By Leonid Nersisyan, military analyst.
For many years now Russia has held more than a half of the export market of new tanks. The main combat tank Т-90S, which was approved by very many buyers and especially by Indians, became a recipe for success in this respect.
In general, not less than 2,100 tanks of this modification have been supplied and contracted, 1,657 out of this number will be received by Delhi at its disposal. How this mighty success of Т-90S that has deprived the Western armoured equipment of competitive edge can be explained and does the Russian tank-building industry have further prospects in the world market of armaments?
What is the Key to the Export Success of Т-90?
Т-90S tank succeeded to push practically all Western armoured produce from the neutral markets (not associated with close allies of the USA). It can be explained by several reasons.
First of all, the cost of Т-90 is very much attractive as compared with the Western tanks such as German Leopard 2A6/A7, American M1A2 Abrams, French Leclerc, etc. If Russian Т-90S costs about $2.5 million, and the most up-to-date Т-90MS costs approximately $4.5 million, the Western tank-building school offers machines costing from $6 million and more. Naturally, such a great difference in price is fundamental for many countries. Secondly, the arrangement of the Russian tanks featuring some lacks in terms of security of combat ammunition load provides the main advantage: the use of gun loading automatic device helps to reduce the crew from four persons (with the Western machines) to three. It reduces the personnel strength by 25%, which is also a serious cost cutout especially in professional armies based on contract principles, where the military personnel receives service pay.
The family of Т-72 tanks, which includes Т-90 in all its modifications, features a number of other advantages. They are the following: low tank weight as a result of using gun loading automatic device instead of “surplus” crew member: Т-90 features weight of 46–48 tons depending on modification, when the Western machines weigh 60 tons and more. Taking into account installation of the engines featuring power of 1,000 (with Т-90S) or 1,130 h.p. (with Т-90MS), the Russian tank definitely wins its competitors with respect to mobility and terrain crossing capacity. One more great advantage is the ability to fire the anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) “Reflex-М” from the main tank gun. A very small number of competitors feature such a capability having multi-fold higher cost. For instance, the Israeli tank Merkava Mk4 capable of launching ATGM LAHAT from a gun, costs about $10 million. No wonder that for now Merkava has been procured by Singapore only in the amount of 50 units.
“Proryv” Comes to Replace the “King of Export” Т-90S
In spite of its immense success, Т-90S is often criticized by many experts. First of all, because of its insufficient protection as a result of obsolescent explosive-reactive armour “Contact-5” and arrangement of combat ammunition load in the tank fighting compartment together with the crew (a “penalty” for the use of automatic loading device, but not the fourth crew member) bringing about the guaranteed death of personnel in case of its detonation. The criticism concerns also a relatively “weak” fire control system (FCS) as well as low armour-piercing effect of the subcaliber kinetic energy projectiles used in Т-90S. If the second factor arising as a result of using that same automatic loading device (it is not able to accommodate projectiles of greater length, this is exactly the way they have increased the power of rounds in the West) is partially solved by using ATGM “Reflex-М”, the FCS had to be replaced with the more up-to-date one.
Taking into account the listed drawbacks, the latest version of Т-90MS “Proryv” tank (Т-90AM for the Russian troops) was developed. The up-to-date Russian explosive-reactive armour “Relict” was installed on the machine, which surpasses “Contact-5” significantly with respect to such parameters as overlap area (68% of tank frontal projection as compared with 40–45% of its predecessor) and protection against cumulative and, especially, subcaliber kinetic energy projectiles.
The problem with frequent detonation of combat ammunition load and presence of its greater part in the fighting compartment together with the tank crew has also not been left unnoticed. The tank has acquired a new automatic loading device, which carousel stowage became protected now with an armoured cover plate. The automatic loading device proper comprises, as before, 22 rounds (of any types and in arbitrary relation: subcaliber kinetic energy projectiles, high explosive fragmentation projectiles or ATGM). The 18 projectiles that have been arranged earlier together with the crew are distributed now in a different way: 10 rounds have been moved from the fighting compartment into a special armoured cell in the tank turret rear, while the remaining 8 rounds have been distributed among the most protected locations inside the tank. This approach has allowed not only significantly enhance the crew protection, but provide more comfortable conditions for it: the fighting compartment became notably more spacious.
As for the limited length of the subcaliber kinetic energy projectiles, this disadvantage has also been partially solved by installation of a new automatic loading device. Now Т-90 is capable of delivering fire by means of new rounds competitive with the Western ones with respect to characteristics. Besides, Т-90MS is equipped with the cutting-edge Russian 125-mm tank gun 2А46М-5, which makes it possible to deliver fire with the accuracy exceeding the predecessors by 20%.
And the last “cherry on the cake” is the new FCS “Kalina” with integrated combat information and control system of a tactical link. The commander panoramic sight features two-plane independent sight line stabilization, a laser ranging device, a TV channel and an imaging infrared channel. The multichannel sighting device of operator-gunner “Sosna-U” features a two-plane independent sight line stabilization, a sighting channel, an imaging infrared channel, a laser ranging device and a laser channel to control the guided munitions system. “Kalina” helps to take over targets for automatic tracking, which essentially simplifies the crew’s mission. This system helped the Russian Т-90MS to become level with Western tanks as far as electronics is concerned.
No surprise that success came quickly. India has already approved a deal for procurement of 464 Т-90MS tanks from Uralvagonzavod. It could well be the case that the countries armed with Т-90S tank will have an intention to upgrade this stock to Т-90MS level. Some countries from the Middle East, e.g. UAE, have also taken interest in the machine. Thus, Т-90MS is capable of being demanded in the world market for at least 5–10 years.
Generational Change: Т-14 “Armata” Shall Occupy the Place of Т-90 After 2025
Despite the fact, that Т-90 is still successful as far as export is concerned, this process cannot be endless. The armed forces of the majority of financially reliable states are already being saturated with the 3rd generation armoured equipment, which includes a family of Т-72 tanks. Therefore, it is necessary to face the future. Russia still has very good prospects for the leadership in the market of new tanks for a long time: due to building an export version of the new-generation advanced Т-14 tank on the heavy tracked vehicle platform “Armata”.
Т-14 is the first tank in the world provided with an unmanned turret. The crew is accommodated in an isolated armoured capsule, which guarantees its survival even in case of combat ammunition load detonation. The machine has acquired the up-to-date available offensive and defensive facilities. It stands to mention separately the installation of the active protection complex (APC) “Afganit” on the tank, which is the only system in the world capable of hitting in approach not only the rounds from anti-tank grenade launchers and anti-tank missile systems, but the subcaliber kinetic energy projectiles as well. The newest explosive-reactive armour “Malakhit” is going to save the tank from the munitions penetrating APC. The tank will for sure be successful in the market due to its modular design; it can be easily customized to requirements of any customer. It is interesting that despite its “frills” and a new layout for the world tank-building industry, Т-14 is still cheaper than its overseas competitors, which makes it even more attractive.
At this stage, Uralvagonzavod produces the initial 100 tanks Т-14 “Armata” for the Russian army. Simultaneously, the machine undergoes the operational service tests being at the final stage of “perfection”. In total it is scheduled to procure 2,500 Т-14 tanks for the Russian Armed Forces. And most probably they will begin to export the tanks after 2025, when the Russian Federation obtains a sufficient number of tanks in the inventory. Until that time Т-90 will remain to be the “flagship” of the Russian tank export.
