Support The Moscow Times!

Russia's Armata Tank to Be Caked in High-Tech Explosive Armor – Report

Armata T-15 Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Russia's new Armata, already billed by its manufacturer as the world's best combat tank, has gotten even better after receiving a next-generation cloak of armored tiles that an unidentified source in the military-industrial complex told news agency TASS on Monday has "no world analogues."

Armata is Russia's newest battle tank, and represents a big step up from Soviet designs currently in use. It was formally unveiled as part of Russia's blowout Victory Day Parade on May 9, though some details about the tank, such as its armor, have been kept under tight wraps.

According to an unidentified Russian defense industry source quoted by TASS, Armata's armor "can be considered next-generation [armor], it surpasses the reactive protection of Kontakt-5 and Relikt," referring to types of reactive armor currently found on Russian tanks such as the older T-72s and T-90s.

Reactive armor typically consists of special explosive tiles plastered along a tank's hull to provide extra protection against anti-tank rockets and enemy tank shells. The tiles explode outward to deflect the incoming projectiles, protecting the tank from damage.

The source did not give a name for the new armor type or provide specific details about its composition and characteristics that might help compare Armata's futuristic armor to types used by Western tanks.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more