![]() ![]() ![]() Ministry of Defence stated, referring to the T-62s. “Their presence on the battlefield highlights Russia's shortage of modern, combat-ready equipment,” the U.K. Analysts speculated that the T-62s would be used to backfill training and reserve units so that more modern tanks could be sent to Ukraine to make up losses, so seeing one in Ukraine was a surprise. And it might be the Leopard 1A5’s only chance of surviving even near-misses on the Ukraine battlefield.The T-62 is not supposed to be in frontline service. That’s less protection than even a T-55 enjoys.Ī hefty application of ERA may have helped that M-55S struggle through Russian bombardment. Its armor is just 70 millimeters thick at its thickest. A Danish-Dutch-German consortium is restoring at least 135 of the four-person, 40-ton tanks for transfer to Ukraine starting later this year. The Leopard 1A5-a 1980s upgrade of a 1960s tank-is available in much greater numbers than the newer Leopard 2 is. ERA likewise could significantly improve the survivability of the tank that’s set to become Ukraine’s most numerous Western-supplied tank: the German Leopard 1A5. Kontakt ERA doesn’t quite turn a Leopard 2A4 into a Leopard 2A6, but it helps. The A4s lack the latest composite armor that protects the 21 newer Leopard 2A6s Ukraine also has received. ![]() It’s not for no reason that the Ukrainian army steadily has been rotating through workshops the 40 or so German-made Leopard 2A4 tanks Kyiv’s allies have pledged to the war effort. A thick layer of ERA-the Soviet-style Kontakt armor is a favorite in Ukraine-can double the effective protection on certain parts of, say, a T-64 or T-72 tank. The possible role Israeli-made ERA played in the M-55S’s survival reminds us why the Ukrainians are so fond of the welded-on armor blocks. Ukrainian technicians are famous for repairing even badly-damaged vehicles-and salvaging major components from those vehicles that are too far gone for economical repair.Īll that is to say, it’s too soon to add that or any M-55S to the list- 363 entries and growing-of tanks the Ukrainian armed forces totally have written off in the 17 months since Russia widened its war on Ukraine. Expect the Ukrainians to either repair the M-55S or pop off its turret and use the intact hull as the basis for an engineering vehicle or something. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |