Russia’s Advanced T-14 Fighting in Ukraine? Can It Defeat US Abrams Tanks?

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization 

(Washington DC) Russia’s T-14 Armata tank has been the subject of much hype and speculation.

And yet, there are many unknowns related to the main battle tank’s combat performance and the effectiveness of its technologies.

With reports that the tank is now fighting in Ukraine, many are likely to wonder how it will perform against tanks used by Ukraine, anti-armor weapons, and even air attacks from drones.

Russia’s Tanks Against U.S. and Allies

Russian media reports claim the T-14 is lighter, faster, and more deployable at 55 tons, much lighter than the 70-ton U.S. Abrams.

The T-14 is also reported to be faster than most tanks with speeds up to 55mph, something that enables greater mobility in support of infantry crossing bridges, traveling through urban areas, or more narrow passageways.

The question is whether the T-14 is less survivable due to its being lighter weight than an Abrams, something that likely depends upon its armor configuration and countermeasures such as active protection systems.

How would a T-14 perform in combat against an export variant of the US Abrams? Interestingly, the effectiveness of tanks in warfare pertains heavily to the range and resolution of their thermal sights. During the famous tank battles in the Gulf War, the U.S. Abrams was able to see and destroy Iraqi T-72s at ranges where it could not be seen itself, an advantage that enabled the tank to prevail in tank-on-tank battles.