A little less than three weeks are left before the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow. In preparation for the holiday, the Ministry of Defense published data on planned events in various cities. Among other things, the military department spoke about what military equipment will pass through the main square of the country. In addition to the already known samples, new cars that have not been shown to the public before will take part in the Victory Parade. The types and quantities of such novelties are already known.
It should be recalled that the display of the latest military equipment at the 2015 parade is not a surprise. The existence of such plans was announced several years ago, after which the general public could only wait and speculate. Some features of the appearance of promising vehicles, disclosed by the Ministry of Defense, also did not become news, since by now photographs and videos with this equipment have appeared in the public domain. Nevertheless, some of the units of new technology are still hidden under canvas covers, which is why the Victory Parade will indeed be a full-fledged premiere show of cars.
Let's study the published list of military equipment that will participate in the festive events, and consider the available information about it.
ATGM "Kornet-D"
T-34-85 tanks and SU-100 self-propelled guns will be the first to cross Red Square, followed by Tiger armored vehicles. After armored cars in the basic version, seven similar vehicles equipped with the latest anti-tank missile system Kornet-D will enter the square. The Ministry of Defense has already published a photo from a training session before the parade, which shows such a combat vehicle. Despite the fact that the Kornet-D ATGM prototype has already been demonstrated at various exhibitions, the launchers of the ceremonial samples are covered with tarpaulin covers. The military is keen to keep intrigue.
The main task of the Kornet-D complex is to destroy enemy armored vehicles and fortifications. In addition, the updated missiles allow, if necessary, to attack air targets. In the version for installation on an armored car "Tiger", the missile system is made in the form of a set of units. Most notable: two launchers with attachments for containers of four missiles. The launchers are mounted in the rear of the body and have a set of actuators with which they can be extended over the roof and retracted. Both launchers are equipped with target search and missile control equipment. Thus, one combat vehicle can simultaneously attack two targets. According to some reports, if necessary, one launcher can simultaneously launch and control two missiles.
According to open sources, guided missiles of three types can be used as part of the Kornet-D ATGM: 9M133FM-3, 9M133FM and 9M133M-2. These products differ in different characteristics and purposes. So, the 9M133FM-3 rocket is equipped with a high-explosive warhead and is capable of flying at a distance of up to 10 km. Products 9M113FM and 9M133M-2 are equipped with thermobaric and cumulative warheads, respectively. Their range is up to 8 km. Rockets of all three types are guided by a laser beam. The complex's automatics directs the beam towards the target, and the rocket equipment keeps it on a given course, guided by the position of the beam.
At the end of March, domestic media reported that the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant handed over to the Tula Instrument Design Bureau five Tiger armored cars, which were to receive the equipment of the Kornet-D complex. After installing the necessary equipment, the machines were supposed to take part in the parade. After that, it is planned to transfer them to the military for testing. An interesting fact is that only five vehicles were transferred for re-equipment, although the Ministry of Defense reports that seven armored cars with missiles will pass through Red Square. Obviously, experimental vehicles will be involved in the festive events.
BMD-4M
After the anti-tank complexes, a column of various armored vehicles will appear on Red Square as part of the BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, as well as the Typhoon-K and Typhoon-U armored cars. Viewers will then be able to see the new equipment currently supplied to the Airborne Forces. First, 10 BMD-4M airborne assault vehicles will appear in public. Their participation in the Victory Parade can be considered a point in the protracted history of testing and adoption, which for various reasons dragged on for several years.
The BMD-4M was developed specifically for the armament of the Airborne Forces, which affected many of its features. The landing vehicle has a combat weight of 14 tons, which allows it to be transported by military transport aircraft, as well as to be parachuted. Inside the hull made of bulletproof armor there are three crew members and a five-man landing party with weapons. The BMD-4M is equipped with the Bakhcha-U combat module, which ensures the destruction of targets of various types using the most appropriate weapon. The crew has at their disposal a 100-mm 2A70 cannon with the ability to launch missiles, a 30-mm 2A72 automatic cannon and a PKT machine gun mounted on the same installation with them.
At the end of last year, a new airborne combat vehicle completed tests. According to available data, to date, more than two dozen such vehicles have been delivered to the troops. By the end of the year, it is planned to transfer several dozen more BMD-4Ms to the troops.
BTR-MDM "Shell"
Following the BMD-4M, ten armored personnel carriers BTR-MDM "Shell", also under construction for the airborne troops, will pass through Red Square. This technique was developed on the basis of a new airborne combat vehicle and was also intended to update the fleet of airborne forces. The beginning of production and supplies to the troops were also associated with certain difficulties, which is why the "Shells" began to enter the troops relatively recently.
