Technoviking said:From the interwebs, an artist's rendering of said tank:
The prototype of Russia’s next generation Armata main battle tank is ready for testing, which will begin by November, the head of the Russian Tank Forces said Saturday.
“The prototypes will be unveiled soon at an exhibit in Nizhny Tagil, and their tests will kick off within a month or two, I believe,” Lt. Gen. Alexander Shevchenko said on Echo Moskvy radio.
The biannual Russian Arms Expo will run in the Urals city in September 25-28 this year. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in July that the country’s leadership will get a sneak preview of the new tank during the arms fair.
An unmanned version of the Armata main battle tank is also on the cards, Shevchenko said.
Armata is a universal combat platform that is to be utilized for production of various armored vehicles. Shevchenko said on Friday that prototypes are already created for an Armada-based main battle tank, heavy infantry fighting vehicle and armored recovery vehicle.
The combat platform, named after a 14-century Russian cannon, is being designed since 2009 by the state-run corporation Uralvagonzavod, headquartered in Nizhny Tagil.
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RIA
ITAR-TASS reports that a third manoeuvre regiment will join existing airborne divisions and brigades, and entirely new formations will also be established. The airborne's current Spetsnaz regiment will be expanded to a brigade before the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the commander of the Airborne Troops, Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, told news agencies on 1 August that his branch intends to acquire more than 1,500 new BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles, and 2,500 BTR-MD/BTR-D3 Rakushka troop transporters by 2025.
Four thousand new combat vehicles would more than fully re-equip the airborne's current manoeuvre battalions. As recently as 2009 he believed only 200 of the new tracked BMD-4Ms would be purchased.
Gen Shamanov said that in 2015 the airborne will receive two "battalion sets" of 32 BMD-4Ms, along with more than 20 Rakushkas. Airborne units are currently field-testing both new combat vehicles.
Russian Troops Hold Drills in Serbia
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The "anti-terrorist' drill on Friday — the first such by the Russians outside the former Soviet Union — of elite Russian troops in northern Serbia, not far from NATO-member Croatia, has stirred controversy both here and abroad.
"Serbia's government wants to try and keep everyone happy," said prominent Balkan political analyst Tim Judah. "So, the U.S. helps finance and modernize Serbia's army while now Serbian soldiers train with Russians. In normal times there would be little to say about this, but post-Crimea, these are not normal times anymore."
Although Serbian officials say they respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and do not support Russia's annexation of Crimea, they have refused to impose sanctions against Russia like the EU and the U.S. have. Russia and Serbia have traditionally close historic and cultural ties, and Moscow has backed Belgrade's bid to maintain its claim over Kosovo — a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008 with the support of Washington and its allies.
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The "Armata" Universal Combat Platform is a Russian advanced next generation heavy military tracked vehicle platform. The "Armata" platform is intended to be the basis for a main battle tank, a heavy infantry fighting vehicle, a combat engineering vehicle, an armoured recovery vehicle, a heavy armoured personnel carrier, a tank support combat vehicle and several types of self-propelled artillery under the same codename based on the same chassis. It will also serve as the basis for artillery, air defense, and NBC defense systems. The new tank is under development at Uralvagonzavod in Nizhny Tagil. The first deliveries of the tank to the Russian Armed Forces are scheduled for 2015 and mass production is due to begin in 2016. A total of 2,300 MBTs are expected to be supplied by 2020, modernizing 70 percent of the Russian tank fleet.According to the General Director of Uralvagonzavod the first vehicles will be shown in the 2015 Victory parade.
Russian Paratroopers in Drills on Border with Estonia, Latvia
MOSCOW — Up to 2,000 Russian soldiers took part in drills in the country's west on Wednesday as Moscow conducted an inspection of its paratrooper units in the latest show of strength likely to alarm its neighbors.
Some 500 units of equipment were also to be included in drills in the western Pskov region which borders EU members Estonia and Latvia, defence ministry spokeswoman Irina Kruglova told AFP.
