"Modernizing Russia’s Tanks: The Case of the T-14 Armata" Topic

"On April 19, Denis Manturov, the head of Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade, stated that "foreign partners" had lodged applications to procure the future export version of the much-advertised new T-14 Armata tank. The problem is that this main battle tank model has not yet entered service, despite its prototype first appearing in 2015 and raising hopes of the imminent arrival of the "tank of the future" within the Armed Forces. Various reports indicate that state tests will conclude this year, with possible procurement of the Armata sometime next year. However, that timescale may need to be adjusted not least due to the challenges Russia's defense industry is facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic (Lenta.ru, April 29).

The T-14 was officially unveiled during the May 9, 2015, Victory Day parade—accompanied by a carefully crafted promotional campaign. And since that time, Moscow-based defense specialists have continued to argue about the revolutionary nature of the tank. Indeed, it is designed with an uninhibited turret, a specially protected compartment for its crew in the hull, and reinforced frontal armor. The T-14 will also be equipped with a tank information management system (tankovoy informatsionno-upravlyayushchey sistemoy－TIUS), which controls all components and operations of the combat vehicle (Vzglyad, April 21)…"
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Armand

Wow, an "uninhibited" turret.

Pair that with an uninhabited one, and you've got a vehicle to be reckoned with.

The tower of the tank is uninhabited. The crew is housed in an additionally armored capsule.

Video from the tank control capsule:

YouTube link

Yes, I get that.

The "uninhibited" feature is a new one, and perhaps a battle winner.

Hmmm … interesting, in the video in that youtube link a rather obvious problem becomes apparent immediately after the gunner fires. His targeting screen is then completely obscured for several, potentially fatal, seconds if he's missed on the first shot.

One of these tanks stalled right during the parade in Moscow)
But what do you want from an actually experimental tank? The first small series was made just to identify and eliminate all possible defects.

Russian tank development differs from that of the west. It seems more incremental. The Russkies have no problem rushing immature tanks with teething problems into service before they're fully ready (by western standards anyhow).

Russia Is Field Testing Its New Armata Tank in Syria

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Armand

Russian tank development differs from that of the west. It seems more incremental. The Russkies have no problem rushing immature tanks with teething problems into service before they're fully ready (by western standards anyhow).

A hard call given the west hasn't developed a new main battle tank in decades!

When it comes to aircraft though, immature designs are the norm in the west be it fighters or helicopters or whatever. Look at the F-35 which still hasn't fixed all the bugs or achieved all of it's performance goals despite having entered service 5 years ago!

This is nice…
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Armand