The Ukrainian KhBTZ started trials of the T-64BV Obr.2022 tank. The vehicle is equipped with new fuel system, protected fuel tanks, new Laska K2 12,7 mm AA Machine Gun, new surveillance and sighting systems (most possible the 1G46 instead of the 1G42), new lights and communication and navigations systems.
As i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I have no fear because I am the baddest motherfucker in whole valley.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Sunday, November 14, 2021
A Type-69 with add on armor to imitate the T-80U MBT, for the ballistic trials in China
For the trials the Type-69 was fitted with composite add on armor and the ERA in front of hull and turret.
The front of the tank hull is consist from:
- 100 mm base steel armor
- 50 mm steel armor
- Two layers of 45 mm fiberglass sheets
- 50 mm steel armor
The front of the turret is:
- 200 mm base steel armor
- 100mm steel armor
- 80mm thick back plate steel armor
- 20mm thick middle layer steel armor
- 100mm and 60mm thick two-layer fiberglass armor.
Saturday, October 30, 2021
South Korean 1500hp PowerPack for the MBTs - Walk-Around
Courtesy of Hyunmin
Powerpack (EST15K Auto Transmission + DV27K Engine) for MBT (K2 family). The combination of Doosan DV27K engine and SNT EST15K transmission is capable of delivering 1500 horsepower.
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
A T-90M MBT with telescopic mast
The displayed at Army-2021 forum T-90M tank have telescopic mast for some kind of optical reconnaissance system.
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Latest iteration of M1 Abrams main battle tank wraps up testing at Cold Regions Test Center
By Mark Schauer
What has outstanding offensive and defensive capability and represents the aweing tip of the spear in a major land war?
It’s the M1A2 System Enhancement Package (SEP) version 3 (v3) main battle tank, which wrapped up extensive coldweather testing at U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC) this winter to ensure it functions as it should wherever in the world it could be called on to serve.
Since testing at the Department of Defense’s lone extreme cold natural environment testing facility began in January 2020, the SEPv3 was driven more than 2,000 miles in rugged conditions across three seasons of sub-Arctic weather, fired hundreds of rounds for accuracy in extreme cold, and underwent testing of its auxiliary power unit, as well as numerous other sub-systems.
The list of improvements to test in the SEPv3 is lengthy: improved fire control electronics mean the SEPv3’s gun can shoot faster and more accurately; the armor has been improved; it can even utilize hubcaps and road arms manufactured with a 3D printer. Onboard diagnostics are much more robust, and technical manuals can be accessed from removable screens.
Though the platform was extensively tested at Yuma Test Center prior to being put through its paces in Alaska, the sub-zero temperatures brought forth glitches that would have been unimaginable in the desert.
“While we were doing the main weapon firing, we ran into a system issue where we weren’t able to fire,” said Elissa Palm, test officer. “After some pretty extensive troubleshooting, we were able to work with the product manager to identify a fix. We were able to prevent non-mission capable tanks from being fielded and implemented the fix across the fleet, then validated here with additional testing.”
Conducting evaluations in the extreme cold of an interior Alaskan winter usually brings unexpected challenges even for the rugged professionals of CRTC, and this test was no different. One night, overflow ice from the nearby Delta River flooded the gun position, then quickly refroze rock-solid.
“We had one of the portable latrines with ice that was hip-high: you weren’t going to move it until it got melted,” said Greg Netardus, Chief of CRTC’s Test Operation’s Division. “All of the equipment was frozen in: wheeled vehicles carrying the ammunition would not have been able to maneuver down there. It was not safe to put people down here.”
CRTC’s vast expanse includes other ranges that could be utilized, but not ones that had important infrastructure that the testers needed.
“We don’t have multiple ready to fire ranges with targets at known distances for the tank, so our Allied Trades shop did a really nice job in a very short time building a new mobile target based on a Conex and getting it set up for us,” said Palm.
The target that CRTC’s Allied Trades shop had to recreate on the fly consisted of tall poles upon which a target is pulled into place with a hand crank. The fixed target is emplaced in the ground, which required approvals for work and brush clearance prior to construction.
