Unmanned main battle tank can be created on Armata platform

Russia, the United States, France, Germany, China, and Israel are the leaders in tank construction. They all upgrade the available vehicles. Some countries, including Russia, are designing unmanned tanks, the Army Standard writes.

Russian-made main battle tank T-14 Armata. (Picture source Vitaly Kuzmin)

Expert Viktor Murakhovsky believes there are no doubts that Russia occupies the leading positions in the world in tank construction. "In contrast to the countries which have only mockups of prospective tanks, Russia has concluded a contract to procure a test batch of over a hundred tanks, heavy infantry fighting vehicles and armored evacuation vehicles. They will be supplied for test operation. Batch production will follow and gradually reach a hundred units a year," he said.

Chief Designer of Uralvagonzavod Andrey Terlikov said an unmanned tank can be created on Armata platform. It was revealed for the first time in 2018 by a report of the 3rd Central Research Institute of the Russian Defense Ministry which said designers were ordered to develop a project of unmanned robotized heavy attack platform on the basis of Armata T-14 for a whole class of new-generation hardware. Uralvagonzavod is already creating the concept of an unmanned tank of the future.

At present Armata crew comprises three men who are reliably protected due to a different design. The crew controls the tank from an armored capsule in the hull below the turret and can survive even a major hit by the adversary.

Uralvagonzavod is constantly working to robotize tanks. Terlikov said "the design bureau dealt with unmanned T-72 tanks yet in the end of the last century, and previously with T-64 tanks." "Therefore, we are better ready for unmanned tanks than our opponents," he said.

Uralvagonzavod has designed an engagement scheme for its vehicles as non-standard tank tandem. It plans to create the first robotized vehicles on T-72 platform. "They are previous-generation tanks, but instead of scrapping them, it was suggested to upgrade them into robotized frontline vehicles. The crew in a tank will control one-two robotized vehicles. They have to move ahead of Armata and break the adversary defense. It is a single system of fire and combat control which timely destroys the adversary and breaks through any antitank defense," Murakhovsky said.

Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has recently reviewed the first designs of highly-protected heavy robotized vehicles on the basis of T-72B3 tank during a trip to the Central Military District. Each robot has its own mission. One is an unmanned vehicle with heavy arms. The other is a robotized tank with light automatic guns.

Murakhovsky does not believe everything can be entrusted to artificial intellect so far. Terlikov is convinced the unmanned tank is "an issue of the near future or even of the present time". It will definitely appear, as nobody wants to risk human life, the Army Standard said.