In the previous article, we examined the concept of a multifunctional missile tank (MFRT), capable of supplementing and, in many respects, replacing existing main battle tanks (MBT) on the battlefield. The proposed range of ammunition for the MRF will allow it to effectively deal not only with enemy armored vehicles, but also with a wide range of other types of targets.
The presence of various types of anti-aircraft guided missiles in the ammunition will allow MFRT to fight air targets flying at speeds of up to 1000 meters per second, at altitudes of about 5-10 kilometers, at a distance of about 10-15 kilometers.
The presence of guided and unguided ammunition with a high-explosive fragmentation (HE) warhead (CU) with the possibility of remote detonation and a thermobaric warhead in combination with a high turn rate and large guidance angles of the launcher will provide a high probability of hitting manpower - both openly located and located in shelters.
However, MFRT also needs support, and this is why it is connected.
Imperfect technology
One of the key disadvantages of armored vehicles is the poor visibility of the crews. It turns out a situation when, on the one hand, the dimensions and noise of armored vehicles make it possible to detect them at a considerable distance, and on the other hand, the ability of the infantry to camouflage makes it difficult for the crews of armored vehicles to detect them. In combination, these two factors often allow the infantry to strike first at armored vehicles.
A tank support combat vehicle (BMPT) should primarily be designed to increase the protection of existing OTB from enemy tank-hazardous manpower, since the MBT is able to cope with armored vehicles on its own, and it is protected from air threats by air defense missile systems / air defense systems.
As we discussed in the article Fire support for tanks, the Terminator BMPT and John Boyd's OODA cycle, the Terminator BMPT does not have any significant advantages either in detecting or destroying tank-hazardous manpower. Their means of detection are similar to those used on the MBT, the speed of targeting the weapons of the BMPT "Terminator" is also similar to those of the MBT weapons.
Of the advantages of the BMPT, only large elevation angles of the weapons can be noted, which make it possible to fire at tank-hazardous targets on the upper floors of buildings and on the slopes of mountains, but this advantage is also present in conventional infantry fighting vehicles (BMP), including heavy infantry fighting vehicles (TBMP), capable of not only operate in the same formation with tanks, but also transport an infantry squad.
Moreover, the reduction in the size of remotely controlled weapons modules (DUMV) makes it possible to create relatively compact DUMV equipped with a 30 mm cannon, which can be placed on MBT instead of a 12.7 mm machine gun.
To improve the protection of armored vehicles from tank-hazardous manpower, a comprehensive breakthrough is required in terms of creating integrated target detection systems, including multispectral sensors, intelligent systems for preliminary image analysis based on neural networks, highly efficient display facilities and “crew-vehicle” interaction interfaces. These issues were considered by the author in the articles Increasing the situational awareness of crews of armored combat vehicles and Ergonomics of workplaces and combat algorithms of promising armored vehicles.
In addition, it is necessary to radically increase the reaction rate of armored vehicles' weapons to a threat, which can be achieved both by installing high-speed guidance drives and weapons based on new physical principles, which was discussed in the article Armored vehicles against infantry. Who is faster: a tank or an infantryman ?.
Of course, equipping MBT and MRF with such complexes would allow them to operate without the support of specialized BMPTs, but how realistic is their creation in the near future?
The realization that the development of overly advanced promising systems could be delayed led to the refusal to consider the concept of MRF based on an electromotive platform, as well as to the abandonment of the use of laser weapons and a small-sized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for escorting on MRF. The use of the aforementioned integrated target detection systems was not considered either.
It can be assumed that at the current level of creation of technical vision systems and intelligent algorithms for searching and analyzing targets in Russia, and possibly in the world, it is impossible to create an adequate replacement for human eyes and a person's ability to analyze, search and recognize targets, make a decision to open fire … Perhaps something comparable can be created in the next 20-30 years on the basis of advanced neural networks or quantum computers. At the same time, the task of increasing the survivability of armored vehicles in a city is already now.
The emphasis in the concept of MFR is made on existing technologies, which makes it possible to implement this machine already now. But such an MFRT needs protection from tank-hazardous manpower, and this requires a specialized BMPT
BMPT T-18
Until promising image search and analysis systems are created that can automatically detect tank-hazardous manpower and direct weapons at it, there is only one reliable solution to this problem - the human eye. On the existing BMPT "Terminator" the number of crew members and observation devices is similar to that of the MBT, as a result of which the capabilities of detecting tank-hazardous manpower in the MBT and BMPT are comparable. Although the first sample of the BMPT "Terminator" was attended by two more crew members firing from two 30-mm course grenade launchers, their ability to detect targets was extremely limited, so they could hardly change the situation with the search for targets, and in the future from the installation course grenade launchers on the BMPT "Terminator" refused.
Therefore, it is proposed to increase the capabilities of the conventional BMPT T-18 by increasing the number of crew members, a corresponding increase in the number of observation devices and remotely controlled weapon modules.
In fact, the BMPT will be a TBMP with an unhurried infantry squad, equipped with surveillance equipment and weapons modules that allow them to fire "from under the armor."
How will it look in practice?
The upper panel of the BMPT should include four seats with interfaces for connecting various types of DUMV. The placement of seats should ensure that the armament barrels of the DUMV do not intersect, as well as the minimum influence of the DUMV on each other in terms of overlapping the firing sectors. As in the case of the unification of ammunition for MfRT, the seats and interfaces for connecting the DUMV for the BMPT T-18 should be unified. This will ensure competition between manufacturers and the possibility of an effective subsequent modernization of BMPT. In addition, the possibility of the optional installation of DUMV will allow you to configure the armament of the BMPT T-18 based on the nature of the terrain and the alleged enemies.
