The T-17 Multifunctional Missile Tank (MFRT) is a concept designed to consider the feasibility of creating this type of weapon. The heavy infantry fighting vehicle (TBMP) T-15 is supposed to be used as the MRFT chassis. The main reason for this decision is the presence in the T-15 of a large compartment for the transport of troops, in which missile weapons will be placed.
Armor
One of the main differences between MFRT and existing self-propelled anti-tank missile systems is in the presence of powerful armor, which provides a combat vehicle with the ability to work in close combat conditions - direct contact with enemy forces.
In the article “Protection of ground combat equipment. Reinforced frontal or evenly distributed armor protection? We considered the advantages and disadvantages of ground combat vehicles with a classic booking scheme, as well as combat vehicles with evenly distributed armor. All the arguments and objections discussed in this article fully apply to MFRT, including the formulated conclusion:
It is possible that the best solution would be to create two types of armored vehicles: with the classic booking scheme, with the most protected frontal part, and with evenly distributed armor protection. The first will be used mainly on flat terrain, and the second - in mountainous and wooded areas and during battles in settlements. In this case, the practice will help to identify the optimal booking scheme or the optimal ratio of armored vehicles of both types.
That is, the best option could be the release of two versions of the MRI - with reinforced frontal and with evenly distributed armor.
We take the T-15 as a platform, so the engine located in the front of the combat vehicle will provide additional protection in any case.
As in the T-14 tank, the MRFR crew must be housed in an armored capsule that isolates it from the ammunition load and provides additional protection in the event of a combat vehicle being hit.
Weapon compartment and ammunition dimensions
There is no information on the exact dimensions of the TBMP T-15 assault compartment in the open press, but it can be indirectly determined based on the available images, for example, knowing the length of the Kornet anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), which in the transport and launch container (TPK) is about 1200 mm, and using the available images of the troop compartment configuration.
Based on the above, taking into account the dismantling of the seats and life support systems, the dimensions of the weapons compartment will be (length * width * height) from 2800 * 1800 * 1200 to 3200 * 2000 * 1500 mm. This immediately limits the maximum length of MPRT ammunition in a container with a length of about 2700-3000 mm. In the future, for simplicity, we will consider the length of the TPK equal to 3000 mm.
Ammunition volume will be determined by the maximum permissible TPK diameter, which should be about 170-190 mm. Initially, we consider 170 mm for the formation of ammunition. The estimated maximum mass of ammunition in the TPK should be in the range of 100-150 kilograms.
In the upper and lower parts of the TPK, fasteners used to capture the TPK by ammunition supply systems and a launcher (PU) should be placed. Taking into account the significant dimensions and mass of ammunition, these must be large enough units that can withstand significant loads that will occur when ammunition is quickly moved in the TPK when they are removed from the weapons compartment and placed on the launcher, as well as the launcher is aimed at the target. Presumably, the mount should include several shells rigidly connected to the slots for the gripper locks.
Depending on the final selected dimensions of the TPK, the actual dimensions of the weapons compartment, as well as the type of ammunition storage and supply system used (drum or in-line), the ammunition load can include from 24 to 40 standard-sized ammunition. With the mass of one ammunition 100-150 kg, the mass of the entire ammunition load will be 2.4-6 tons.
It should be borne in mind that some ammunition can be placed in several units in a container, as is implemented in the case of small-sized missiles for the Pantsir-SM air defense missile system, or in the format of reduced-size ammunition - these are ammunition, the length of which will be slightly less than half the maximum length of the standard ammunition. For example, as mentioned earlier, the length of the TPK ATGM "Kornet" is about 1200 mm, respectively, most of the ammunition of the MfRT will be ammunition of reduced dimensions with a length of about 1350-1450 mm, which will allow them to be placed in two units instead of one standard ammunition.
