New Russian 1st Tank Army unit will be equipped with T-14 Armata MBTs and Kurganets IFVs 12907156

Defence & Security News - Russia
 
New Russian 1st Tank Army unit will be equipped with T-14 Armata MBTs and Kurganets IFVs.
The Russian Defense Ministry plans to create a new tank army in the Western Military District by December 1, a senior source at Russia’s General Staff has told TASS. Major-General Alexander Chaiko has been appointed commander of the 1st Tank Army. Before, he was in charge of the 20th Army. The latter’s new commander is Major-General Sergey Kuzovlyov (previously chief of staff of the 58th Combined Army).
     
The Russian Defense Ministry plans to create a new tank army in the Western Military District by December 1, a senior source at Russia’s General Staff has told TASS. Major-General Alexander Chaiko has been appointed commander of the 1st Tank Army. Before, he was in charge of the 20th Army. The latter’s new commander is Major-General Sergey Kuzovlyov (previously chief of staff of the 58th Combined Army). New Russian-made main battle tank T-14 Armata
     
"According to a directive of the chief of the General Staff, the 1st Guards Tank Army and 20th Guards Combined Army are to be formed within the western military district by December 1, 2015," the source said.

According to the source, the 1st Tank Army will incorporate the Tamanskaya Mechanized Infantry Division and the Kantemirovskaya Tank Division, as well as the 27th Sevastopolskaya Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the 6th Tank Brigade.

The 1st Guards Tank Army, which Russia is establishing, and the newly-formed 20th Combined Arms Army will be the first to receive the newest Armata tanks and Kurganets infantry fighting vehicles, a high-placed source in Russia’s General Staff told TASS on Wednesday.

"During 2016-2017, work will begin to rearm the 1st Guards Tank Army and the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army with the newest armor. In particular, the operational tanks will be replaced with T-14 Armata main battle tanks. These armies will also be the first to receive the Kurganets IFVs," the source said.

The new Tank Army is expected to be formed near Moscow by winter. The existing 20th Combined Arms Army will be formed anew also by this time and most of its units will be assigned to the new force.

The T-14 Armata is the latest generation of Russian- made main battle tank, it was unveiled for the first time during the military parade on May 9 , 2015, devoted to the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

The T-14 Armata is equipped with an unmanned turret and all the crew is located at the front of the hull. The new unmanned remote turret of Arama T-14 would be equipped with new generation of 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun with an automatic loader and 32 rounds ready to use.

The basic protection of the T-14 Armata is based on a new steel armour to provide protection STANAG 4569 Level 5 (25 mm APDS-T (M791) or TLB 073 at 500 m with 1258 m/s and artillery 155 mm High Explosive at 25 m). The Armata is protected with additional active and passive armour.
     
     
The Kurganets is a new platform designed and developed by the Russian Defense Company Kurgan Machine-Building Plant to create a new family of light tracked armoured vehicle. The Kurganets-25 BMP is the IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) variant of the Kurganets family. The Kurganets-25 could replaced the BMP IFV family currently in use by the Russian armed forces.

The Kurganets-25 BMP is equipped with an electrically powered unmanned turret mounted in the centre of the hull. The turret is armed with the 2A42 30mm automatic cannon. A 7.62mm coaxial PKT machine gun is mounted to the left side of the main armament. Two launchers of anti-tank guided missile Kornet-EM are mounted on each side of the turret.

The Kurganets-25 BMP is fitted with the "Afganit" active protection system including sensors and laser detection systems.