In the relay race, an intense struggle unfolded between the teams of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, and Russia. The favorites were Russia and China.
After summing up all the results of the semi-final races, it became clear that the battle for leadership in tank skill would be continued by warriors from Belarus, Kazakhstan, China and Russia.
Results of the III stage of the Tank Biathlon competition (Final)
The final races of the tank crews of Belarus, Kazakhstan, China and Russia took place with no less emotional intensity than the final matches at the World Cup. All teams, including those that were not included in the final part of the competition, sincerely rooted not for specific countries, but for the skill of each tank crew, the professionalism of the coordinated actions of each of its members. Hitting the target and success caused a storm of emotions among the spectators, and every mistake caused general regret.
Russian tank crews were undeniably leaders in all areas of the struggle: they had no equal in the skill of driver mechanics, and the crews also showed themselves at the highest level in shooting.
As a result, the Russian team was in first place, the PRC was in second, Belarus was in third, and Kazakhstan was fourth with a slight lag.
The winning team consisted of:
tank commander - senior sergeant Sambuev Sayan Valerievich;
gunner-operator - Sergeant Reimer Vladislav Aleksandrovich;
mechanic driver - Sergeant Krivodonov Mikhail Viktorovich
tank commander - Sergeant Viktor Vladimirovich Sherstnev;
gunner-operator - Sergeant Bystrygin Andrey Konstantinovich;
mechanic driver - senior sergeant Alexey Evgenievich Nazarenkov
tank commander - senior lieutenant Dmitry Vadimovich Chernoshtan;
gunner-operator - corporal Perevalov Andrey Vladimirovich;
driver mechanic - junior sergeant Alexey Terentyev.
On August 11, at the summing up of the International Army Games "Army-2018", all tank biathlon participants received memorable gifts, and the best tankers were awarded medals. The best of the best, who took prizes, received Lada, UAZ-PATRIOT cars and Minsk motorcycles.
When holding tank biathlon competitions, there were problems associated with gross violations of safety regulations. Thus, on the first day of the competition, the crew from Uganda, while searching for a target, turned the turret with loaded ammunition towards the stands, for which they were immediately disqualified and removed from further participation in the competition. On the final day of the individual race, the driver of the Laotian team, when the crew was loading ammunition into the tank, carelessly placed a charge on board, and he climbed onto the turret to help other crew members load the shell, thereby creating a precedent for the possibility of a charge rolling off the side of the tank onto the ground and exploding . Due to the fact that the result of the Laotian crew did not fundamentally affect the placement of the teams in the competition, the violation was committed at the last stage of the competition, they did not disqualify him, but gave him the opportunity to complete his race.
At the same time, there were few events that left the competition participants with negative emotions. According to representatives of the teams of the participating countries, the atmosphere during the competition was very warm. Emotions, mostly very positive, literally filled the atmosphere. Everyone, without exception, when communicating, sought to make more acquaintances and friends in the armies of other countries. When speaking, military personnel from different countries sometimes used Russian words and expressions, while understanding each other perfectly, although in general they communicated with the help of translators. It was the tank biathlon that contributed to the constant multilingual communication of participants with each other, bringing together military personnel from the most distant countries in Asia, Africa, America and Europe: Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Myanmar, South Africa and others. There is no doubt - regardless of what place the teams took in the competitions, there were no offended people, and they will never forget what they experienced at the tank biathlon.
Dear visitors and guests of Patriot Park!
From July 28 to August 11 at the Alabino military training ground A world event will take place - “Tank Biathlon - 2018”. The annual competitions are held as part of the International Army Games and are among the most popular.
For two weeks, the Alabino training ground will turn into a real sports battlefield, where crews from 23 countries will fight for victory.
III stage of the competition:
Stage II of the competition:
Stage I of the competition:
Simultaneously with the Tank Biathlon competition, competitions are being held among the best military chefs in the world -. This year, you can try national dishes from different countries from July 31 to August 9.
Also on the territory of the training ground there are play areas, attractions and master classes, sports competitions, interactive and virtual playgrounds, and intellectual quizzes for guests of all ages! There are large screens and comfortable seating areas for watching the competition.
Competition program for competitions at the ALABINO military training ground:
July 28 (Saturday)10.30 - Opening ceremony of the Tank Biathlon competition. “Tank ballet” on the territory of the Alabino training ground.