The drills, which will see some 1,500 paratroopers parachute en masse, were to continue until Saturday, she said, adding that soldiers would also capture and destroy a fictional enemy's airfield.
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Twenty Russian T-14 Armata main battle tanks delivered in February and review of Armata variants
The first 20 T-14 Armata main battle tanks were handed over to the military earlier in February. It was initially thought that the new tank would be revealed then, but authorities decided to keep the tank's details a secret.
The T-14 (Object 149) main battle tank is based on the Armata platform, which has been in development at Uralvagonzavod since 2009. Other than the tank, the platform will be used for armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), self-propelled guns (SPGs), engineering vehicles and other uses.
The Armata tank will reportedly feature a remotely controlled gun and fully automated loading, as well as a separate crew compartment made from composite materials and protected by multilayered armor.
The tank will go through state trials in 2016, and it is expected that by 2020, over 2,300 tanks on the Armata platform will be supplied to the military.
The platform’s chief tank (T-14) sports an unmanned remotely controlled turret armed with a brand new 125 mm 2A82-1M smoothbore cannon. Its muzzle energy is greater than one of the world’s previously considered best cannons: the German Leopard-2 Rheinmetall 120 mm gun. The 125 mm gun has 15-20 percent improved accuracy and its rolling fire angular dispersion has improved 1.7 times. According to Russian media, the Armata tank might also come with a specially developed 152 mm gun, the most powerful ever cannon to be mounted on a main battle tank.
The Armata is designed as a modular universal combat platform that could be used as a basis for a variety of combat vehicles, including main battle tanks, fire support, mine clearing, heavy flame throwing and bridge laying vehicles, according to Russian state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport.
Variants that will use the Armata chassis
The "Armata" platform is intended to be the basis for a main battle tank, a heavy infantry fighting vehicle, a combat engineering vehicle, an armoured recovery vehicle, a heavy armoured personnel carrier, a tank support combat vehicle and several types of self-propelled artillery under the same codename based on the same chassis
According to preliminary reports, the new tank designated T-14 will be less radical and ambitious than the canceled ‘Object 195’ or T-95, it will weigh less, therefore, become more agile and will be more affordable, compared to its more ambitious predecessors. Additionally, the Kurganets-25 tracked armored vehicle provides high degree of commonality with the new Armata tank. The Kurganets-25 will evolve into various models, gradually replacing BMP and BMD and MT-LB and other types of tracked armored platforms. The Kurganets-25 will have modular armor that can be upgraded for specific threats, be armed with a 2A42 30 mm autocannon, and have four Kornet-EM anti-tank guided missile launchers.
The Armata will use a new type of lightweight armor designated 44S-SV-SH, developed by Steel Scientific Research Institute enterprise. This armor does not lose its qualities when used in extremely low temperatures, an indication of Russia's military interest in the Arctic.
The Armata tank will have a remote weapon station turret and an automated control system, with the crew protected by an armored capsule. It will have an externally mounted 125 mm gun with 32 rounds of ammunition; in addition to tank rounds, a new laser-guided missile able to be fired from the main gun with a tandem anti-tank warhead and a range of 5,000 m (16,000 ft) is planned to be created. The secondary armament will consist of a 30 mm cannon and a 12.7 mm machine gun. (Interpolation by me: Many early reports suggested the secondary weapon would be a high velocity grenade launcher. It is interesting to note they have not copied the Israeli practice of mounting a 60mm mortar on the vehicle)
Kurganets-25: Tracked infantry fighting vehicle
Strategy Page indicates in 2014 Russia began testing the newly built prototypes of its new Kurganets 25 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle). This is based on the Armata chassis and will eventually replace all the existing BMP and BMD IFVs. The 25 ton Kurganets 25 will have a front mounted engine, a crew of three and carry six or seven infantry.
