Russia showed off its new Armata tanks, which would be the highlight of the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9. However, the high-tech tank seemed to have broken down during a rehearsal on Thursday.
According to RT News, Russia’s military rolled the new T-14 Armata tanks for the first time in public during a dress rehearsal for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
One of the Armata tanks suddenly stopped while its engine was still running, and the Russian military tried to tow it away, but they failed. After fifteen minutes, the Armata tank restarted and managed to run off the rehearsal.
Russia demonstrated tank evacuation
The announcer of the parade explained that the sudden stop of the Armata tank during the rehearsal was a “planned” situation. According to him, Russia’s military wanted to show the process of evacuating a tank.
“We wanted to show how an evacuation of a tank would take place. It was planned that the tank would stop,” said the announcer.
RT News described the Armata tank as a “cutting-edge vehicle with an unmanned turret armed with a brand new 125 mm smoothbore cannon, which is the most powerful gun of its kind to date in terms of muzzle energy.”
The Armata tank is equipped with a state-of-the-art radar system that can track as much as 40 ground and 25air targets simultaneously within a 60-mile radius.
A representative from Rostec, a Russian state corporation recently said, “New communications equipment allows the vehicles’ crews to see the whole tactical situation in real time and communicate with command points and other military units within a single system of automated combat control.”
Armata tanks will enter active service next year
Russia will start rolling out its Armata tanks into active service next year, according a military official. Twenty Armata tanks were already issued to troops for hands-on training.
The Russian government plans to produce more than 2,300 Aramata tanks by 2020.Russia is expected to sell Armata tanks to other countries over the next five years.
The country hasn’t revealed any potential buyers. India has a licensing agreement to build its version of Russia’s T-90 tank.
Reports indicate the Armata tank is faster that the Abrams tank of the United States. The platform of the tank is compatible with other machines including a heavily-armored infantry vehicle, a self-propelled heavy howitzer and a combat support vehicle, according to its designers.
Russian Lieutenant-General Yuri Kovalenko previously stated that Armata combat platform will utilize many features of the T-95 tank. The Armata tanks will replace Russia’s MBTs and APCs. Russia is hoping to transform that Armata as a fully robotic vehicle for battle.
