The German Army Leopard 2A6 MBT manufactured by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann is armed with a 120 mm L55 smoothbore gun, for which Rheinmetall supplies a complete set of ammunition

Recent developments in the firepower of armored fighting vehicles have largely focused on ammunition rather than the guns themselves. However, new technologies for increasing survivability are forcing a number of countries to develop new tank guns that will have increased firepower. Let's look at some of the existing programs.

The main task of the main battle tank (MBT) is to fire at enemy armored fighting vehicles (AFVs), but a secondary task also remains - providing fire support to dismounted and motorized infantry, which, in fact, has prevailed recently.

Recent and ongoing military operations have brought this secondary objective to the forefront, leading to the development and deployment of more specialized munitions. Meanwhile, the advent of improved tank protection systems has led a number of countries, including Germany and Russia, to develop larger caliber tank guns that are made of stronger steel and that can fire new-generation kinetic munitions at higher muzzle velocities.

Traditionally, the main ammunition for MBTs has been an armor-piercing finned sabot (APS) projectile, which may also have a tracer element. It is used to neutralize other MBTs and has a long, hardened core for maximum impact on the target. It can be made from traditional material or depleted uranium, the latter being preferred by tank operators in the UK and United States.

However, the United States is moving away from shells with depleted uranium, since they cannot be used in combat training, but at the same time they can become a possible source of radioactive contamination of the battlefield.

Other popular projectiles are high-explosive fragmentation (HE), anti-tank cumulative and armor-piercing high-explosive projectile with HESH (high-explosive squash-head, in the USA designated high-explosive plastic).

The Russian military has always used the HE as an additional type and has now given this role to the air blast projectile, which makes it very good at fighting entrenched and dismounted infantry.

In addition to the development of new cores and new propellants to increase muzzle velocity, there has also been a trend to develop projectiles that are compatible with the low sensitivity ammunition standard and can also be used over a wider temperature range.

In addition to traditional ammunition, laser-guided projectiles continue to be developed, making it possible to hit targets far beyond the firing range of conventional tank guns.

At long ranges, however, target recognition becomes problematic and more time is required to neutralize them compared to tank guns and shells with initial velocities of more than 1400 m/s.

Chinese evolution

The development of Chinese industry proceeded sequentially from the creation of local variants of mainly Russian armored vehicles to the development of its own weapons systems and types of ammunition.

A locally produced version of the Russian 100 mm D-10 rifled gun is mounted on the Type 59 MBT manufactured by North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), based on the T-54. In addition, the Chinese industry produces a 105-mm rifled gun and related ammunition based on Western models. This gun was installed on the MBT Tour 59, replacing the previous gun, and is also installed on other Chinese tanks, including the Tour 69 and Tour 80.

Later, a 125-mm smoothbore gun was developed, for which shells are fed by an automatic loader installed under the turret, similar to the automatic loaders installed on Russian MBTs. This gun is installed on the Chinese MVT-3000 (also designated VT4), Toure 98/99, MVT-2000, VT2 and Toure 85.

The Chinese-developed 120-mm smoothbore gun is installed on the PTZ89 (Ture 89) self-propelled anti-tank gun, which has never been offered for export.

NORINCO also developed a modernization kit for the Toure 59 tank, which included a 120 mm smoothbore gun, which is no longer offered by the company; In addition, there is no information whether it was sold abroad.

The gun fires BOPS with an initial speed of 1600 m/s, which, according to the manufacturer, can penetrate 550 mm of rolled armor at a distance of 1500 meters. The next version of the BOPS has a higher initial speed of 1725 m/s and improved armor penetration characteristics.

A 105-mm rifled gun with low recoil forces was also developed for light tracked and wheeled armored fighting vehicles; it has a new recoil system and muzzle brake.


Chinese MVT3000 (VT4) MBT, armed with a 125 mm smoothbore gun with automatic loader, is offered on the export market

The gun is installed on the ZTD-05 artillery mount, based on the ZBD-05 landing vehicle, as well as on the ST1 8x8 wheeled anti-tank mount, which NORINCO offers for export.

NORINCO also offers the 125mm laser-guided projectile GP7 and its 105mm variant GP2; both have a maximum range of 5,000 meters and are equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead to neutralize targets with dynamic protection.

Germany in charge

In Western Europe, Germany is the leader in MBT ammunition and the German company Rheinmetall plans to expand its offer of existing guns and ammunition, as well as introduce new types.

The German Army's Leopard 2A5 MBT is armed with a 120mm Rheinmetall L44 smoothbore gun, for which there are two main types of ammunition: conventional-core BOPS and the universal HEAT-MR.

Rheinmetall pays great attention to improving BOPS and its latest model BOPS DM63/DM63A1 has increased armor penetration and, like all its ammunition of this type, has a core not made of depleted uranium, but a traditional tungsten one.

In addition to the Leopard 2 tank, the L44 cannon from Rheinmetall is also installed on the American M1A1/M1A2 Abrams tanks produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, although this version differs in a number of modifications, for example, it has a bolt mechanism of a different design. The American version, designated M256, is manufactured at the Watervliet Arsenal plant.

Meanwhile, the L55 tank gun, also developed by Rheinmetall, began to be installed on German army tanks Leopard 2A6 and 2A7 (and soon on 2A8); it was developed to replace the L44 cannon and has a greater range when firing BOPS. The gun and its ammunition have good potential but, ultimately, have exhausted the possibilities for further improvement.


On its own initiative, Rheinmetall developed a new 130-mm smoothbore gun, which was first shown in June 2016 along with mock-ups of its new 130-mm BOPS


The American Army tank M1A1/M1A2 Abrams is armed with a 120 mm M2S6 smoothbore gun, which is a further development of the German 120 mm L44 gun

According to the company, it is developing a 130-mm smoothbore gun and corresponding BOPS, which were shown at the Eurosatory exhibition in June 2016. The company is currently conducting firing tests of the system.

The development of the gun began in 2015, and the company carried out this project with its own funds. The first demonstration model of the gun was manufactured in May 2016.

The new 130-mm smoothbore gun received the designation L51 (barrel length 51 calibers), it has a vertically sliding bolt mechanism, a larger chamber and a chrome coating, but does not have a muzzle brake.

Little is known about this gun, but the company claims a total mass of 3000 kg, which includes the mass of the recoil system, while the mass of one barrel is 1400 kg.

The specimen presented at the Eurosatory exhibition was equipped with a thermal casing and a system for aligning the gun axis with the optical axis of the sight, which were also installed on the gun undergoing firing tests. The system for aligning the gun axis with the optical axis of the sight allows for weapon alignment to be carried out regularly without the need for the crew to exit the vehicle.

The new generation BOPS will have a semi-combustible sleeve, it is equipped with a new propellant and a new, improved long tungsten core. It should be followed by a new high-explosive air-burst fragmentation projectile, NOT AVM, which will have a programmable fuse.

For the NOT AVM projectile, technology is borrowed from the 120-mm OM11 projectile, which is currently being manufactured for the L44 and L55 guns.

BOPS and NOT AVM projectiles will be insensitive, since such a requirement is being put forward by an increasing number of customers; all that will remain after the shooting is a half-burnt cartridge case.

Rheinmetall is positioning the new gun and ammunition as a possible weapon for future MBTs or artillery installations and, in principle, it could be included in the modernization of existing MBTs.

Along with installation in traditional three-man turrets, the weapon system can be integrated into two-man turrets (with a gunner-operator and commander), equipped with an automatic loader, which makes them more compact.

Another possible application is installation in remotely controlled turrets with a cannon mounted externally and with shells fed from an automatic loader, which allows the crew to be placed under the protection of the hull.

For lighter platforms, Rheinmetall also developed a prototype of the 120 mm Rh120 L47 tank gun with a new recoil system (with low recoil forces), a thermal casing, a powder gas ejector and an alignment system (cold zeroing). The prototype can fire all standard 120mm tank ammunition manufactured by Rheinmetall.

