Modern Russian Army in the photos.

[GoldComet6]

Maybe I'm only imagining this, USSR, but it seems like the ordnance on the T-15 is literally being "kept under wraps":

- wondering if this is deliberate

- or just Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to store the weapons, when not active, under cover.

Is there something proprietary there on a need-to-know basis?

The turrets were covered on the T-14 tanks in the parade - unusual too me since that's when they should have been uncovered.

From what I have been reading they are trying to hide the exact details of the turret. They don't want to show the shape as it would reveal more details of the armor. I'm assuming it looks something like this, but we'll know more soon.....

 

[GoldComet6]

If I remember right, USSR posted a similar vehicle a while back that he did identify as amphibious. But I believe this is another vehicle altogether.

The engine-forward concept sounds innovative.

If my memory serves me right...the first to use the forward engine location in a modern MBT was the Israeli Merkava. Notice how the turret seems shifted more to the rear.

Edit: The T-14 tank does not have a front engine as once thought. It has a regular layout with the engine in the rear.

 

[Carlo]

Don't be to optimistic. It's probable to hide defects!

 

[USSR]

Don't be to optimistic. It's probable to hide defects!

All will see May 9th.))))))))

How developing tank building in Italy?
Your main battle tank C1 Ariete - a clone of the German Leopard 2. Not suitable for modern tank warfare .
Commercially available from 1995 to 2002. (produced a total only 200 units)

What are your new development?
Italian wheeled tank "Centaur" experienced in Russia and returned to Italy.
Purchasing these machines for the army will not.
A similar wheeled tanks Russia can do yourself and better adapted to our latitudes.
Italian self-propelled artillery systems on the Centauro (wheeled chassis) and Freccia infantry fighting vehicles in December 2012 did not pass the tests in Kubinka near Moscow. Machines were frozen when the air temperature -15.

US Army In 2000 took to lease 16 Centauro armored vehicles and carrying out their comprehensive tests ... two years later they were returned. True, Americans as a result of these tests create combat armored vehicle Stryker....

 

[Carlo]

Why do we need new armor when we have one of the best friends in the world, THE UNITED STATES MILITARY MACHINE......
Welcome back US Army, welcome back US Air force, Welcome back US Navy. Thanks Mr. Putin for stirring up the hornets nest and renewing US interest in rebuilding old bases and construction of new ones.

 

[Carlo]

If my memory serves me right...the first to use the forward engine location in a modern MBT was the Israeli Merkava.

Notice how the turret seems shifted more to the rear.

I've been lucky to be able to serve with the Israel army during a liaison mission and served with their armor corps. Very VERY impressive tank and even more impressive are their soldiers.

 

[USSR]

This is my last message on this forum ...
Believe me Carlo - when a I'll come to Europe ... nobody will help you.)))
Good luck SteelSoldiers Brothers.
I hope the Americans have enough sense not to listen to the European mongrels ...

 

[Carlo]

Dear USSR,

I'm saddened beyond words to hear your leaving SS. Please reconsider staying. Your fantastic photos of the Russian military were enjoyable to us all. While your thread was kept at a mechanical, machinery, equipment level it was appreciated immensely by myself TILL you expressed your politics.

Your biased feelings on the Ukrainian conflict and support of the "rebel terrorists' were due noted by myself and a few others. The invasion of Crimea was criminal and should be punished in a international court of law. I can only imagine what the citizens of the United States would say if russia invaded one of the outer islands of Alaska.

Now ow I have only one last thing to say or to quote a man who feels the same as my self and was not afraid to say it.


Quotation Number: 60445
Patton, George S. Jr.
The difficulty in understanding the Russian is that we do not take cognizance of the fact that he is not a European but an Asiatic and therefore thinks deviously. We can no more understand a Russian than a Chinaman or a Japanese and, from what I’ve seen of them, I have no particular desire to understand them except to ascertain how much lead or iron it takes to kill them. In addition to his other amiable characteristics, the Russian has no regard for human life and is an all out son of a bitch, a barbarian, and a chronic drunk.


George S. Patton Jr., 1885-1945
U.S. Army General
Diary, August 8, 1945
[At the time the Russians were supposed to be our allies but he did not keep his views to himself]

 

[Carlo]

This is my last message on this forum ...
Believe me Carlo - when a I'll come to Europe ... nobody will help you.)))
Good luck SteelSoldiers Brothers.
I hope the Americans have enough sense not to listen to the European mongrels ...

The coffees on the stove! With open arms we will be waiting. (Not!)

 

[papabear]

USSR and CARLO. I won't say who I agree or disagree with but I'll say this.

This forum (SS) is not the place to be bashing nations, nor is it the place to express personal views about political situations or engage in name calling.

How bout we all stand down, take some deep breaths, have a group hug and stop the BS??

