. So, he stressed that now there is a wave of articles on the topic of another" death " of tanks due to the alleged dominance of drones on the battlefield. Initiated, according to Murakhovsky, by publications in the Western media.
In retaliation, other authors recalled an article in one of the Western sources, which expressed concern about the possible equipping of the promising T-14 Armata tank with a new 152-mm gun, superior to the current 125-mm tank gun.
"In this regard, they also mentioned allegedly "confidential" information about the development of a gun in Russia "based on new physical principles" - an electrothermochemical one.
- stated Viktor Murakhovsky.
"We will leave on the conscience of foreign military and publicists their ideas about the future of tanks, their role and place in the weapons system. We would like to have an impartial look at the situation in the domestic armored weapons and military equipment, " the expert believes.
"The protracted process of birth»
This attempt was made at the beginning of the current decade. The formation of a new image of the Russian Armed forces inevitably affected armored weapons and equipment (btvt).
"The Ministry of defense of the Russian Federation developed requirements for these weapons systems that meant a radical change in the development paradigm, "the editor-in-chief of the magazine Arsenal of the Fatherland drew attention.
In 2009-2010, inspection tests were conducted on all BTW samples, which determined the feasibility of their further use. Then the military developed and adopted the concept of building a unified BTW system for the period up to 2020, with the definition of requirements for the nomenclature of families and types of equipment, their combat and operational parameters.
The concept involves the so-called forced unification of BTW with the gradual withdrawal of outdated models from the Armed forces. All previous development work (R & d) was curtailed, only three new ones were opened on the topics "Armata", "Kurganets-25", "boomerang".
A program was adopted to improve the military-technical level of existing equipment and maintain the resource. The prospects of the existing BTW are defined: t-72/90, BMP-2, BMP-3 tanks-overhaul with modernization, t-80 and BMP-1 tanks-disposal after full use of the resource.
Funds were also invested in the creation of scientific and technical reserves in certain areas: electric traction, electrothermochemical tools," digital Board " and some others.
The government went to meet the defense industry enterprises, and the concept of BTW development actually lost the direction of forced unification. The creation of a scientific and technical reserve has also slowed down.
"None of the promising BTV models has completed state testing, although to support the industry, we have signed a contract for the supply of 132 units of heavy armored vehicles of the Armata family. So rumors about the" death " of tanks in relation to the native Fatherland are groundless, rather we can talk about a prolonged birth process," Viktor Murakhovsky concluded.
Mikhail Khodarenok
