Models and pictures of Soviet MBT designs from 80s. Object 477A, Object 490 Buntar and Object 299.

[LoooSeR]

This is Molot picture, giving idea how turret looks like.

[LoooSeR]

One more photo of the Molot (afaik Object 490).

Feels like those photos were made with help of workers of this place, where Khrakov prototypes were left after program was canceled.

[Mike E]

That is some thick, really thick ERA...

[LoooSeR]

Look at tip of frontal armor on the second photo of the Molot, i think ERA was Kontakt-5 or similar.

[LoooSeR]

If we assume that gunner is in the left part of turret, and turret is facing rear, that means this hatch is for commander.

It is interesting that this tank was painted recently, such a fresh green paint for a 80s/90s abandoned Soviet prototype tank. ;-)

[Mike E]

Look at tip of frontal armor on the second photo of the Molot, i think ERA was Kontakt-5 or similar.

The other picture shows its' true thickness, which must be at least x2 that of K-5. 

[LoooSeR]

Where you see it? I see a rather normal-looking ERA, similar to K-5 modules.

[Mike E]

That is what I'm referring to. Either it is insanely thick, or that is just two K-5 like plates angled together like on the T-72B3 turret. 

[LoooSeR]

Thats why i pointed at second photo, which shows that this is a wedge-like detail, similar to T-72/90 turret ERA layout/T-15 frontal armor.

[LoooSeR]

Trololo

[LoooSeR]

I need to update first posts in this thread 

 

http://btvt.narod.ru/3/molot.htm

 

    So, this is Izdelie 490, scale model. 2 man crew, hydropneumatic suspension. It allows you to control ground clearance of the tank, which increases its survivability in combat (you can "duck" into cover). In addition, controlled hydropneumatic suspension allows to increase effective gun elevation and depression.

    The crew consisted of two people, located in the turret. Stereoscopic television system (   ) installed in the frontal plate of the hull, it was to be used to navigate/drive this thing.

 

   Armor layout of Object 490 was also unusual:

     External frontal plate was planned to provide protection against light AT infantry weapons like RPG. Behind it - a big fuel tank. After those a main layered armor was to be placed - just in front of main crew compartment. Ammunition was carried in turret bustle with blow-out panels on top and in bottom of bustle. Between bustle and turret internal volume a serious protection was to be mounted (you can see it on a picture). 

     Main weapon - 125 mm 2A66 gun. Optis consisted of 2 day-only panoramic sights and one separated night sight at turret bustle. 

[LoooSeR]

Well, previous tank had number of "gray" areas with how exactly 2-man crew will work effectively, and with commanders tank this question was critical.

 

Next design program in Kharkov went to other vehicle - from 1982 burea was working on Object 490A Buntar' ("Rebel").

 

 

    Externally mounted main gun, 2 7.62 remote controlled MGs (hi, IS-7!) and one 12.7mm HMG in RCWS. Commander had panoramic sight, ability to aim and fire main gun from his station. Gunner had day sight to the left rom gun and thermal imager to the right from main cannon. Overview of surroundings for the crew was to be provided with special fiber optic devices, placed around the perimeter of the turret (never saw a single tank with such observation devices).

 

 

 

    Ammunition was placed at right side of turret, whole crew was located on the left part of hull. Turret roof and hull sides had layered armor. In 1983 full-size mock-up was made, in 1984, a prototype tank was made for testing, which began shortly after.

 

 

[LoooSeR]

Izdelie 477/Object 477 "Boxer"

 

 

In 1985 new layout and new weapon were approved. Tank was to be armed with 152 mm 2A73 gun. Gun was equipped with sensor that detected a bending of the barrel/Gun muzzle reference system.

 

    Driver is on the left, gunner and commander in the low-profile turret/hull working with one big control station (Like in Ka-52, i guess). behind the - isolated 8-round autoloader and between turret and engine a special ammorack/autoloader was located, with 32 shots in it. Second autoloader was feeding 8-round autoloader in turret. Big fueltank was located in right part of frontal hull.

 

A part of autoloader. Those trays were able to rotate a bit, to make a loading mechanism smaller.

 

   Gun was mounted at hight of 2088 mm, tank leight with gun - 10650, almost a meter longer than T-64, height (measured from turret roof) - 2434 (T-64 was 2170 high).

