For well-known reasons, the further development of tanks is currently attracting special attention of specialists and the general public. The announcement of news about plans to create certain projects becomes a reason for excitement, and the appearance of a new model can become a real sensation. In recent months, one of the main reasons for discussion in the field of armored vehicles is the newest Ukrainian project of the main tank "Tirex".
The existence of a new project "Tirex" (T-Rex, short for Tyrannosaurus rex) became known in early April this year. The Ukrainian edition of Defense Express reported on the ongoing work on the creation of a promising main battle tank, which is a deep modernization of one of the existing machines. Within the framework of the new project, it is proposed to use some new ideas for the Ukrainian tank building, which will solve a number of important problems. The project is being developed by the Azov engineering group, some of whose employees previously worked at leading enterprises of the defense industry.
Concept
Fighting vehicle "Tirex" is positioned as a "tank in the transition period." The creators of the project assume that the creation and construction of such a vehicle will help to re-equip the armored forces of Ukraine with new equipment with sufficiently high characteristics, which will be able to perform the assigned tasks until the appearance of tanks with higher characteristics. At the same time, it is planned to use some ideas and solutions in the new project aimed at achieving significant superiority over the existing technology.
The first published schema of "Tirex." Figure Pro-tank.ru
The new T-Rex project is said to have several main objectives. Two of them require immediate solutions for a number of objective reasons, while the third is related to the distant prospects and future of the army. The first task of the project concerns the rearmament of troops. The authors of the new project believe that the existing armored vehicles - primarily the main tank BM "Oplot" - cannot ensure the renewal of the fleet of combat vehicles due to unacceptably low production rates. As a result, the new Tirex tank should replace Oplot in terms of performance and significantly surpass it in terms of production volumes. All this should lead to the renewal of the material part of the troops.
The second task of the new project concerns the main parameters of a promising armored vehicle. In terms of cost-effectiveness, the new Tirex should be superior to existing tanks such as Bulat. It is planned to provide advantages in mobility, in fighting qualities at night, etc. at a comparable production cost. For this, in particular, it is proposed to use new approaches to production for the Ukrainian industry, which will compensate for the use of relatively expensive fire control equipment, etc.
The third task of the project, declared by its developers, is related to the further development of technology. In the future, on the basis of the new tank, it is planned to develop a full-fledged universal platform, on the basis of which armored vehicles of various classes can be built. A chassis with an existing power plant, chassis, etc., among other things, can be used as the basis for new heavy infantry fighting vehicles. Nevertheless, while such tasks are attributed to the distant future.
According to representatives of the Azov engineering group, the new T-Rex project does not imply the development of a radically new armored vehicle. Its main task is a deep modernization of the existing T-64 tank with a significant increase in performance. Revolutionary new ideas are supposed to be implemented in the framework of subsequent projects of similar technology. In the meantime, the designers are engaged in determining the prospects for the existing project. For example, they found that the current production capabilities of the Ukrainian industry will allow upgrading up to 10 T-64 tanks per month under the Tirex project.
Tank BM "Oplot". Photo Wikimedia Commons
It is also said that the assembly of a prototype of the new tank will take about six months. Six months after receiving the T-64 tank, the development organization promises to present a ready-made prototype of the Tirex. Information about the possible transfer of the tank for rebuilding according to the new project is not yet available.
Design
The new Ukrainian project involves a major upgrade of existing tanks through the use of a number of new components. The result of this, according to the authors of the project, should be an optimal combination of characteristics and cost of equipment. In addition, it becomes possible to reduce the time required for the construction of new tanks, due to the absence of the need to assemble new chassis.
The basis of the Tirex tank is the modified chassis of the T-64 tank, which receives some new components and assemblies. The published diagrams show that the body of the base vehicle should receive a new superstructure, the forehead and sides of which, in addition to their own armor, are covered with dynamic protection systems. Due to the use of such a superstructure, the general contours and proportions of the tank should change noticeably. In addition, the aft part of the superstructure should form a pair of large boxes and leave the roof of the engine compartment in the niche.
