Throughout the eighties, the Soviet defense industry worked on the creation of promising projects for main tanks. For several years, the leading enterprises of the industry have developed a number of promising projects that could change the face of the armored forces. One of these machines could be the "Object 477", developed by the Kharkov Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering. This organization developed several projects during the eighties, which, however, did not progress beyond prototype testing.
It should be noted that the "Object 477" project was not created from scratch. In the early eighties, Kharkov engineers worked on the "Object 490" project, the purpose of which was to create a new main tank using original layout solutions, a number of important innovations and new weapons. In 1983-84, it was decided to start a new project, in which it was necessary to use some of the existing developments, in addition, it was planned to introduce new ideas. The new project received the code "Boxer" and the factory designation "Object 477".
One of the latest prototypes of the Object 477 tank. The tower is turned back
For various reasons, the amount of open information on the developments of the KMDB in the eighties leaves much to be desired. The available information is fragmentary and does not yet allow a complete picture to be drawn. Most of the information was not published and, apparently, still remains classified. In addition, there are some difficulties associated with the specifics of project implementation. According to reports, Kharkov designers, in cooperation with VNII Transmash and other organizations, were working on various versions of the tank. Some of the proposals were studied only in theory, while mock-ups were used to test others. As a consequence, the available information may relate to different versions of the project, created in different periods, and thus complicate the construction of the overall picture.
There may also be some problems associated with project designation. In the early stages, "Object 477" was called "Boxer", but in the second half of the eighties, the development work was renamed "Hammer". According to some reports, the new name was introduced after the data on the "Boxer" fell into the hands of foreign intelligence. Changing the name of a project can also make it difficult to study its history.
Within the framework of projects "490" and "490A" (code "Rebel"), several options for armament of a promising tank were considered. In the case of Boxer, this issue was resolved quickly enough. Already in 1984, the customer and the developer decided to equip a promising armored vehicle with a 152 mm gun. Such armament made it possible to significantly increase the firepower of the tank, providing a great advantage over the existing and promising equipment of the conditional enemy.
Projections of one of the variants of the Hammer tank
New weapons with larger ammunition, as well as a number of specific requirements, forced the designers to closely study various layout options. Together with related enterprises, KMDB worked out several options for the architecture of the tank and in 1985 chose the best option. According to some reports, in the future, the development of the project went only along the path approved in the 85th, although some innovations were being introduced all the time.
The project proposed an original hull layout and a number of other solutions related to the placement of various equipment. So, the driver's workplace was placed in the front of the hull, with a shift to the left side. One of the fuel tanks was to be installed next to the driver, at the starboard side. A compartment with the commander and gunner's seats was placed behind the driver. According to some reports, the commander and gunner had to work with a common panel, with which it was proposed to control all systems. The commander and gunner's seats were located below the roof level, but their layout was made in such a way as to ensure the use of optical sighting devices.
Another version of the tank
An additional compartment for storing ammunition was located behind the compartment with the crew's workplaces. The feed was given for the placement of the engine and transmission. Thus, the "Boxer" / "Hammer" tank had an original layout based on proven solutions.
Above the commander and gunner's seats, an automated turret with a set of units was to be located, ensuring the use of weapons without the direct participation of the crew. An original automatic loader was proposed for the new tank. The non-standard layout with the removal of all units of the fighting compartment outside the hull, as well as the large caliber of the gun, did not allow the use of automatic loaders based on existing solutions.
There is no exact information about the design of the automatic loader for the Object 477 tank. According to some reports, it was supposed to equip the combat vehicle with a system with several drums. In the aft niche of an uninhabited tower, two drums were to be located, fixed on a horizontal axis. Another smaller drum was provided between them. In the side large drums, ammunition of various types was to be transported, and the middle one was intended to transfer shells to the gun. In addition, there were mechanisms for feeding projectiles from the hull packing to the automatic turret loading.
Body layout. The original arrangement of the crew seats is clearly visible
To significantly increase the firepower of a promising tank, it was decided to use a new 152 mm gun. Various sources refer to the LP-83, 2A73 and M-3 guns in the context of the Boxer project. On one installation with a cannon, it was planned to mount one or two coaxial machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber. A large-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun could also be used. Some sources mention that in the later stages of the project it was proposed to use an original anti-aircraft gun with an automatic cannon of 23 or 30 mm caliber. Such weapons could be used not only to destroy air targets, but also to destroy ground targets with weak protection, for which the 152-mm cannon is redundant.
