Image source: topwar.ru
The widespread threat on the Ukrainian battlefield from FPV drones and barrage ammunition has led to the fact that tanks of both warring sides have been massively equipped with additional improvised protective elements such as lattice and dynamic armor, jamming systems, metal plates, chains, woven nets, pieces of rubber.
- it is noted in the German edition of Hartpunkt.
As indicated, in the case of particularly bizarre-looking "turtle tanks", it even goes so far that combat vehicles completely disappear behind armor plates or frame elements welded to them.
According to the author, mobility, protection and fire efficiency are the most important parameters that determine MBT. The interaction of these factors is called the "iron triangle". Increased protection usually requires more armor, which, in turn, leads to an increase in mass and volume and, thus, has a significant impact on the mobility of equipment and its power, since the exhaustion of the weight reserve will not allow the installation of certain weapons systems.
Image source: topwar.ru
As noted, the addition of additional armor elements, especially in the case of a tank in the Turtle variant, leads to a significant limitation of the functionality of almost all visual surveillance equipment available on MBT. The associated deterioration in awareness of the situation means that targets located in a limited field of view may be detected later or not detected at all, and therefore it becomes extremely problematic to hit them.
In a lighter scenario, the tower becomes heavier, which can lead to a decrease in its rotation speed, since the drives are not designed for such loads. Therefore, it takes more time to aim at the target. The placement of jamming systems may cause them to come into contact with adjacent devices, such as communication devices. The lattice frame can interfere with the firing of smoke grenades. If the tanks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Armed Forces of Ukraine had a KAZ, its functionality would be significantly limited or even completely eliminated due to additional protection elements.
The additional reservation affects the mobility parameter, increasing fuel consumption and reducing speed due to the increased weight. In some individual cases, the tank will not even be able to pass through the bridge.
Image source: topwar.ru
The increased weight has a negative effect on the service life of individual drive components, chassis, and pivoting devices. Particularly severe wear can affect the T-72 and Leopard 1/2, as these vehicles have undergone several stages of modernization and are particularly sensitive to additional weight.
According to the author, the crews are willing to accept additional reservations, as it increases survival in combat.:
According to him, the broken pivoting device cannot be repaired on the spot.:
- the author concludes, hoping for the addition of a drone protection function to the KAZ Trophy.
An example of an additional "reservation" is a "tank hut":
