After the introduction on the M60A2, T-64B, Leopard A4 tanks of the first generation of the LMS, characterized by the presence of laser rangefinders and ballistic computers, the next generation of the LMS is introduced on the T-80, M1 and Leopard 2 tanks with the use of more advanced gunner's sights and panoramic commander's sights with thermal imaging channels and linking them into a single automated complex.
OMS tank T-80U (T80-UD)
The first FCS "Ob" on the Soviet T-64B with the "Cobra" guided weapon system remained the most advanced before the introduction of the FCS on the Leopard 2A2 tank. The further development of the FCS of Soviet tanks went in two directions: for the T-80 family of tanks on the basis of the FCS "Ob", the gunner's sighting complex was improved and the commander's sighting complex was created, linked into a single system with the gunner's complex, and simplified versions were created for the T-72 tank family. systems based on the gunner's sight TPD-2-49.
A milestone was the creation of the LMS 1A42 "Irtysh" for the T-80U tank (1985). The main task was to develop a simpler and more technologically advanced gunner's sight and a new commander's sighting complex, as well as a simpler guided weapon system. The head for the development of the OMS CDB KMZ (Krasnogorsk) did not fulfill its functions and the structure of the system was determined in tank design bureaus in Kharkov and Leningrad.
The Tochpribor Central Design Bureau (Novosibirsk) was designated as the developer of the gunner's sight. It was assigned the code "Irtysh", the continuity of the sights "Ob" and "Irtysh" was visible in their names, the Irtysh river is a tributary of the Ob.
According to its characteristics, the 1G46 "Irtysh" day sight did not fundamentally differ from the "Ob" sight. The sight had an optical channel with a higher smooth magnification factor x3, 6 … 12, 0, a laser rangefinder and instead of an optoelectronic channel for determining the coordinates of a guided missile "Cobra" there was a missile guidance channel along the "Reflex" laser beam.
The development at the Instrument Design Bureau (Tula) of the 9K119 Reflex guided weapon system with laser guided missiles made it possible to significantly simplify the tank's armament complex by eliminating the Cobra missile guidance radio command station and simplifying the design of the 1G46 gunner's sight. The tank was provided with effective firing from a place and on the move with artillery shells, as well as a 9M119 guided missile with a probability of hitting a target of 0.8 at a distance of up to 5000 m.
The gunner installed a Buran-PA night sight with dependent stabilization of the field of view and a night vision range in the passive mode of 1000 m and in the active mode of 1500 m. replaced by the Agava-2 thermal imaging sight with a night vision range in passive mode up to 2000 m and in active mode with illumination by a Shtora system floodlight up to 2500 m.
As a commander's sight, a panoramic sight was developed with independent stabilization of the field of view vertically and horizontally. But the developer of the TsKB KMZ sight insisted on a simplified version of the commander's day-night sight, and the commander's sight TKN-4S "Agat-S" was developed with stabilization of the field of view only vertically with a night vision range of 700 m in passive mode and 1000 m in active mode. With the help of the TKN-4S sight on the tank, duplicated fire control from the cannon of the wasps of the commander's seat was implemented.
The 2E42 weapon stabilizer provided vertical stabilization of the gun using an electro-hydraulic drive and horizontally using an electric machine drive.
The 1V528 calculator provided automatic accounting of meteorological ballistic parameters, as in TBV 1V517 on the T-64B tank, and additionally automatically took into account the parameters of air pressure and temperature and wind speed from the atmospheric state sensor. TBV automatically calculated the aiming and lead angles and entered them into the gun drives, providing the gunner's optimal operating mode when firing.
As an auxiliary weapon on the T-80U tank, the Utes anti-aircraft gun was used from a closed-type T-64B tank with remote control through the PZU-7 sight.
The introduction on the T-80U tank of the 1A45 sighting system with the 1A42 Irtysh control system, the 9K119 Reflex guided armament and the TKN-4S Agat-S commander's sight made it possible to implement on the tank a complex of weapons with high fire efficiency when firing artillery shells and guided missiles, as well as significantly increase the commander's ability to search for targets and fire from a cannon and an anti-aircraft machine gun.
In Russia, since 2010, the development of the production of thermal imaging matrices began, which made it possible to eliminate the lag in the development of thermal imaging sights. Prior to that, on the basis of French thermal imaging matrices, a thermal imaging sight "Plisa" was developed for the modernization of the T-80U tank. In 2017, a domestic thermal imaging sight "Irbis" was developed with a target recognition range at any time of the day up to 3200m, intended for the modernization of T-80U and T-90SM tanks.
MSA tank "Leopard 2"
The LMS of the Leopard 2 tank (1979) was created taking into account the experience of the implementation of the LMS on the Leopard A4 tank and the use of individual devices of this system.
The gunner's main sight was the EMES 15 combined sight with an optical channel and a laser rangefinder, the sight design provided for the possibility of introducing a thermal imaging channel, which was introduced on the Leopard 2A2 modification (1983). Since the thermal imaging channel was not yet ready for mass production for the adoption of the tank, sights with the PZB 200 system for enhancing the brightness of the image were installed on the first batches of the tank.
The sight had independent stabilization of the vertical and horizontal field of view, the optical channel provided magnification with a magnification of x12 and the laser rangefinder measured the range with an accuracy of 10 m in the range of 200 … 4000 m.
As a backup sight of the gunner, a telescopic articulated sight FERO Z18 was installed, connected with a cannon, which provides emergency firing in the event of an FCS failure.
The commander installed a panoramic sight with independent stabilization of the field of view vertically and horizontally with the sight head rotating 360 degrees horizontally, providing him with all-round visibility regardless of the gunner, searching for targets, targeting the gunner and firing from the gun instead of the gunner when aligning the panorama axis with the longitudinal the axis of the gunner's sight. The design of the commander's sight also provided for the possibility of introducing a thermal imaging channel, which was introduced on the modification of the Leopard 2A2 tank, while the gunner and commander were able to see at night at a distance of up to 2000 m.
The weapon stabilizer was the same as on the Leopard A4, with electro-hydraulic turret cannon drives. The central element of the FCS was an analog-digital ballistic computer, which provides automatic accounting of meteorological ballistic data with a standard set of sensors, calculating the aiming and lead angles and entering them into the gun and turret drives, while maintaining the gunner's aiming mark.
With the further modernization of the tank on the Leopard 2A4 modification, the analog-digital ballistic computer was replaced with a digital one, and on the Leopard A5 modification, a more fire-safe electric drive was introduced instead of the electro-hydraulic turret drive.
MSA tank M1
The LMS of the M1 tank (1980) did not differ from the LMS of the Leopard 2 tank for the better, for reasons of simplicity of design and the reduction in the cost of the system, they abandoned the combined gunner's sight and the commander's panoramic sight with independent stabilization of the field of view vertically and horizontally.
The gunner was equipped with a monocular periscope combined sight of the GPS gunner with a built-in thermal imaging channel and a laser rangefinder. The sight had independent stabilization of the field of view only vertically and horizontally dependent on the weapon stabilizer with all the disadvantages of the gunner's sight of the M60 tank.
In the optical channel of the sight, a discrete magnification with a magnification of x3 and x10 was provided, and in the thermal imaging channel, a number of discrete magnifications, including an electronic one with a magnification of x50. The sight provided a range measurement in the range of 200 … 8000 m and a night vision range of up to 2000 m.
To allow the commander to fire from the cannon, instead of the gunner, the gunner's sight had an eyepiece for the commander. As a backup sight of the gunner, an optical telescopic articulated sight with a magnification of x8 was installed connected to the gun.
The commander in a rotating turret had only a set of prism observation devices for visibility and search for targets. To control the anti-aircraft machine gun, he had an M919 daytime periscope sight with a magnification of x3 and a field of view of 21 degrees. The sight was installed in the commander's cupola and was connected to the machine gun by a parallelogram mechanism. The turret rotated horizontally with the help of an electric machine drive.
