Analysis: Is the Russian Armata Tank Really the Best?

We decided to find out.

TNI Staff [2]

T-14 armament is currently the 2A82 125-millimeter smoothbore gun, an improvement on the T-90’s 2A46M gun and according to the Russian Armed Forces [3] 17 percent more powerful than the NATO-standard Rheinmetall 120-millimeter gun. A new armor-piercing, fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) kinetic-energy antitank round called Vacuum-1 is being developed. Vacuum-1 is rumored to be able to penetrate one thousand millimeters of rolled homogenous steel armor at two kilometers. For long distance targets at ranges of up to eight kilometers, the Armata will have the 3UBK21 Sprinter anti-tank missile. The autoloader is reportedly capable of firing ten rounds per minute.

Almost all major military powers today field some sort of powerful main battle tank. But what would be considered the best of the best?

Take for example the U.S. Army’s M1 Abrams. A powerful tank that has been upgraded dramatically over the years, but can it compete with the best say Russia has to offer?

Speaking of Moscow, the T-14 sports some very interesting features, but some question if Moscow can afford to produce the new tank in numbers that would make a difference on the battlefield.

Recommended: 1,700 Planes Ready for War: Everything You Need To Know About China’s Air Force [4]

Recommended: Stealth vs. North Korea’s Air Defenses: Who Wins? [5]