 

[GoldComet6]

This is my last message on this forum ...
Good luck SteelSoldiers Brothers.

Hopefully you will rejoin the forum soon. I have enjoyed the posts you have added.

 

[Another Ahab]

Hopefully you will rejoin the forum soon. I have enjoyed the posts you have added.

I have always enjoyed your many interesting posts also.

 

[Al Harvey]

USSR, I also have really enjoyed your posts and really hope that you will rejoin us.

 

[GoldComet6]

TU-160 - The Blackjack bomber.

Russia may start building the Tu-160 again....For such a large aircraft, the cockpit seems very small.

http://www.janes.com/article/51109/russia-may-revive-tu-160-blackjack-production


Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has authorised a study to asses restarting production of the Tupolev Tu-160 'Blackjack' supersonic strategic bomber aircraft.

"We shall start to solve problems related not only to maintenance and modernisation of Long-range Aviation's (LRA) aircraft fleet, but also to Tu-160 production," Shoigu said during a visit to the S. Gorbunov Kazan aircraft plant, where the aircraft were built. He held a working session at the plant devoted to the recovery and support of the LRA fleet.

Shoigu stated that the Tu-160 "is a unique aircraft, that had a lead of several decades; its structural capabilities have yet to be realised to full extent".
The Russian Air Force (VVS) has 16 Tu-160 bombers in service. These are being upgraded to Tu-160M standard, as announced in 2012. Shoigu noted the benefits that the implementation of the contract to repair and upgrade LRA's aircraft fleet had made to the plant compared with his previous visit.

As part of the upgrade work, the VVS will receive two Tu-160M strategic bombers and 12 Tu-22M3 'Backfire-C' long-range bombers in 2015, according to the defence ministry's information department. By 2020 it should have received 10 upgraded Tu-160Ms.

Russia is currently developing a new-generation strategic bomber, known as the Prospective Aviation Complex for the LRA (PAK DA). Its first flight is scheduled to take place in 2019, with deliveries to begin in 2023-2025.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcQeZ_w8ro0

 

[GoldComet6]

Russian Arms Expo - 2013.


Some interesting stuff here - looks like some T-90s, along with several other vehicles, helos, firefighting tracked vehicles, etc.
Even Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is in attendance!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZn8Sd8eM5Q




Russian Military Trucks.

Don't know much about what is on display, but some (the cabovers) appear to be similar to the US FMTV. The last one is kinda crazy!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRNchwdgc6U

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

USSR,
Many here, especially me, respect you and your contributions to our knowledge of so many military vehicles.

During the Cold War it was my duty to learn as much about the Soviet as was possible through the Allied Intelligence effort. In many respects, the measure of either side simply boiled down to the very best people doing the very best they could in designing and/or employing the weapons of war each nation had developed. In that, again, I have great respect for the people and their contributions to achieving the goals set forth for them.

The door to these Forums remains open to you, Sir. Please feel free to continue to share your knowledge, photographs and videos, and the historical background that helps us to keep it all in a perspective that may initially be alien to us. In this we will build peace. Beyond the victories or losses of war, above the efforts of diplomacy, we here can do more that the bureaucrats. Withdrawing from the open discussions here will benefit none of us.

I sincerely look forward to our continued friendship and sharing.

I continue to keep you and the strife in your region in my prayers.

Your friend,
John Bariou
San Angelo, Texas, USA

 

[GoldComet6]

Looks like more details are coming out as they rehearse for May 9th parade. Here are some images of the vehicles without tarps.

http://aviationweek.com/defense/red-square-revelations#slide-6-field_images-1299191


Russia’s long-awaited T-14 Armata main battle tank, believed to be in low-rate production, has been unveiled in rehearsals for the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow. It’s of great technical interest because it is one of a handful of tank designs to enter production since the immediate post-Cold War years, when the British Challenger and French Leclerc were fielded. The parade will also feature a number of other new designs, including three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV).

The T-14 Armata is revolutionary in being the first production tank with an unmanned turret. The three-man crew (commander, gunner and driver) occupy an armored capsule just ahead of the turret, which is narrower than usual and carries a new 125-mm smoothbore gun. A protected sensor suite for navigation, situational awareness and gunnery is located on top of the turret, together with a communications mast, and what appears to be an auto-reloading system projects from the back of the turret. Bar armor protects the engine.

Another unique feature of the Armata is that a heavy IFV version, analogous to the Israeli Namer, has been developed in parallel. Reportedly designated T-15, it carries extra frontal armor and a remote-controlled weapon system (RCWS) turret mounting a medium-caliber cannon and four anti-tank guided missiles. Box-shaped antennas and launch tubes on top of the forward hull are part of an active protection system to destroy inbound weapons.

The Armata IFV variant uses the same 14-roadwheel running gear as the tank, but installed in reverse order, with the engine and driving sprockets at the front, leaving the rear of the vehicle free for the infantry compartment. The added frontal armor protects against a mobility kill.