12.30 - FIRST STAGE of the “Tank Biathlon” competition ─ “Individual race”. Two races of tank crews. There are four tank crews from participating countries in each race.
12.00-14.00 DOSAAF Russian Trial Cup (Canine Sports Federation).
12.00-14.00 Aeromodelling (demonstration performances).
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
11.00-14.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. Two races of tank crews. There are four tank crews from participating countries in each race.
16.00-17.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. One race of tank crews.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
11.00-14.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. Two races of tank crews. There are four tank crews from participating countries in each race.
16.00-17.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. One race of tank crews.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
10.00-13.00 First stage of the "Field Kitchen" competition. Fire training competition.
11.00-14.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. Two races of tank crews. There are four tank crews from participating countries in each race.
16.00-17.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. One race of tank crews.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
10.00-13.00 Second stage of the “Field Kitchen” competition. Fire training competition.
11.00-14.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. Two races of tank crews. There are four tank crews from participating countries in each race.
10.00-16.00 All-Russian competition “DOSAAF Russian Paintball Open Cup” (game 5x5, 7x7)
11.00-14.00 FIRST STAGE of the competition “Tank biathlon”, “Individual race”. Two races of tank crews. There are four tank crews from participating countries in each race.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
10.00-16.00 All-Russian competition “DOSAAF Russian Paintball Open Cup” (game 5x5, 7x7).
12.00-14.00 Exhibition DOSAAF Russia.
11.00-13.00 SECOND STAGE of the “Tank Biathlon” competition ─ RELAY, SEMI-FINAL*. *Teams from four participating countries (three tank crews from each participating country) participate in the semi-finals.
09.00-13.00 Third stage of the “Field Kitchen” competition. Baking bread according to the recipe.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
11.00-17.00 Exhibition DOSAAF Russia. 12.30-14.00 Paramilitary relay race among military-patriotic clubs (13 – 15 years old).
14.30-15.00 Taking the oath of the Youth Army members by members of military-patriotic clubs. Awarding the winners of the relay race.
11.00-13.00 SECOND STAGE of the “Tank Biathlon” competition ─ RELAY, SEMI-FINAL.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
11.00-17.00 Exhibition DOSAAF Russia.
12.30 -14.00 Paramilitary relay race among the military-industrial complex (16 - 17 years old).
14.30-15.00 Taking the oath of the Youth Army members by members of military-patriotic clubs. Awarding the winners of the relay race.
11.00-13.00 SECOND STAGE of the “Tank Biathlon” competition - RELAY, SEMI-FINAL.
15.00-16.00 AWARDING CEREMONY for the winners and prize-winners of the first stage of the “Tank Biathlon” competition - “Individual Race”.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
10.00-14.00 Closing ceremony of the “Field Kitchen” competition, awarding the winners.
- The ceremony of awarding the winners and closing of the “Tank Biathlon” competition.
16.30-17.30 SECOND STAGE of the “Tank Biathlon” competition ─ RELAY, FINAL.
10.00-18.00 Reconstruction-exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Red Army (SA and Navy, RF Armed Forces).
10.00-14.00 Master class. Cooking national cuisine according to the time set by the administration of the "Field Kitchen" competition.
10.00-15.00 Open DOSAAF Cup of Russia in motorcycle sports (motobiathlon).”
10.00-16.00 Open Cup of DOSAAF Russia in all-around shooting sports.
10.00-16.00 Open Cup of DOSAAF Russia in crossbow shooting (AP-35).
15.00-16.00 Performance by the aerobatic teams of the Russian Aerospace Forces “Swifts” and “Russian Knights”.
- Art. Golitsyno - Patriot Park, movement interval is from 10 to 20 minutes.
- Park "Patriot" - Alabino training ground, traffic interval is from 3 to 5 minutes.
- In the Patriot Park - a route through the Patriot Park facilities with a movement interval of 20 minutes.
Additionally, you can use routes through Selyatino station
- Art. Selyatino - Parade area, traffic interval from 10 to 15 minutes.
- The parade ground is the Mound of Glory, the movement interval is from 3 to 5 minutes.
The cost of parking is fixed - 200 rubles per day per car, the first hour is free.