Previously, Rheinmetall developed prototypes of 105 mm smoothbore guns, giving them the designation Rh-105-20 from Rh-105-30. They are designed for installation on lighter platforms, and a family of corresponding high-performance 105mm ammunition has been developed. The designs of both guns differ in the vertical bolt mechanism, and the Rh-105-20 version has a muzzle brake; until the production of these guns began.

In addition to Germany, several other countries are developing weapons systems for MBTs in Western Europe. The French MBT, manufactured by Nexter Systems Leclerc, is in service with the French army and the United Arab Emirates, armed with a 120 mm F1 smoothbore gun, also manufactured by Nexter Systems. Initially, the gun's ammunition included a BOPS and a NEAT-MR cumulative fragmentation projectile; later a BOPS version APFSDS F1B was developed for it, with an initial speed of 1790 m/s.

The French Army recently received a HE projectile produced by Nexter Munitions with a muzzle velocity of 1050 m/s and a stated range of 4000 m. This should be followed by a low-sensitivity 120 mm M3M HE projectile with a three-mode fuse, which is programmed as impact, delayed and airborne. detonation

Nexter Systems was also working on a 120 mm LRF recoilless rifle, which was tested on the 8x8 prototype platform, but has not yet begun production.

Italian options

For many years, the Oto Melara company (currently part of the Leonardo holding) has been producing 105 mm rifled and 120 mm smoothbore tank guns. It also developed recoilless 105-mm rifled guns, which were installed on the Centauro 8x8 Mobile Gun System (MGS), currently in service with Italy, Spain and Jordan.

Later, a 120 mm/45 klb smoothbore gun with high pressure in the barrel was developed, which was installed on the Centauro II MGS self-propelled gun. The gun, capable of firing all standard 120 mm ammunition, is equipped with a muzzle brake, thermal casing, powder gas ejector and gun alignment system. A 120mm L52 LRF variant with a 52-caliber barrel could be an alternative that would allow for increased range when firing armor-piercing shells.

The Belgian company CMI Defense has found its niche in the field of armament of combat vehicles and, along with a line of turrets, produces two 90-mm rifled guns - Mk 8 and Mk 3, as well as a 105-mm CV rifled gun.

The Mk 8 cannon is installed in a two-man turret LCTS 90MP (Medium Pressure), and the Mk 3 cannon is installed in a two-man turret CSE 90LP (Low Pressure).

The 105 mm CV gun was initially installed in a two-man CT-CV turret with an automatic loader at the rear of the turret, which allowed the crew in the turret to be reduced to a commander and gunner. The development of the CTCV turret has been completed, but it is known that contracts for its mass production have not yet been concluded.

One possible application for the 105 mm CV gun is the 3000 Modular Turret System from CMI Defense Cockerill, which is being produced for an unnamed foreign customer (Saudi Arabia, it is clear), and will apparently be installed on a number of the latest light armored vehicles. LAV 8x8 vehicles manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada.

In addition to firing standard ammunition, the CV gun successfully fired a Falarick anti-tank guided missile. This projectile was developed by the company together with Ukrainian industry and allows you to fire at targets at a distance of 5000 meters.

The projectile is equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead, which copes well with targets with dynamic protection. To ensure that the target is hit, the gunner must keep it in the crosshairs until the missile reaches the target.

CMI Defense also received technical documentation and sales rights for the 120 mm Compact Tank Gun (CTG) developed by RUAG Defense, which was originally intended to modernize the Swiss Pz 68 MBT, which, however, was ultimately taken out of service.

For testing, the CTG smoothbore gun was installed in the Falcon 2 turret developed by the Jordanian King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) and on the Al Hussein MBT (former British Army Challenger 1 tank), but this work did not go beyond initial firing tests.

This gun is being demonstrated as one of the contenders for the CMI Defense XC-8 two-man turret, the other contender being the 105mm CV rifled gun. A mock-up of the XC-8 turret was shown on the South Korean K21 infantry fighting vehicle, which is standardly equipped with a two-man turret armed with a 40 mm cannon and a coaxial machine gun.

Israeli weapons

Israeli industry is working to increase firepower by improving ammunition for the Israeli army's MBTs.

The locally developed Merkava Mk 1 and Mk 2 tanks, now withdrawn from service, were armed with a 105 mm rifled gun manufactured by the Israeli company IMI, while the newer Merkava Mk 3 and Mk 4 variants are armed with 120 mm smoothbore guns MG251 and MG253 respectively. also produced by IMI, the latter is based on the Turkish M60T Sabra platforms.

In addition to the development of new generations of BOPS, IMI is paying close attention to the development and production of 120 mm tank projectiles optimized for urban combat, including an anti-personnel projectile.

IMI has also developed 105mm and 120mm low recoil smoothbore guns, but it is not known whether their production has begun or whether they will be offered to foreign customers.


Desert Piranha manufactured by General Dynamics European Land Systems - MOWAG with a CMI Defense Cockerill 3105 turret installed, armed with a 105 mm 105 ST rifled gun

Russian expansion

Russia generally equips its tanks with guns of larger calibers than the guns of NATO tanks. The T-72, T-80, T-90 tanks and the latest T-14 Armata MBT are armed with 125-mm smoothbore guns developed by Plant No. 9. They can fire guided projectiles as well as all traditional ammunition.

In the field of guided projectiles, at first the emphasis was placed on a complex with radio command guidance, which received the name Cobra (complex index 9K112), but later the Russian military “put on” laser-guided ammunition, which was manufactured in three calibers: 100 mm, 115 mm and 125 mm . For the BMP-3 and the T-12 towed anti-tank gun, a 100-mm projectile was intended, and for the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun, a 125-mm projectile was intended.
The latest 125mm laser-guided projectiles have a maximum range of 5,000 meters and are equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead.

For the now defunct project on the promising 4th generation MBT T-95 (the topic was closed in 2010 in favor of the Armata project), Plant No. 9 (part of Uralvagonzavod) developed and tested a 152-mm gun, designated 2A83 . There were rumors that it could be installed in future versions of the T-14 Armata MBT, although the prototypes and the first 100 production vehicles will have a 125 mm 2A82-1M smoothbore gun. The new laser-guided projectile for the 2A82-1M gun received the designation “Sprinter” (guided missile projectile index ZUBK21).

For its BM Oplot tank, the Ukrainian industry produces a 125-mm KBA-3 smoothbore gun, which, like the Russian one of this caliber, also fires separate-loading ammunition.

In addition, since Russian-made laser-guided projectiles are no longer available, the Ukrainian state-owned Luch Design Bureau has developed its own family of such ammunition. The 125mm variant, called "Kombat", has a stated maximum range of 5,000 meters and is equipped with a tandem HEAT warhead.


Turkish Altay MBT is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore gun

American affairs

The main BOPS of the American M1A1/M1A2 tanks, which are in service with the Army and Marine Corps, is the M829 armor-piercing projectile with a tracer, which, in order to increase armor penetration, is equipped with a depleted uranium core. The projectile was constantly being refined, the length of the cores grew, and the armor penetration characteristics improved; its latest version is designated M829A4.

Few details are known about the improvements to the M829A4 projectile, but some sources report that it has a longer core compared to previous versions. The M829A4 projectile uses an improved cartridge case, as well as a temperature-independent propellant charge.

Ammunition for the 120 mm M256 smoothbore gun is manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and Orbital ATK Armament Systems, and for foreign buyers they offer BOPS with a non-depleted uranium core.

The 120-mm universal cumulative fragmentation projectile goes under the designation M830A1; among other special projectiles, the 120-mm anti-personnel cluster projectile M1028 should be mentioned.
Although the Army and Marine Corps Abrams tanks are equipped with the same M256 smoothbore gun manufactured by Watervliet Arsenal, which is based on the German L44 gun developed by Rheinmetall, they use different shells.

