Russian T-14 Armata tanks will become a serious challenge for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, writes columnist Chris Osborne in an article for 19FortyFive. According to him, these modern machines are equipped with weapons capable of delivering a crushing blow to any enemy equipment.
Chris Osborne
Russia has commissioned its highly publicized high-tech T-14 Armata main battle tank in Ukraine, which is likely to attract worldwide attention. The specific number of "Armata" or the details of the tasks they perform do not seem to be available yet. Nevertheless, this new Russian military weapon has been on the radar for quite some time.
T-14 Armata in Ukraine: What do we know?
A Reuters article from April 2023 specifically stated that Russia "began using its T-14 Armata tanks to shell Ukrainian positions. However, it also clearly quoted the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, which reported that at that time tanks "had not yet participated in direct assault operations."
Now, in July 2023, that could change. Do Armata tanks directly engage in combat? Why haven't they done this until now? There are several key reasons why Russia would not want its next-generation tank, created using many sensitive technologies, to fall into the hands of Ukrainians. So far, there have been no reports or documentary evidence in open sources about the destruction, abandonment or seizure of Armata tanks in Ukraine.
The appearance in the active forces or the potential participation of the T-14 in combat raises several important questions, such as their numbers and the effectiveness of some of its technologies. It is currently unclear exactly how many T-14s Russia operates. So, even if these main battle tanks are involved in combat operations, they may not be enough to ensure massive combat use. Numerous news reports say that the Kremlin initially ordered several thousand MBT T-14 Armata several years ago, but delivery dates seem to be changing and may be extended until 2025 or even beyond. Thus, it can be quite difficult to determine the exact number of Russian T-14s right now.
As for the technical characteristics of this tank, the T-14 Armata is likely to use protective structures, technologies and weapons capable of having an effective damaging effect on tanks and other armored vehicles used by Ukraine. For example, the Russian T-72, T-80, and T-90 were reportedly destroyed in many cases by top-down attacks. The roof of the turret of Russian tanks can indeed be much more vulnerable to anti-tank attacks by weapons such as Javelin, Carl Gustaf or NLAW anti-tank systems.
However, the T-14 Armata may differ greatly from previous models in this regard, as it is reported to have an uninhabited turret. This initially makes the tank much more survivable simply due to the fact that the enemy's military assets and soldiers hit it in the vulnerable upper sphere of any combat vehicle. In addition, the Reuters report clearly states that the T-14 Armata are equipped with additional protection for the sides and crews from anti-tank shells and have undergone "combat coordination" at training bases right in Ukraine.
Earlier, there were many reports, including in the Russian media, which spoke about the technological superiority of the T-14. In an article written for 19FortyFive and also published on Warrior Maven, the T-14 Armata is described in Russian media reports such as GRU Russkoye as being equipped with superior thermal imaging sights capable of seeing and destroying targets up to 5 kilometers away. If this range exceeds that of which Ukrainian tanks are capable, then, of course, they will become vulnerable in large numbers, since T-14s can see and destroy them from a safe distance. However, export versions of the American M1 Abrams tanks are already on their way to Ukraine, the range and specific technical capabilities of the new US Army tank sights are classified. The upgraded Abrams variants are equipped with advanced infrared sensors and thermal imaging sights, which can probably operate at significant distances.
As for the T-14's armament, one of the Popular Mechanics materials published a few years ago states that its new 3UBK21 Sprinter guided missile, which is under development, can hit targets at a range of more than 11.2 kilometers. The current shell of the Armata cannon, the 9M119 Reflex, has an effective firing range of 4.9 kilometers (approximately comparable to the Abrams) and can penetrate up to 900 millimeters of armor, Popular Mechanics writes. In the report from the website hotcars.com A number of interesting technical facts about the Armata are presented, including its 1500-2000 horsepower diesel engine.