 

 

     Because of an internal spy scandal, tank design programm received new code name - "Molot"/Hammer. This Boxer/Molot is armed with 152 mm gun and 30 mm autocannon (+ 7.62 coaxial MG).

 

     Tank had substantial armor - more than 1 meter frontal armor, 5 layers armor package on sides, and thick roof/crew hatches armor. There were plans to equip tank with Active protection system and several systems were considered - Arena, Dozhd' ("Rain"), Drozd, Shatyor. About 10 of those were made, a photo of real vehicles was posted on previous page.

[LoooSeR]

After collapse of USSR design programm continued, based on new requirements. Tank design programm received new codename - "Nota".

 

   Titanium was used in armor of this vehicle. Tank was to be equipped with sat nav system, friendly idenification, radiocontrol/remote control of tank and gun (driving and firing) as so on. 2 test rigs/prototypes were made (one in 1992, second is unfinished, 1993, AFAIK).

[LoooSeR]

Post N6 in this thread is updated.

[Mike E]

Excellent posts. 

 

The 'Nota' would have still been a Kharkov design, correct? 

 

And..."more than 1 meter frontal armor, 5 layers armor package on sides" sounds like Armata. 

[LoooSeR]

Soviet future MBT programm had number of tank proposals with meter of frontal armor and some of them had layered side armor.

"Nota" is Kharkov design that was under work for Russian MoD. IIRC several Boxers are left in Russia.

[vick7]

Wasn't the Object 292 equipped with a modified 152 mm howitzer 2A65?,  There is a old post on Armoured Warfare that the main purpose for Russian 152mm gun tanks was to use Nuclear shells in Tank vs Tank shootouts and not APFSDS.

 

But enough of that,  I love your work ( Putin's Alt Account ) and hope that all of these Russian Objects and more find there way in to Armoured Warfare.

[T___A]

Nah the LP-83 was meant to fire a large APFSDS shell at 2000m/s.

[LoooSeR]

Object 292 gun was not a howitzer. Nuclear shell were meant to be used vs serious buildings.

[vick7]

Ok and as to Armoured Warfare they're adding or will add the Expeditionary tank and the T-14 Armata to the game,  So I have hope that we will see more unmanned remote controlled turret armoured fighting vehicles.

 

LoooSeR you can you can greatly contribute to Armoured Warfare if you like to with you're knowledge of Russian vehicles,  My forum thread Obsidian-287 relies heavily on your work in this thread.

[vick7]

This has little to do with 1980s Russian tanks,  But im looking at the T-14 Armata and it says dual-reactive armour Malachit,  Is this a new Russian reactive armour and if it is,  Is it better then Relikt?,  A why does it say dual-reactive armour Malachit and not dual explosive reactive armour Malachit?  Is Malachit non-explosive reactive armour or is it Electric reactive armour?

 

Both the chassis and the turret are equipped with the latest Russian ERA system from the front, sides and the top.

[Mike E]

Malachit is Explosive Reactive Armor that was tested on the Object-187, some people say it is related to Relikt. T-14 does not use it, and may not use ERA at all. 

[LoooSeR]

Malakhit was pre-Relikt ERA for Object 187 tanks, it is old model of ERA (20+ years) that never was produced. I don't know why your source attached old ERA with news about new tank and it is not like Malakhit is better than Relikt, so there is no reason to use it instead of Relikt. Moreover, UGP Armata is equipped with new ERA design (if it is ERA), name of wich is unknown.

For any other Armata-related question we have a thread dedicated to UGP Armata called "GLORIOUS T-14 ARMATA PICTURES".

[vick7]

The Object 187 explosive reactive armour is Malahit,  The T-14 reactive armour is Malachit,  Is this a typo on the Object 187 web page or are there two Russian M named reactive armour vehicles Malahit and Malachit?

 

As fare as I know Relikt is a cheaper downgraded version of Malahit or is it Malachit?,  And yes you are correct Mike E the T-14 does not need reactive armour with active protection system Afghanit.

 

T-14 features an active protection system Afghanit (Russian: Афганит). This system includes a millimeter-wavelength radar to detect, track and intercept incoming anti-tank munitions, both kinetic energy penetrators and tandem-charges.^[2][35] Currently, the maximum speed of the interceptable target is 1,700 m/s.