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Are any NATO tanks in development as response to Russia's Armata tank to match it in firepower, armor and technology?
Michael Zajac
Michael Zajac, in NATO
Updated Dec 13 · Upvoted by Joel Postma, In the Navy twice. First as an Avionics Technician. The second time as a Seabee. and Tony Winkler, Former Infantry Marine, middlebrow philosopher
No. No one is developing new tanks in response to the Russian T-14.
The T-14 tank, based on a line of Soviet research going back to Ukraine in the early 1970s, was a concept revived and developed into a product as a response to the superiority of frontline NATO tanks (and to boost the Kremlin’s ego). But the Russian Federation is not strong enough, not only in military terms, but especially economically and institutionally, to directly enter a conflict with NATO member states. It is likely to restrict its combat operations to Syria, and in semi-covert form to Ukraine. It doesn’t need any future tanks for this.
So, the anticipated main production run of 2,300 extremely expensive T-14 tanks was cancelled. To save face, enough of these to equip two battalions are supposed to be delivered, but the schedule for the first dozen has slipped again, to “late 2019 or early 2020.” Any combat advantages of the T-14 may remain unproven for a very long time, but who cares?
I’m sure NATO states’ military intelligence and weapons researchers do keep tabs on new developments in the Russian Federation and other states, and consider how to tweak their antitank weapons and tactics to remain effective against the best equipment of potential adversaries. But they’re sure not going to bother to design completely new tanks to face the abortive T-14 after the Russians decided it’s not worth building. A penetrating sabot round to the turret or a top-attack guided missile on the fighting compartment will disable a new elite T-14 as well as it would an old rank-and-file T-62.
The real response to Russian tanks in the field came after the the RF started sending tanks into eastern Ukraine in 2014. Ukrainian military industry has been digging into its war stores and upgrading scores of T-64 tanks, along with dozens of T-80UD and T-72, to meet or exceed the capabilities of the average Russian tank in service.
The RF still does want to be a poor man’s “superpower,” and intends to maintain its escalation dominance in eastern Ukraine. Since the cancellation of the T-14, it has followed the lead of the Ukrainians, and shifted gears to the much cheaper activity of refurbishing and upgrading its stocks of tens of thousands of inherited Soviet tanks and early-model T-90.
Photo: the main tank threat to Russian forces in Ukraine is the T-64 BM Bulat, a 2004 factory upgrade of the T-64 from its original designer and manufacturer, the Malyshev factory in Kharkiv (source).
Photo: to get more updated tanks in service quickly, armoured vehicle factories in Kharkiv (KhBTZ) and Lviv (LBTZ) are now performing refits for the T-64BV Model 2017. Its reactive armour is the same type as the Bulat’s contoured modules, but bolts onto original 1980s fittings. It also includes new modern thermal-vision equipment, gunner’s sight, secure networked communications, and GPS navigation (source).
32.5k views · View Upvoters · Answer requested by Viktor Bondarchuk
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Kynan Rardon
Kynan Rardon
Dec 12 · 4 upvotes including Michael Zajac
Looking at that last photo, I would not want to be in that tank at all. The entire turret looks like a picture perfect shot trap.
Michael Zajac
Michael Zajac
Original Author · Dec 12 · 23 upvotes
There are no shot traps. “Shot traps” is not a factor in modern armour, because tanks are designed without them, because instead of homogenous steel they have layers of spaced and composite armour designed to disperse and redirect energy, and because a HEAT round’s plasma jet can’t ricochet, and APDS doesn’t really either.
What you’re seeing is explosive reactive armour, sheet-metal boxes containing explosive and plates that disrupt the plasma jet of a HEAT round. They’re too light to deflect a round, and some are also designed to reduce the effectiveness of APDS.
Nizh (explosive reactive armour) - Wikipedia
Under the ERA is a standard dome-shaped, cast T-64 turret with composite inserts. See my answer:
Why do the Russians prefer ERA armour to composites in their tanks? (Spoiler: they don’t.)
The BM Bulat is also equipped to carry Varta hard-kill active protection system.
Active protection system - Wikipedia
And don’t be fooled by the rubber skirts on the BM Bulat, either. The layout is similar to the Soviet-era Kaktus-5 ERA on T-90 and latest upgraded T-72.
John Leon: The Russian military sent in tanks to the Ukraine? Not according to any accurate military analysi...
Michael Beiring
Michael Beiring
Dec 12 · 24 upvotes including Michael Zajac
Shot traps are not really an issue for modern armored vehicles, as the issues with them surrounded ammunition no longer used today, the full bore armor-piercing round. Modern Anti-Tank rounds do not richochet as AP rounds did. HEAT rounds explode on contact, while Penetrator Rods shatter if they ...(more)
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Pavle Vasev
Pavle Vasev
22h ago · 1 upvote from Michael Zajac
your answer is totally wrong and full of lies and missiformation. NOBODY can beat Russian tanks. That is their mayor strategy - in order to defence their territory. NATO/ USA global enemy are aggressors and their strategy are rockets and warplanes. Even in that category Russia is stronger.
Michael Zajac
Michael Zajac
Original Author · 3h ago
Ukrainians beat the Russians who had been operating these T-72B M1989 tanks of the Russian 5th Independent Tank Brigade, during the Battle of Debaltseve. Whatever they were doing near Lohvynove, Ukraine, was not defencing Russian territory (source).
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