As follows from the published materials, strengthening the protection of the existing hull is one of the main tasks of the new project. The diagrams show that the frontal and side parts of the tank must be equipped with multiple reactive armor units. The same means of enhancing protection can be installed on the tower. The complexes "Duplet" and "Knife" of Ukrainian design are offered for use. For obvious reasons, the aft part of the hull, where the engine-transmission compartment is located, should be equipped with lattice screens instead of dynamic protection. Interestingly, in later images, the rear of the hull is also equipped with ERA.
Probably, the use of the hull superstructure is due to the proposed rearrangement of its internal volumes. A habitable compartment should be located behind the inclined frontal parts of the hull. The crew of three (driver, commander and gunner) is proposed to be placed in a single armored capsule, which provides additional protection against various threats, as well as separating the tankers from the fighting compartment with ammunition.
A later image of a perspective tank. Drawing Azov.co
In the central part of "Tirex" it is proposed to install a tower of the original design. A common feature of many promising tank projects, most of which have not been implemented, is the use of an uninhabited tower with an automated fighting compartment. The authors of the new Ukrainian project also propose using such a system, given its obvious advantages.
The tower of a promising tank should be equipped with armor of a complex multifaceted design with many inclined parts and additional reactive armor. The main weapon is located in the central part of the combat module, the units of which, apparently, occupy most of the tower. It is proposed to mount a remotely controlled weapon station with a large-caliber machine gun on the roof of the turret aft niche. Several smoke grenade launchers should be placed along the perimeter of the tower, on the cheekbones, sides and stern. The aft of the tower, shown in the published drawings, is receiving cutting screens, which can also function as a basket for property.
The new tank, apparently, should be equipped with a smooth-bore tank gun-launcher with a caliber of 125 mm. Such a system will be able to use the entire range of compatible ammunition, including the Kombat guided missiles. In view of the removal of the crew from the fighting compartment, it is proposed to equip the gun with fully automated guidance and loading systems. So, in the turret basket of the combat module, a rotary conveyor with trays for placing shells should be located, and it is proposed to interface with the breech of the gun to interface the automatic supply and dispensing of ammunition.
There is no information about the power plant and chassis of the Tirex armored vehicle, but it can be assumed that they should be based on the existing design of the T-64 tank. Thus, the chassis can do without any modifications, and one of the new Ukrainian engines can become the basis of the power plant. It is assumed that due to some of these modifications, the new tank will differ from the base one in higher mobility.
The most important feature of the T-Rex project is the use of the crew's armored capsule, which imposes special requirements on the instrumentation of the armored vehicle. To control the situation, drive, search and attack targets, as well as to solve a number of other tasks, the crew needs appropriate systems. Thus, the combat module should be equipped with sighting devices with the ability to transmit a video signal to the screens in the crew capsule. In addition, appropriate equipping of crew workplaces is required. To improve the overall fighting qualities, it is also necessary to apply a new fire control system.
Tank chassis. Drawing Azov.co
In the proposed form, the main battle tank "Tirex" should have a length of 6, 57 m (9, 225 m with a gun), a width of 3, 56 m and a height of 2.5 m on the turret roof. Combat weight is determined at the level of 39 tons. not specified, but it is argued that they will be higher than that of the base T-64.
Perspectives
Published data on the Tirex project, as well as images of a promising tank, make one recall the latest Russian development - the T-14 armored vehicle based on the Armata platform. In the new Ukrainian project, it is proposed to use a number of ideas and solutions already embodied in metal in the form of a number of prototypes of a Russian tank. Given the time difference between the two projects, some suspicions may arise. On the other hand, it should not be forgotten that such ideas appeared and were worked out several decades ago, but until recently could not apply for practical application.
