Russia’s Deadly Armata Tank To Get Autonomous Capabilities

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Russia’s new Armata T-14 tank will soon be able to fight by itself. Andrey Terlikov, the chief designer of Armata tank, told RT News that the future belongs to the unmanned combat vehicles. Armata is a manned battle tank, but it will be able to operate without crew in the “immediate future,” said Terlikov. At the Russia Arms EXPO-2015, Moscow said it was ready to start producing “fully autonomous” armored combat vehicles.

Russia to produce 2,300 Armata tanks

In a few years, the Armata tank could operate on the battlefield with a remote control and some support from the crew. Terlikov said this tank had everything necessary to move towards remote-controlled autonomous combat vehicles. Earlier this week, the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET) revealed that Armata tank will have the attack helicopter-like fire control systems.

However, Armata is unlikely to join the Russian military anytime soon. The tank is still in the production testing phase, which is expected to end in 2016, reports Sputnik News. That will be followed by military testing, and then induction into the army. Russia plans to produce 2,300 Armata T-14 tanks to replace its Soviet-era T-72 and T-90 tanks.

Armata only tank that can survive a modern war, claims Russia

Russia claims Armata is the only tank that can compete with the U.S. M1A2 Abrams. Vyacheslav Khalitov, the deputy director general of Armata tank maker Uralvagonzavod, said in July that the company was developing an advanced combat system based on the Armata Universal Combat Platform. Two units of the advanced combat system are Armata T-14 and T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicles.

Khalitov said hybrid war is the most common type of modern warfare, and Armata is the only tank capable of surviving the modern hybrid warfare. Russia showed off other weaponry too at the Army EXPO-2015, which was attended by representatives from more than 60 countries. At the event, Moscow unveiled its Dragoon armored combat vehicle.

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