The weapon stabilizer provided vertical and horizontal stabilization of the gun using electro-hydraulic drives. At the same time, a high transfer speed of 40 degrees / s of the tower along the horizon was ensured.
Combined the instruments and sights of the gunner and the commander into a single system, an analog-digital ballistic computer that automatically calculates and enters the aiming and lead angles into the sight according to the laser rangefinder, the speed of the tank and the target, the speed of the side wind and the roll of the cannon trunnion axis. The parameters of temperature and air pressure, charge temperature, barrel bore wear were entered manually.
The imperfection of the M1 tank control system was obvious in comparison with the Leopard 2 tank control system. The commander practically did not have devices for searching for targets, the M919 sight with a low magnification and a limited field of view did not allow him to timely detect targets and give target designation to the gunner, and the gunner's sight with a dependent field of view along the horizon from the weapon stabilizer did not provide effective firing from the cannon … On the modification of the M1A2 tank (1992), the MSA was significantly modernized.
The gunner's sight received independent stabilization of the vertical and horizontal field of view, the laser rangefinder was replaced with a more advanced CO2-powered one, which provides distance measurement in the presence of meteorological and smoke interference. The analog-digital ballistic computer was replaced with a digital one and the TIUS elements were introduced, which combined the OMS elements with a digital data transmission bus.
Instead of the M919 sight, the commander had a CITV panoramic thermal imaging sight with independent vertical and horizontal field of view stabilization and a 360-degree rotating sight head. The introduction of a panoramic sight with an optical channel, as on the Leopard 2 tank, was abandoned on the M1A2 tank.
MSA of the T-72 family of tanks
For the T-72 family of tanks, simplified versions of the FCS were developed based on the TPD-2-49 gunner's sight with vertical field of view stabilization and an optical rangefinder, similar to the T-64A tank. On the modification of the T-72A (1979) tank, instead of the TPD-2-49, its modification TPD-K1s is installed with a laser rangefinder, which, according to the measured range and speed of the tank, calculated the aiming angle. The lateral lead angle was entered manually by the gunner. The 2E28M weapon stabilizer provided vertical and horizontal stabilization of the gun with the help of electro-hydraulic drives; during the modernization, the turret drive was replaced with an electric one.
In the future, instead of TPD-K1, this tank is equipped with a modification of the 1A40 sight, which was distinguished by the presence of a device for generating the lateral lead angle introduced into the sight, the gunner shifted the aiming mark by the lead angle.
On the modification of the T-72B tank (1985), instead of the TPN-3 gunner's night sight, a 1K13 night sight with a 9K120 Svir guided weapon channel is installed for firing from a spot with a 9M119 laser-guided missile. The 1A40 sight remains, in addition to it, a ballistic corrector is installed, with the help of which corrections are introduced into the sight for the temperature of the charge and air, atmospheric pressure, angular and radial speed of movement of the tank and the target.
On the budget modification of the T-72B3 tank (2013), instead of the 1K13 sight, the Sosna-U multichannel sight is installed with optical, thermal, laser-guided missile channels, laser rangefinder and automatic target tracking. The thermal imaging channel provides a range of vision at night up to 3000m and the output of the field of view to the gunner's and commander's monitors. Information about the stabilization of the field of view is contradictory, according to some sources it is two-plane, according to others it is one-plane vertically.
The simplified ballistic corrector calculates the aiming and lead angles based on data from the laser rangefinder, roll sensor, angular and radial speed of the tank and target, temperature and air pressure, wind speed, charge temperature and gun barrel bend. In the variant with dependent stabilization of the field of view along the horizon, it is impossible to enter the lead angle into the tower drive; in the thermal imaging channel, this is implemented in electronic form.
The gunner's sight 1A40 was preserved as a reserve rangefinder sight. The commander's sighting complex is built on the basis of the ancient TKN-3MK day-night sight with a night vision range of up to 500 m, nevertheless, with this sight, it was possible to realize duplicated firing from a cannon from the commander's seat.
