The T-14 Armata (Russian: Т-14 «Армата»; industrial designation "Object 148") is a Russian 5th generation main battle tank based on the Armata Universal Combat Platform. It was first seen in public (initially with its turret and cannon shrouded) during rehearsals for the 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade.
From 2015 to 2020 the Russian army plans to acquire 2,300 T-14s.
T-14 Armata design and features
The T-14 Armata is based on a modular combat platform, which can also serve as a basis for other armoured variants such as heavy infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) and armoured personnel carrier (APC).
The hull is divided into three compartments, a crew cab at forward, an unmanned remote controlled turret in the centre and a power-pack at the rear. The driver sits in the left, gunner in the middle and commander in the right inside a special armoured capsule. Entry and exit are provided through three hatches in front of the hull.
The roof of the turret houses a meteorological mast, satellite communications, global navigation satellite system (GLONASS), data-link and radio communications antennae.
The tank measures 10.8m-long, 3.5m-wide and 3.3m-high, and has a combat weight of 48t.
Armament
The main armament of the T-14 is the 2A82-1M 125 mm (4.92 in) smoothbore cannon, a new replacement for the 2A46 of previous Russian and Soviet tanks. Noteworthy features include an absence of a fume extractor (due to the unmanned turret), a firing rate of 10–12 rounds per minute, and a maximum effective-penetration range of 8 km. The detection range of the tank's optical sensors is more than 5 km for tank-sized targets at day (This is the official government data), and not less than 3.5 km at night through the thermal imaging channel. The gunner sight's optical channel is equipped with 4x and 12x optical zoom. The laser rangefinder has a theoretical maximum range of 7.5 km. These systems are duplicated, in addition there is a third system (weaker). Can fire on the move. The crew uses a high-definition camera to monitor 360 degrees.
The Vacuum-1 sabot round which is currently being developed for the 2A82-1M cannon has a penetrator which is 900 mm long, and is capable of penetrating 1,000 mm of RHA equivalent at a distance of 2,000 meters. The new controlled-detonation Telnik HE-Frag shell is also available. The cannon also has ability to fire guided missiles, a feature first implemented on Soviet tanks, with a new 3UBK21 Sprinter ATGM developed specifically for it. These missiles can be used as a means of air defense systems.
The secondary armament consists of a 12.7 mm Kord (GRAU index 6P49) machine gun with 300 rounds (not observed during the parade) and a 7.62 mm PKTM (6P7К) machine gun with 1,000 rounds. All guns are remotely controlled. In addition, another 1,000 rounds can be stored separately. A 12.7 mm machine gun is installed above the turret roof-mounted commander's sight, which avoids visual obstructions, while the turret front has a peculiar slit that is speculated to be intended for the coaxial 7.62 mm machinegun.
In the future, the T-14 may use the 2A83 152 mm gun instead of its current 2A82 125 mm gun. This gun, created around 2000 for the T-95 prototype, has a high-speed APFSDS shell with a 1,980 m/s muzzle velocity, only dropping to 1,900 m/s at 2 km. However, Russian engineers have been making such up-gunning claims for some 30 years and have kept the 125 mm-size gun, assessing that improvements in ammunition could be enough to increase effectiveness, while concluding that a larger bore weapon would offer few practical advantages.
The T-14 can use anti-aircraft missiles. A 30 mm anti-aircraft gun may be installed instead of the 12.7 machine gun.
Mobility
The T-14 is powered by a ChTZ 12Н360 (A-85-3A) diesel engine delivering up to 1,500 hp. The engine's theoretical, not normally used, maximum power is 2,000 hp, at the cost of radically decreasing its service life, projected around 2,000 hours at nominal 1,500 hp, comparable to other modern tank engines, and up to the unprecedented 10,000 hours at moderated 1,200 hp. The engine is electronically controlled. Operational range is over 500 km.
The T-14 has a 12-speed automatic gearbox, with a top speed of 80–90 kilometres per hour (50–56 mph) and a range of 500 kilometres (310 mi). At least one expert speculated that the transmission might be an electronically controlled mechanical gearbox with the external reverse and demultiplier gears, giving the tank equal forward and reverse gear ranges. Other sources suggest a partly or fully hydrostatic transmission. Uniquely for a Soviet/Russian design, the transmission is joined with the engine into a single unit that can be swapped out in the field in just under 30 minutes.
Unlike previous Russian and Soviet designs, such as the T-90/80/72/64, the T-14 has seven 700 mm road wheels, based on the T-80 variant. It has the ability to adjust the suspension of at least the two first roadwheels, and, probably, the last one. On the parade rehearsal video, a T-14 Armata is shown to retract one of the frontal first wheels during turns. This, and some recently published design blueprints suggest at least a partial hydraulic suspension system based on the adjustable lever arm shock absorbers that now double as suspension actuators and may have been done to improve the pivoting ability of the tank. An active suspension system improves the target lock time by a factor of 2.2, and the timeframe between target detection and reaction is reduced by 31 percent, all due to the resulting smoother ride.
