Ok, thats the intro done. What follows is just the tip of a very big iceberg, fell free to ask as many questions as you like and we'll see what happens. I'll be candid in my responses and some of what I write will give you folks reason for considerable concern.
I'll have to send this in two parts, seems theres a limitation on the number of characters.
Best regards,
Nero
Part 1
“OK fellas, I think you’re missing something here.
The Nizhny Tagil MBT (T-95) is a clean sheet design, don’t assume anything about this MBT, that is not obvious or not acknowledged by it’s builders; they aren’t keeping this vehicle’s specifications and performance discreet, without good reason. Likewise, nobody has been allowed to get to close to the Black Eagle demonstrator, probably for the same reason, you might just hear the engine sounds a little different.
In Mr. Fofanov’s web-page on the T-95 http://russianarmor.info/Tanks/MBT/n_tagil.html, there is an interesting reference: a “unique drive-train suspension system is being tested on this tank”. It is unlikely this late in development, it is simply being tested and is more likely a component of the integrated engine, drive-train and suspension, originally proposed for inclusion in the Chiorny Oriol development program, for the Next Generation MBT of the Russian Army and as we all know, the T-80 chassis is the original development chassis for Chiorny Oriol.
If you can find it; in issue #28 of Rozvourezhenie’s electronic magazine “Military Parade”, there is an early article on the T-80UM1 BARS Tank. In this article, mention is made of the shift to hydrostatic drives, but more interestingly, is a one liner that pre-announces an update of the power plant from 1,250 hp gas turbine to 1,400 hp heavy duty engine. Given the timing of this article and the confusion in Rosvorouzhenia at the time over the company’s future, both these items probably made it into the original article by mistake. If you wonder that the entries are still in the text of the article, it is simple; remove them and people might start to ask why and what it was all about in the first place.
With regards this entry, a heavy duty engine is a diesel engine. When was the last time you heard of replacement of a gas turbine power plant by a higher horsepower, yet reliable diesel engine, within the same restrictive envelope as the 50 tonne chassis limitation of this Russian tank class?
Now what all this means, is that it is highly probable Russia is developing at least two very advanced MBTs, one, based on an updated T-80U chassis as more suited to mass production, whilst the other, the T-95 is considerably more demanding of manufacture, but vastly more capable as a tank destroyer. Although export versions of the T-80 chassis, including the T-80UM1 BARS Tank and Black Eagle, are likely to have conventional power plants and drivelines, subsequent variants for the Russian Army are more likely to have the more advanced 1,400 horsepower heavy duty engine and drive-train in common with the T-95, which is also likely to be in common with a next generation, Self Propelled Artillery unit. The whole to operate as Fast Attack Squadrons.
Perhaps the nearer term availability of these units, is one of the reasons President Putin was comfortable in withdrawing from the CFE protocol.
If you need a little more convincing, think about this. In the T-95, we now have a tank with the crew, gun mounting, auto-loader and ammunition, shoehorned into the chassis with an engine and drive-train, that certainly won’t be any less powerful than alternative MBTs of the Russian Army. Given the constraints related to all this gear now being within the chassis, there is considerably less space than would normally be available for the power plant of this MBT. Something has to be greatly different.
I’ve noted in at least one article on the T-95, conjecture that the drive is diesel electric. The engine known to have been under consideration and subsequently proposed for development within Chiorny Oriol, is a direct acting hydraulic machine, so many parts and sub systems are removed by going down this path, that the resulting machinery suite of an MBT is less complex, much lighter, more robust and reliable and above all else, has a much higher power density; rivaling or exceeding that of a gas turbine and its gear set. Moreover, a hydraulic motor is typically ¼ the weight of an equivalent electric motor and in this game, power to weight is just about everything. Additionally, hydraulic motors are operationally more flexible and far more robust in a hostile environment, than are electric motors.
It should also be mentioned, with the adoption of this new format engine, there is no hydraulic pump in the system, the engine is the pump; so we have a lighter engine, competing with an engine and generator, on the basis of both weight and space. Sorry, no contest.
OK, now this is where this really gets interesting. The predicted automotive performance of this integrated system, is that an MBT so powered, will not only have higher horsepower, but have at least three times the un-refueled range of a contemporary diesel powered variant, for the same fuel load and for emergency purposes, will be able to apply power to the sprocket motors, considerably in excess of the rated engine horsepower.