Two other variants
BREM-T T-16: recovery vehicle
BM-2 (TOS-2): short range rocket artillery, similar to flamethrower system TOS-1 Buratino
SOURCES - Sputnick News, Wikipedia, youtube, military-today, Strategy page, rt.com
The flagship of the new armoured vehicles is the Armata main battle tank (MBT), also known as the T-14 and built by UralVagonZavod. The images show an MBT much more in keeping with recent western philosophies on tank design, appearing larger and taller than the T-72/90 it will replace.
The key feature of the Armata is its unmanned turret, with all three crew members (commander, gunner, driver) seated in a crew capsule at the front of the vehicle's hull. Although the turret is covered in the MoD image, Armata is understood to be armed with a 2A82A 125 mm smoothbore main gun fed by a bustle-mounted automatic loader equipped with 32 rounds.
Russia's New Armata Tank Makes Debut in Parade Rehearsal
Associated Press | May 05, 2015
MOSCOW — Russia's new Armata tank appeared in public for the first time Monday, rumbling down a broad Moscow avenue on its way to Red Square for the final rehearsal of the Victory Day parade.
The Russian Defense Ministry last month released photographs of the tank, but its turret was covered with fabric and only the platform was visible. Monday was the first time that the tank was shown uncovered.
The Armata will be a highlight of the military parade on Saturday, the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. About 200 pieces of military hardware and 16,500 troops will take part in the parade on Red Square.
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Show of force: A new Russian Armata T-14 tank speeds through Moscow for final rehearsals for the Victory Day parade, where it be the highlight of celebrations on Saturday marking the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany
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New Russian military vehicles including the new Russian T-14 Armata tank, foreground, make their way to Red Square during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade
source: dailymail.co.uk
Original article (not much detail) in Russian here.Russia's Airborne Troops to Receive Tanks
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia’s Airborne Troops will soon be reinforced with tank units, Airborne Troop Commander Col.-Gen. Vladimir Shamanov told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
“In the near future we plan to receive a tank unit to reinforce our firepower,” Col.-Gen. Shamanov said.
Russian Airborne Troops have armored vehicles, but tanks have never been included in their inventory.
The elite military force, nicknamed in Russia the “blue berets” after the hats its soldiers wear, trace its origins to 1930, when the first parachute jump by the airborne troops took place.
Since then, Soviet and subsequently Russian Airborne Troops have participated in a number of military conflicts, including important battles in World War II, conflicts in Afghanistan, Chechnya and South Ossetia.
Ahead of what’s meant to be their triumphant debut, one of the handful of Armata T-14s in the rehearsal ground to a halt directly in front of Lenin’s tomb in Moscow’s Red Square, stalling in place with the engine still running. On May 9, Red Square will be the epicenter of one of Russia’s largest commemorations ever, for the 70th anniversary of the World War II Allies’ defeat of the Nazis.
“The tank’s driver raised a small red flag to show he had problems but managed to drive on about 30 minutes later after an attempt to tow it away was abandoned,” Reuters reports. “The parade announcer later announced that the stoppage had been planned to demonstrate how military equipment could be evacuated from the battlefield, prompting laughter from the rehearsal audience.”
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Some pix from yesterday's "Special Task Force Day" statue dedication ....The monument to a soldier is opened in Belogorsk city of Amur region. Solemn event took place close to city wall of fame.
The idea of the monument has being discussed for months after presidential enactment Vladimir Putin establishing new celebration date – Special Task Force Day. People call February 27 – Polite People Day.
The concept of the monument comes from photo image made by TASS reporter Andrey Ryumin. The picture shows moment when special task soldier hands over a kitten to a child.
The ceremony was attended by commander of all arms Army Lieutenant-General Sergei Solomatin, Acting Governor of Amur region Aleksandr Kozlov, representatives of regional administration, veterans and servicemen of Belogorsk garrison.
That young lad's "K": Крым (Russian) and not Крим (Ukrainian), I'm suremilnews.ca said:
:nod:Technoviking said:That young lad's "K": Крым (Russian) and not Крим (Ukrainian), I'm sure