Ammunition storage and supply system
As we have already seen in the image above, the placement of ammunition in the weapons bay of the MPRT can be organized in two ways: using drum sets and in-line placement with a linear feed. Presumably a linear feed will allow for the placement of a larger number of ammunition, but the possibility of simultaneous use of different types of ammunition will be limited by the number of vertical rows. That is, if we have five vertical rows for storage, then we can have ten types of ammunition in the ammunition - four available types on the right and left, not counting half-length ammunition, the presence of which doubles the number of types of ammunition in each row.
The use of drum mounts allows even more flexible configuration of the ammunition load, but allows the placement of a smaller ammunition load in the same dimensions of the weapons compartment.
The final choice of the ammunition placement system should be carried out at the development stage.
A large number of different kinematic schemes can be considered for supplying ammunition. Within the framework of this article, two supply schemes are considered for the in-line placement of ammunition: with ammunition fastening at the top point (suspended) and with fastening at the bottom point. The capture of ammunition must be carried out by electromechanical fasteners (opening of the capture at the moment of power supply).
The ammunition feeders are essentially Cartesian robots. Presumably, they should use linear actuators (rod actuators) with a movement speed of 1-2 m / s.
In the variant with the suspension of ammunition, two three-axis Cartesian robots are required to supply ammunition to the capture line of the launcher (the third axis is a carriage moving along the second axis).
In the variant with the lower placement of ammunition along each row of ammunition, there should be a mechanism for removing the ammunition from the row to the center of the compartment, and two separate lifting mechanisms with a movable carriage. The horizontal mechanism captures the ammunition and transfers it to the elevator, which brings it to the grip line of the launcher.
As mentioned above, these are just a few options for the ammunition supply schemes; the choice of the optimal option should be carried out at the development stage.
The loading of ammunition should be carried out through the launcher, by the reverse feed method, or using a crane of the transport-loading machine (TZM), which ensures the movement of ammunition from the TZM without using the MfRT launcher.
When placing ammunition, an intelligent logistics system (ILS) must be used. Before loading the ammunition, the commander of the MFRT enters its nomenclature into the on-board computer. All ammunition must be marked with bar / QR codes at several points of the TPK, and RFID identifiers can also be used additionally. Knowing the nomenclature of ammunition, the intelligent logistics system automatically distributes the ammunition among the rows in such a way as to ensure the fastest possible delivery of the highest priority ammunition, which is necessary to repel sudden threats, i.e. places them closer to the launcher window. While lower priority ammunition is placed further from the launcher, in order of priority. Of course, there should be the possibility of "manual" placement of ammunition and standard schemes for typical ammunition.
With a row placement of ammunition, to speed up the supply of ammunition to the launcher, the ILS moves the unspent ammunition closer to the center of the weapons compartment.
Launcher
The launcher is supposed to be located to the left of the ammunition supply window (as viewed from the rear of the combat vehicle). To the right of the ammunition supply window is an armored flap / cover that automatically covers the weapons compartment from being hit from above. At a linear actuator operating speed of 1-2 m / s, the opening / closing of the ammunition supply flap should occur in 0.2-0.4 seconds.
The main requirements for the launcher are to ensure high turning speeds, at the level of 180 degrees per second, and the protection of the structure from small arms fire and fragments of exploding shells at a level not less than that of the barrels of tank guns. This can be ensured by the use of powerful high-speed servo drives similar to those used in modern industrial robots, redundancy of power and control cables, protection using modern materials - armored ceramics, Kevlar, etc.
The mass of the launcher can be estimated based on the mass of an industrial robot with a similar carrying capacity. In particular, the KUKA KR-240-R3330-F, with a rated load capacity of 240 kg, has a dead weight of 2400 kg. On the one hand, on the launcher, we need high speeds of movement, the reservation of important nodes will be added, on the other hand, we do not need six axles and the removal of the load by 3, 3 meters, the kinematics will be much simpler. Thus, it can be assumed that the mass of the launcher will not exceed 3-3.5 tons.