A full-fledged MSA on the T-72 family of tanks never appeared, and in terms of fire efficiency, they significantly lagged behind the T-64B and T-80U tanks. In this regard, when adopting the next modification of the T-90 (1991), it was decided to install on this tank the 1A45 sighting complex from the T-80U (T80-UD) tank. At the same time, the T-90 tank was provided with artillery shells and guided missiles "Reflex" or "Invar", duplicated firing from a cannon from the commander's seat and remote control of the "Utes" anti-aircraft installation.
On the modification of the T-90SM tank, the MSA was seriously modernized. Instead of the Agava-2 thermal imaging sight, the Essa thermal imaging sight was installed with a French thermal imaging array and dependent stabilization of the field of view, providing a night vision range of up to 3000m. The introduction of a high-resolution thermal imaging sight made it possible to create an automatic target tracking from the video image of the thermal imaging channel.
The commander's sighting system has also undergone major changes. Instead of the PKN-4S commander's day-night sight with stabilization of the field of view only vertically and with a night IR channel, a combined electro-optical sight PK-5 with independent stabilization of the field of view vertically and horizontally, with television and thermal imaging channels and a laser rangefinder was installed. The day channel of the sight provided an increase of x8, and the night one x5, 2. The range of vision at night through the thermal imaging channel increased to 3000m. The introduction of a laser rangefinder into the sight allowed the commander to increase the effectiveness of firing from a cannon with duplicated firing instead of a gunner.
The next step in modernizing the T-90SM FCS was the introduction of the Kalina FCS since 2014, the main element of which is the commander's panoramic sight, which combines the latest developments of multi-channel sights. Panoramic sight PK PAN "Falcon Eye" with two-plane independent stabilization of the field of view, television and thermal imaging channels and a laser rangefinder provides the commander with all-day and all-weather observation and search for targets, as well as effective firing from a cannon, coaxial and anti-aircraft machine guns.
The OMS includes a digital ballistic computer, a set of meteorological ballistic sensors, a system for displaying video signals from the gunner's and commander's sights, an armament stabilizer and elements of a tank information and control system.
There is information that the Kalina fire control system also includes the Sosna-U multi-channel gunner's sight and the 1A40 backup sight. There is no logic in this. On the T-90SM tank, the 1G46 "Irtysh" sight is used as the gunner's main sight, which provides firing with "Reflex" or "Invar" guided missiles. The same control channel is available in the SosnaU sight. The Sosna U sight is installed to the left of the 1A40 gunner's sight, which creates certain inconveniences when working with it. The 1A40 sight, which has now become a stand-by sight, is redundant in design for the functions of a stand-by sight and is installed in the most optimal zone for the gunner's work.
The concept of an MSA for modernizing the T-72 family of tanks is clearly not the best. Apparently, in place of the 1A40 sight it is advisable to install a multi-channel day-night sight with a guided missile guidance channel and two-plane independent stabilization of the field of view, especially since this principle has already been implemented in the commander's panorama "Falcon Eye". The double sight should be a simple telescopic sight associated with the cannon. This concept of the MSA was adopted on the Leopard 2A2 tank and it is justified.
For the T-90SM and T-80U tanks, it is more reasonable to equip the LMS as part of the commander's panorama "Falcon Eye", and the gunner's sighting system is based on a combination of the modernized Irtysh sight and the Irbis thermal imager or the installation of a multi-channel sight in place of the Irtysh sight with independent two-plane stabilization of the field of view of the "Sosna U" type and a simple telescopic sight-backup.
To complete the LMS of Russian tanks, decent sights have finally been developed that are not inferior in basic characteristics to foreign models. But the concept of an LMS for tanks produced by the industry and for the modernization of many thousands of tanks in operation and at storage bases has not been fully worked out and requires the adoption of a special program for equipping Russian tanks with modern LMS.
