Russia considers renaming 'Terminator' after battlefield letdown
The executives of Uralvagonzavod corporation have admitted that they are considering changing the name of their heavy combat support vehicle, the BMPT Terminator, to something "more familiar to Russians." The Ukrainian news agency Unian highlights that despite the Kremlin's praise, the vehicle failed during the war and is plagued with problems that a new name certainly won't fix.
"In addition to constantly improving combat parameters, the BMPT may undergo another significant adjustment—the Terminator may change its name to something more familiar to Russians," stated the Uralvagonzavod announcement.
The BMPT Terminator may change its name
According to Igor Meshkov, a member of the corporation's board of directors, "the issue of abandoning the American name of this powerful Russian machine has long been discussed in society."
Examining the specifications of the BMPT Terminator, it's clear the vehicle is impressive. The designers equipped it with two 30 mm cannons, two 40 mm grenade launchers, a machine gun, and four Ataka-T guided anti-tank missile launchers. It's also well-armored, built on the chassis of a T-72 tank.
In their release, Uralvagonzavod claims that "vehicles of this type play a very important role on the battlefield and can be used both in conjunction with tanks and as independent combat units." However, the Ukrainian agency Unian reminds us that Ukrainian and Western experts have a different opinion. They assess the BMPT Terminator as equipment that is too expensive relative to its capabilities and weaknesses, which were highlighted during the war in Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine also verified the capabilities of the BMPT Terminator
As explained by Łukasz Michalik, a journalist with Wirtualna Polska, clashes with Ukrainian forces have shown that the BMPT Terminator is not a super weapon but rather a notable failure, occasionally acknowledged even by the Russians themselves.
The BMPT Terminator failed to provide any advantage over main battle tanks, even older models commonly used by the Russian army. It is more susceptible to damage, as confirmed by Ukrainians through successful attacks, and it is more difficult to repair. Additionally, it requires a larger crew of five people, whereas tanks typically require only three. This has been noted by other analysts, including Yevgeny Fedorov from Topwar.ru.
Military expert Alexander Kovalenko evaluated the vehicle, stating, "The BMPT Terminator showed itself solely from a negative side. Due to its large mass and sluggishness, it was constantly at risk of artillery strikes. The support it provided to tanks was mediocre, given the specifics of combat operations and the capabilities of the BMPT's armament."