From above and from the sides, the ammunition on the launcher must be covered with protective elements. A similar solution is used on the Kornet anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) launchers in the Epoch-type weapon modules. To reduce the likelihood of hitting ammunition, the launcher must be in the lowest possible position at all times, excluding the moment of aiming at the target and firing a shot. In this case, armor elements can be installed along the perimeter of the launcher, additionally covering the ammunition on the launcher from the sides.
Additional protection of the launcher will be provided by the elements of the active protection complex (KAZ) and the auxiliary weapon module.
Three algorithms for supplying MfRT ammunition can be implemented:
1. Ammunition is on the racks, if the target needs to be attacked, a full cycle of ammunition supply "from the shelf" to the launcher takes place, the launcher is raised and guided to the target. Taking into account the declared speeds of the servos, overcome when moving the ammunition distances and parallelizing the processes (at the same time, ammunition is supplied, the launcher is lowered and the cover of the weapon compartment is opened), the estimated time for supplying ammunition until the moment of firing will be about four seconds.
2. The two selected ammunition is on the feed system directly under the armored flap covering the weapons bay, the launcher is in the lower position. In this case, the time of supply of ammunition until the moment of firing will be about three seconds.
3. The two selected ammunition is on the launcher in the down position. The time for aiming the ammunition until the moment of firing will be about one second.
The reload time can be approximately doubled by returning unused ammunition to its place to change the type of ammunition.
Auxiliary weapons
As with main battle tanks (MBT), auxiliary weapons should be installed on the MRT. The best solution would be to create a remotely controlled weapons module (DUMV) with a 30 mm automatic cannon. As we discussed in the article "30-mm automatic cannons: sunset or a new stage of development?", Such modules can be created in a fairly compact size.
If the gun is with selective ammunition, from two projectile boxes, as is implemented on the domestic 30-mm automatic cannons 2A42 and 2A72, then this will allow you to select, if necessary, armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber projectiles (BOPS) or high-explosive fragmentation ammunition (HE) with remote detonation …
In the event that it is not possible to implement a DUMV with a 30 mm automatic cannon or such a module will have limited ammunition, an acceptable solution is to install a DUMV with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.
Examples of the formation of ammunition
In the article "Unification of ammunition for self-propelled anti-tank systems, military air defense systems, combat helicopters and UAVs," we considered the possibility and methods of creating unified ammunition for various types of carriers, including a rocket tank. One of the most important advantages of unification is the ability to develop and manufacture ammunition by several manufacturers, which not only increases competition, but also reduces the risk that the required ammunition will not be in service. With regard to the missile tank, the creation of a line of unified ammunition will allow you to get a combat vehicle with unprecedented functionality.
Let's consider a few examples of the formation of ammunition for the MRF. Based on the maximum assumed values of the number of standard-length ammunition from 24 to 40 units, we will choose an average value of 32 standard ammunition located in the weapons compartment. Let's not forget about half-length ammunition, which can be stowed in two in place of one standard ammunition, and stacked ammunition, which can be placed in three-packs in both standard ammunition and half-length ammunition.
Military conflict in Syria
In Syria, the main task of the MFRT will be direct fire support for ground forces. At the same time, there is a likelihood of a clash with the armed forces of Turkey or the United States, due to which it may be necessary to solve tasks to destroy modern military equipment. Based on this, the MfT ammunition load in Syria may look like this:
Military conflict in Georgia
Speaking of the military conflict in Georgia, we mean the war on 08.08.08. On the one hand, the enemy did not have the latest models of armored vehicles, on the other hand, there were relatively modern modernized samples of Soviet technology, army aviation and UAVs.
Military conflict in Poland
A hypothetical limited conflict of the Armed Forces (AF) of the Russian Federation against the Armed Forces of Poland and the United States. There are modern ground and air combat equipment on the battlefield.