“We used a 40-foot ISO container as a base, so there was no dirt work or anchoring required,” said Sam Porter, CRTC’s Allied Trades Lead. “An ISO container meant we could build it offsite in the shop, where we had cranes and a man lift. We took the design of the target that was in place and modified it.”
The mobile target was re-used in the summer, and provides a flexible new capability for future tests.
“With this, they should be able to set it up and utilize wherever they are able to fire that gun,” said Porter.
To take advantage of the coldest temperatures possible, weapons firings were oftentimes conducted in the small hours of the morning. Possibly the most difficult testing challenge, however, occurred earlier in the calendar year: when the COVID crisis hit in March 2020, eight members of the testing team who had come to CRTC from Yuma were especially impacted by sudden restrictions in travel and new temporary duty (TDY) authorizations.
“A lot of times on these long-term tests, we like to trade people in and out so they can get back to their families,” said Palm. “This time it was really hard for us to get TDY approvals, so the crew was great in that most of them volunteered to stay until the end of the effort.”
The M1 and its variants have been tested at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground and its constituent test centers for more than 40 years, and likely will continue to be for as long as the system remains in the ground combat arsenal. This testing has played a vital role in keeping the M1 the most capable tank in the world.
Via "The Outpost" newspaper
Friday, April 23, 2021
The Upgraded T-64BM2 Bulat
The Malyshev Factory tests Upgraded T-64BM2 Bulat MBT
The Malyshev Factory tests Upgraded T-64BM2 Bulat. The upgraded Bulat receive new 1000h/p 6DT-1 diesel engine, instead of old 5TDFM with 850h/p.
A engine compartment have expand to receive the new engine. The new engine will be unified with T-64BV Krab MBT.
Tuesday, March 30, 2021
Remotely controlled Chinese Type-69 tank
Remotely controlled Chinese Type-69 tank during trials in PLA's Artillery and Missiles Scientific-Research Institute
Friday, March 19, 2021
Interesting movie about PLA Type-99A from CCTV 7 channel
Inside of a Type-99A MBT
Interesting movie about PLA Type-99A from CCTV 7 channel (training, repair, maintenance) - video link
Thursday, March 11, 2021
One of the rejected prototype of Type-96A
One of the rejected prototype of Type-96A. Turret of the vehicle has different than the turret design on mass production 96A (Before application of ERA). It has a resemblance to the Merkava turret front
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Turkey is negotiating with a foreign supplier for a Altay tank engine
Turkey is in negotiations with a country to procure engines for its domestic main battle tank Altay, which will soon be integrated into the tank, according to Defense Industries Presidency (SSB) Chairperson Ismail Demir.
Demir told Turkish broadcaster NTV Wednesday that the problem regarding the engine of the tank will soon be solved and that the engine production with local means will also continue simultaneously.
The SSB head previously revealed that the prototypes of both the engine that will power the Altay and another type for light armored vehicles will be ready this year, though the tank will initially use a power unit purchased from abroad.
The prototype for the Altay was unveiled at a 2011 defense show in Istanbul. The next-generation battle tank, which is set to become the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) most important frontline vehicle, was named after army Gen. Fahrettin Altay, who commanded the Fifth Cavalry Corps during the Turkish War of Independence.
Previously, Altay's prototype was powered by a 1,500 horsepower diesel engine from Germany's MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH. The German Rheinmetall has also established a joint venture with Turkey’s land vehicles producer BMC aimed to establish joint production of armored vehicles, particularly the main battle tank, Altay; however, the production and supply of the tank engine came to a halt following Berlin’s decision to limit arms exports to Turkey, a long-term NATO ally.
Turkey had hoped to power the Altay with the German MTU engine and RENK transmission, but talks with German manufacturers over the past couple of years failed due to a federal arms embargo on Turkey. Germany is one of a number of European governments that have limited exports to Turkey over its involvement in the Syrian civil war.
According to the last year announcement, this engine will be the South Korean Doosan Infracore DV27K , 4-cycle, 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine with 1500 hp.