The infantry purchased the DM11 120mm HE projectile from Rheinmetall, while the Army began a development program for a similar projectile, designated XM1147 AMP (Advanced Multi-Purpose - Advanced Universal), which is being carried out by two development teams at once.

It was expected that M1A1/M1A2 MBTs would be replaced by one of the components of the FCS (Future Combat System) - Mounted Combat System program, which was closed in 2009. This system would be armed with the new 120 mm XM360 smoothbore gun manufactured by Watervliet Arsenal.

The number of NATO contractors currently able to design, develop and manufacture a tank gun and associated ammunition packages has decreased over the past few years.

The development of tank guns in Europe has effectively stopped, and time will tell whether the development and production of the Russian T-14 Armata tank will push global manufacturers to new developments beyond the recently introduced 130 mm smoothbore gun by Rheinmetall.

Materials used:
www.rheinmetall.com
www.kmweg.com
www.norinco.com
www.nexter-group.fr
www.leonardocompany.com
www.cmigroupe.com
www.imi-israel.com
www.uvz.ru
www.zavod9.com
www.luch.kiev.ua
www.gd-ots.com
www.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org

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The military-technical exhibition of domestic types of weapons "Army-2018" has already presented many surprises: here are new contracts for fifth-generation fighters Su-57, and a demonstration of the new "Solntsepek", and the exoskeleton of a soldier of the Russian Armed Forces of the future was presented. It is not surprising that a new modification of the Russian Armata tank, with a weapon with increased armor-piercing power, became known precisely during this significant event for our military industry.

According to representatives of Uralvagonzavod, the enterprise that produces tanks of this class, the next model of this vehicle will be equipped with a 152-caliber gun, while modern Armatas fire from a 125-mm gun. At the same time, UVZ has the technical base and ballistic developments for the development of a new version of the main armored vehicle of the tank forces of the Russian Federation. According to the press service of the enterprise, to begin work, you only need the order of the customer, i.e. Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Basically, when changing the gun, the Armata will not change much. The dimensions of the tank will not undergo significant changes, perhaps only horsepower will be added to this engine to compensate for the slight increase in weight of this military vehicle. However, the firepower of the tank will increase by an order of magnitude: with a gun of this caliber, our tank forces will become the deadliest among all armies in the world.

At the moment, the latest T-14 Armata armored vehicles with 125-caliber guns have already begun to enter service with the Russian Armed Forces. Now one hundred units of such equipment have already been transferred to the Russian armored forces. But you can never stop there. So, as soon as the Russian Ministry of Defense’s consent in principle to develop a new model of the Armata is received, Uralvagonzavod specialists will immediately begin work on the tank of the future, with a 152-mm cannon with increased armor-piercing power.

Firepower

Speed ​​aside, the Me 262's powerful armament was its main asset. But even four thirty-millimeter guns seemed insufficient to German designers. It was decided to further increase the aircraft's firepower.

The first modification was the installation on the Schwalb of two MG 151/20 cannons of 20 mm caliber with 146 rounds of ammunition per barrel, two MK 108 cannons of 30 mm caliber with 66 rounds of ammunition per barrel, as well as two MK 103 cannons of the same caliber with 72 rounds of ammunition on the trunk. This variant was designated Me 262 A-1a/Ul. The guns were placed in pairs, one above the other. Above all were the MG 151/20, and below them was the MK 108. One such aircraft was built (although some sources report that there were three, and others that only a mock-up of the weapons compartment was made), but in the end this version did not go into production.

Further attempts to enhance the Schwalbe fire led to the appearance of the Me 262 A-1a/U4 variant, colloquially called the Pulkzerstorer. At the end of 1944, a proposal arose to arm the aircraft with a Rheinmetall VK 5 50 mm cannon. However, this weapon ultimately did not appear on the Me 262. Another gun of the same caliber, the MK 214 from Mauser, attracted attention. At the end of February 1945, the W.Nr.111899 vehicle was converted as a prototype of a new version. The MK 214A cannon was installed in the nose of the fuselage and the barrel protruded forward almost two meters. Its dimensions led to the need to redesign the front landing gear, which was now retracted into a niche with a rotation of 90? in such a way that the wheel lay there horizontally. The plane was tested by pilots Messerschmitt, Hoffmann, Baur and Lindner, as well as front-line pilot Major Herget. Flights in Lechfeld took place in March-April 1945. Most sources claim that despite the significant change in silhouette, the characteristics of the machine remained almost unchanged; for example, the top speed was still 845 km/h. However, taking into account the dimensions of the gun, this seems unlikely. Test firing was carried out at a ground target 32 ​​m wide, which corresponded to the wingspan of a four-engine bomber. The fire opened from a distance of 1200–1500 m. It turned out that the shooting accuracy was very high. Of the 30 shells fired, between 25 and 27 hit the target, while just a few hits were enough to destroy any enemy aircraft. It should, however, be taken into account that the target was stationary. The theoretical rate of fire of the MK 214A was 75 rounds per minute, but after the first shots the pilot could no longer see the target, blinded by the muzzle flash. The end of the war interrupted testing of the Pulkzerstorer. The second vehicle equipped with MK 214A was W.Nr. 170083. Only the installation of the MK 114 cannon of 55 mm caliber, as well as the Mauser MK 213 revolving guns of 20 mm caliber, with a rate of fire of 1100 rounds per minute and an initial projectile speed of 1075 m/s, remained in the project. As for the MK 213, it is possible that one Me 262 A-1a was equipped with them.

Aircraft of “Team Nowotny” at Lechfeld airfield, October-November 1944.

The next version of the Schwalbe with enhanced armament was the Me 262 A-1a/U5, which received an additional pair of MK 108 cannons located below the already existing four. This is how the W.Nr.l 11355 aircraft was converted.

The actions of the night fighters showed that cannons installed in the original position, nicknamed Schrage Musik, were very effective weapons in battles with allied bombers. They were placed in the fuselage at an angle so as to shoot up and forward. This made it possible to attack bombers from below, that is, from the least protected side. It was planned to use a similar scheme on the Me 262 and, perhaps, such guns were even mounted on one or two aircraft. From the documents it follows that these were supposed to be MK 108, installed behind the pilot's cabin. Most likely, such a solution was provided exclusively for nightly versions.

In addition to strengthening small arms, the firepower of the Schwalbe was increased by using missiles. Initially, tubular guides for unguided WGr.21 missiles of 210 mm caliber were installed on bomb suspension units. The missile weighed 1 kg (of which 40.8 kg was the warhead) and was 1.26 m long and had a range from 500 m to 7.85 km. Several aircraft from JG 7 received guides for the WGr.21, but their combat use did not give satisfactory results due to poor accuracy. A similar fate awaited the Borsig R 100 BS heavy missiles tested at W.Nr. 111994. Me 262 was supposed to carry five such missiles. The 1.8 m long R 100 BS had an incendiary warhead with 460 thermite cartridges weighing 0.055 kg each. The range reached 1.2 km.

The most effective were the R4M Uragan unguided rockets of 55 mm caliber mounted under the wings on wooden guides (12 pieces under each wing; guides for 17 and 24 pieces were also tested). They were designed by Kurt Heber and produced at the DWM (Deutsche Waffen - und Munitionfabrik) plant in Lübeck. The designation R4M can be deciphered as “Rakete - 4 kg - Minen Gescho”, i.e. “four-kilogram rocket with a high-explosive charge.” It had a length of 0.8 m, and of the four kilograms of weight, 0.45 kg was accounted for by the hexogen warhead. The range reached 1.8 km. The missile's flight path was very similar to the flight path of the MK 108 cannon projectile, which made it possible to use the same Revi 16B sight. The missiles were fired practically in one gulp, with a delay of 0.03 seconds between launches, and diverged slightly in flight, creating a “fan” that, at a distance of 600 m, covered the space exactly occupied by a four-engine bomber. By the end of the war, 10,000 R4Ms were produced, but only 2,500 were used in combat. With their help, almost 500 aircraft were destroyed (obviously, not only Me 262). Over 60 Schwalbes received 24 guides (2x12), and six more received 48 (2x24).