A lot of thought was given to the tank's strategic mobility. Its moderate mass of ~48 tons allows it to be easily rail- and trailer-transported, conserving its engine and transmission's service life, and it can navigate most of the solidly built bridges in the country, unlike, for example, the Japanese Type 90 Kyū-maru MBT, whose 50+ ton mass and large size forces it to operate only in areas with specially reinforced bridges and railways with sufficient clearance. Moreover, two tanks with their crews and all attending equipment can be easily airlifted by the heavy An-124 transport plane. However, the most numerous Russian strategic airlifter, Il-76, is able to lift this mass only in its newest, PS-90-equipped variant, the still-unknown dimensions of the tank notwithstanding.
T-14 Armata self-protection
The hull is equipped with a modular armour system made of steel, ceramics and composite materials. The low-silhouette of the tank avoids exposition of the parts to enemy fire, which significantly enhances the safety and survivability of the crew. The crew capsule is isolated from the automatic loader and ammunition to increase crew survivability during explosions.
The tank is anticipated to offer up to STANAG 4569 Level 5 protection. Its forward portion is covered with reactive armour, whereas the rear is fitted with bar armour to provide added protection against anti-tank rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). The tank can also be hinged with additional active and passive armour.
The nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection, automatic fire suppression system and smoke grenade dischargers aboard the tank further enhance the crew survivability. The new Afghanit hard-kill active protection system on the tank defends incoming anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), rockets and RPGs.
Observation and fire control
The commander and gunner are provided with multispectral sights with visible scope, thermal channels, and laser rangefinders. The commander's sight mounted on top of the turret offers a 360° field of view, while the gunner's sight is fitted with a direct-vision periscope and a laser designator.
The wide-angle cameras fitted on the tank provide a full 360° all-round vision and situational awareness for the crew. The tank is also expected to carry electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) based laser warning receivers.
The T-14 Armata is fitted with a computerised fire control system, which automatically formulates the fire control solution using the data from a muzzle reference system and a wind sensor mounted on the roof of the turret. The tank is also equipped with a battlefield management system.
Sensors and communication
The tank is equipped with the 26,5–40 GHz Active electronically scanned array radar that has a range of 100 km, which is mainly used by the Active protection system. Up to 40 airborne or 25 ground targets up to 0.3 m in size can be tracked simultaneously. The tracking system provides an automatic firing solution to the destruction of the target, which can be then transferred to either the APS or the main gun control computers. The tank will be able to give target designation for the artillery, serve in air defence and reconnaissance functions. The T-14 uses highly protected communication channels that connect a group of T-14s and the command post.
The commander and gunner have largely indentical multispectral image sights, with the visible electromagnetic spectrum and thermography channels and laser rangefinders. The commander's sight is installed on the turret top and has 360° field of view, while the gunner's one, situated in the turret's niche to the gun's left, is slaved to it and is additionally equipped with the direct-vision periscopic channel and laser designator for the gun-launched, Semi-automatic command to line of sight anti-tank missiles. The detection distance of tank-sized object for both of the sights is 7,500 m at day through the TV/periscopic channel, and ~3,500 m at night through the thermal channel. Additionally, a backup night-vision capable sight is installed, with 2,000/1,000 m respective detection distances. The driver in addition to the traditional vision periscopes has a Forward looking infrared camera and a number of zooming Closed-circuit television cameras for an all-round field of view. Video cameras are installed for all-round vision for the crew, since it lacks the normal vantage point of turret roof hatches. 360-degree camera coverage is perhaps one of the T-14's most unique features, although made necessary because of the extremely limited visibility without them. With the crew clustered in the front of the hull, they would have poor situation awareness if the camera setup and video feeds were to fail. Although the T-14 is touted as a Russian-made next-generation tank, some components may not be entirely domestically made. Cybersecurity analysts have revealed Russian industries have had difficulty producing critical components of night-vision systems (standard on the tank) and have attempted to buy them from Western suppliers or China in the past through various operations. This means components of the T-14 could have originated outside of Russia, which may be more difficult to obtain or produce due to sanctions against Russia for its Ukraine activities.
Specifications
Weight
48 t
49 t (with Urban Warfare Package)
Length 10.8 m (35 ft)
Width 3.5 m (11 ft)
Height 3.3 m (10 ft)
Crew 3
Armor
44S-sv-Sh
1,000–1,100 mm vs APFSDS and 1,200–1,400 mm vs HEAT
Main armament
125 mm (4.92 in) smoothbore 2A82-1M tank cannon with 45 rounds (32 of them in the autoloader)
Secondary armament
12.7 mm (0.50 in) Kord machine gun (6P49), 7.62 mm (0.30 in) PKTM machine gun (6P7К)
Engine diesel 1,500 hp