Speaking about the MfT ammunition, we can say that many types of ammunition from the previously considered nomenclature are not needed for the tank, because the tank is a melee weapon. This is so, and weapons for close combat are present in the presented nomenclature. But if we are talking about the unification of missile weapons for ground forces, then why should a tank be deprived of its "long arm"? Moreover, a variety of situations arise on the battlefield, somewhere in the desert or in the mountains a distance of 10-15 km can be quite real (for example, when fighting from a dominant height).
The range of ammunition that can be created and loaded into the MfRT ammunition demonstrates the highest flexibility in the use of this type of weapon, combined with the maximum survivability provided by tank armor and active protection systems
conclusions
Initially, the MfRT project was planned to be considered on the basis of an electromotive platform capable of providing a promising combat vehicle with increased stealth, maneuverability and power supply for promising self-defense systems. It was also planned to consider the use of advanced reconnaissance systems in MRF, significantly increasing the situational awareness of the crew, including the use of integrated unmanned systems.
However, later, it was decided to first of all consider the option of creating an MFRT based on the TBMP T-15 platform, since it will be possible to create platforms with electric propulsion, defensive lasers and other high-tech solutions in twenty years, and the MfRT project based on the TBMP T-15 can be implemented within 5-7 years old.
Once again, we highlight the key requirements for MRF:
- the presence of tank armor. Without it, the MfRT is just an oversized SPTRK, which absolutely does not need melee ammunition;
- the presence of high-speed drives for ammunition supply and guidance - without them, the MfRT will not have the advantages in the speed of reaction to threats that it can have in comparison with cannon tanks with their bulky and massive turret with a cannon;
- the presence in the ammunition of unguided close-range ammunition with high-explosive fragmentation and thermobaric warheads, developed on the basis of the NAR, and capable of replacing cheap HE shells when solving the most demanded tasks of direct fire support.
The main advantage of the MfRT over the MBT of the classic layout will be its highest versatility, provided by the use of a unified ammunition load, ammunition for which can be developed by a large number of Russian companies. In turn, unified ammunition for MFRT can be used by self-propelled anti-tank systems, military air defense systems, combat helicopters and UAVs, which allows you to significantly expand the serial production of their production, and therefore reduce the cost
The MFRT project is all the more important because the Russian Federation has a significant lag both in the development of tank guns (in terms of resource) and in the creation of ammunition for them. In turn, after the creation of the MFRT and ammunition for it, the caliber of the guns of the tanks of a potential enemy will no longer have any value. The dimensions of ammunition for MFRT are obviously larger than any projectile that even theoretically can be shoved into a tank, which means there will be more explosives, more fragments, a larger diameter of the cumulative funnel, there is where to put the KAZ breakthrough means.
Upgrading MFR ammunition is easier than cannon ammunition because they are not limited by the maximum barrel pressure. It is easier to adapt MFRT to changing conditions on the battlefield: the enemy installed a KAZ - ammunition with a set of means to overcome it is being developed for MFRT, the enemy switched to light tanks - heavy ATGM and unguided projectiles from the ammunition load are excluded in favor of increasing the ammunition load by equipping it with reduced ammunition.
Does this mean that the MBT with a cannon should be abandoned? Not at all. The question is in the ratio of MBT / MPRT, which can only be determined experimentally. According to the author, if the above requirements for MRI are met, the optimal ratio will be 1/3 in favor of MRI
Due to the high reaction speed of the MRF and the presence of powerful high-explosive fragmentation and thermobaric ammunition in the ammunition, it will have significantly greater capabilities to defeat tank-hazardous targets. Nevertheless, no matter how effective MRF is in solving various problems, it may need to be accompanied in the form of a tank support combat vehicle (BMPT). However, as we discussed in the article "Fire support for tanks, the Terminator BMPT and John Boyd's OODA cycle", existing BMPTs do not have any advantages over the same heavy BMP T-15 or the reinforcement of auxiliary weapons modules of the tanks themselves.