It is proposed to use the available vehicles of the T-64 family as a basis for the new tank. A similar approach to the creation of new armored vehicles has already been used by the Ukrainian military industry and has led to the emergence of several projects. In addition, mass production of such equipment was carried out with subsequent delivery to the troops. In practice, it was confirmed that the use of new devices of various types makes it possible to a certain extent to improve the characteristics of existing tanks.
Certain questions arise about the possibility of implementing certain ideas proposed in the Tirex project. So, to create an uninhabited fighting compartment with remote control from the crew's armored capsule, it is required to develop and integrate many electronic systems into the design of the tank. The ability to accomplish such a task may be cause for serious doubt. At the same time, the development of automatic loaders is unlikely to face serious difficulties: such systems were developed half a century ago for T-64 tanks.
A separate serious issue is the armament of the new tank. As follows from the available materials, the T-Rex should carry a 125mm smoothbore gun. The production of the 2A46 guns, which are the standard armament of Soviet and Russian main tanks, is still carried out in Russia, but such systems are not supplied to Ukraine. In the late nineties, the Ukrainian industry tried to create its own version of such a gun called KBA-3. A number of design problems were successfully solved, but the resource of new products left much to be desired. Even improved prototypes cannot withstand more than 250-260 rounds of subcaliber projectiles. For comparison, the chrome-plated barrel of the later modifications 2A46M can withstand 1200 conventional shots.
This situation can seriously affect the combat effectiveness of promising tanks. Insufficient resource of the barrels will require their regular replacement, which will increase the cost of operation, and will also have some other negative consequences. The solution to this problem in the context of the release of new weapons at the moment looks extremely difficult, if not possible at all. The use of existing guns with the remaining resource, dismantled from other tanks, also does not seem to be an acceptable solution. Thus, in the foreseeable future, the Tirex tank will not be able to receive the main armament with high performance characteristics.
The main elements of the vehicle: chassis, armored capsule and turret. Drawing Azov.co
As practice shows, the Ukrainian industry is able to rebuild T-64 tanks according to new projects with some increase in their characteristics. Nevertheless, the new project "Tirex" implies a significant change in the design of the base machine and the use of a lot of new components and assemblies. It is obvious that the use of new devices, primarily electronics, requires the development or, at least, the purchase of such means. However, as far as is known, no breakthroughs by the Ukrainian industry in this area are expected yet, and foreign developers are unlikely to be interested in possible cooperation with it.
As a result, a promising project may already now face a host of problems that complicate not only the production of finished equipment, but also prevent the completion of the design. At the current design stage, the authors of "Tirex" need not only to formulate the main tasks and determine the general ways of solving them, but also to carry out a lot of other work on the selection of components, the layout of units, etc. Without all this, the project can hardly have real prospects. At the same time, however, the completion of the development could already face certain problems.
The general state of the Ukrainian military industry, weakened by the country's economic problems, the lack of a mass of the most important developments and a number of other factors of a technical, technological, administrative and corruption nature can lead to the fact that the T-Rex project, and with it other developments of the Azov engineering group, will remain on paper. At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that this organization will still be able to build a prototype armored vehicle or, at least, a full-scale model. However, there is no need to talk about the mass serial restructuring of the existing T-64 tanks.
According to reports, currently the project of the main battle tank "Tirex" based on the T-64 exists in the form of a set of design documentation, as well as several demonstration images. The prototype of the new armored vehicle does not yet exist, and there is no information about its assembly. It is reported that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has shown interest in the development of the Azov group, but so far it has not led to any real action to support new projects.
As a result, at the moment the Tirex project raises a lot of questions, most of which remain unanswered. In addition, these questions raise doubts about the possibility of completing the development, building an experimental tank and, moreover, starting a full-scale serial assembly of new equipment. The T-Rex project runs the risk of remaining "on paper" and in the form of several schematic drawings. Too many objective factors prevent him from reaching the assembly shop and actually puts an end to his prospects.