Scheme of the Alabino training ground for the duration of the Army Games 2018
Results of the 1st stage of the Tank Biathlon competition - individual race
Results of the II stage of the competition "Tank Biathlon" - "Relay Race"
Results of the III stage of the competition "Tank Biathlon" - Final
Video of the event:
T-72B- the main battle tank of Soviet, then Russian production, modernization of the Soviet T-72 tank. Various variants are in service with Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Venezuela, Vietnam, Georgia and a number of other countries. Developed in the USSR in the first half of the 1980s, mass-produced in 1985-1992. at Uralvagonzavod in Nizhny Tagil. Crew - 3 people, combat weight - 44.5 tons, engine - diesel with a capacity of 840 horsepower, maximum speed - 50 km/h (on the highway) and 45 km/h (over rough terrain). Armament: 125 mm smoothbore cannon, 7.62 and 12.7 mm machine guns. Overcoming obstacles: rise - 30 degrees, wall - up to 0.85 m, ditch - up to 2.8 m, ford - 1.2 m (5 m with equipment for overcoming water obstacles).
T-72B3M(also called T-72B4) is a deep modernization of the Soviet T-72 tank, first presented at Tank Biathlon 2014. Produced in pilot batches at the Uralvagonzavod company. During the upgrade to the T-72B3M level, the tank received a new engine with automatic gear shifting, a modern digital communication system, a panoramic thermal imager for the commander, a rear-view camera, a voice informant for critical operating modes of components and a number of other improvements. Crew - 3 people, combat weight - 44.5 tons, engine - diesel with a capacity of 1 thousand 130 horsepower, maximum speed - 75 km/h (on the highway) and 60 km/h (over rough terrain). Armament is a 125 mm smoothbore cannon and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun. Obstacle overcoming characteristics are similar to the T-72B.
ZTZ 96A(also called "Type 96A") - the main battle tank of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), also in service with Sudan. Developed in China in the early 1990s. based on the 88C tank, adopted by the PLA in 1997, mass-produced at the NORINCO state corporation plant in Baotou (Inner Mongolia province, China). Crew - 3 people, combat weight - 42.5 tons, engine - diesel with a capacity of 1 thousand horsepower, maximum speed - 65 km/h (on the highway) and 40 km/h (over rough terrain). Armament: 125 mm smoothbore cannon, 7.62 and 12.7 mm machine guns. Overcoming obstacles: rise - up to 30 degrees, wall - up to 0.85 m, ditch - up to 2.7 m, ford - 1.4 m (5 m with equipment for overcoming water obstacles).
Just a few years ago, no one knew about such a concept as “tank biathlon”, but today it is officially included in the list of military applied sports and annually attracts dozens of teams from different countries to competitions. Regardless of where the tank biathlon takes place, it is always spectacular and exciting, because spectators have the opportunity to see combat vehicles in action.
The purpose of these competitions is to strengthen the military commonwealth and military cooperation of different countries. These competitions have been held as part of the International Army Games since 2015.
A little history
Many people are interested in knowing who invented the tank biathlon, because the annual organizer of the competition is the Russian Ministry of Defense. So, according to official data, the first mention of this concept occurred at a board meeting back in May 2013 from Army General Arkady Bakhin.
It was he who explained to his colleagues all the nuances of future games and plans for crews from neighboring countries to participate in them. So who invented tank biathlon? After this event, it was announced that the idea of the competition itself belonged to the head of the department, Sergei Shoigu.
Competition rules
Where the tank biathlon takes place depends on its stage. In the spring or summer, internal competitions are held on the bases of military districts, at which the best crews are selected to participate in international games. Tank biathlon is an annual competition between crews from different countries at Russian training grounds.
Regardless of where the tank biathlon takes place in Russia, and what stage it is, the rules are always the same. They were borrowed from ordinary sports biathlon and represent 3 stages of the games.
First of all, all participants compete in an individual race. The 12 teams selected from the total number based on the results of the first stage move on to the next competition - the relay race. The best two teams enter the final battle, which is also represented by a relay race.
First stage rules
Three crews from each team compete for first place. Everyone has a separate start, so that no more than 4 combat vehicles are on the training ground at the same time. The race is carried out in a circle, each of which is 3-5 km long and necessarily with obstacles in the form of mounds, ravines, fords, anti-tank ditches, and so on.