The main disadvantage of unguided rockets was the lack of control over their flight after launch. This made it possible to simplify their design and reduce the cost of production, but significantly reduced accuracy and efficiency. The effectiveness of the R4M missiles was explained by the fact that they were fired simultaneously in large numbers towards huge formations of bombers, numbering hundreds of vehicles. With such a density of targets in the air, the probability of a hit was quite high - some missile would eventually hit some plane. The future, however, belonged to complex and expensive, but very accurate guided missiles. In Germany, work on such weapons had been going on for a long time, and their result was the appearance of the X-4 Ruhrstahl rocket, designed by Professor Max Kramer. It weighed 59 kg, had a length of 1.96 m and a range of up to 5 km. The weight of the warhead was 25 kg (explosives - 20 kg). The power plant was a BMW 109-548 liquid fuel rocket engine. The X-4 was controlled by wire, the cable length was 5.5 km.

In early 1945, Gerd Lindner flew W.Nr.l 11994, equipped with underwing mounts for two X-4s (one under each wing). It was planned that in the future the Schwalbe would carry four such missiles on ETC 70/C1 or ZK 60 hardpoints. After the Allied raid, which made continued production of the BMW 109-548 engines almost impossible, work on the X-4 was stopped .

Another guided projectile that was intended to be tested on the Me 262 was the Henschel Hs 298 radio-guided missile. Probably on November 5, 1944, Lindner flew a Schwalbe with two suspended Hs 298s. It was planned that in the future the aircraft would take three of these rockets on special holders.

In addition to those listed, the Schwalb also tested such advanced weapon systems as the recoilless twelve-barrel unguided rocket launcher RZ.73 (Hs 217, Fohn), designated SG 500 Jagerfaust. From December 1944 to March 1945, anti-aircraft bombs were tested, dropped from above on bomber formations. They were tested using barometric (Vago 1), acoustic (Ameise) and fly-by-wire (Pollux) fuses. At first, only the Revi 16B was used for aiming, but in January 1945, Dr. Kortum from the Zeiss company developed a special sight GPV 1 (Gegner-Pfeil-Visier) for “aerial bombs”. The flight parameters of the carrier aircraft and the target aircraft, atmospheric conditions, and the ballistic characteristics of the bombs used were entered into it, and as a result, the exact time of the release was obtained, which was carried out in a dive at an angle of 20°. The proposed tactic was to attack with four Me 262s from an elevation of 1000 m.

Not only the strength of the fire plays an important role, but also its accuracy. The latter largely depends on the behavior of the aircraft in the air - on its longitudinal and lateral stability. This problem occupied a lot of space in the flight test program of the Me 262 A-1a. The stability and aerodynamics of the Schwalbe glider were tested on the V056 (W.Nr.l70056) machine. In a number of experiments, the influence of the size of the tail on the stabilization of an aircraft in flight was studied. For this purpose, the vertical keel was reduced several times, eventually losing up to 1/3 of its original height. On December 12, 1944, Lindner made an emergency landing on V056, but after repairs the car was returned for testing. Now it served for aerodynamic tests of radar antennas developed for the Me 262 B-2a night fighter. Their influence on flight characteristics was studied, as well as the effect of cannon fire on the operation of antennas. Hirschgeweich antennas, intended for the FuG 218 radar, were mounted in the nose of the fuselage. During testing, two sword-shaped antennas of considerable height appeared on the left wing. The first flight of the aircraft in this configuration was performed by Karl Baur on March 9, 1945. Antennas shaped like propeller blades were also tested. In general, the shapes of the antenna rods were selected based on the principle of their least aerodynamic resistance in order to minimize the loss of speed by the machine. As a result, it was possible to achieve a loss of only 13%. The experts who carried out the tests preferred antennas of the Morgenstern or dish type, completely hidden in the nose of the fuselage; These were exactly the ones planned for the next variants of night fighters. Most sources report that V056 was equipped with the FuG 218 radar and later the FuG 226 Neuling. But that's not true. V056 never had any radar. After the antenna tests were completed, the vehicle was returned to its original state and then participated in a stability study.

V056 was one of more than 35 aircraft used for various tests, mainly at E-stelle Tarnewitz, E-stelle Rechlin-Larrz and Lager-Lechfeld.

They also tried to increase the combat effectiveness of the Me 262 by ensuring the ability to operate in all weather conditions. A version of the Me 262 A-1a/U2 appeared, “stuffed” with special radio equipment, making it possible to fly without visibility of the ground. By the way, a FuG 125 Hermine radio navigation device with a range of up to 200 km, operating at a frequency of 33.3 MHz, was mounted on it. In 1945, only a small series of FuG 125 was released, intended mainly for single-engine night fighters.

Me 262Vl (PC+UA), Leipheim, 1941

Me 262V2 (PC+UD), Leipheim, 1942/43.

Me 262V9 (VI+AD), Lechfeld, 1944

Me 262S1 (VI+AF), Augsburg, 1944.

Me 262A-1a - experimental vehicle for FuG 218 radar antennas, Rechlin, winter 1944.

Me 262A-1a from III/EJG 2 Colonel Heinz Bahr, Lechfeld, 1944/45

Me 262A-1a from the Novotny detachment of Lieutenant Franz Schall, 1944.

Me 262A-1a (9K+BN), 5./KG(J) 51, 1944

Me 262A-1a /Jabo(9K+FH), I./KG(J) 51, 1945

Me 262A-2a(B3+GL), I/KG(J) 54, pilot - Oblt. Günther Kahler

Me-262 B-1 and “white 6” - the first “Schwalbe” converted into a two-seat modification at the Blohm & Voss in Hamburg.

Me-262 B-1a “white 9” - III/EJG 2, Jlekhfeld, December 1944.

Me-262 B-1 and “black A” most likely from JG 7. Zates airfield, April-May 1945.

Me-262 B-1a "white S" - JG 44, Brandenburg-Brest, March-April 1945.

Me-262 B-1 and “35” - III/EJG 2. Lechfeld, April-May 1945.

Me-262 A-2a/U2 - aircraft in original livery during testing at Lager-Lechfeld.

From the book T-34 in battle author Baryatinsky Mikhail

From the book Infantry fighting vehicles BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-3 [“Mass grave of infantry” or superweapon] author Suvorov Sergey Viktorovich

Firepower Early T-34-85 tanks were equipped with an 85-mm D-5T (or D-5-T85) cannon with a barrel length of 51.6 calibers. Gun weight 1,530 kg. The maximum rollback length is 320 mm. The gun had a wedge breech, similar in design to the breech of the F-34 cannon, and a semi-automatic copy type.

From the book Balkans 1991-2000 NATO Air Force against Yugoslavia author Sergeev P. N.

Firepower of the BMP-2 BMP-2 reaching land after overcoming a water obstacle (photo by Sergei Suvorov). BMP-2 from the 201st motorized rifle division at regimental tactical exercises with live firing of one of the motorized rifle regiments, Tajikistan, January 2004 (photo by Sergei

From a CIA book. True story by Weiner Tim

Firepower of the BMP-3 The main weapons of the BMP-3 weapons complex are a 100-mm gun - the 2A70 launcher and a 30-mm automatic cannon 2A72, developed by the designers of the Tula State Unitary Enterprise "KBP" under the leadership of V.P. Gryazeva. It is very important that firing from the main weapon of the BMP-3

From the book Me 262 the last hope of the Luftwaffe Part 1 author Ivanov S.V.

From the book African Wars of Our Time author Konovalov Ivan Pavlovich

“The greatness and power of the CIA...” When bidding farewell to employees at CIA headquarters, Bush, out of habit, left a letter of gratitude. “I hope that in the future I can find a way to make the American people more fully aware of the greatness and power of the CIA,” he wrote. He became the last director

From the book Modern Africa Wars and Weapons 2nd Edition author Konovalov Ivan Pavlovich

Firepower Speed ​​aside, the Me 262's powerful armament was its main asset. But even four thirty-millimeter guns seemed insufficient to German designers. It was decided to further increase the firepower of the aircraft. The first modification was the installation of

From the book Combat Training of Special Forces author Ardashev Alexey Nikolaevich

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Fireforce A famous Rhodesian tactic, first used in February 1974, was Fireforce. This is a purely Rhodesian version of vertical coverage, in which insurgent detachments that came into fire contact with

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Fire training

From the book Basic Special Forces Training [Extreme Survival] author Ardashev Alexey Nikolaevich

FIRE PREPARATION “My first shot is on target!” V.F.

From the author's book

Hidden firing point Among the interesting points, one can only note the use of remote (hidden) firing points. To the side of the main trenches and galleries (including forward of the first line trenches) an underground passage was made, which ended in an embrasure. Due to the fact

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7.3. Fire training Excellent use of weapons is a mandatory element of training for a military reconnaissance officer. Any weapon - domestic and potential enemy. One of the main tasks in organizing combat training is to teach a scout to shoot accurately. And from

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Fire training 1) Material part of small arms. 2) Basics of shooting. Methods of shooting.3) Practical shooting from small arms.4) Material part of special weapons and their purpose.5) Basics of shooting from special weapons. Methods of shooting from

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Fire training

For several years now, the online game “World of Tanks” has become one of the most popular, especially in the countries of the former Soviet Union. It’s no wonder that this game has been included in the finals of the world’s largest eSports games, World Cyber ​​Games, for 4 years already. It is important that the game developers are constantly updating, improving and developing the game database, making it even more exciting and educational.

The number of participants in this game exceeded tens of millions 3 years ago and continues to grow at an ever-increasing pace.

Even without looking so far ahead, it is quite easy for every player who decides to invite any newcomer to their community of this game to explain to everyone how to download tanks online for free world of tanks. To do this, just first carefully study on our World of Tanks website the recommended minimum system requirements for installing the game program and its operation. They are fairly standard for all modern computers and do not have excessive requirements.

In short, the minimum is an operating system from Windows XP, a processor that supports SSE2 technology, RAM from 1.5 gigabytes, a video adapter, an audio card and 25 gigabytes of hard disk space, plus an Internet speed of 256 kilobits per second.

At the same time, do not forget about the possible need for additional software, which may be needed if errors occur in the program. In any case, if any problems arise, there is always help both on the site itself and on external resources mentioning the name of the game. Plus, it is possible to download tanks online for free world of tanks also through alternative download methods using the links provided on the same site directly, or via torrent.

At the same time, the next step for upgrading the game may be the ability to download realistic voice acting for world of tanks, and to communicate over the Internet in the game using a special rka program (RaidCall), you will need to download rka for free for world of tanks from the Internet, and much more , which is recommended in this program.

This can give the game new attractive shades to bring the gaming environment as close as possible to the sensations of reality, which includes voicing your crew, the game interface itself, the individual actions of your allies, the atmosphere of battle, etc.

Separate voice acting for each map will further enhance the sense of reality of the battle for each player.

Realistic radio conversations with allies in the game (including using the radio) will not only allow you to effectively coordinate actions in a group battle in real time, but will also convey the atmosphere of real unity in battle, as if in reality. This separate program provides such additional opportunities in the game, since communication in the built-in chat in the game itself often takes a lot of time to write what can be quickly said in radio conversations, and distracts from the game itself. Plus, in the chat, many people leave the game, and new players appear who need to be added to the chat every time. And with the help of voice communication in RKA it’s all much easier and faster. Plus, the important advantages of radio (for example, in relation to Skype) is that it requires much less resources of your computer and Internet traffic, since the microphone turns on automatically only when you give a voice, or when you press a button, as in a walkie-talkie.



Plus, to popularize the use of rka in the world of tanks, a grand lottery is regularly drawn to participate in which, just download rka for free for world of tanks and get a chance to win one of 15,000 prizes for world of tanks at roulette. At the same time, as a prize you can receive a bonus code from the world of tanks with a bonus invitation, and credit coins that can be exchanged for gifts in the online store.

Therefore, this is another incentive to download realistic voice acting for world of tanks and rka, and continue to enjoy the game.

Also, for clarity, the developers and fans of this game have posted accessible video materials on the Internet that clearly and step-by-step demonstrate all the nuances and features of preparing equipment and conducting combat.

What videos about World of Tanks tanks can very effectively help improve the skills of everyone, even a beginner, participant in the game?

Cases of success in battles of even the youngest members of the family have already become frequent, where almost the whole family participates in this game. Numerous fans of this game post videos of their victories, and from these examples you can learn a lot of useful information for your strategy and tactics of victories.

Naturally, over the many years of the spread of this game, specific terms have appeared that are used in the world of tanks and which are exchanged between professional players with extensive experience. But not only the terms were born by those who plunged into the world of tanks, but a wide variety of new programs have also been developed that further deepen knowledge and work in the game. For example, detailed data on the location of components and modules in any tank model was hidden from users by the game developers.

And thus, the players did not have sufficient information about the nature and details of the damage to the tank when the tank was hit during the battle, that is, about the so-called “collision” (from the English “collision”: collision or impact) - the tank damage model.

But for this case, the players themselves created special programs, and then websites that make available in real time all kinds of models of world of tanks tanks online, and even in three-dimensional images. And this applies to dozens of all new tank models in the game with continuous upgrades and available classification of tanks by country of manufacture, types of tanks, models, etc.

Videos about World of Tanks tanks, available in a wide range on the Internet, demonstrate as clearly as possible that each unit, module and mechanism has its own specific vulnerability according to its design and materials used. And the collection of world of tanks tank models online will allow you to examine in detail the structure and necessary repairs of each module.

Consequently, protection and possible damage in battle, and subsequent repairs also constitute the whole “science of winning” and winning.

It is probably well known to everyone that the armor of tanks is especially strong on the front (front) part, and vice versa, it is more vulnerable from the sides and rear, therefore your combat tactics should not allow the tank to be exposed to enemy shots from these sides. Plus, the mobility and speed of movement of the tank is very important in order to make it as difficult as possible for the enemy to aim and hit your vehicle with a shot.

An integral part of the military art, tactics is both theory and practice, both preparation and conduct of combat, both individually with one tank and a group of tanks in one unit of a platoon, company, etc. In the world of tanks you will be able to study, develop and prepare your own combat operations.



Videos about World of Tanks tanks will tell you everything about the theoretical principles of tactics and clearly demonstrate them, and you must work out the practical aspects of the battle on the actions of tankers and platoon and company commanders.

Such command in tactics must include both the use of various types of equipment in its unit to attack enemy troops, and all possible methods of protecting its troops from attacks, taking into account the peculiarities of combat used by the enemy.

Victory in battle can only be achieved by the skillful use of firepower in combination with the dynamic maneuverability of various armored vehicles and artillery

Beginners can be advised in battle to try to achieve a concentration of the forces of their unit in the intended battlefield, opening maximum fire on the enemy. Thus, battle tactics must ensure optimal concentration of all forces for the most powerful strike on the enemy with all fire weapons. At the same time, we must not forget about the need for reconnaissance, study and assessment of the number and composition of the forces of the opposing side, what forces and how are used by the enemy, what his strengths and weaknesses are, how his forces are organized, i.e. ultimately know the enemy’s tactics.

To do this, it is also necessary to have a good knowledge and understanding of the classification of combat vehicles and their characteristics.