The BTR-MDM armored personnel carrier was developed on the basis of some units of the BMD-4M landing vehicle. It differs from the base vehicle in a large, characteristic hull, inside which there are places for a crew of two and 13 paratroopers. The crew and troops are protected from small arms bullets and artillery shell fragments. For self-defense, the crew has one PKTM machine gun on the turret.
The first armored personnel carriers of the new model were handed over to the troops back in 2013. The following year, the Airborne Forces received a dozen more of these machines. 12 units were delivered in March 2015. Equipment supplies continue. In the future, the Airborne Forces should receive at least several dozen new armored personnel carriers.
BTR and BMP "Kurganets-25"
After the equipment for the Airborne Forces, the audience will be shown 10 newest armored personnel carriers and 10 Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicles. The essence of the Kurganets-25 project was the creation of a unified tracked platform that can be used as a basis for armored vehicles of various classes. By now, the development and construction of an experimental batch of armored vehicles in the configuration of an armored personnel carrier and an infantry fighting vehicle has been completed. It should be noted that the equipment based on the Kurganets-25 platform is one of the main novelties of the upcoming Victory Parade.
As follows from the published photos, armored personnel carriers and BMP "Kurganets-25" have a unified chassis with minimal differences. The universal platform has a distinctive appearance formed by several straight surfaces. The level of protection of the armored hull has not yet been named, but there is reason to believe that Kurganets-25 will be able to protect the crew from enemy small arms and small-caliber artillery. In order to avoid hitting the vehicle in the lateral projection, the platform is equipped with rather large side screens.
The appearance of the shown combat vehicles suggests that they have a layout characteristic of modern technology of this class. Apparently, the engine and transmission units are located in the front part of the Kurganets-25 hull. Behind him are the workplaces of the driver and commander, and the rear of the hull is given for the deployment of the landing. In the middle part of the hull roof there is a shoulder strap for a combat module with weapons. The unified platform "Kurganets-25" has a chassis with six road wheels on each side. The drive wheel is located at the front of the hull, the guide wheel is at the stern.
Armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, having different purposes, should receive a different set of equipment. First of all, these are different combat modules. Official information about the weapons used on the vehicles based on "Kurganets-25" has not yet been announced. Nevertheless, we can say that the armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles are equipped with different combat modules: units covered with a tarpaulin are seriously different even in size. The contours of the covers suggest that the armored personnel carrier will carry a combat module with machine-gun armament, and the "main caliber" of the new BMP will be a small-caliber cannon. In addition, numerous small units mounted on the outer surface of the hull of an infantry fighting vehicle are striking. For some reason, they, like the combat modules, are still hidden under the tarpaulin.
Most of the information about the equipment based on the unified platform "Kurganets-25" still remains secret. It remains to be hoped that in the very near future, detailed information about the new armored vehicles, which will begin to enter the troops over the next few years, will become public knowledge.
BMP "Armata"
Immediately after the armored vehicles on the basis of the Kurganets-25 platform, it is planned to show heavy infantry fighting vehicles, created within the framework of the Armata project. This project, like Kurganets-25, was developed taking into account the creation of vehicles of various classes on the basis of a common chassis, components and assemblies. At the moment, as far as is known, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles have been built on the basis of this platform. In the future, other types of military equipment may appear.
Heavy BMP "Armata" is designed to transport personnel and their fire support on the battlefield. This purpose affected a number of characteristic features of the new car, as well as its appearance. In addition, upon a detailed study of the published photographs, it can be seen that the chassis of an infantry fighting vehicle is deployed "back to front" chassis of the "Armata" tank, which served as the basis for the BMP.
BMP "Armata" belongs to the heavy class, but the overall layout is almost the same as previous domestic vehicles of its class. So, the engine compartment of the machine is located in the front of the body. Behind the MTO there is a control department with workplaces for the driver and commander. The middle and aft parts of the hull are given over to the troop compartment. The landing is carried out through a door or doors in the rear of the hull. To increase the level of protection, the frontal part of the hull is equipped with an original armor design. Also on the vehicles shown there are relatively small screens located on the sides of the troop compartment.
The heavy infantry fighting vehicle based on the Armata platform is equipped with a combat module, the type of which has not yet been officially named. During parade rehearsals, this unit is covered with a cover. In addition, some units on the roof of the case are hidden under the fabric. Apparently, the Armata infantry fighting vehicle will receive a combat module with a small-caliber automatic cannon, similar to that used on the Kurganets-25 BMP. The capacity of the troop compartment is still unknown.
