Replacement for the Russian T-90? According to reports, Putin's new miracle tank is set to break all records - and is probably about to be deployed in Ukraine.
Moscow – So now? After much back and forth, the question of the use of the supposedly revolutionary T-14 tank in Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine appears to have been clarified. As anonymous sources from Russia's military industry are said to have reported, the “Armata” super tank will be deployed as early as the end of 2024, the Russian news agency
Tass
reported . And that could become a real problem for Ukraine.
The Armata is currently in a final test phase. Once this is completed, it could “be put into service with the Russian army before the end of 2024,” said one of the sources. During the test phase, “particular attention” would be paid to the deficiencies criticized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The almost 15-year development phase could soon be completed.
Is it all just “propaganda”? Putin's super tank may be too expensive for the Ukraine war
It was only at the beginning of March that the manufacturer announced that the T-14 might not be used at all. “In terms of its functionality, it is far superior to existing tanks,” the
editorial network Germany
(RND) quotes the head of the state arms holding Rostec, Sergei Chemezov. But the extremely high cost of the tank is one reason why it cannot be used by Russia.
According to new reports, the cost factor no longer seems to play a role. What's more: The miracle tank is said to have already been tested in the Ukraine War, as
Military Watch Magazine
reported.
Armata super tank already in use in the Ukraine war?
Accordingly, the Armata was deployed “several times in Ukraine” in August last year,
TASS
quoted a source in the Russian Defense Ministry as saying. The operation was intended to provide the Russian army with information about the Armata's performance. It was previously reported that Russia withdrew the tank after its first use in the Ukraine War. There were suspicions that he fell short of the expectations of the Russian army.
According to
Defense Blog
, British intelligence believed the T-14 would be used “primarily for propaganda purposes.” These assumptions are based on the assumption that production will not exceed a low double-digit range. Currently, just 20 units of the Armata have been manufactured, according to
Defense Blog
.
T-14 Armata is said to be far superior to NATO tanks
If the information about the Russian super tank is correct, it could overshadow the previous Russian and NATO tanks. According to
Military Watch Magazine,
the T-14 has three times the attack range of comparable Western tanks. In addition, the armor-piercing APFSDS projectiles have significantly higher penetrating power.
The Armata also provides better protection for the tank's crew. Since the gun turret remains unmanned, the soldiers can be accommodated in a separate, highly protected room. The tank itself is protected from enemy fire by a 900 millimeter thick base armor protection and explosive malachite armor.
But despite all the innovation, the unusual accommodation of the soldiers is also a weak point of the T-14. Viktor Sobolev, a Russian general and member of the State Duma, had doubts about the design. In his opinion, this only protects the crew, but not the tank itself, he told the Russian news service
NSN
. He said Putin's super tank was an "unsuccessful and unprotected tank." Meanwhile, Ukraine is celebrating a state-of-the-art Western tank in a video: the US Stryker infantry fighting vehicle.
Serial production of Putin's super tank for Ukraine was still uncertain
“Today we need money to make new tanks, new weapons, possibly cheaper ones,” Putin confidant Sergei Chemezov told the state news service
Ria Novosti
in early March . For the Ukraine war, he advised continuing to use the much cheaper T-90. The unit price of a T14 Armata is around 5.7 million euros and is therefore around three times more expensive than the T-90 used so far.
The British Ministry of Defense even doubts the previous deployments of the T-14 in Ukraine. On the X platform (formerly Twitter), the ministry wrote: “It is almost certain at this point that the T-14 Armata was not deployed in Ukraine.” Putin could fear a loss of reputation with a possible loss of the “prestige vehicle”. The high costs could also play a role. Putin is now apparently even having his tanks protected with a bizarre design that is reminiscent of turtle shells.
(nhi)