In Kiev say that by the end of the year will roll out a tank that’s better than the Russian.
The Ukrainian Defense Express magazine reported that by the end of this year, Kyiv is planning to get a new tank, the capabilities of which will be comparable with the new Russian T-14 “Armata”. That is what happens — is still unknown, everything is just on paper. But promising fighting machine called menacingly “tireks”. In honor of the most powerful and predatory of carnivorous dinosaurs.
According to the chief editor of the mentioned journal, a well-known military analyst Sergei Shurta, under the project “tireks” “almost ready documentation, resolved issues with the defence Ministry… This work will be completed till the end of the year, if not affected by external factors.”
According to publicly available information, the project armored “dinosaur” created by the engineering group of the infamous volunteer regiment “Azov”. That, however, does not mean that all drawings executed presumptuous on their own knees nutty hatred of Russian nationalists. No, the group includes engineers and designers with experience on the famous tankostroitelnye the Malyshev plant in Kharkiv. In the Soviet Union he was the best. So it’s probably not about the dreams of Amateurs.
What is a future tank? At the design stage of new pride and glory of the Ukrainian army schematically and in fact resembles the “Armata”. Reinforced armor protection. The crew — three people. All — in armored capsule designed to provide maximum protection of people. Without leaving bronekapsuly, tankers will control the cannon and machine-gun fire from a deserted tower, which will turn into a combat unit. Of course, this would require a new fire control system.
Summing up the engineering innovations, the journal Defense Express writes: “through these solutions we will get a tank comparable to the tanks of our probable enemy. The main problem is that our units could fight at night and were protected.”
Another fundamental similarity of “t Rex” with the “Armata” — tank platform standardized in such a way that on its basis it is possible to design a heavy infantry fighting vehicle. In Russia such is already there, named T-15, demonstrated to the public at the parade. The project of the Ukrainian heavy infantry fighting vehicles along with the “Tireks” far from realization in the metal. However, it is still drawn by the same engineering group. Named virtual while BMP Flirty and not at all menacing — “Azofoski”.
As claims Zgurets, by the end of the year, the defense Ministry of Ukraine hopes to “tireks”, tactical and technical characteristics which are as close to really good Ukrainian main battle tank T-84 BM Oplot”. The main drawback of which, as time has shown, that the mass Assembly-line production in present-day Ukraine. Since 2001, when “Hold” was adopted, the country has received only one such car. Another half dozen have been sent to Thailand on a long-thwarted at the time the export contract.
“Tireks” this behavior of the Ukrainian military hopes to avoid. And quickly arranged its mass production. Since releasing new tanks in Kiev was plotted on the basis of deep modernization of the Soviet T-64, various modifications are serially produced from 1963 to 1987. And after the collapse of the Soviet Union T-64 Ukraine has got in abundance. According to some reports — about 2000 pieces. And no matter how many are porasprodali during the years of independence, no matter how much burnt in the fields and coppices of the Donbass in the so-called “ATO” in the army warehouses a sort of cyclopean inventory of shestidesyatye” not much diminished.
According to the head of the engineering group “Azov” Bogdan Zvarich, “our position is that the existing in Ukraine, the Park of tanks T-64 allows in the shortest terms to create new machines with the required capabilities. This generation 4 or 4+. By the opportunities they are comparable with the most modern armored fighting machines of our enemy, including the widely publicized “Armata”. But our project is not a tank of the future, it’s a massive tank for today and for a certain transition period.”
That is, if all goes well, it will be possible to start mass upgrading to the “Tirex” mechanized and armored brigades APU. Thing is, I’m sure Zvarych, for small: military must act quickly to give him at least one serviceable T-64 to upgrade to the “tireks”. “As soon as we receive a “donor” for the first instance, we will be able to roll out our tank after six months of testing,” says Zvarych.
Somehow, it is believed that “tireks” for which much is still not — nor desert towers, no fire control system, nor the cannon — it will be very cheap. And be able, according to Zgurets, “to provide rapid saturation tank and mechanized units of a sample of the art, which by its combat effectiveness will be comparable, and the introduction of a system of tactical control and be beyond the capabilities of most modern Ukrainian tank BM “Oplot”.
In the engineering group “Azov” sure, give them the will, the new tanks will be able to rivet with a rate of up to 10 pieces monthly. How realistic are these plans? In search of an answer to a similar question armored poetry “a La engineering group “Azov” instantly ends. And hard starts the military-industrial prose.
First of all, as far as Kiev today generally able to provide at least one major project for re-equipping its own army? The answer to the surface. 2 in June this year, it very specifically formulated, the head of Committee of national security and defence of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Sergei Pashinsky: “Since April 15 the financing of the defense order is in fact suspended due to lack of funds. It’s a disaster. Such was not neither in 2014 nor in 2015. We are talking about the absence of the 3.6 billion hryvnia (about $ 144 million — “SP”) that should go to Fund weapons and repair techniques.”
Second. Tanks without guns, as we know, does not happen. What kind of instrument engineering group “Azov” offers to put on your “tireks” -unknown. But some reflection suggests this fact. In 2014, at the exhibition of arms and military hardware DEFEXPO in India, the Ukrainians have already presented a promotional video with the image of advanced battle tank (FMBT) of its own design with the desert tower. Was offered two choices of weapons: 125-mm gun of high ballistics “knight” or 140-mm gun perspective “Bagira”.
In the press of information about these guns are extremely scarce. About smoothbore L-55 “Bagheera” you know, what makes it Ukrainian State scientific technical centre of artillery and small arms. Barrel length 55 calibers. Breech interchangeable with 120-mm and 125-mm guns. Rate in normal mode — 8-9 rounds per minute.
And on paper, it is not excluded, all the same, it looks decent. But what has long become reality the inability of the industry of this country is to produce a reliable gun barrels?
This became evident in 1997. By the time Kiev has signed with the Pakistanis a contract to supply Islamabad 320 T-80UD tanks. What it is not like Russia. First of all, because the deal hurt the interests of our constant and reliable military-the technical partner in the region — India. Naturally, Moscow has taken every possible way to sabotage the deal. The possibilities for this she had. If the tanks T-80UD calmly made Kharkiv, the 125-mm smoothbore tank guns 2А462ФМ made only Russian Perm. Of course, at the request of Kiev to contribute, the Russians refused. The Ministry of defense of Russia, where he served as the author of these lines, the situation was commented mockingly: “Let them put the guns instead of the birch trunks”.
But the contract was executed. Ukraine rescued Sumy Frunze plant, which produces weighted pipes for oil production and drilling equipment. Blanks for drill pipe and turned to the artillery guns. Now clean the gun called the Ukrainian KBA-3. Them and put them on tanks intended for Pakistan. But, as subsequently found out, the Ukrainian journalists, precocious experiment ended in failure. If the resource tank gun of the Soviet era amounted to 600 rounds, and with chrome channel — up to 1200 shots, that of the former Sumy pipes to fire more than 300 times did not work. But when it is realized and in Islamabad, the money for formally executed “tank” the contract has been divided in Kiev.
The production of barrels in Sumy in the beginning of 2000-ies had reasonably complete. Today it is absolutely unclear where we now produce guns for “Make”. Dozen per month. Though “Knights”, though “Bagir”.
Russia not to bow? Still will not give. To buy in the West? So, as we all know, “pan ataman much gold reserves”.
