Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Smart Bombs: Military, Defense and National Security

T-14 Armata: Russia’s Tank Nightmare That Just Won’t End

Russia T-14 Armata Tank. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.
Russia T-14 Armata Tank. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.

Of all the weapon systems used by the Russian army, none are as controversial as the T-14 Armata.

Depending on who you talk to, the Armata is the best or worst tank in history.

But how good is the Armata in reality? 

Truthfully, all we can do is speculate. The Russians keep all the Armata’s secrets highly classified, so it’s hard to tell whether the new “super tank” actually lives up to its reputation.

What We Know About the T-14 Armata:

One of the biggest innovations the Armata claims is its unmanned turret, which allows the crew to remain inside a heavily armored internal capsule. This design significantly enhances crew survivability compared to older Russian tanks, which have been vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and prone to violent ammunition cook-offs. 

Since its reveal, Western tank manufacturers have been experimenting with unmanned turret designs of their own. The tank is also equipped with advanced composite armor and reactive armor, providing robust protection against various threats.

The T-14 is equipped with the Afghanit active protection system, designed to detect and neutralize incoming threats such as anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). Similar to the Israeli Trophy system, this system enhances the tank’s survivability on the battlefield by intercepting and destroying threats before they can impact the tank.

The downside is that Afghanit, as far as we know, is ineffective against drones, which have proven to be a far bigger challenge to tanks than ATGMs.

The T-14 is powered by a 1,500-horsepower diesel engine, providing a high power-to-weight ratio and excellent mobility. 

The tank can supposedly reach speeds of up to 75-80 km/h (47-50 mph) and has a range of approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) on a single tank of fuel.

In short, if we are to take the Russians at their word, the T-14 is definitely the most advanced Russian tank. With advanced armor, better fire control systems, and better maneuverability, the T-14 blows even the T-90M out of the water.

Mighty Beast or Paper Tiger Tank?

Despite its advanced features, the T-14 Armata has faced significant production delays and cost overruns.

The high cost of the tank, estimated to be between $5-7.1 million per unit, has limited its production and deployment. 

International sanctions and other production issues have also restricted Russia’s access to critical components needed for the T-14’s production. These supply chain issues have further delayed the tank’s deployment and raised questions about its long-term viability.

Image of Armata T-14 Tank. Image: YouTube Screenshot.

Image of Armata T-14 Tank. Image: YouTube Screenshot.

In 2016, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract for 100 T-14 tanks to be delivered for testing. By 2019, however, only 19 were delivered. In 2020, no T-14 tanks were delivered from UVZ; the reason stated was that the designers were fixing some issues with the engines.

For one reason or another, deliveries of T-14s kept being delayed. As of now, it is unknown how many working T-14s are currently in service in the Russian army, with estimates as low as 10-20 tanks.

On 4 March 2024, Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of Rostec, confirmed that the T-14 had indeed entered service in the Russian army. Interestingly, he did not mention how many tanks were in service. 

He also mentioned that the T-14 would not participate in any combat in Ukraine. According to him, the reason for this is that the T-14 is too expensive and that the Russian armed forces had opted for cheaper alternatives for the time being. 

T-14 Armata

T-14 Armata. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

While opting for cheaper options during active wartime is somewhat understandable, the question arises: what’s the point?

Why bother investing in a tank that won’t even see combat? I interpret his comments to mean that manufacturing has not reached a level where the T-14 can be produced in large enough quantities.

Will the T-14 Armata Ever See the Light of Day?

Currently, the future of the T-14 remains in doubt. Despite having advanced protection, firepower, and maneuverability, it faces its greatest enemy: Russian manufacturing constraints. 

 

The fate of the Armata will likely be decided after the end of the war in Ukraine. If the T-14 enters service, it will be the most significant tank in Russian history. Whether it will fully enter service, however, remains to be seen.

About the Author: Isaac Seitz 

Isaac Seitz, a 19FortyFive Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.

Written By

Isaac Seitz graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. Lost Luna

    February 7, 2025 at 12:15 pm

    Since the Russians cant afford to deploy it, the T-14s sole purpose at this point is as an export product, a role which it has failed at. The Russians can’t even afford to manufacture the expensive beast too export at the moment due too all the sanctions, and those aren’t likely to end soon. Furthermore the reputation of Russian tanks have taken such a beating in Ukraine that it’s all but destroyed any existing goodwill Russian tanks had, now they are seen as death machines only for their crews. The Armata may have been intended to remedy this previous design flaw, but they convince no one of the tanks superiority by hiding it from the war.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement