Shock and Awe: Russia Rolls out New Deadly Armored Vehicle

Sputnik International ^ | 17.09.2015

[Spktyr]

Also, as part of their NBC system, Russian AFVs reportedly have air conditioning and heating now.

[Spktyr]

It’s also amphibious - no significant prep time required. It basically just drives into a river or lake and swims across. Blowing up bridges in front of it wont stop it.

[doorgunner69]

Also, as part of their NBC system, Russian AFVs reportedly have air conditioning and heating now.

Well, let us hope they do not use the dreaded Freon!

[archy]

I was with armored cavalry in Vietnam, and we had to leave our 52 ton M-60s behind about 40-50% of the time.

We mostrly ran M48A3s rather than M60s in 'Nam; the 105 main gun of the M60/M60A1 didn't [then] have beehive rounds available, and the '60 was a bit heavier and easier to stick than a '48, though there were a couple of M60 battallions in-country. [1968-1972] Our M48A3s sometimes went along with truck convoys towed on flatbed lowboys; in the event of an attack by more than an odd sniper or two, we could respond to either side, and had a nice high vantage point for our tank commanders'.50s. Of course, sitting up high like that, we also made a near-irresistible target for any B-40 antitank gunners, which may have been the whole idea of the ACAV guys having us along.

But if we really had to, we could roll off the backs and make a lot of noise while the trucks moved out, clearing any mines for us the hard way. Funny how nobody tailgated the tank transporters....

[archy]

Are there separate bathrooms on it :-)

Doesn't have a tennis court inside like an M60A1.

[archy]

Arena-3 APS. That is some clever stuff. Wonder how high the kill % is?

You know how the Soviets carried their assault infantry on the backs of T-34 tanks, with entire squads armed with PPSh-41 submachineguns, ready to jump off and deal with German Panzerfaust or Panzerschreck antitank gunners? Same deal in Afghanistan and Chechnya, where the Soviet/Russian troops rode on the outside of their tanks and BMPs, where it was a bit cooler and there was less danger from mines. The Russians have long been known for adding on little troop-riding handles to give the guys a place to hang onto. The Russians call this танковый десант, tankovyy desant. They are of course not at all the only ones to do this, but they have been past masters of the technique.

I bet an ARENA or reactive anti-HEAT armor going off all of a sudden is real hard on those guys.

[archy]

Also, as part of their NBC system, Russian AFVs reportedly have air conditioning and heating now.

Not all that funny. The Russians provide such creature comforts for the benefit not of the crews, but for the electronics- now including touchscreen computers- aboard.

I wonder how well those touchscreens will work with blood on them. Perhaps that's why the Russian designers are working on the unmanned versions.

[archy]

I look at that and I see:

Well the KV-2 howitzer was of pretty limited production, only 350 or so, but not really a tank per se, though it certainly played it's part during the Soviet invasion of Finland as a direct artillery support gun against concrete [and iced!] Finnish bunkers. And, of course, it led to the 152mm gun SU-152 in its assault gun configuration and is the granddaddy of Russian SP artillery still in use today.

It's parent KV-1 was reasonably successful though, and when viewed against the German Pzkw III and IV with 50mm and short-barrel 75mm guns, was likely the last thing a lot of German tank crews saw.

And the Germans thought enough of the KV-1 ands KV-2 to fit it with their own KwK- L40 75mm gun and the commander's cupola of the Panzer IV. And it then looked not so much like an odd duck, but a very businesslike machine indeed.

[onedoug]

I was with Americal, 1/1 Cav, roughly from Danang to Quang Ngai and all points west. I think the only M-48s I saw were ARVN. But we might have been able to take them more often. There was a lot of paddy in the west and the M-60s were always getting bogged down in the mud, particularly during Monsoon.

I’m betting you were further south.

I finally got to Saigon with my daughter in 2000. What a town! Then we flew up to Danang where we stayed for a little over a week looking up old haunts. Sometimes eerie and unsettling, but more often very nice. Beautiful country, still.

Flew up to Hanoi which was much more stultified than the South, though yet quaint in it’s way.

Thanks for your service, and Welcome Home.

[PLMerite]

Yes, the Germans made much use of captured armor.

Originally I was referring to what an attractive target the KV-2 made, what with that big, tall, slab-sided turret and all.

I couldn't find an image of a KV-2 with a catastrophic hit to the turret. I guess that 3-inch armor was good for something. But I bet being plinked at with 37mm AT guns got annoying after a while.

[archy]

I was with Americal, 1/1 Cav, roughly from Danang to Quang Ngai and all points west. I think the only M-48s I saw were ARVN. But we might have been able to take them more often. There was a lot of paddy in the west and the M-60s were always getting bogged down in the mud, particularly during Monsoon.

I’m betting you were further south.

Yep. Di An, Tay Ninh, Lai Khe, the Iron Triangle and *Thunder Road* [National Highway 13] in general. Later spent a little time further south yet, in Phuoc Thuy where the Ozzstraylians were operating M113s and Centurions.

I finally got to Saigon with my daughter in 2000. What a town! Then we flew up to Danang where we stayed for a little over a week looking up old haunts. Sometimes eerie and unsettling, but more often very nice. Beautiful country, still.

I always thought it was pretty to fly over. But I generally dsespise heliowhoppers [milady is a helo driver] and mostr of my opportunities for aeriel sightseeing came with a courier job in O1 Birddogs. With, usually, a very junior USAF 2LT, sometimes a 1LT driving. And navigating. And communicating. And trying to chew bubble gum, not all of which all of them could do at the same time.

Flew up to Hanoi which was much more stultified than the South, though yet quaint in it’s way.

Thanks for your service, and Welcome Home.

You too, Glad the return worked out for you.

[archy]

I couldn't find an image of a KV-2 with a catastrophic hit to the turret. I guess that 3-inch armor was good for something. But I bet being plinked at with 37mm AT guns got annoying after a while.

This 'un appears to have had a bad day at the office.

[onedoug]

Very well. Very happy. Thanks.

[Sirius Lee]

"Say, I'm a little hungry. You?"

"Yeah, let's grab a bite to eat."

[Spktyr]

It depends on if the touchscreens are capacitive or resistive. The latter works no matter how much blood, oil, water, whatever are on the screen - that’s why that’s often what’s used in automotive shop tools having touchscreens.

[Spktyr]

You do know that the USAF is desperately trying to get rid of those, right?

[Spktyr]

Arena was developed to not injure infantry riding on or advancing with the tank, read more here: http://fofanov.armor.kiev.ua/Tanks/EQP/arena.html

Israel’s Trophy system is somewhat similar in general principles; while it won’t sweep accompanying infantry, you don’t want to be riding on a tank that has it.

As for the explosive-reactive armor - well, if you’re riding on a tank that gets hit by another tank’s main gun round, you’re probably never going to notice the ERA going off if you’re on the side where it hits.

[Sirius Lee]

Sadly, yes.