The first category of light tanks primarily serves for reconnaissance. It is very important before the start of the battle to find out where and how the enemy is located and with what forces he is ready for defense. This often determines where you need to attack and where you need to be defensive.

It is light tanks that are sent to the enemy’s camp at the beginning of the battle, taking the first and most dangerous blows and often dying. Therefore, it is better to undertake such attacks from time to time and at different points in enemy positions. Also effective are the discreet forays of light tanks into hard-to-reach shelters with a landscape convenient for camouflage, from where targets can be tracked and detected.



A light tank can bring a lot of benefits in the event of a successful lightning-fast foray from cover into an enemy camp to destroy artillery there and completely capture his base. For example, with light tanks it is convenient to hunt for single self-propelled guns, which, due to their speed and maneuverability, can be approached from the rear and thus shot at their rear. There are many more such examples, since ingenuity and skillful command and use of a light tank is a separate science, the mastery of which can make a significant contribution to victory over the enemy.

The difference between medium tanks and light and heavy tanks is clear from the name itself. This also provides for the widest range of their applications, from the same reconnaissance in force to frontal attacks on a ram with impenetrable armor and the crushing power of guns.

In the game, medium tanks are used primarily in tandem with heavy tanks to provide fire support along with mobile attacks in a so-called "wolf pack" manner.

Taking into account the armament of medium tanks with rapid-fire guns with low armor penetration, game tactics for them should avoid head-on clashes with heavy tanks and self-propelled guns, and rather take advantage of their driving characteristics to bypass and strike from the enemy’s flanks and rear. Also, at the first opportunity, you need to try to make a breakthrough to the enemy artillery for its complete destruction, and so on. immediately use the gap made in the enemy’s defense to develop a full-scale offensive, coordinated with the allies. In this way, you can make the most of the firepower of these tanks, which is generally most effective when fighting in a group with other similar medium as well as heavy tanks.

The class of heavy tanks in the game includes a wide variety of armored vehicles, among which you can find the heaviest vehicles with a hugely powerful gun, but also such high-speed support tanks with high maneuverability that it is only a stretch to call them heavy. Therefore, within the class of heavy tanks themselves, they have different purposes.



In the classic style, heavy tanks have impenetrable armor and a reliable margin of safety, which makes them indispensable for frontal attacks at the forefront of the unit. Taking into account their firing range, heavy tanks can force battle on the enemy from afar and stop their advance. But due to the impossibility of quick regrouping, the use and attacks of heavy tanks must be used after careful reconnaissance and determination of the direction of the main attack, in order to prevent outflanking and attacks from the enemy. And therefore, along with heavy tanks, it is always necessary to provide fire support and joint maneuvers with high-speed medium tanks.

Heavy tanks are also very effective for occupying and strengthening positions at selected strategic points, which play an important role throughout the battle.

And for a heavy tank, it is important to skillfully use cover and camouflage of the landscape so as not to expose it to crossfire, since such losses are the most noticeable in the game and are difficult to compensate for. And you can go into an open attack only with skillful command after carrying out all the stages of battle tactics preceding the attack with reconnaissance, the direction of the main attack, a support group, etc.

Self-propelled artillery mount is, first of all, the gun itself, the movement of which is ensured by the fact that it is placed on a tank chassis

At the same time, most self-propelled guns do not have a rotating turret with a gun, so you have to turn your entire body towards the enemy. The firing range and destructive power make self-propelled guns invincible in head-on firefights at long distances. Therefore, the main task of self-propelled gun command tactics is to prevent the enemy from approaching for close combat, but to hold and use self-propelled guns for fire support from the second line of attack, or in defense.

In this class, the main representatives are self-propelled howitzers, which are distinguished by highly effective powerful mounted fire, covering a wide coverage area over a long distance. Therefore, they tend to be used in larger battles with allies. To aim the gun and navigate the terrain at a great distance, they have a special sight that shows the combat area from a bird's eye view.



Because of this specificity, the issue of the need for shelter in an ambush while ensuring maximum camouflage of one’s position becomes even more important for self-propelled guns.

The preparation and modernization of armored vehicles in the game is of great importance for success in future battles, and this also requires special knowledge. The experience of previously carried out complex modifications (the so-called “mods” or “modpacks”), which most successfully proved themselves in subsequent operation and battles, even formed a certain rating of mods for world of tanks based on the results of their development and use in the game by users. To classify mods, the Internet is widely accessible to all users, and there everyone can get the specific information they need specifically for their armored vehicles in the game. According to recent surveys, the best modpack from the PROTanki channel was recognized as the most popular and effective. They relate primarily to the sight, increased visibility, zoom optics, body and trailer.

It is as a result of such mutual exchange of experience and recommendations that the game determines the most farmable tank in the world of tanks, which is not only potentially ready to win any battle, but also brings the greatest income in the game. This term comes from the word “farm”, that is, a game (farm) for the purpose of earning credits, which are the game currency. And this currency becomes necessary from the first steps in the game, both for repairing damaged tanks and for upgrading them and purchasing new equipment. And to save and accumulate loans, naturally, you need to earn more and spend less. According to the experience of players, the economy of the world of tanks gives preference to tanks of the fifth and sixth levels, since vehicles of these levels have the highest average battle profitability and the largest number of their use in battles.



According to numerous surveys and recommendations from experienced players, the Cromwell tank holds a stable position among the first places among medium tanks in the world of tanks. This British tank, already level six, is available to players without a premium account and at the same time has almost the best mobility and excellent weapons, which allows it to emerge victorious from battles with opponents of a higher level.

The history of this tank since its creation in 41-42 by BRCW and subsequent serial production from 1943 to 1945 totals 1070 Cromwells, plus a large number of these tanks obtained by modernizing the MK VIII Centaur tanks to the Cromwell level. This tank actively participated in World War II and remained in service until the 50s. More detailed studies of this tank and its upgrades are also available on the Crusader website.

The use of the A27M chassis makes it possible to increase lifting power and increase turning angles. The installation of new engines possible for this tank will increase power for the Rolls-Royce Meteor by 190 hp, and for the Rolls-Royce Meteor Mk by 50 hp.

The tank's turret makes it possible to increase the rate of fire of guns and upgrade the guns themselves to such as the 75 mm Gun Mk. V and 75 mm Vickers HV, which have a higher rate of fire, accuracy, range and striking power.

In the classic aspect of the assessment, it is a support tank with high speed, which allows it to be the first to occupy important positions, as well as to overtake and destroy enemy light tanks.



The armor is not particularly impenetrable, so this tank must be fought carefully, avoiding head-on firefights with other medium and heavy tanks in mass battles. This tank is much more effective in attacking individual heavy tanks and self-propelled artillery units, which do not have the necessary mobility and sufficient speed of movement to withstand the Cromwell tank.

Thus, the main advantages of this tank include its excellent maneuverability and movement dynamics, the best aiming angles for the turret guns, and excellent rates of fire, armor penetration and accuracy of the gun itself.

But at the same time, it should be noted that this tank has insufficient armor and unsatisfactory stabilization.

Therefore, the main areas of tank improvements available in the game are components such as the rammer, ventilation and reinforced aiming drives (which can be replaced with coated optics for reconnaissance). For precise aiming when shooting, you can also use a stereo scope.

The ammunition kit should consist mainly of armor-piercing shells, but it is worth having high-explosive fragmentation shells in the kit as well

It is recommended that a fire extinguisher be included with the standard first aid kit and repair kit due to the average fire hazard of this tank.

Due to the fact that the main advantage of the Cromwell is its shooting and movement characteristics, the tank crew needs to know well and quickly cope with tank repairs, starting with repairing a broken track, or any other unit and module. Crew qualifications should be aimed primarily at upgrading performance while maximizing firepower, visibility and aiming.



But, as always in the game, in this category the championship is either held or lost to others online, so the most farmed tank in the world of tanks can be transformed into another model, taking into account new modifications and victories in battles. Many more and different ones can be added, but due to its availability and effectiveness, it is not recommended to forget the Cromwell tank in the world of tanks, which has already gained its fame and respect from numerous players.

