Russia, the world's most powerful tank that can change war (but no one has seen it)

Russia, the world's most powerful tank that can change war (but no one has seen it)
by Gianluca Cordella
4 Minutes of Reading
Tuesday 26 April 2022, 17:28 - Last updated: 28 April, 08:14

On the one hand there is the purely numerical comparison, on the other the one inherent to the efficency on the field that can shift the conflict in the same way, if not more. While Russian planes continue to bomb key locations in Ukraine , there is an armored car war being fought on the streets across the country. And there the discourse deserves at least a double question of reading. On the one hand, as mentioned, there is a comparison of the numbers. Which in the more than two months that have passed since the start of the attack by Putin 's troops has undergone a significant change. If in the first days of the conflict the figure was clearly on the Russian side, now we can speak of a substantial parity of the forces in the field, or even of an advantage for Zelensky 's soldiers. Two factors have influenced: on the one hand the counter-offensive by the Ukrainians which, according to government sources, has led in recent weeks to the destruction of over 700 tanks in Moscow . On the other hand, there is the help of the allies, who are supporting Kiev by providing weapons, means and knowledge on the ground. Many armored vehicles, including tanks, which in recent days have reached the war scenario from neighboring NATO member states. To the point that, according to the US Defense, at this moment Zelensky would have a larger package of tanks than Putin's.

Numbers and quality

And here the second part of the speech opens. Because, beyond the rediscovered numerical balance, there are considerations to be made relating to the efficiency of the means themselves. Those that came to Ukraine from and around the Czech Republic are mostly Soviet-era T-72 tanks. Evolved over the years, but not in the lot of the most powerful last generation tanks. On the contrary, those in the hands of the Moscow army are largely better.

In October of last year, " Hot Cars " published a ranking of the most powerful tanks in the world. Ranking in which Russia looks down on everyone, including the United States. Not only because the Kremlin army is the only one to have two of the best ten tanks in the world, but also because it can count on the best, the vehicle that represents the excellence of the sector: the T90-MS . It went into production in 1993 and is known as the “flying tank” due to its dynamic chassis, which easily withstands even heavy loads when driving over rough terrain. Evolution of the historic T90 , compared to its ancestor, it is innovated and improved practically everywhere. New hull and turret (with more impact resistant coatings), new gun, special electronic equipment and, last but not least, a radically improved ergonomic base. Inside, in fact, it has been significantly improved to ensure a less oppressive environment for the military: more comfortable seats, large work spaces and personalized air conditioning among the innovations not strictly related to the war aspect. Instead, it is entrusted to a 125 mm 2A46M smooth-bore gun and a NSV 12.7 heavy anti-aircraft machine gun that can also be controlled from a distance. One figure gives the size, the efficiency / cost ratio: the T-90MS has a cost about two times lower than that of the US Abrams and exceeds its effectiveness in combat by one and a half times.


Russia vs USA

Abrams who, in the M1A2C version, is the only American tank in the standings, in ninth place. With the strong element, the Trophy active protection system, which is not even of American production, but imported from the Israeli army. However, Washington does not want to fight between excellence and therefore this armored vehicle is also in a phase of evolution. The SEPv3 version, whose first experimental unit was tested in 2020, is equipped with an increased electrical system, more up-to-date communication and network systems, a chassis that guarantees simpler maintenance operations and even more effective protection systems. . But a substantial supply will arrive only in 2028. And so in the distance challenge Russia wins 2.1 also for the presence in tenth place of the T-14 . Which according to the ranking could be the best of the whole lot but has only one problem: no one has ever seen it, or almost. Presented in a military parade in 2015, it was labeled by Moscow as one of the means capable of subverting the outcome of a war. Probably a realistic description because its exorbitant production costs (between 6.5 and 8 million dollars each) have so far limited its development. There was talk of just 100 units, which should have arrived in 2018, then in 2019 and so on. To date, Moscow should have about twenty in its hands and no more. And one thing is certain: no one has seen them on the streets of Kiev. And this is a good news for Zelensky.

The Russian jewel T 14 during the 2015 parade in which Putin presented it to the country
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