Russia's showpiece tanks: Parade stars, battlefield ghosts
The parade marking the capitulation of the Third Reich serves as an opportunity for Moscow to display strength and showcase military equipment. The weapons displayed on 9 May are not always suitable for combat.
For decades, the Soviet Union used the 9 May anniversary to display its most advanced military equipment. During the USSR era, public presentations sometimes occurred many years after specific weapon models were introduced into service.
In Russia's case, it can be quite the opposite: while we see impressive new-generation combat vehicles at parades, the older models, developed during the Soviet era, are deployed on the front lines. Despite its age, this older equipment remains suitable for combat, unlike some of Russia's technological innovations.
Probably the most notable false start concerning the premature presentation of combat equipment was the family of vehicles utilising the Armata tracked platform.
T-14 Armata: the tank not fit for combat
The first representative, officially unveiled on 9 May 2015 (a prototype was shown earlier, in 2013, at a static exhibition), was the T-14 Armata tank. During public rehearsals for the parade, one of the new tanks slowed down, stopped, and refused to move despite the engine functioning.
The announcer claimed it was a planned stop, but the recovery vehicle sent to assist was unable to move the broken tank due to the T-14's greater weight than older tanks.
Although T-14 tanks continued to appear in various parades in subsequent years and, according to unofficial reports, a few units may have been tested in Ukraine, the development of this tank is best summarised by the words of former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who openly stated that the T-14 is not suitable for combat. Sergey Chemezov, head of the Rostec corporation, echoed this opinion.
It is worth noting that 10 years have passed since the T-14's presentation. During this time, the tank has not become, as Moscow promised, the backbone of Russian armoured forces. It remains unclear whether the order for 100 units has been fulfilled and if issues with the intended propulsion, the 12tw373 engine, have been resolved.
What is known is that the manufacturer of the T-14, Uralvagonzavod, no longer boasts of the T-14 and is instead announcing the development of an even newer and more innovative tank.
Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicle T-15
Alongside the T-14 Armata, the Russians display the T-15 combat vehicle at parades. This is another groundbreaking design – a heavily armed and armoured heavy infantry fighting vehicle built on the Armata chassis, significantly different from the long-developed BMP family of vehicles.
Over time, the T-15 was joined by a fuel transport vehicle based on its chassis and the T-16 Brem recovery vehicle. The latter was designed as a heavy, well-armoured recovery vehicle, tasked with towing damaged tanks from the battlefield. An interesting feature of the Russian vehicle is a small compartment where the crew of the disabled tank can take shelter.
The Armata chassis was also intended to be the base for the Koalitsiya-SW self-propelled howitzer and the Terminator heavy tank support vehicle. In the first case, the howitzer was developed, but on a chassis based on T-72 and T-90 designs. The Terminator combat vehicles, although their technical data appeared impressive, proved to be a dead-end in the evolution of armoured weaponry.
Although these vehicles are visually impressive, none have progressed to the stage of mass production despite the passage of time. The lack of interest from the army may also be due to the cost of the new equipment, likely significantly higher than the armoured vehicles used to date.
Medium tracked platform Kurganets
Russia has also unveiled lighter combat vehicles built on the Kurganets platform – incorporating Armata platform solutions but much lighter. Conceptually, Kurganets is similar to the Polish Borsuk – aiming to combine a high level of protection with the ability to swim and is equipped with an unmanned turret featuring optoelectronics and armament.
Along with the Kurganets infantry fighting vehicle, it was intended to serve as a base for numerous specialised vehicles, including reconnaissance, command, self-propelled artillery, and anti-aircraft units. The modern chassis was supposed to replace the BMP family of vehicles and the widely used MT-LB platform in the Russian army.
This has not happened. The touted vehicles – despite repeated declarations – have not only failed to reach mass production but have also, aside from the infantry fighting vehicle, not become working prototypes capable of participating in military parades.
K-17 Boomerang armoured personnel carrier
The Boomerang wheeled armoured personnel carrier remains a parade item for Putin. The eight-wheeled carrier was designed in the style of Western vehicles with similar characteristics and purposes, such as the Rosomak, VBCI, Boxer, or Piranha.
Boomerang was meant to become the successor to the BTR family of carriers, introducing a new standard with its modern chassis and new turret. However, despite the passing years, this transition has not occurred.
The pride of Russian military parades has not been ordered for mass production, and on the front in Ukraine, the less heavily armoured BTR-82, an evolutionary development of the BTR-70 carrier designed over 50 years ago, is being destroyed by the hundreds.