Of course, these are still certain results and experience from other players, but everyone who has recently joined this community of players very soon wonders how to update World of Tanks tanks themselves. And on this question there are always available tips and instructions, both in the game itself and on various forums of this community on the Internet, in order to make it as easy as possible for any beginner to get into the field of tank battles and make the game immediately more exciting. The first thing you can and should do is update your fleet of armored vehicles by upgrading existing tanks and buying new ones.

At the same time, you must not forget to sell your old equipment, turning it into your income, even at half the original price, but the tank has already won its place!

Then you always need to remember how to update World of Tanks tanks in the assortment of the game itself, which constantly receives from developers and offers new updates, including new models and possible tank upgrades. New versions of the game will help improve both the interfaces of combat missions and the maintenance on the “carousel” of tanks in the hangar and, ultimately, provide new opportunities for selecting and comparing tanks. They also make it possible to independently restore the crew and tanks in the player’s account and significantly improve the sound framing of the game for 5 different calibers (previously there were 3), for charging guns, indicating damage, engine damage, gun breakdown, acceleration, gear shifting, various service alerts and even music.

These are all, of course, general points of recommendations, each of which each player will be able to deepen and develop for themselves in numerous detailed manuals, depending on their already acquired skills, a couple of tanks and the assigned tasks and goals in the game.

Well, as in any game, one cannot help but touch upon the topic of “cheats” (from the English “cheat” - scam, deception) in this game, and how the fight against cheats is carried out in world of tanks.



Basically, the usual way of fighting this in all games is to ban players who break the rules and use unfair methods to play and earn money. In particular, in the world of tanks there is often talk about prohibited modifications of armored vehicles, which these players make in one way or another for their victories in unequal battles. And there is even a list of such prohibited mods on the game’s website; their use will immediately lead to a player being banned. But cunning players still find all sorts of loopholes and manage to avoid punishment. For example, a list of rules has even appeared online to avoid the risk of being banned even when using prohibited mods, since the authors of these rules claim that the developers do not have an algorithm for recognizing and catching players with prohibited mods. According to their information, the developers are too confident in themselves due to the fact that all calculations and modeling of movements and shooting ballistics take place on their server, and not in the game program, and therefore it is impossible to deceive these calculations.

Nevertheless, prohibited mods exist, and they are also listed on the Internet. And in order to hide these cheats, sometimes it is enough not to post screenshots and videos with such mods on the Internet, that is, in the end, not to brag about prohibited mods to others.

But recent publications reported that the fight against cheats in world of tanks plans to cooperate with Wargaming, which will provide for the introduction of a special key for all legal mods, which will make it impossible for all other prohibited mods to work. And such an innovation can be implemented with the next mandatory update of the game program from its official server. And then all mods created by players will have to undergo such certification to determine whether a given modification complies with the rules of the game, and to receive the above key. But a number of Wargaming insiders soberly assess this method, since then both the number of mods themselves (that is, only allowed ones) could be sharply reduced, and the development of mods itself will become inaccessible to beginners, and this in total will lead to a significant decrease in the level of fascination of the game and interest in her.

But we will believe that this game will bring many more exciting and interesting victories to the best players, and “may the best one win”!

In recent years, especially after, the issue of the role of tanks as one of the most important types of military equipment has been widely discussed in the pages of the foreign press. The main reason for the discussion is the emergence of fundamentally new types of anti-tank weapons.

As reported in the foreign press, about 6,000 tanks took part in the fighting during this war on both sides. Huge losses in tanks, especially in the first days (according to experts, they amounted to 1/3 of the original number), served as the basis for statements that with the current level of development of anti-tank weapons and the corresponding organization of defense, tanks will not be able to fulfill their role in breaking through the defense the enemy and his defeat to great depth, and, therefore, they have outlived their usefulness and are a hopeless type of military equipment. However, after a deeper study of the lessons of the war and revealing the reasons that led to large losses in tanks, foreign military experts came to the conclusion that this type of military equipment is not only not outdated, but also represents the most universal combat weapon, since a modern tank harmoniously combines firepower , armor protection and high mobility.

The foreign press notes that the main trend in the development of tanks is a further increase in their effectiveness by improving the basic combat properties and technical qualities with their optimal combination.

According to foreign experts, the firepower of a tank is the ability to hit various enemy targets with its weapons. It is determined by the types, characteristics and number of weapons and surveillance devices, fire control system, crew accommodation, workplace equipment, etc.

The main armament of tanks abroad is still mainly rifled guns of 90, 105 and 120 mm caliber. The tank's new armament was a gun - a launcher capable of firing conventional shells and ATGMs.

According to calculations and experiments verified by American and other foreign experts, ATGMs are superior to tank gun shells in terms of the probability of hitting the target at long ranges. Even the use of advanced fire control systems with a laser range finder, various sensors and an electronic ballistic computer did not ensure the superiority of tank guns over guided projectiles when firing at long ranges. However, according to West German and British military experts, in the European theater of war, targets will be in most cases at a distance of less than 2 thousand m. Therefore, the overall probability of detecting a target and hitting it is approximately the same when firing at short ranges with conventional shells from tank guns with advanced fire control systems and ATGMs from guns - launchers.

The foreign press emphasizes that in some cases the advantage of a launcher over tank guns in terms of long-range firing accuracy may be decisive. However, the probability of hitting a target is not the only criterion for assessing the effectiveness of weapon systems. It is required not only to hit the target, but also to hit it. In this case, it is necessary to spend as little time as possible in order to reduce the chances of the enemy firing back or moving out of sight.

Foreign experts note that the tank’s cannon armament has a significantly higher rate of fire than existing launchers when firing even supersonic ATGMs (for example, the French experimental ACRA ATGM). The use of new gun loading mechanisms may increase this difference. Thus, the rate of fire of the 105-mm gun of the Swedish tank “S” (STRV103B) is about 15 rds/min, and the 152-mm gun of the launcher when firing an ATGM is no more than 3-4 rds/min.

Most modern ATGMs have cumulative warheads capable of penetrating armor whose thickness is approximately equal to five diameters of the cumulative funnel cone. However, in order to hit a tank, it needs to cause some damage behind the armor. The diameter of the hole can be increased by reducing the depth of penetration of the cumulative jet. The armor penetration of cumulative projectiles depends not only on the type of armor, but also on the distance between the armor and the screen, as well as on the accuracy of the projectile.

According to foreign experts, this will make it possible to use special armor structures (shielded armor, spaced armor, etc.) to protect against them.

When comparing models of tank weapons, an important role is played by factors such as cost (the second-generation PTUPC is approximately 20 times more expensive than a tank gun shot), reliability, versatility, etc. Some foreign experts, when comparing a gun according to the “cost/effectiveness” criterion - launcher and cannon armament of the tank, which has an automatic loading mechanism, it is believed that two or three shots from a cannon are equivalent to the launch of one ATGM.

The advantage of tank guns, as indicated in the foreign press, is their ability to fire various projectiles: sub-caliber, cumulative and armor-piercing high-explosive with plastic explosives. In this regard, the armor must reliably protect the crew and vulnerable spots of the tank from all these shells.

In the 50s, a 152-mm gun was created in the USA - a launcher (Fig. 1), from which you can fire conventional shells and anti-tank guns (Fig. 2). It is installed on the M551 Sheridan light reconnaissance tank and the modernized M60A2 tank. This weapon system was also tested on experimental tanks: the American-West German MBT70 and the American XM803. The idea of ​​using a 152 mm gun-launcher as the main armament of a tank has many supporters, especially in the United States. However, such weapons have not yet received widespread use.