I'll have to send this in two parts, seems theres a limitation on the number of characters.
Best regards,
Nero
Part 1
“OK fellas, I think you’re missing something here.
The Nizhny Tagil MBT (T-95) is a clean sheet design, don’t assume anything about this MBT, that is not obvious or not acknowledged by it’s builders; they aren’t keeping this vehicle’s specifications and performance discreet, without good reason. Likewise, nobody has been allowed to get to close to the Black Eagle demonstrator, probably for the same reason, you might just hear the engine sounds a little different.
In Mr. Fofanov’s web-page on the T-95 http://russianarmor.info/Tanks/MBT/n_tagil.html, there is an interesting reference: a “unique drive-train suspension system is being tested on this tank”. It is unlikely this late in development, it is simply being tested and is more likely a component of the integrated engine, drive-train and suspension, originally proposed for inclusion in the Chiorny Oriol development program, for the Next Generation MBT of the Russian Army and as we all know, the T-80 chassis is the original development chassis for Chiorny Oriol.
If you can find it; in issue #28 of Rozvourezhenie’s electronic magazine “Military Parade”, there is an early article on the T-80UM1 BARS Tank. In this article, mention is made of the shift to hydrostatic drives, but more interestingly, is a one liner that pre-announces an update of the power plant from 1,250 hp gas turbine to 1,400 hp heavy duty engine. Given the timing of this article and the confusion in Rosvorouzhenia at the time over the company’s future, both these items probably made it into the original article by mistake. If you wonder that the entries are still in the text of the article, it is simple; remove them and people might start to ask why and what it was all about in the first place.
With regards this entry, a heavy duty engine is a diesel engine. When was the last time you heard of replacement of a gas turbine power plant by a higher horsepower, yet reliable diesel engine, within the same restrictive envelope as the 50 tonne chassis limitation of this Russian tank class?
Now what all this means, is that it is highly probable Russia is developing at least two very advanced MBTs, one, based on an updated T-80U chassis as more suited to mass production, whilst the other, the T-95 is considerably more demanding of manufacture, but vastly more capable as a tank destroyer. Although export versions of the T-80 chassis, including the T-80UM1 BARS Tank and Black Eagle, are likely to have conventional power plants and drivelines, subsequent variants for the Russian Army are more likely to have the more advanced 1,400 horsepower heavy duty engine and drive-train in common with the T-95, which is also likely to be in common with a next generation, Self Propelled Artillery unit. The whole to operate as Fast Attack Squadrons.
Perhaps the nearer term availability of these units, is one of the reasons President Putin was comfortable in withdrawing from the CFE protocol.
If you need a little more convincing, think about this. In the T-95, we now have a tank with the crew, gun mounting, auto-loader and ammunition, shoehorned into the chassis with an engine and drive-train, that certainly won’t be any less powerful than alternative MBTs of the Russian Army. Given the constraints related to all this gear now being within the chassis, there is considerably less space than would normally be available for the power plant of this MBT. Something has to be greatly different.
I’ve noted in at least one article on the T-95, conjecture that the drive is diesel electric. The engine known to have been under consideration and subsequently proposed for development within Chiorny Oriol, is a direct acting hydraulic machine, so many parts and sub systems are removed by going down this path, that the resulting machinery suite of an MBT is less complex, much lighter, more robust and reliable and above all else, has a much higher power density; rivaling or exceeding that of a gas turbine and its gear set. Moreover, a hydraulic motor is typically ¼ the weight of an equivalent electric motor and in this game, power to weight is just about everything. Additionally, hydraulic motors are operationally more flexible and far more robust in a hostile environment, than are electric motors.
It should also be mentioned, with the adoption of this new format engine, there is no hydraulic pump in the system, the engine is the pump; so we have a lighter engine, competing with an engine and generator, on the basis of both weight and space. Sorry, no contest.
OK, now this is where this really gets interesting. The predicted automotive performance of this integrated system, is that an MBT so powered, will not only have higher horsepower, but have at least three times the un-refueled range of a contemporary diesel powered variant, for the same fuel load and for emergency purposes, will be able to apply power to the sprocket motors, considerably in excess of the rated engine horsepower.
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