Much Hyped Russian T-14 Armata Super Tank is On Attack in Ukraine

By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

Advanced, long-range thermal sights, an unmanned turret, 2,000 horsepower engine and anti-tank missiles are all key attributes of the much hyped Russian T-14 Armata tank, a reported Russian super tank operational now for many years.  Now, the Armata is “on attack” in Ukraine, yet at standoff-distances with direct fires and therefore not fighting closer-in tank-on-tank kinds of warfare. 

To say Russia needs better and more capable tanks would be somewhat of an understatement, given that they have reportedly lost more than 2,000 tanks to Ukrainian anti-armor weapons, artillery and mechanized vehicles. There seems to be little question that the Armata is superior to existing T-72s and T-90s, yet they do not seem to exist in truly impactful numbers and are reportedly fighting at “stand-off” ranges without engaging in direct combat. 

T-14 in Ukraine vs M1 Abrams

A Reuters article from April of 2023 specifically says Russia has “begun using its T-14 Armata” to fire on Ukrainian positions. However, the Reuters article was also clear to cite Russia’s RIA state news as saying that at the time the tanks have “not yet participated in direct assault operations.”

Now in July of 2023, this may have changed. Are Armata tanks directly entering combat? Why have they not so far? There are several key possibilities or reasons why, it seems, as Russia would not want its next-generation tank – likely built with many sensitive technologies – to fall into the hands of Ukrainians should it engage in close combat. There have not, as of yet, been any open-source reports or documentation of an Armata being destroyed, abandoned, or captured in Ukraine.

The arrival, or potential involvement, of the T-14, introduces several critical questions such as the size of the fleet and the effectiveness of some of its technologies. It may not be clear exactly how many T-14s Russia operates, so even if the MBTs are involved in combat, they may not exist in sufficient numbers to present a massively impactful presence. Multiple news reports say the Kremlin initially ordered several thousand T-14 Armatas to be produced several years ago, yet the arrival timeline seems to be in flux and may have been extended to 2025 or beyond. Therefore, the exact size of Russia’s T-14 force may be difficult to determine.

As for performance, the T-14 Armatas are likely to introduce protective structures, technologies, and weapons able to have a larger impact on the tanks and vehicles used by Ukraine. For example, Russian T-72s, T-80s, and T-90s, which are being destroyed by Ukrainian forces in large numbers, have reportedly been destroyed in many instances by “top-down” attacks. The top of Russian tanks may indeed be much more vulnerable to anti-armor attacks from weapons such as Javelin, Carl Gustaf, or NLAWs anti-tank missiles.