Rice. 1. Gun - launcher for American tanks M551 Sheridan and M60A2

The foreign press notes that the firepower of existing and future tanks with cannon armament can be significantly increased when firing at long ranges by arming them with several PTUPCs, which can be launched through the gun barrel or from special guides / In particular, by Philco Ford PTUPC of the “Shillela” type are being developed for firing through the barrel of a standard 105-mm cannon.

Rice. 2 Tank ammunition in service with the American army: 1 - Shillela ATGM; 2 - 105 mm cumulative shot; 3 - 152 mm shot for a gun - launcher

The promising American XM1 tank will have cannon armament. According to the head of work on the creation of this tank, it is first planned to install a 105-mm M68 rifled gun on competing prototypes. The final decision will be made after completion of the assessment of existing and newest tank weapons systems under development. Giving preference to cannon armament, foreign military experts have recently focused on developing and researching the possibility of using smooth-bore guns of 105-120 mm caliber on promising tanks. For example, work is underway to create such 110 mm caliber guns in the UK and 120 mm in France. Smoothbore guns of 105 and 120 mm caliber are already being tested on the West German experimental 2K tank.

As reported in the foreign press, smooth-bore guns of 105 and 120 mm caliber, developed in, have, compared to rifled guns of a similar caliber, higher initial velocities of finned sub-caliber projectiles (about 1600 m/s), greater armor penetration and an increased effective firing range against armored targets . These guns will also allow the use of high-calorie gunpowder, which will make it possible to reduce the weight of shots and their size. Experts suggest that the initial speed when firing from smoothbore guns will reach 1800 - 000 m/s.

Promising areas of work to increase the firepower of tanks with traditional cannon weapons include improving fire control systems, creating more powerful projectiles, finding new capabilities for target detection, reducing the time to prepare a shot, and improving the characteristics of auxiliary weapons. To conduct accurate fire on the move, it is considered necessary to stabilize the weapons and observation and targeting devices (gunner and tank commander).

As reported in the foreign press, the created and developed integrated fire control systems for tanks make it possible to significantly increase shooting accuracy (probability of hitting with the first shot) by taking into account a large number of factors (range to target, meteorological conditions of shooting, target movement in azimuth and vertical, roll firing tank, barrel wear, parallax, etc.). These systems make it possible to reduce the qualification requirements for gunners and simplify the process of their training. An important quality of such systems is also the ability to increase effective firing range, as well as reduce the time for preparing and firing the first shot. For example, when firing on the move from an M60A2 tank at a moving target (tank) with a cannon-shaped cumulative projectile at a range of 1000 m, the probability of a hit with the first shot is about 0.7.

In Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the fire control system of the Leopard tank 1 with an electronic ballistic computer FLER-H of modular design. Similar fire control systems are being developed in other countries. Thus, on the M47 and Leopard tanks, which are in service with the Belgian army, in 1968-1970 a fire control system developed by the Belgian company Sabka together with the American company Hughes and the West German company Eltro was tested. When modernizing the Leopard 1 (Germany) and M60A1 (USA) main tanks, similar advanced fire control systems are installed on them.

Much work is being done abroad to create advanced fire control systems. According to one of the projects, it is planned to adjust the second shot. In the event that the first projectile does not hit the target, an amendment must be automatically introduced to ensure a high probability of hitting the second shot.


Rice. 3 Schematic diagram of the fire control system of the Leopard tank 1

To combat armored targets, the ammunition load of tanks of foreign armies includes three main types of ammunition: sub-caliber, cumulative and armor-piercing high-explosive with plastic explosives (Fig. 4). They have different armor penetration and effectiveness behind armor.


Rice. 4. Tank gun shells: 1 - armor-piercing with explosive charge (APS); 2 - armor-piercing sabot (HVAP); 3 - armor-piercing sub-caliber with a detachable tray (APDS); 4 - finned armor-piercing sub-caliber (APDS-FS); 5 - cumulative with a rotating shaped charge (in France, type “G”); 6 - cumulative feathered (HEAT-FS); 7, 8 - armor-piercing high-explosive with plastic explosive (HESH - in the UK, NEP - in the USA)

To increase the effectiveness of sabot projectiles, their muzzle velocity is increased, heavy metal cores are used, and elongated (swept) projectiles are used that are stabilized in flight by fins. The size of the tungsten carbide core of a modern detachable sabot (APDS) projectile is approximately 4:1 to the diameter. For non-rotating sabot projectiles (APDS-FS) fired from smoothbore guns, this ratio is 10: 1 and even 20: 1. At the same time, there is more kinetic energy per unit area of ​​the target, which provides greater armor penetration. According to calculations by foreign experts, the effectiveness of APDS-FS shells may be higher than that of APDS shells, so in the future it is possible that the caliber of tank guns will be reduced compared to existing ones.

Non-rotating sabot shells (stabilized by fins) can also be fired from rifled guns. The US has adopted the XM735 projectile for the 105-mm gun of the M60A1 tank, which has increased the tank’s effectiveness against armored targets.

HEAT projectiles, as reported in the foreign press, can be improved by improving not only their design and the technology for manufacturing the shaped charge. The armor-piercing effect of cumulative projectiles is more effective if their cumulative warhead does not rotate, which is why two types of projectiles are currently most widespread abroad: those stabilized by the tail and those with a cumulative part installed in the projectile body on bearings.

Armor-piercing high-explosive shells with plastic explosives (HESH), as reported in the foreign press, can be used when firing at field fortifications and unarmored targets. The effectiveness of their action against armored targets can be increased by improving the fuse and ensuring the optimal moment of initiation of the plastic explosive.

Much attention is paid abroad to the fight against tanks and other combat vehicles with a low silhouette. Such vehicles are usually designed to fire from behind cover. For example, the West German self-propelled ATGM launcher, created on the basis of the 90-mm Jagdpanzer self-propelled anti-tank gun, can fire from cover, extending only the launch tube and periscope lens from behind it. On rough terrain, such vehicles are less vulnerable to direct fire at them.

According to foreign experts. Successful combat against such targets can be carried out by indirect fire with 155-mm cluster-type shells equipped with fragmentation elements. They are currently being developed in Sweden, the USA and other countries. When such a projectile explodes at a pre-selected height, lethal elements are scattered from its cassette. There is a more complex method - the use of guided projectiles with semi-active and passive homing heads.

Auxiliary weapons also play an important role. For example, as American experts point out, installing a small-caliber (20-30 mm) automatic cannon on the XM1 tank, paired with the main armament, doubles the effectiveness of combating lightly armored targets compared to the M60A1 tank.

To increase the firepower of tanks, foreign experts are striving to reduce the time required to detect targets and prepare a shot. Therefore, more advanced day and night observation devices for the gunner and commander are being developed, and their stabilization is being carried out. Thus, stabilized observation devices for the commander and gunner were installed on the “S” tank. The same devices and duplicate fire control are used on the American M60A2 tank (Fig. 5).

Rice. 5 American tank M60A2

Currently, special attention is being paid to the creation of passive IR devices and electro-optical image converters for tanks that operate in natural night light. The American company Hughes has also created thermal imaging devices, which are planned to be installed on M60A1 tanks under the modernization program. As reported in the foreign press, such devices will make it possible to detect camouflaged targets and helicopters hovering between trees.

To increase the rate of fire of tank armament, in many capitalist countries, especially countries participating in the aggressive bloc, work is being carried out to automate the process of loading guns, improving the layout of the fighting compartment, improving the placement of the crew and rationalizing its actions in battle. One of the technical solutions aimed at increasing the rate of fire is the use of partially or completely burning cartridges.

Many foreign military experts evaluate the influence of the level of firepower on the combat effectiveness of a tank in conjunction with its other properties based on the final result, that is, the likelihood of the tank successfully solving the combat missions facing it. To obtain such an assessment, the following are used: real combat firing during factory and military tests, physical modeling of various tactical situations using complexes of simulating equipment, which makes it possible to objectively assess the effectiveness of tanks performing combat missions; math modeling.