Army Forum 2021 part. AS WELL AS
The main battle tank T-14 "Armata", slightly modernized compared to the previously shown to the public.
The most important factor determining the attractiveness of a military exhibition is the number of new products presented at it. Of course, the number of exhibitors, the value of the contracts concluded, the level of participation of the armed forces of the host country, the dynamic show and especially the shooting are also important, but competent visitors and analysts are primarily interested in novelties.
The Russian International Military-Technical Forum, organized at the Kubinka facilities near Moscow - at the Patriot Exhibition and Convention Center, at the airport in Kubinka and at the training ground in Alabino - is being held this year for the seventh time from August 22 to 28. unusual in many ways. First of all, the event has a pronounced patriotic and propaganda character. Secondly, it is organized by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (MO FR), and not industrial or commercial structures. Thirdly, this is only theoretically an international event, since the rules that guide the organizers are not clear when inviting or allowing foreign exhibitors to participate in it. In addition, Russia's military-political relations with the rest of the world have recently deteriorated significantly and, for example, the participation of American combat aircraft or NATO ships in Russian events seems to be a complete abstraction, although there was nothing special in such situations even a decade ago.
T-62 with optoelectronic head on a telescopic mast. Photo Internet.
Thus, the number of new products presented in the army is determined not by the economic situation on the world arms market, but by the process of modernization of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This is a deep and comprehensive modernization, which is not surprising, given that most of the equipment currently in use dates back to the times of the USSR. This applies to the greatest extent to the ground forces and aviation, to a lesser extent to the fleet. Over the past few years, a significant number of weapons developments have been identified to replace Soviet-made equipment, in particular combat vehicles of almost all categories, self-propelled guns, air defense systems, small arms, engineering equipment, and even unmanned vehicles. Therefore, it is difficult to expect new, numerous innovations in these areas. Unlike many foreign companies, the Russian industry, for various reasons, offers few designs intended exclusively or mainly for export, and therefore the number of new products is not increasing. Of course, one can expect the demonstration of modified equipment as a result of field tests and changing requirements for it, but this does not mean, with rare exceptions, the appearance of completely new samples.
Combat vehicles and military equipment
Somewhat unofficially released new information about the T-14 tanks. First of all, this year 20 vehicles should be accepted for experimental military service, and these will not be tanks from the “front” batch, built in haste six years ago, but “pre-production”. It is reported that the first of them was transmitted in August this year. Interestingly, in the official document of the RF Ministry of Defense, published during the Army 2021, it was written that “the development of the T-14 will be completed in 2022”, which may mean that its state tests will not begin until 2023, but the launch production will be possible later. Secondly, two different T-14 units participated in the exhibition. The "front" car was more bare, but also painted in spots, masking the tank, which until recently participated in tests at the Kubinka training ground. It differed slightly from the previously known Cannons. Firstly, he had other, reinforced cargo wheels, since those previously used were not strong enough. However, inquisitive visitors found a brand on its armor, clearly indicating that the vehicle was produced in November 2014, which means that it also belongs to the first, “ceremonial” batch of T-14s.
During the 2021 Army of the year, information was confirmed about the transfer of 26 T-90M Progod tanks to the first units this year and plans to supply another 39 such vehicles by the end of the year. Some of them are completely new machines, while the rest are repaired and brought to the new T-90 standard.
A very interesting upgrade of the old T-62 was demonstrated on the sidelines of the main exhibition, at the Alabino training ground, where dynamic demonstrations were held. His obsolete TPN-1-41-11 gunner's sight was replaced with a 1PN96MT-02 thermal imaging device. Uzbekistan was likely the first T-62 user to receive these thermal imagers in an upgrade package in 2019. A commander's observation device has also been added, which, when stationary, rises on a telescopic mast to a height of 5 m. The mast consists of four sections and weighs 170 kg. The vehicle was designed and built at the 103rd armored vehicle repair plant (BTRZ, Armored Repair Plant) in Atamanovka in Transbaikal (near Chita). Apparently, the installation of a surveillance device on the mast was not a grassroots initiative, since a similar design was installed on the T-90 Patriot exhibited in the park. The design made a rather conditional impression - the mast was clumsy, and the sensor was a portable observation device TPN-1TOD with a cooled matrix thermal imager, connected to a monitor in the fighting compartment of the tank with an optical fiber.