Each circle is necessarily accompanied by the need to hit targets:
- 1st lap - firing a cannon at an “enemy tank”;
- 2nd circle - firing from an anti-aircraft machine gun at an air target;
- 3rd circle - firing from a coaxial machine gun at an RPG.
The last round of shooting was made more spectacular last year when the targets began to be made of glass. And where the tank biathlon takes place is known only on the official website of the department, since it can change.
If the crew misses the target or makes unsuccessful maneuvers, they are awarded penalty laps or points. This year, the points were replaced by a “Vehicle Control Inspection,” where the crew must stand for a certain amount of time. The best teams of this stage are determined by the time they complete the race and move on to the semi-finals.
End of the competition
Where the tank biathlon takes place does not depend on the stages of one competition. The semi-final relay is always held on the same training ground as the first race. This stage is a similar passage of a track with obstacles and hitting targets in combat vehicles, but by team crews in relay order.
Each team consists of 3 tanks. In total they need to complete 4 laps. The obstacles are similar, only the “Anti-tank gun” target has been added. All teams start at the same time, and shooting is carried out in turns by drawing lots. Fines are also assessed for misses and technical violations. The overall results of the stage are determined by 4 teams of finalists.
The international tank biathlon ends with a final relay race among the best crews.
The beginning of the story
Almost everyone knows where the tank biathlon is taking place now, but when the war games were just beginning, no one could have imagined that their popularity in our country would exceed even the audience of football fans. For the first time, international competitions were held at the training ground in Alabino. The championship was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the tank battle near Prokhorovka. 4 teams from neighboring countries took part, the winner was the host country of the games - Russia.
The following year, competitions in military applied sports were first held between Russian crews, and the best of them took part in international games. 12 teams have already taken part. The tank biathlon took place in Moscow, where the training ground of the second guards motorized rifle Taman division is based. Guests of the competition were allowed to pre-train at another training ground.
In 2015, 13 teams already took part in the competition. According to established tradition, the winner was the crew from Russia.
Expanding boundaries
In 2016, tank biathlon gained new participants in such exotic countries as Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Angola, Nicaragua and so on. In total, representatives from 17 countries took part in the games. Representatives from Russia also won. China took second place, and Kazakhstan third. In addition, the most well-coordinated crew was awarded at the competition and all its members were awarded cars in a separate category.
Competitions 2017
According to tradition, the competition was held at the training ground in Alabino. Representatives of 19 states have already become participants (Laos and Uganda have joined). Some teams arrived at the games with their own combat vehicles, while the rest were provided with domestic tanks by the management. Our compatriots also won. Representatives of Kazakhstan took second place, and China - third.
Tankers from Belarus were also among the finalists.
Where will the tank biathlon take place next year?
The program of the future tournament will not differ from the current one. The organizers only plan to increase the number of participating countries, because their number is growing noticeably with each competition, attracting more and more spectators to the games.
Where will the tank biathlon 2018 take place? Next year’s competitions are traditionally planned to be held on the territory of the Alabino military training ground in July-August 2018. The best crews will be pre-selected to represent our country at international games.
The competition stages will also include an individual race for absolutely all participants and two relay stages for the best crews selected based on the results of previous rounds.
Features of the competition
To make it easier for spectators, and the race participants themselves, to recognize the teams’ vehicles, the tanks were initially painted in the bright colors of their teams. In the second year of the competition, this requirement was replaced and combat vehicles began to be marked with camouflage with bright pennants. It is not yet known whether this condition will change next year.
According to the rules of the competition, rewarding of game participants takes place in several stages. First, championship medals are awarded to the winning crew members of the individual competition. The crew that takes first place is also awarded with a winner's cup. Based on the results of the relay races, tank crews win the team competitions and are awarded only medals. Especially distinguished crews can receive additional awards in the form of cars.
The main condition of the competition for everyone is that women do not have the right to take part in these competitions, even if trained tank crews are available in the guest countries of the games. It's all about Russian legislation, which prohibits female military personnel from lifting loads of more than 15 kg. A tank shell can weigh up to 50 kg.
