(AP photo)
Russia's drive to modernize its military is in full swing, and the country appears ready to equip its armed forces with the latest and most modern mechanized platforms. The first batch of Armata battle platforms - vehicles specifically geared to face modern military challenges - is expected to arrive this month. The new tank will make an appearance in the May 9 military parade that marks the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II, which in Russia is dubbed the Great Patriotic War.
As reported by the daily Komsomolskaya Pravda, Russia's military was long overdue to replace its workhorse T-72 main battle tank, which was developed in the 1970s. Numerous upgrades of this tank could not make up for its shortfalls as a truly modern machine - especially after the 1991 Gulf War, when the American M1 Abrams tank became the military standard by which all other tanks are judged. KP reports that a radically new platform had been expected to replace the T-72 - a tank developed under the code "Object 195" and outfitted with a powerful 152-mm cannon housed in an unmanned turret. That design incorporated a low tank profile, with a three-man crew placed in an armored capsule housed within the tank chassis. Several captured images may have revealed the prototype, but the Russian government offered no official comment. The prototype passed initial tests, but the Russian military-industrial complex could not handle mass production. Right now it looks like "Object 195" will be replaced by the "Armata" heavy weapons platform.
The Armata presents a different approach to weapons manufacturing and fielding - it will form the basis for a whole range of military tracked vehicles such as tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, heavy armored vehicles, tank support combat vehicles, and armored recovery vehicle chassis for self-propelled guns, among others. The Armata, if all goes as planned, is Russia's answer to a similar American program called Future Combat Systems that the Pentagon cancelled in 2009. As envisioned by Russian designers, the Armata will prioritize firepower, mobility and protection - in that order.
The Armata battle tank will also feature an unmanned turret, but with a smaller 125-mm cannon capable of firing conventional ammunition as well as guided missiles and of hitting targets located 5-7 kilometers (3.1 - 4.3 miles) away. The new platform is to become the universal machine of the Russian ground forces, combining a full tactical missile system and an air defense system with a complex of military reconnaissance and target designations. It is also expected to feature a new onboard electronic system capable of managing, diagnosing, and adjusting all functioning elements in the tank.
KP further notes that the Russian Defense Ministry is making big plans for the overall modernization of its military vehicles. By 2020, it expects its land forces will receive more than 11,000 new and upgraded armored vehicles, such as T-72B3 modernized tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, and modernized BMP-2 and BTR-82A fighting vehicles. At least for now, President Vladimir Putin's promise to modernize the Russian military appears to be bearing fruit.