L0ckAndL0ad

- "Doctor, I am being ignored by everyone!" - "Next!"

Surprisingly, there are buttons around the monitor. Yeah. Wonder how stable such platform would be crane-wise.

False. Statement. Current plan in question does not cover neither "many years" nor "outdated military hardware". What they're gonna do with BMP-2s hasn't been stated yet. So there's nothing that "means" what you've said. That's your personal projection. I don't see how that contradicts to what I've said. I didn't say anything about shutting on or off any projects. All of them (in question) are "on", including, like I've already said, preparations for mass production of the new vehicles. Scale adjustment is possible though, and I don't see anything bad here, if the numbers are relatively small. And they are. What are these words for? Do they mean something? I need a translator. Anyone? When he touches the second screen, he says "we're fine tuning the image as necessary". There's much more important thing in that moment. There's identical set of hardware controls can be seen under TC's station. Meaning that gunner's and TC's stations are interchangeable.

I think I've outlined my point pretty clear. Couple of billions to build a new fleet of vehicles over a couple of years is not a problem, regardless. They can do it if they want to. What do they actually want to do? That remains to be seen. I was expecting a year by year data, like you can find for Russian vehicles here: http://militaryrussia.ru/blog/topic-174.html But thanks anyway.

Likely, unlikely - that's speculative. The basic fact that they can get couple billions for this task is undeniable. They simply can. And it depends on their will if they're gonna do it or not. "Many years"? That's a false statement. Current plan does not cover "many years". It covers the next two. And mass production might start even before that. That's a positive trend, the way I see it. Your example with aircraft carriers doesn't fit. Technologically and workforce wise, they're already doing advanced IFVs, both for internal and export markets. They're producing modern BMD-4Ms and pimped BMP-2M's and -3M's. Infrastructure-wise, govt has already invested in preparations for new gen vehicles mass production. As a matter of fact, the question is how fast they're planning to build new vehicles. To have "strategic impact", as Steve says, they have to make them fast in large numbers. But economically, it is better to produce them in smaller numbers, but over longer period of time, so that manufacturer's always busy, and workers always have jobs and money, don't loose proficiency before the next big project arrives on the horizon. So that's another way to look at it. Last thing you need to do is to think that Russians are just so stupid they don't know what efficiency is. You keep forgetting that manufacturers are private companies that operate on an open market. Wake up. ADDED: Looking at wiki now, regarding Bradley production. Even considering inflation as of 2015 in comparison to that 2000 data, that's a really small price. Anyone's got data on how fast they were built?

Kremlin sits on people's heads and doesn't give a damn. As long as it stays that way, Putin walks into a bar can say, "We've built enough nukes, lets focus on vehicles, build me 1000 Kurganets IFVs", and they'll get on with it. And we've been over the numbers already. Their yearly budget is 70bn USD or so. To build coupla thousand new vehicles they don't have to sell Kremlin's stars or Lenin's teeth, they just have to make less nukes and subs, and here you go, you've got your spare billion for new vehicles. How many times should I point out that the price won't be that big compared to their overall military budget? Billion. Two, tops. And that's if they'd want to do it over just one year, which is unlikely to happen. Spread it over two to three years, and it's 2bn vs 210bn. Lenin's teeth are safe.

Right! Silly me, how could I forget GLATGM? Like I've already said, In today's Russia, "political will" is what drives such decisions, IMO. Funds are secondary. It won't take that much time to know, actually. They've switched to receiving smaller batches of new stuff, but with higher frequency, over the year, so the first batch will answer that question right away. Targeting? O_o Gunner uses hardware input, similar to one on BTR-82A. White thing below, he holds it with two hands. ----------

I can remind you what the current plan is. They are building 200+ BMP-3s in the following two years. Also, the next batch of Kurganets series vehicles will arrive in early 2016. Full size of pre-mass production batch is ~100. It appears that they've already started field trials of the new gen vehicles, and the trials will take a year, unlikely much more (high command insisted on shortening original plan of two years of field trials, and rightfully so, in my opinion, cuz two years is way too much). The rest is my thinking. Having current 600 + 200-300 new BMP-3s, and a hundred new IFVs (or, actually more, if we count T-15 batch) they can start mass producing new gen and get rid of BMP-1/2s, starting from mid 2017. Which leads to BMP-3s being either eventually upgraded or stored in their original form, as it happened with currently stored BMP-1/2s. Depends on how fast they'd mass produce the new stuff. This is as far as I would speculate. Looking how they went with upgrading T-72 to B3, you can clearly see they don't want to spend money on upgrades almost at all. Planned B3 upgrade and actual B3 tanks produced are two different things. They didn't do CITVs, as planned, didn't do new engine, as planned. They also didn't do Relikt instead of Kontakt-5, and even then, failed to cover vehicle with large numbers of blocks (frontal area is pretty open). Now, you think they'll go for new engines, new RCSW, new optics and electronics for a bunch of bad old thin aluminum infantry carriers? Don't see it happening.

