[Typhoon]

Very exciting news that popped up a day or two back;

"The work on the project has been conducted for many years. If the government gives us a 'green light' we will exhibit the tank at the [Russian Expo Arms 2010] arms show in Nizhny Tagil this summer," general director of the Uralvagonzavod plant Oleg Siyenko told RIA Novosti in an exclusive interview.

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100326/158314386.html

If they get the green light (come on Putin sell sell sell, India is still cold on Arjun) it will be fantastic, this has been one of the collection of unknown projects that has been teasing defence enthusiasts for years. So far 2010 is working up to be a bumper year as to date we have had; PAK-FA - Check, Project 885 Ash SSN - May, T-95 - July?

The image below is really all we know about what is suggested as the first of a new generation of tank so far; but a new +125 mm calibre and a seperate crew and fighting comparment is rumoured...

[Cookie Monster]

Aren't many of these projects revived Soviet projects?

[Typhoon]

Aren't many of these projects revived Soviet projects?

Yes very much so, the financial collapse of the 1990's had resulted in many projects (especially the three above) languishing in limbo, the first Project 885 for example started construction in 1992. With the level of funding having recovered over the last 5-10 years and a stronger political will guiding procurement these projects are now coming to fruition, with Severodvinsk entering the water eighteen years after she was laid down!

Saying this however the final product of each project will probably be different from what was established when the Soviet Union fell, the Russian MIC was kept ticking over thanks to export sales. Many of the modern advancements made during this period (especially in electronics) will likely find their way into these older projects, an example being the notable differences in electronic warfare and communications suites between the Project 1154 Neustrashimy (launched in 1993) and the Yaroslav Mudryy (launched in 2009).

Will be interesting to see these projects when they appear this year as compared to what we knew about them ten years ago.

[NYYS]

Wow, I remember following this years and years and years ago. With this and the PAK-FA we're finally getting to see something.

[Typhoon]

I just hope the Russian goverment gives the ok, bad things have happened before...

[Oxymoron]

To use it against whom? The Chechens or Georgians?

[Igor Antunov]

The Poles.

[Typhoon]

To use it against whom?

NATO and the Chinease mostly; Russia is hoping that by being the first to adopt a new generation of tanks it can gain a qualitative advantage over these numerically superior threats. Considering reform of the Russian army will cut armour by up to three quarters the T-95 has a lot of hopes riding on it.

[Oxymoron]

NATO? How is NATO a threat to Russia?

I dont think the concept of M.A.D is gone.

I dont think Russia is at risk of conventional war.

[Typhoon]

I dont think Russia is at risk of conventional war.

Thats true the risk of war with NATO and China is very low but military planning is a case of prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Its only these big threats that would warrent spending on such a thing as the T-95, since Georgia and Chechnya can be kept in line with even obsolete T-55's.

[Cookie Monster]

The tanks aren't build for just utilitarian purposes. It is also done to keep the defence industry alive by developing new products that keeps it competitive with other producers.

[Typhoon]

It is also done to keep the defence industry alive by developing new products that keeps it competitive with other producers.

Certainly and not to mention a boost to exports as well, India will be more likely to consider the T-95 if its inducted into the Russian army in addition to being offered for export.

[politburo player]

Like most post-Soviet Russian concepts, this tank will no doubt enter limited production and barely shake the balance of power.

[Igor Antunov]

It will by 2025, which is when the T-90 will be due for total replacement. What has delayed the T-95 is not funding, but the large export volume of the T-90, factories were too busy producing the T-90 for export to begin retooling for T-95 mass production...until now.

135mm gun or 152mm gun

Jesus Christ, those are hefty guns.

[Thunderhawk]

152mm ?

Is it supposed to fire HE rounds?
Is the new generation of anti tank shell consisting of brute KE due to large mass ? (as opposed to lighter high speed shots)

[Typhoon]

Is it supposed to fire HE rounds?

Unfortuntely we dont really know anything about the new cannon, but the bigger calibre would provide many advantages as mentioned. Not least in that it would allow the warhead size of any guided round to be increased, moving to 152 mm would allow the T-95's to keep up with shaped charge development. The current standard for shaped charge diameter (related to armour penetration) is ca. 150 mm today, a lot more than the 125 mm rounds like Invar (see below) currently carried.

[youtube]j0BJL8npRRI[/youtube]

Though with these advantages Russia is not the only nation going down this road with a 140 mm gun system being developed in Europe and trailed on the Leopard 2, China is also believed to be working on such a system.

[xoplytnyk]

NATO? How is NATO a threat to Russia?

Cmon. It's very existence is a threat since it's stated purpose was gone when the Soviet Union dissolved. Now instead of defending Europe from communism, it is in occupied Afghanistan and who knows where else.

[Typhoon]

The Russians should buy the Leclerc tank. In fact they should just buy everything off the French. The rafale looks nice.

Well the thermal imager at least will be of French design as Russia has imported Thales Catherine technology for the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant and there seems to be a crisis of confidence in the Russian defence ministry at the moment so quite a few needless imports seem to be sneaking in, like the Minstral's, whos mad idea was that...

If Russia did select Rafale over the PAK-FA and Su/MiG-35's then I would hope to see Serdyukov and Popovkin in front of the firing squad, especially after this recent (been in denial) bit of bad news:

On April 5 the Russian government discussed the program for the development of the national defense industry for 2011-2020. The Prime Minister Vladimir Putin appealed to the military to define what weapons they really need and for what tasks. He stated that 40% of defense R&D programs don’t result in anything representing just a waste of resources.

The military was quick to respond. Two days later deputy defense minister and chief of armaments Vladimir Popovkin announced that a number of programs for development of new armor and artillery weapons will be cancelled. The main victim is the mysterious Object 195 program that was aimed to develop a new generation main battle tank to replace existing T-80 and T-90 tanks in the Russian Army. The new tank also dubbed T-95 has been developed by Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod armor manufacturer in complete secrecy for more than 15 years. Popovkin said the military will focus on modernization of the T-90 instead.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... 8de47fbf49

So yep no more T-95 or Coalition-SV ho hum...perhaps they are going for the upgrade :.)

[Igor Antunov]

It's only a tank, but lame nonetheless.

[Thunderhawk]

^ 2s19 photoshopped.