The Russian Terminator tank support combat vehicle may become a new stage of evolution in tank construction, writes forbes. The authors note that, according to some reports, the car took part in battles in Ukraine and proved itself well.
The Russian Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT) Terminator is a new type of armored vehicle with several types of weapons and may become the next stage in the evolution of armored forces. It is reported that the BMPT has proven itself well in Ukraine — especially compared to other Russian armored vehicles. Perhaps it's time for Kiev itself to think about their analogue.
The fighting in Ukraine has rekindled the dispute over whether tanks are outdated or not. Ukrainian artillery, infantry with portable anti-tank guns like Javelins and small anti-tank drones inflicted huge damage on the advancing Russian armored vehicles. Ukraine desperately needs Western tanks to go on the offensive itself, and many analysts agree that it cannot cope without them. But it is possible that the future is not for traditional tanks with heavy guns.
Historically, tank battles involve huge forces on both sides, while infantry and artillery play secondary and auxiliary roles. This was the case from World War II to Operation Desert Storm. However, in Ukraine, direct tank-to-tank combat has become a rarity. Indirect fire at targets out of sight dominates here when adjusting ubiquitous drones and "smart" software. Ukraine is increasingly using tanks for artillery fire from closed positions, knocking out Russian opponents from a long distance.
Tanks are still useful for assault, as can be seen from the videos where Ukrainian equipment attacks Russian trenches. Actually, this is what the tank is designed for: it is mobile, protected and has sufficient firepower to defeat enemy positions. But a tank gun, a large-caliber ultra-high-speed gun optimized for hitting heavily armored vehicles, may no longer be the best for this purpose.
The experience of fighting in the mountains and cities in Afghanistan and Chechnya led the Russians to develop a different type of armored vehicle that can hit several targets at once — including infantry with anti-tank weapons. Most tank guns are limited in height and can neither hit people on the roofs of buildings, nor shoot at trenches — and also have a relatively low rate of fire. The Russians used ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" anti-aircraft vehicles armed with a quadruple 23 mm cannon in urban battles. They proved to be devastatingly effective, but vulnerable due to light armor.
The new vehicle retained rapid-fire weapons capable of hitting targets anywhere, like the Shilka, but at the same time acquired the security and mobility of a battle tank. It was assumed that she would work in close conjunction with the tanks and cover them. In 2011, the first version entered service.
The BMPT is based on the chassis of the T-72 tank with a new remotely controlled turret. Its main armament is a pair of stabilized 30 mm automatic guns with a rate of fire of 12 rounds per second each. Four anti-tank guided missile launchers allow you to hit heavier targets. Some versions were equipped with a pair of 30 mm automatic grenade launchers, each with its own gunner. The paired cannon provides awesome firepower, literally crushing targets into pieces.
The automatic cannon has a firing range of 2,000 meters and can hit both aerial targets (including drones) so are the land ones. The Ataka heavy guided missile has a range of 6,000 meters and is available in anti-tank and thermobaric versions for destroying bunkers and buildings.
It is reported that the BMPT has a new dynamic protection "Relict", designed to defeat anti-tank shells, and a relatively small tower makes it less vulnerable.
The unofficial nickname of this armored vehicle bristling with a variety of weapons is "Terminator".
Perhaps sensors are no less important: the commander has a 360-degree panoramic sight, and he can share video with the gunner for targeting.
BMPT has been seen several times in Ukraine. The British publisher Jane's noted their appearance back in May, and recently they were noticed in Lugansk. According to the Russian side, they showed themselves well.
"One Russian source gave interesting details that the BMPT with its good active defense system inflicted significant losses on the enemy and is generally respected," tweeted Dr. Charles Knight, a senior researcher at the University of New South Wales in Australia.
"Older than Edda", a popular and generally truthful Russian Telegram channel, reported that BMPT proved their effectiveness in the forest and urban conditions of Ukraine and called for building them as much as possible from the old T-72 hulls. He noted that the same role is sometimes performed by MT-LB armored personnel carriers equipped with a paired 23 mm cannon, but complained about insufficient armor.
Reports about the success of the BMPT in the Russian state media are clearly exaggerated, and statements like "the enemy's dugout was practically trampled", and he himself "fled at the sight of the Terminator" look more like propaganda. The same caution should be applied to statements that the BMPT withstands a Javelin hit.
However, there is some truth in this: the BMPT is still in service and they are not dropping out of the battle.
Despite the fact that the APU managed to knock out or capture even the most modern Russian tanks, including the widely advertised T-90M, there is not a single BMPT in the list of documented Russian losses. Perhaps they were used only in small numbers (for example, it is known that about 300 units were built in total), but this may also be an indicator of the reliability and efficiency of BMPT). The video from May shows how the BMPT comes under artillery fire and retreats, but the extent of damage is not clear.
Perhaps the BMPT has a higher survivability due to the absence of a turret and a different design of the ammunition storage system, because of which Russian tanks explode so often.
Interestingly, Ukraine has developed its own version of the BMPT based on the T-64 chassis called "Sentinel". Like the BMPT, it has a paired automatic cannon with the support of guided missiles. The car was shown in 2019, but nothing foreshadows that it has gone into production.
The BMPT is designed to overcome the vulnerability of a traditional tank on a modern battlefield replete with light anti-tank weapons. It may be the last surviving vehicle on the battlefield and really decide the outcome of the conflict — and not sensational tanks.
David Hambling is a tech journalist, consultant and author from South London.