Senior Lieutenant Andriy Rudykof the Center for the Research of Trophy and Prospective Weapons and Military Equipment of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Presented this briefing:
"TANK T-90M - FAILURE INSTEAD OF A BREAKTHROUGH"
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Presented this briefing:
"TANK T-90M - FAILURE INSTEAD OF A BREAKTHROUGH"
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The people over at 4Chan provided a summary translation, which I will drop over the next several tweets
1. Big focus on propaganda – especially “high-tech” factor
2. Even official specifications for the tank (3:40) bring the Russian claims in questions
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boards.4channel.org/k/thread/57514…
1. Big focus on propaganda – especially “high-tech” factor
2. Even official specifications for the tank (3:40) bring the Russian claims in questions
2/
boards.4channel.org/k/thread/57514…
3. T-90M is de facto an extensive modernization of T-72B obr. 1989 with some design solutions borrowed from NATO tanks (including “Nakidka”)
4. AFU got a chance to analyze a T-90M captured in September 2022
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4. AFU got a chance to analyze a T-90M captured in September 2022
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5. Basically, T-90M is the maximum of what the Russian MIC can squeeze out of the old Soviet tank designs, in some regards even exacerbating the issues in some areas
6. The engine of the tank (V-92S2F) is largely directly a direct ancestor of the V-2 (1937), that was
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6. The engine of the tank (V-92S2F) is largely directly a direct ancestor of the V-2 (1937), that was
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...on the T-34
7. In hot climates (like Ukrainian steppes in summer), the engine loses 1/3 of its power
8. Armor arrangement is very similar to what it was on T-72B
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7. In hot climates (like Ukrainian steppes in summer), the engine loses 1/3 of its power
8. Armor arrangement is very similar to what it was on T-72B
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9. The only design decision Russians took to improve the armored protection of the tank, was to bolt the add-on armor. This decreased mobility of the tank in real world scenarios
10. First T-90M was destroyed by a guy from Kharkiv TDF wielding Karl Gustaf
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10. First T-90M was destroyed by a guy from Kharkiv TDF wielding Karl Gustaf
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11. Research uncovered big shortcoming in tank electronics
12. “Kalina” FCS doesn’t have Russian components except for markings
13. Commercial-grade electronics in tanks, procured in dubious ways
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12. “Kalina” FCS doesn’t have Russian components except for markings
13. Commercial-grade electronics in tanks, procured in dubious ways
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14. T-90M can’t be produced at any large scale without the imported electronics. Without them, it becomes a somewhat worse T-72B
15. 15 T-90M's have been visually confirmed lost to date (probably the Oryx number). Real loses are likely to be substantially higher
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15. 15 T-90M's have been visually confirmed lost to date (probably the Oryx number). Real loses are likely to be substantially higher
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16. Almost no T-90M are to be seen in the in the frontline area at the moment.
17. The T-90 “Vladimir” might have been called this way to mimic the precedent set by “IS” series of tanks, named after Stalin
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17. The T-90 “Vladimir” might have been called this way to mimic the precedent set by “IS” series of tanks, named after Stalin
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There is a long series of questions and answers at the 4Chan thread which are too long for the Twitter platform.
I'm going to pull a couple that stand out for me as a retired DCMA Quality auditor and WW2 historian.
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I'm going to pull a couple that stand out for me as a retired DCMA Quality auditor and WW2 historian.
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1st this:
>How well do T-90M’s intercom systems work?
"We discovered they often doesn’t work. For the longest time, we didn’t quite understand why do Russians have communication problems when in use. During testing we learned that it’s afraid of moisture, as it’s not
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>How well do T-90M’s intercom systems work?
"We discovered they often doesn’t work. For the longest time, we didn’t quite understand why do Russians have communication problems when in use. During testing we learned that it’s afraid of moisture, as it’s not
11/
...hermetically sealed. There are big temperature drops inside the tank. The moisture condenses on electronics resulting in all sorts of problems. Even the new ones look like they’ve been in use since the 70’s."
Professional comment - Issues with moisture screwing up
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Professional comment - Issues with moisture screwing up
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...electronics are as old as electronics.
My first exposure to this was in the early 1990's as commercial off the shelf computers were getting used by the US military in places like Central America and Saudi Arabia and simply dying.
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My first exposure to this was in the early 1990's as commercial off the shelf computers were getting used by the US military in places like Central America and Saudi Arabia and simply dying.
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The high humidity/high heat & cold nights of the Arabian desert created condensation with the dust that ate USMC 286 processor COTS computers while the US Army mil-spec lap tops worked just fine.
And later in the same era the US Military specified different materials for...
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And later in the same era the US Military specified different materials for...
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...printed circuit boards because there were tropical microorganisms that simply consumed the PCB's in the US Army's mil-spec lap tops.
Decades later, when I started the Section 22 research, I ran into the fact US SCR-602 radars died in the SWPA for those moisture reasons
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Decades later, when I started the Section 22 research, I ran into the fact US SCR-602 radars died in the SWPA for those moisture reasons
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...while the Australian light weight air warning (LW/AW), which was built with a heater useful with vacuum tube electronics, just "kept on keeping on" in the triple canopy jungle tropics that was New Guinea.
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The Ukrainian analysis of the intercom also has me wondering if no one has taken any of the old Soviet tanks the US has captured over the years into the heat and moisture stress facilities used to test new development American AFV's.
Because this is the 1st time I've heard
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Because this is the 1st time I've heard
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...of this Russian Tank intercom moisture-failure issue.
Perhaps it's just a T-90M problem?
And in some ways the T-90 appears worse than earlier T-72's for which see the next Q&A from 4chan.
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Perhaps it's just a T-90M problem?
And in some ways the T-90 appears worse than earlier T-72's for which see the next Q&A from 4chan.
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>The open sources claim that the T-90M was supposed to have new autoloader & turret ammo bustle. Were they implemented?
"The autoloader is largely identical to the one on the T-72. 22 rounds in the carousel and 18 additional rounds in the turret bustle. BUT THE BUSTLE ISN’T
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"The autoloader is largely identical to the one on the T-72. 22 rounds in the carousel and 18 additional rounds in the turret bustle. BUT THE BUSTLE ISN’T
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...CONNECTED TO THE CREW COMPARTMENT. A CREWMAN HAS TO PHYSICALLY GET OUT OF THE TANK TO PASS THE AMMUNITION INSIDE (translator’s note: LMAO). This is unrealistic to do during battle, de facto forcing the tank to retreat to reload the carousel. There are also concerns about
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...the autoloader reliability, considering it’s an old design with minimal changes."
The whole 4Chan thread at the link I posted up thread is worth reading.
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The whole 4Chan thread at the link I posted up thread is worth reading.
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The BLUF is the T-90 is a minimally upgraded T-72 with COTS electronics and whatever reactive/dynamic armor design that is available.
AFU sees the T-90 as "just another Soviet tank," built in artisanal quantities, that 3rd generation Western MBT's with handily defeat.
22/22 End
AFU sees the T-90 as "just another Soviet tank," built in artisanal quantities, that 3rd generation Western MBT's with handily defeat.
22/22 End
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