The Coalition-SV 152-mm. self-propelled gun is the replacement for the late-1980s 2S19 Msta-S. It is not as radical as some of its experimental predecessors, which featured an under-and-over twin-barrel gun system, but it has a larger turret and is believed to use a new modular charge system in the main gun. Contrary to some expectations, it retains the T-80-based 12-road-wheel running gear of the 2S19.

The Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle is the follow-on to the BMP family but appears to have a much greater maximum weight than the 19-ton BMP-4, allowing it to carry supplemental armor if necessary, while doing without it in lower-threat environments. It also carries an active protection system. The gun-missile turret seen here is the same as that of the T-15 IFV, but another version carries a small defensive RCWS with a single machine-gun.

The all-new Boomerang is the first Russian 8 X 8 IFV to follow Western design practices, with a deep V-hull and fully exposed wheels. It is fully amphibious, with large ducted propellers Together with the T-15 and the Kurganets, it provides the Russian forces with three distinct options in terms of mobility and protection. This version has the same turret as the T-15 and Kurganets, but the Boomerang is also deployed with the smaller defensive RCWS seen on some Kurganets vehicles.

 

[GoldComet6]

Gotta love the Tu-95 Bear. It's such a relic, yet it will probably be flying 20 years from now.

It's like the B-52 - it's such a good platform that they just stay in service. They are very adaptable to the new environments they encounter with each passing decade. The Tu-95s eight counter-rotating props is pretty cool to see in flight. These large planes are fast for a prop plane too - if memory serves me right they get over 500+ miles per hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-2dfEc70gU


Assorted Russian bombers - Tu-22M, Tu-95, Tu-160.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXHNFBj_n14

 

[Carlo]

Looks like more details are coming out as they rehearse for May 9th parade. Here are some images of the vehicles without tarps.

http://aviationweek.com/defense/red-square-revelations#slide-6-field_images-1299191


Russia’s long-awaited T-14 Armata main battle tank, believed to be in low-rate production, has been unveiled in rehearsals for the May 9 Victory Day parade in Moscow. It’s of great technical interest because it is one of a handful of tank designs to enter production since the immediate post-Cold War years, when the British Challenger and French Leclerc were fielded. The parade will also feature a number of other new designs, including three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV).

The T-14 Armata is revolutionary in being the first production tank with an unmanned turret. The three-man crew (commander, gunner and driver) occupy an armored capsule just ahead of the turret, which is narrower than usual and carries a new 125-mm smoothbore gun. A protected sensor suite for navigation, situational awareness and gunnery is located on top of the turret, together with a communications mast, and what appears to be an auto-reloading system projects from the back of the turret. Bar armor protects the engine.

Another unique feature of the Armata is that a heavy IFV version, analogous to the Israeli Namer, has been developed in parallel. Reportedly designated T-15, it carries extra frontal armor and a remote-controlled weapon system (RCWS) turret mounting a medium-caliber cannon and four anti-tank guided missiles. Box-shaped antennas and launch tubes on top of the forward hull are part of an active protection system to destroy inbound weapons.

The Armata IFV variant uses the same 14-roadwheel running gear as the tank, but installed in reverse order, with the engine and driving sprockets at the front, leaving the rear of the vehicle free for the infantry compartment. The added frontal armor protects against a mobility kill.

The Coalition-SV 152-mm. self-propelled gun is the replacement for the late-1980s 2S19 Msta-S. It is not as radical as some of its experimental predecessors, which featured an under-and-over twin-barrel gun system, but it has a larger turret and is believed to use a new modular charge system in the main gun. Contrary to some expectations, it retains the T-80-based 12-road-wheel running gear of the 2S19.

The Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle is the follow-on to the BMP family but appears to have a much greater maximum weight than the 19-ton BMP-4, allowing it to carry supplemental armor if necessary, while doing without it in lower-threat environments. It also carries an active protection system. The gun-missile turret seen here is the same as that of the T-15 IFV, but another version carries a small defensive RCWS with a single machine-gun.

The all-new Boomerang is the first Russian 8 X 8 IFV to follow Western design practices, with a deep V-hull and fully exposed wheels. It is fully amphibious, with large ducted propellers Together with the T-15 and the Kurganets, it provides the Russian forces with three distinct options in terms of mobility and protection. This version has the same turret as the T-15 and Kurganets, but the Boomerang is also deployed with the smaller defensive RCWS seen on some Kurganets vehicles.

Nice photos! 9th of May is the big parade where some new equipment will be shown.

 

[Powershift]

Tu-95 Bears are so noisy they can be detected by U.S. underwater sonar sensors, and submarines. Guess we have no fear of them sneaking up on us. LOL They were way ahead of their time when first introduced, even if they were basically a reverse engineered American B-29, with some tweeks.