It all depends on what they actually want, and their "political will". Given enough will, they can easily buy 1000 new IFVs and about the same number of new APCs, that's not that big of a price for their overall yearly budgets. They can do it if they really want to. The question is, what they really want. Neither of us can really answer that. If I was MoD's head, I would've sold all those BMP-3s, 2s and 1s and made a fleet of new ones. Buy less submarines, stop painting grass. In the long term, new gen vehicles are much better investment, cuz they're created with upgradeability in mind. Moreover, think about these upgrades in detail. Look at Dragoon. From BMP-3, all is left is a hull. Everything else is practically new. Engine, weapon systems, optics, electronics. It's practically a new vehicle, except the hull and gun barrels. So why put all these new engines, new electronics, new optics, in an old hull, when you can make new hulls, with newer, better alloys? Metal doesn't cost as much as equipment. From what I'm seeing, touching is just an optional extension to the usual hardware buttons. It's a Russian military vehicle, they take redundancy very seriously, even with high-tech stuff.

I see little point for Russia to modify their BMP-3s to that level. It's still BMP-3 hull protection wise, and I gave specifics of that just few pages back. Kurganets-25 should provide more protection with new alloys used, and is by default intantry-friendly, and, most importantly, upgrade-ready. It allows add-on protection out of the box, turret upgrades have already been planned and actually in-progress (R&D). Manufacturer needs stuff to export, and they can't export Kurg, so that's their current strategy. RE: Armata's screens. Look closely. These are not just touch screens, these are MFDs with touch capability. There are usual buttons on them like on usual MFDs. Dragoon can be equipped with that 57mm gun, or even 125mm one O_o

Nah, there are brackets (in the corners) for that. Solid frame seems to be dynamic, hence I get a strong deja vu with face recognition behavior. The reason why I brought it up is because since BMP-2M with Berezhok, I've heard quite a lot about target locator/tracker, but haven't yet seen it in action. So that's the explanation to what I'm seeing. Operator is filming from driver's position. Then there are 4 monitors, 2 for the gunner, 2 for the TC. Gunner's monitor UI reads out: smaller font gives many digits, probably coordinates. Bigger font says "K" = cumulative ammo, "80" - distance, "ОСН" - "main" (ie main gun). Later followed by "ГОТ" = ready to fire. Second monitor from the left shows different ammo count in the loader, by types. Initially it has 1 "K" (cumulative round), which turns into 0 after it's loaded. Overall types are "Б" (AP), "O" (HE), K (cumulative = HEAT?), "У" (Training, maybe? I dunno. Nothing else comes to mind really), "C" = coax. Commander's displays show gunner's feed and something I can't understand what it is. More from RAE-2015. BMP-3 "Dragoon" with unmanned 100+30 turret. Looks surprisingly infantry-friendly: More here: http://vestnik-rm.ru/news-4-13385.htm Inside BMP-3 "Derivaciya" (57mm unmanned). I was expecting far less space.

Armata episode teasers keep coming. Touch screens. Is that a target recognition like you have face recognition on phones and cameras? Gotta be target locator.

Here's better pic of "Derivative" BMP-3. Initially, it was said (by manufacturer's CEO) that this module will be installed on Kurganets chassis (or was it Armata IFV? Can't remember now). Either way, apparently, MoD isn't interested, and they went for pushing it for export. I kinda get why MoD isn't interested. They're following the original plan. It started with "Berezhok" turret (used on BMP-2M/BMD-2M). Lotsa same tech is used on today's version of what I call "early Epoch module", that's currently installed on Kurg-25 IFV and Armata T-15 IFV. The plan for 2020 is to upgrade it further with better stuff, particularly new autocannon. Last I heard they were going for telescopic 40mm. Why? 57mm can't do tanks, you still need ATGMs. 57mm+ ATGM launchers might be too big. So 40 is as big as it gets. ADDED: Oh. Some say that BMP-3 "Dragoon" has an unmanned turret (with the same 100mm+30mm weapons). Wonder how it's done.

TVZvezda's vids are intentionally low-res, IMO. At the same time, not everyone's got an iPhone around here. While we're at it, BMP-3 modifications from RAE-2015: BMP-3 "Derivaciya" with an unmanned 57mm AU-220M module. BMP-3 "Dragoon", with frontal 800hp engine Still thin. These are manufacturer's initiatives, not MoD's, just so you know.

https://www.thalesgroup.com/sites/default/files/asset/document/catherinefc_uk_071005.pdf https://www.thalesgroup.com/sites/default/files/asset/document/catherinexp_uk_071005.pdf

How about now?