Tank "Armata"
As part of a column of modern and promising main battle tanks, ten Armata-type vehicles should pass. These tanks can be considered a real highlight of the program, since updating the fleet of such equipment is one of the most pressing problems, and their first demonstration had to wait for several years. In addition, it should be remembered that the military and defense industry promised to show Armata tanks at the 2015 parade and fulfilled their promise.
One of the reasons for the increased interest in the Armata tank is the fact that it was developed almost from scratch. This project used certain developments on the tank theme, but it is not a direct development of existing developments. In particular, "Armata" is the first domestic tank, the entire crew of which is located in a single control compartment inside the armored hull. This arrangement provides the highest possible level of crew protection. In addition, as far as is known, the new tank received a fully automated uninhabited turret with a 125 mm gun. Such features make it possible to consider the Armata vehicle a real breakthrough not only in domestic, but also in world tank building.
The Armata tank is based on the same chassis as the heavy infantry fighting vehicle. Nevertheless, the chassis of the tank has a layout characteristic of this class of equipment: the engine and transmission are located in the stern, and the middle part of the hull is given to the crew and, probably, to some turret units. Unlike previous domestic tanks, "Armata" is equipped with a chassis with seven road wheels on board. The exact characteristics of protection and weapons, for obvious reasons, are still unknown. Moreover, the appearance of the tower remains unknown. These units, together with the tools, are still hidden under covers.
ACS "Coalition-SV"
On May 9, the first public demonstration of the new self-propelled artillery unit "Coalition-SV" is to take place. The development of this machine started a long time ago, but the "premiere" will take place only at the future Victory Parade. Unfortunately for some fans of military equipment, the new ACS was built according to an updated version of the project. Recall that it was originally planned to create an artillery system with two guns on a common installation. In the future, it was decided to abandon such bold and unusual decisions. The result of the project was a self-propelled gun on a tank chassis, equipped with one gun in a large turret.
According to reports, the basis for the ACS "Coalition-SV" was the modified chassis of the main T-90 tank. An original turret with a 152 mm cannon is installed on the shoulder strap of the hull. Previously, there was information about the work on the creation of an uninhabited tower, all units of which will work without the direct participation of the crew. The published photos show that the commander and the driver of the self-propelled gun are located inside the hull. This fact can be considered a confirmation of the creation of an uninhabited tower.
The characteristics of the new gun are still unknown. There is reason to believe that the Coalition-SV self-propelled guns received a modern digital fire control system that allows the gun to be used in different modes to perform different combat missions. For self-defense, the ACS received a large-caliber machine gun mounted on a remotely controlled turret on the turret roof.
The self-propelled guns "Coalition-SV" participating in the trainings, like other new vehicles, were not left without disguise. Their towers are covered with cloth covers. Only a cannon and a turret with a machine gun remain outside the canvas "curtain".
BTR "Boomerang"
The last ground novelty of the parade should be an armored personnel carrier based on a unified wheeled platform "Boomerang". Three such cars must pass through Red Square. The development of the Boomerang project was carried out in parallel with Kurganets-25 and Armata. The armored personnel carriers based on this platform are intended to replace the existing wheeled armored vehicles, the characteristics of which are no longer fully satisfied with the military.
The Boomerang vehicle has an 8x8 wheel arrangement and its layout may resemble other modern armored personnel carriers of this class. Despite the tarpaulin covering the entire upper part of the hull and the combat module, some conclusions can be drawn about the location of the internal units. The armored personnel carrier's engine is probably located in the front of the hull, on the starboard side. To the left of it is the driver. Behind them, a volume is provided for the placement of the landing force, weapons and the necessary equipment. It is supposed to leave the car through the ramp or door in the rear of the hull.
The characteristics of the BTR "Boomerang" have not yet been announced. There is no reliable information regarding the combat module used. The architecture of the vehicle allows the use of various units with weapons. The vehicles planned to be shown are probably equipped with combat modules with machine-gun armament, traditionally used on domestic armored personnel carriers.
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On May 9, 30 Victory Day parades will take place across the country. All these activities will involve both personnel and equipment of various types. From the point of view of technology, the parade in Moscow is of the greatest interest, at which the first demonstration of several new combat vehicles will take place. The list of this technique has already been announced, some other details are known. It remains to wait less than three weeks, and everyone will be able to see with their own eyes what will go into service with the Russian army in the coming years.
