Strange Russian vehicle. It was created for one purpose
Modeled on the T-14 Armata tank, the armored tanker T-15 is a Russian design, whose role is to improve fuel transport in areas particularly vulnerable to attack - reports BulgarianMilitary portal, citing the Russian agency TASS.
6:17 PM EDT, October 19, 2023
Experts from the Military Academy of Logistics are responsible for the design of the Russian tanker. The role of the machine is to deliver fuel to the front line, even under enemy bombardment. TASS Agency draws attention to the "distinctive constructive feature" of the vehicle, which is the placement of the crew in a capsule separate from the fuel part. "It is separated from the rest of the interior by an incredibly durable armored partition" - we read.
Russian armored tanker
In the statement concerning this specific Russian vehicle, there is no shortage of epithets emphasizing the tanker's durability. The Russians have ensured an increase in the resilience of the wall separating the engine from the fuel tank. It should also be emphasized that, in contrast to the T-14 Armata tank, the power unit of the tanker is located in the front part of the machine.
However, there is no evidence confirming the effectiveness of the reinforced armor. The Russians are not informing about the tests carried out on the vehicle. However, it is known that the vehicle's armor consists of a mixture of steel and ceramic composite plates. Such a combination is supposed to be resistant to attacks made using systems like the FGM-148 Javelin, as well as 4.72 inch caliber tank shells.
BulgarianMilitary explains that the T-15 tank is powered by a diesel engine generating power at the level of about 2,000 hp. The combat weight of the machine is, in turn, about 53 tons. Despite its large weight, the vehicle is capable of reaching speeds of up to about 43 mph. The machine - in addition to reinforced armor - is also not short of weapons. These consist of the 30 mm 2A422 9M133M Kornet-M automatic guns and one PKTM automatic rifle with a caliber of .3 inches.
Furthermore, it's worth emphasizing that the T-15 tank probably didn't make it to the front in Ukraine. There are also no reports appearing online about the destruction of said machines, so it is not possible to confirm whether the design is useful during battles and how it copes with modern threats on the battlefield.
