Russians Develop Solution for Abandoned Tank Problem
Russia's T-14 "Armata" Tank: High Cost and Limited Combat Performance Dismay Armed Forces
The T-14 "Armata," a next-generation main battle tank unveiled by Russia in 2015, has failed to impress the Russian military due to its high costs, mechanical and production difficulties, and disappointing real-world combat performance.
Despite its advanced features, such as an unmanned turret, armored crew capsule, and active protection systems, the tank has seen very limited deployment and has not demonstrated superiority on the battlefield. Russia has instead favoured cheaper, more proven models like the T-90M.
Key factors leading to the Russian army's disinterest include the tank's high cost and production struggles. With fewer than 20 units delivered so far, its cost and slow production rate have hindered wider adoption and deployment. Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov noted that the tank is "too valuable" for large-scale use.
There have been reports of technical problems during trials and concerns about reliability, which reduce confidence in the tank’s operational readiness. When deployed in Ukraine, the T-14 has been vulnerable to relatively low-cost, portable anti-tank weapons and guerrilla tactics, failing to live up to expectations for protection and survivability under real combat conditions.
The Russian military prefers to prioritize the T-90M, which is more affordable, widely available, and combat-tested, over the fraught T-14 program. The T-14 has become more of a propaganda symbol than a real combat unit.
Despite these issues, the T-14 "Armata" is being considered as a potential replacement for the Indian T-72 "Ajeya." The Polish military-analytical portal ZBiAM reported the offer of a license to produce the T-14 "Armata" tank by the Russians to India. The Indian side had considered the T-14 as a potential option as far back as 2015, but no concrete agreement was reached.
Given the contemporary war in Ukraine, investing in the T-14 "Armata" seems unjustified even for the Russian command. The Russian tank manufacturer "Uralvagonzavod" couldn't even sell the "Armata" to the Russian army itself. The Russian army does not want to buy the T-14 "Armata" due to its high cost and unresolved problems.
The T-14 "Armata," despite showcasing advanced technology such as an unmanned turret, armored crew capsule, and active protection systems, has been met with limited approval from the Russian military due to its high costs and unresolved technical issues.
To mitigate costs, the Russian military has leaned towards more affordable, proven models like the T-90M, eschewing the T-14 "Armata" which they find too expensive for large-scale use.