Similar competitions
It is clear where tank biathlon takes place in the modern world, but few know that this is not the first such international competition. For the first time, combat training games for tank crews were held on the basis of NATO units in Germany. These competitions were first annual, then began to be held every other season, but were relevant from 1963 to 1991. Military representatives of NATO countries took part in them. The games stopped as soon as Canadian troops were withdrawn from Europe.
Since 2012, similar tank competitions have been held three times for US and Canadian military personnel for the Sullivan Cup. In addition to the art of mastering a combat vehicle, the competition included strength tests for crew members.
Last year, competitions were held for the first time for tank crews from NATO and friendly countries. The competition took place in Germany at the US Army training center. Already in 2017, a team from Ukraine took part in these competitions. Among the six participants, the Ukrainian crew took fifth place.
Finally
Regardless of whether spectators get to watch tank biathlon competitions live or on TV, this sport leaves an unforgettable impression. The scale and entertainment of the project is winning the hearts of an increasing number of viewers, instilling interest in military service among young people. Tank biathlon in Russia is gaining momentum every year and, quite possibly, will soon become the most prestigious competition for the military of different countries known throughout the world.
As the name, borrowed from the beloved skiing discipline, suggests, tank biathlon is a competition between crews in the art of driving a military vehicle, as well as the accuracy of shooting from the weapons installed on it. According to official data from the Russian Ministry of Defense, this name, as well as the format of the competition itself, was proposed personally by Sergei Shoigu. And if the name is most likely the merit of the Minister of Defense, then the format of the events originated at the very height of the Cold War.
Competitions of this kind between tank crews were first held in 1963 in West Germany for a prize established by the Canadian government (at that time the 4th Mechanized Tank Brigade of the Canadian Army was deployed in Germany). The main trophy in the competition was a miniature silver copy of the British Centurion tank, which was in service in almost 20 countries around the world. The main goal of the competition, which was held until 1991, undergoing many changes, was to unite the comradeship of NATO member countries, as well as stimulate competition in the tank industry and the development of defense production. Crews from Canada, the USA, Great Britain, West Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium were regular participants in the competition, and during the competition in all its glory one could see the American M47 Patton II and M1 Abrams tanks in action (the latter is still the main combat US Army tank), German "Leopard 1" and "Leopard 2", as well as British "Centurion" and "Chieftain".
In addition to the declared goal, the event also fulfilled other tasks. These were the largest tank exercises in terms of their scale, which were also aimed at demonstrating the military power of the West during the fierce arms race that crossed out the entire second half of the 20th century.
After the 4th Mechanized Brigade of the Canadian Army left the territory of a unified Germany in 1991, the competition was suspended. A similar one today is carried out only between Canada and the United States and is not of such a large-scale nature. According to many Western experts, the format of the event involves significant financial costs for the transfer of equipment and ammunition, and therefore is not implemented in the modern world.
In Russia, the decision to go beyond simple tank exercises was made by the Ministry of Defense in 2013. In the context of a not entirely simple conscription, as well as the abolition of compulsory military service in neighboring Ukraine, the main tasks that the department set for itself were to popularize service in the Russian army and raise its authority in the eyes of young people and the international community, as well as strengthening the military community.
The first tank biathlon took place in the summer of 2013. According to the rules, the first stage of the competition takes place in military districts (since 2010 there are four of them in Russia: Western, Eastern, Southern and Central). After this, the crews of the teams that showed the best results come to the village of Alabino near Moscow on the territory of the training complex of the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Taman Division and compete with each other. And the best of them participate in the international stage. Tankers who want to compete at the international championship must pass physical training standards, know the military history and tactical and technical characteristics of their vehicle. Last year, Russia accepted tankers from Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan (then our team took first place). And this summer, crews from Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Venezuela, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Kuwait, Mongolia, Serbia and Russia took part in the competition. In total, invitations were sent to 41 states, but due to the tense political situation, many of them refused to participate, and more than 20 states sent their observers.
The serious intentions of the Russian military, as well as the application for future competitions, are confirmed by the fact of registration of the International Public Organization “Tank Biathlon Federation” by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Thus, according to Sergei Shoigu, the organization will give impetus to the global development of tank biathlon and will contribute to its popularization.