From what I've seen, Kurg's and Boomerang's thermals are "2nd gen", while Armata's are "3rd gen". At least that's what on the descriptions. 3rd gen one looks almost identical to Catherine-XP ps: Armata episode should be out this Sunday, actually. They've messed up with schedule date

I don't really like to mass-post like this, but I know you wanted to see Armata firing for quite a while, so.. Also, Armata-based БРЭМ (armored repair & evac vehicle): ps: still no idea where this comes from, nothing on Zvezda's site in teaser section ADDED: Okay, confirmed that it comes from on-line stream. Here's the short ad video from it: http://sendvid.com/u30t7c5g

It's funny that they've just posted those teaser clips in actual 720p, and not that bad quality that the full video was posted with. So here they are, for those who wants more quality in the most important parts: What I've noticed so far. Observation monitor in crew compartment had several UI elements that weren't shown in action, but I can bet they are "4 in 1 mode", and "Turret's/Gun view feed". Should be quite useful for situational awareness. Also 30mm gun is kinda shaky when firing. I expected more stability.

Yeah, high flying 40mm HEDP grenades might turn ugly for that 18mm flat front. Anyways, next stop - September 17th, with the same show, but this time about Armata series. Maybe they'll throw in some info during RAE-2015 (Sep 9-12), but I doubt it. ADDED: Oh, well, apparently, they've started teasing Armata episode. No actual teaser vids posted that I can see, but someone took that shot with Zvezda's logo, so it must have come from the stream:

First, there's a ticket on BFC's bug tracker, submitted by Dima, quite some time ago, with pics and details. Second, this: http://btvt.narod.ru/raznoe/vbtt_1991_bmp31.htm There are at least 3 alloys used in BMP-3's armor: BT-70Sh (БТ-70Ш, steel), ABT-102 (АБТ-102, aluminum), AMG-6 (АМГ-6, also aluminum). The best one is ABT-102. 43mm of ABT-102 = 21mm of BT-70Sh, but with 25% weight advantage in favor of ABT-102. Said 43mm and 21mm respectively defeat 30mm AP-T (for 2A42) at 300 meters, at 68 degrees. Aluminum alloy is better than steel at more than 45 degrees deflection. I'll translate the relevant part: 1 - upper front hull, 18mm ABT-102 (almost flat) 2 - side front hull, 60mm ABT-102 3 - turret front, 16mm BT-70Sh + 70mm air gap + 50mm ABT-102 5, 9 - turret and hull sides - 43mm ABT-102 12 - lower front hull, 10mm BT-70Sh + 70mm air gap + 60mm ABT-102 13 - middle front hull, 10mm BT-70Sh + 70mm air gap + 12mm BT-70Sh + 60mm ABT-102 In most sources it is stated that BMP-3 is protected against 30mm AP-T at 200 meters, on the front. Note that it's 90's Soviet ammo, which isn't as good as modern stuff. ADDED: Also, there's a self-sealing fuel tank in the front, which is intended as last ditch stopping measure (# 31):

720p. Kinda. Technically. The best you'd get.

Oh well. I expected to see more. The whole show was more like a trolling of foreign intel services. They haven't said a single word about APS, but showed those top-attack clips. They showed two armor plating tests, main armor vs 12.7 and 7.62, and the smaller one that comes with floating add-on side panels vs 5.45. Considering that even BMP-3's front can withstand 30mm, these tests are nothing interesting to look at. Anyways, here's the summary. 3 crew, 7 passengers; Kurg chassis is intended for: IFV, APC, SAM/AA, REPAIR/EVAC, C3 (Command, Control, Comms); Automatic transmission gear box, 6 forward 3 backwards, backwards 20kph; Water jets like on BMP-3/BMD-4, 10kph in the water; Changeable clearance (delta 0.5m); Shares engine with Boomerang, but can be installed with Armata's engine if needed; 8 observation cameras, 360 degrees coverage; Can be fitted with Nakidka camo; Two types of side panels: 1) floats+armor plate; 2) ERA (most likely from BMP-3M, ie 2S24, 500mm RHA, 30kg per block); Anti-mine system against mines with electromagnetic fuse, like installed on tanks; Turret can rotate endlessly (no gimbal limit); Datalink, external guidance, target locator and auto tracking. Not sure if I missed anything. Gotta look at HD footage to see more details (like HUD UI, etc). Here's low-res recording, waiting for them to upload youtube version. http://telepoisk.com/peredacha-tv-archiv/586188192/6-9-2015

I don't see anything wrong with them using such clips. They're describing modern dangers to armored vehicles. I hope they'd tell us about APS. The show starts in 5 minutes (9.55 MSK), you can watch the stream here http://www.glaz.tv/online-tv/zvezda or http://tvzvezda.ru/schedule/ whichever works. Latter doesn't work for me, so I give you the alternative.

Drop down hatch is indeed a toilet seat. Not sure about the RPGs, probably 18s, but most likely all dummies. Translation? Haha, won't happen. I usually highlight the most important stuff when I post Russian material, so if I don't say anything, it's most likely not that interesting. The tubes near the roof from the previous video, for example, were a part of air filtering system (NBC protection). As per usual, Kurg is able to be operational without people getting out of it for several days. Pretty much standard feature for any combat vehicle. Oh, and let me be that Captain Obvious for you, when you see all those occasional "СЕКРЕТНО" signs (where they redacted some of the Kurg's internals, amphibious tests and driver's controls etc), that means "CLASSIFIED". ADDED: The more the better. They've announced the show about Armata vehicle series on 17th.