A promising tank was supposed to receive the so-called. tank information management system (TIUS). Such equipment was supposed to provide communication with other combat vehicles, processing incoming information, controlling weapons and firing at detected targets. To improve the fighting qualities, it was proposed to include optical, day and night sights of several types in the TIUS.
In the early stages of the project, several options for the power plant were considered. The tank could get a four- or two-stroke diesel engine of an opposed or X-shaped layout. The prospects for gas turbine engines were also studied. According to some reports, the armored vehicle was supposed to have an engine with a capacity of up to 1600 hp. This made it possible to provide a sufficiently high power density with good mobility with a combat weight of 50 tons.
One of the most popular models of the "Hammer". Remains of the car are stored in VNII Tekhmash
The undercarriage was supposed to have seven road wheels per side. A torsion bar suspension with additional shock absorbers on the front and rear pairs of rollers was offered. In the front of the hull there were guide wheels, in the stern - leading. It is known that during the construction of running models and prototypes, the design of the undercarriage was repeatedly refined. The composition of the power plant and transmission also changed.
Tank "Object 477" was supposed to receive a powerful reservation and a set of additional tools designed to increase the level of protection. So, in the frontal part of the hull, it was proposed to install a combined armored barrier with an overall dimension of more than 1 m in the direction of the projectile. There is also information about the reinforcement of the sides and the roof of the hull. In the surviving photograph of one of the prototypes, you can see that the upper frontal part of the hull was equipped with dynamic protection units. In a similar way, it was probably planned to protect the lateral projection. Some sources mention work on the selection of an active protection complex, which could increase the survivability of an armored vehicle.
Design work continued until the middle of the decade. At the beginning of the second half of the eighties, the assembly of the first mock-ups and prototypes of a promising tank began. Later, Kharkiv specialists built more than a dozen vehicles for various purposes. It is known about the existence of four mock-ups and eight prototypes with a different composition of equipment. All this technique was actively used in trials at various proving grounds. Apparently, some tests of this equipment were carried out at test sites on the territory of the RSFSR, as a result of which some of the models and prototypes remained in Russia and are stored in various organizations.
One of the most popular models of the "Hammer". Remains of the car are stored at VNII Tekhmash
The first incomplete prototype was built in 1987. This machine had a full-fledged power plant and a gun, but was not equipped with an aiming system and an automatic loader. By the time the experimental tank was built, there were no workable samples of this equipment. In particular, the automatic loader worked fine on the stand, but “refused” to perform its functions on the tank. However, this did not prevent the start of the tests. Later, a prototype with an incomplete composition of equipment was shown to representatives of the military department and representatives of several ministries.
At the end of the eighties, the project "Object 477A" appeared, which differed from the base "Hammer" in some modifications. As far as is known, the modified version of the promising tank differed in a different design of the undercarriage, a modified power plant and equipment composition. In addition, it was proposed to use an auxiliary power unit.
How far the testing of the Object 477 prototypes has progressed is unknown. There is information about the existence of several prototypes that were used in various tests, but the details of their checks are not available. However, the Boxer / Hammer project is known to have failed. Despite the introduction of several new ideas and the solution of a number of important issues, the project had no prospects in the current situation.
One of the most popular models of the "Hammer". Remains of the car are stored in VNII Tekhmash
The promising main tank "Object 477" has been developed since the mid-eighties, and tests started at the end of the decade. By this time, serious economic and political problems began in the country, which, among other things, hit the defense industry. Further development of the project was not ruled out, but the possibility of starting a full-fledged construction of new tanks was completely absent.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, KMDB specialists made attempts to continue the development of a promising project, but all efforts did not lead to the expected results. There is information about the creation of updated projects and even the construction of several prototypes. Nevertheless, the former Soviet republics were not going through the best period in their history, and the economic situation did not allow them to engage in projects of promising armored vehicles.
Over the past years, the possibility of continuing work on the "Hammer" or projects that have become its development has been repeatedly mentioned. However, independent Ukraine is unable to implement such plans. Enterprises of the entire USSR took part in the creation of new armored vehicles, which made it possible to solve all emerging tasks and produce modern combat vehicles. The collapse of the Soviet Union led to the severance of industrial ties, which seriously limited the possibilities of Ukrainian enterprises. Recent events of a political and economic nature completely deprive the country of the possibility of developing modern tanks. Apparently, all the bold and unusual projects of the KMDB, developed since the beginning of the eighties, will remain on paper.
