Russia's "wonder tank" T‑14 Armata fails to meet front-line expectations
The T-14 Armata, a Russian battle tank, debuted during a military parade in Moscow 2015. Its introduction wasn’t without a hitch; the vehicle notably malfunctioned during the event.
Manufactured at the Uralvagonzavod plant in Nizhny Tagil, the tank was heralded by Russian officials as a cutting-edge, technologically sophisticated, and robust military asset.
Among its features, the T-14 Armata sports several innovations considered advanced in Russian technological circles, including an unmanned turret, a missile interception system, and enhancements to boost the crew’s effectiveness on the battlefield.
However, it emerged that the tank did not live up to expectations, falling short both in combat performance and financial viability.
Initially deployed near Luhansk for testing in October 2022 and later intended for operation in the initial stages of the Ukraine conflict, the T-14 Armata tanks were officially sent to the front in April 2023, only to be pulled out by the summer. British intelligence reports have cited the tanks' deplorable technical condition while in Ukraine.
“Actually, the T-14 Armata is a bit too expensive. Functionally, it is superior to existing models, but its cost is prohibitive, making it unlikely for immediate army use,” Sergey Chemezov, head of Rostec, commented.
The cost of the T-14 Armata is estimated to be between 5 and 9 million dollars, considerably higher than the cost of existing Russian tanks like the T-90, T-80, and T-72, all of which have already experienced significant losses in Ukraine. Given the circumstances, Vladimir Putin's forces are expected to resort to the cheaper yet less reliable T-90M models.