The organization of the event this year is as follows: the arriving crews (four from each state, three main and one reserve) are sent for training to the nearby Golovenki training ground of the 4th Guards Tank Kantemirovskaya Division. Team combat vehicles are painted in four types of camouflage colors with a predominance of yellow, red, blue and green. Teams from Angola, Kuwait and India will ride on yellow tanks, teams from Kazakhstan, Armenia and Belarus on blue ones, Mongolia, Russia and Venezuela on red ones, and Serbia, China and Kyrgyzstan on green ones. According to the organizers of the event, this is necessary so that spectators can distinguish between participants.
The championship started on August 4 and includes four stages. The first one is the individual race. In it, the crews of the countries are divided into three races of four tanks each. The Russian team competed in the second heat together with the teams of China, whose caterpillars fell off at the most crucial moment, Kuwait and Armenia. The length of the individual race route is seven kilometers and includes three laps. Among the obstacles that the tankers overcame were a ford, a slope, an escarpment (a steep internal slope of a ditch), an anti-tank ditch and others. At the firing lines, firing was carried out from a gun at the “Tank” target, an anti-aircraft machine gun at the “Helicopter” target, and a coaxial machine gun at the “RPG” target. For mistakes and unsuccessful maneuvers (hitting a mine, knocking down limit posts), the crews were given a penalty time.
For misses and unsuccessful maneuvers - hitting a mine, knocking down restrictive posts - the crews were awarded a penalty time.
The second stage is the sprint. In it, participants will walk two laps of three kilometers each. For misses and violations, 500 meters will be added to the distance. The third stage - the pursuit race - will take place on August 11–12. This type of biathlon race will be held based on the results of the sprint. And in the final on August 16, the first four teams, determined by the results of three stages, will determine the winner during the relay race, which should become the most spectacular part of the tournament. The teams will start at the same time and will go through three four-kilometer laps with two firing lines: shooting from a machine gun from a standing position and shooting on the move from the main gun, until all three crews complete the stage.
According to the results of the first stage of the competition, the Russian crew was in the lead, which immediately caused a lot of controversy among experts. Thus, according to some bloggers, the tank of the Russian team T-72B3, compared to the outdated T-72B modification, which is used by all other participants in the championship (except China), was an order of magnitude faster. But the conditions of the competition stipulate that each team must compete in the tanks that it is armed with. So, for example, Kuwait planned to bring the American M84 or M1A2 Abrams, but still came up with the T-72B. The Chinese are the only ones who brought their tank, the Type 96A, but it has not yet proven itself properly: at one stage the vehicle’s track was damaged, and the crew quickly had to replace it.
The Russian T-72B is a modification of the T-72 tank, produced since 1985. The T-72 itself was produced since 1973 and was the main and most popular tank in the USSR. The main armament of the T-72 is the 125 mm D-81TM smoothbore gun. The tank is also equipped with a 7.62-mm Kalashnikov machine gun, and the NSVT-12.7 “Utes” is used as an anti-aircraft machine gun with an aiming range of 1.5 to 2 kilometers. The T-72B also features the 9K120 Svir guided weapon system (however, it is not installed on all tanks of this modification). But the T-72B3 is equipped with a new controlled fire system, built-in Kontakt-5 dynamic protection, and an 1130 hp engine. s., as well as many other electronic gadgets - a digital ballistic computer, a Sosna-U multi-channel sight, a wind sensor, the latest communications equipment, an improved weapons stabilizer and a complex for protection against weapons of mass destruction.
In the context of the championship, according to some representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the current competition will fulfill an important task - it will show the level of training of tank crews from different countries. In the case of China, Russian specialists will be able to evaluate the specifics and technology of our eastern neighbor. Also, according to security officials, such an event format will be able to find new buyers of our tanks on the world market. However, not all representatives of the military profession speak positively about the event. For example, many experts note that the distances of firing lines do not correspond to what they might be in a real battle. And the exercises and maneuvers themselves are morally outdated.
According to security officials, such an event format will be able to find new buyers of our tanks on the world market.
We have no complaints about the new sports discipline. We at the editorial office, on the contrary, believe that such initiatives should be continued and developed and even propose to the Russian Ministry of Defense several more ideas for sports competitions that will serve as a demonstration of the military power of our country. So, the list:
Rodeo in the field kitchen
Skeet shooting from the Grad multiple launch rocket system
Bobsled on artillery guns