Russia's parade of military might hide outdated reality

For decades, the Soviet Union treated the anniversary of May 9, 1945, as a chance to present the most advanced military equipment. During the USSR era, some public displays occurred many years after specific weapon models had been introduced into service.

In Russia's case, the situation is often reversed: while we see impressive new-generation combat vehicles during parades, older models, developed during the USSR era, are the ones that see combat on the front lines. These pieces of equipment, despite their age, are actually battle-ready, unlike some of Russia's technical innovations.

One notable example of premature presentation is the Armata tracked platform family of vehicles.

The first representative of this family, the T-14 Armata tank, was officially introduced on May 9, 2015 (a prototype had been shown statically in 2013). During public trials before the parade, one of the new tanks slowed down, stopped, and failed to move, even with the engine running.

The announcer claimed it was a planned stop, but the recovery vehicle sent to assist was unable to move the tank due to the T-14's weight surpassing that of older tanks.

Although T-14 tanks have appeared regularly in various parades in the following years, and unofficial reports suggest several units may have been tested in Ukraine, the best summary of this design's status comes from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who plainly stated that the T-14 is not fit for battle. This view was confirmed by the head of the Rostec corporation, Sergey Chemezov.

It's worth noting that it has been 10 years since the T-14 was introduced. During this time, the tank has not become, as Moscow promised, the backbone of Russian armored forces. It remains unclear whether the order for 100 units was completed and if the issues with the intended propulsion system, specifically the 12TW373 engine, have been resolved.

It is known, however, that the T-14 manufacturer, Uralvagonzavod, no longer boasts about the T-14 and instead is announcing the development of an even newer and more groundbreaking tank.

Alongside the T-14 Armata, Russians also showcase the T-15 fighting vehicle at parades. This is another revolutionary design—a heavy infantry fighting vehicle built on the Armata chassis, heavily armed and armored, distinctly different from the BMP vehicle family developed over decades.

Over time, a fuel transport vehicle and the T-16 Brem recovery vehicle, both based on the T-15, were added. The latter is designed as a heavy, well-armored recovery vehicle tasked with towing damaged tanks from the battlefield. The Russian vehicle features an interesting solution with a small compartment where the crew of the recovered tank can take refuge.

The Armata chassis was also meant to support the Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled howitzer and the Terminator 3 tank support fighting vehicle. In the first case, the howitzer was developed on a chassis based on T-72 and T-90 solutions, while the Terminator fighting vehicles—despite their impressive technical data—have not progressed in armored weapon development.

Although visually impressive, none of these vehicles have advanced to the stage of serial production, despite the passage of time. The cost of new equipment, likely significantly higher than that of previously used armored vehicles, may also deter interest from the military.

Russia also displayed lighter combat vehicles built on the Kurganets platform, which incorporates solutions from the Armata platform but is much lighter. They are designed to offer a high level of protection while being amphibious, and equipped with an unmanned turret with optics and armaments.

The Kurganets was intended to serve as a base for various specialized vehicles, including reconnaissance vehicles, command vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and anti-aircraft systems. The modern chassis was expected to replace BMP family vehicles in the Russian army, as well as the widely-used MT-LB platform.

This has not materialized. The announced vehicles have not reached serial production, and except for the infantry fighting vehicle, prototypes capable of participating in military parades have not even been constructed.

The parade gear for Putin also includes the wheeled Boomerang armored personnel carrier. This eight-wheeled carrier was designed in the likeness of Western vehicles with similar characteristics and purposes, such as the Rosomak, VBCI, Boxer, or Piranha.

The Boomerang was intended to be the successor to the BTR vehicle family, bringing a new quality through its modern chassis and new turret with armaments. However, years have passed, and this vision has not been realized.

The highlight of Russian military parades has not received orders or entered serial production, and on the front in Ukraine, the much less armored BTR-82—an evolutionary development of the BTR-70 transporter, designed over 50 years ago—is being destroyed by the hundreds.