One of the main criteria for promising DUMV should be an increase in the speed of turning and targeting weapons, up to 90-180 degrees per second in the transfer mode
The following types of weapons can be used in the DUMV installed on the BMPT T-18:
- ATGM "Kornet" or a promising ammunition for MFRT;
- gun 2A42 caliber 30 mm;
- gun 2A72 caliber 30 mm;
- machine gun KPVT caliber 14, 5 mm;
- machine gun "Kord" caliber 12, 7 mm;
- machine gun "Pecheneg" caliber 7, 62 mm;
- automatic grenade launcher of 30 mm caliber.
The list of possible types of weapons deployed on the BMPT T-18 is preliminary and not exhaustive. Also, some types of weapons can be combined into one module, for example, a 30-mm cannon can be combined with the Kornet launcher, and a 7.62-mm machine gun with a 30-mm grenade launcher. Ultimately, the choice of one or another DUMV will depend on its weight and size characteristics and compatibility with other modules, as well as on the nature of the terrain and the type of enemy.
As you can see from the above image, the armament composition of the BMPT T-15 can include one DUMV with a 30 mm cannon and three DUMV with smaller caliber weapons, for example:
- DUMV 1 - 30 mm cannon + two Kornet ATGM (two promising ammunition for MfRT);
- DUMV 2 - 12, 7 mm machine gun;
- DUMV 3 - 7, 62 mm machine gun + 30 mm automatic grenade launcher;
- DUMV 4 - machine gun of 7, 62 mm caliber + automatic grenade launcher of 30 mm caliber.
In some cases, overlapping of the DUMV firing sectors may occur. To exclude the possibility of damage to one DUMV by firing from another DUMV in the intersection zones, the shooting should be blocked automatically.
When firing at targets located on a hill, all DUMVs will be able to work most of the time without restrictions, due to exceeding the firing trajectory over neighboring DUMVs.
Moreover, in any case, most of the time, several DUMVs (at least two) will be able to simultaneously work in one direction.
The fighters carrying out the guidance of the DUMV should be placed in the troop compartment, which will be inherited by the BMPT T-18 from the heavy BMP T-15. Depending on the size of the workplaces, the crew of the BMPT T-18 will be six (2 + 4) or ten (2 + 8) people.
The first two are the commander with a driver, four more are the DUMV operators. Why do we need four more crew members in the "2 + 8" variant? They can serve as a "second number" for operators of the DUMV. Obtaining an image from several observation devices of a panoramic view, they must look for potential targets, pointing them on a touch pad, after which the targets are highlighted with a frame on the screen of the DUMV operators. Thus, the "second numbers" perform only the "search" function, while the operators perform the "search and destroy" function. However, the option "2 + 8" is unlikely to be implemented due to the lack of space in the compartment of the BMPT T-18. And even if there is a place, then, most likely, it is better to use it to place spare ammunition for the DUMV.
The driver's function is clear: the commander carries out general coordination, determines the direction of movement of the BMPT and can take over control of one or more DUMV at any time.
As in the case of MRF, the BMPT T-18 can be considered both the use of "classic" armor, with powerful frontal armor, and evenly distributed armor protection. Moreover, unlike MBT and MFRT, where the advisability of weakening the frontal armor can be left in doubt, the nature of the targets hit by the BMPT T-18 tilts the scales rather in favor of evenly distributed body armor.
Like on MBT or MfRT, an active protection complex (KAZ) can be installed on the BMPT T-18. It is believed that the KAZ "Afghanit", installed on combat vehicles of the "Armata" family, has the ability to control a standard DUMV with a 7.62 mm machine gun to destroy incoming ammunition. Coupling the KAZ "Afghanit" with four DUMV BMPT T-18 will significantly increase the likelihood of destroying some types of attacking ammunition at a considerable distance from the attacked combat vehicles.
In addition, the pairing of the KAZ MBT T-14 or MfRT with the KAZ BMPT T-18 will allow the latter to shoot incoming ammunition, detected, respectively, by the MBT T-14 or MfRT, and attacking any of the combat vehicles of the programmed group.
At first glance, when considering the concept of the BMPT T-18, an analogy may arise with multi-turret tanks that did not pass "natural selection" during the evolution of this type of military equipment, but it is impossible to compare them with the concept of the BMPT T-18 for several reasons:
- on multi-turret tanks, the presence of several towers prevented the installation of the most powerful weapon. The BMPT does not require the installation of the most powerful weapons capable of ensuring the defeat of enemy armored vehicles, since its main goal is the enemy's manpower;
- the presence of several towers reduced the security and increased the mass of the multi-turret tank. On the BMPT T-18, compact DUMV should be used that do not penetrate the hull and do not weaken the armor protection;
- towers of multi-turret tanks significantly blocked the view and firing sectors for each other. DUMV on BMPT T-18 will be subject to this to a much lesser extent due to their compact dimensions, high targeting speed and computer limitation of the firing sectors.
To some extent, all existing MBTs can be considered multi-turret, since, in addition to the main armament, a DUMV is necessarily installed on them. The fundamental difference is that on modern tanks real "multi-turret" is impossible due to the huge mass of the turret and the dimensions of the gun, but in the BMPT version "multi-turret" is quite appropriate, since it will radically increase the number of eyes and hands "working on the enemy."
conclusions
The proposed concept of the BMPT T-18 makes it possible to significantly increase the likelihood of detecting and destroying enemy tank-hazardous manpower by increasing the number of independent reconnaissance and destruction means as part of a combat vehicle, as well as by increasing the number of crew members searching for and destroying tank-hazardous targets.
The use of the BMPT T-18 in conjunction with the MRFT, MBT T-14 and TBMP T-15 will make it possible to form highly effective ground units that have maximum protection against all types of emerging threats and are capable of effectively destroying all types of targets on the battlefield.
