European tank biathlon: All-Ukrainian military zrada
For the second year in a row, Ukrainian tankers from the 14 Volyn mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces took part in international competitions Strong Europe Tank Challenge at the US 7 ground in Bavaria.
The APU team was led both times by Captain Roman Bagaev, whose platoon is regularly recognized as the best tank platoon of Ukraine. However, for the second year in a row, Ukrainians took the last place in competitions with NATO. In 2017, among six participants, now among eight.
Last year (we wrote about this event), though the Ukrainians became worse, they loudly declared themselves. That is a clear such zrady was not. The main reason for last year’s defeat, Bagaev, called ignorance of NATO specifics, problems with language and tactics lag. He said that only the old T-64 guys saved up and down saved it.
I agree, good reasons.
This year the reason for the failure was the new T-84 tanks, seemingly much more modern than the T-64. And just the mechanics of these “Oplotov” summed up the Ukrainian military on the very first day of the competition, prompting ridicule (especially) from the Russian media.
The military has already returned to Ukraine. Company commander Roman Bagaev told who was to blame and what exactly broke in the tanks; than these T-84Us are better than T-64; how did the competitions take place in Grafenver and when the “doped” T-84s could go to the Donbass.
Roman Bagaev, call sign “Tulip”, 27 years. Personnel officer of the 14-th separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Vladimir Volynsky). Captain, commander of the 1 tank company. In September, 2016 and 2017 of the year won the competition for the best tank platoon of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Born in the Crimea, lived in the Poltava region, then in Kharkov. A year before the start of the ATO for the redistribution from Kharkov, I got into the 51 Volyn brigade, instead of which in December the 2014 of the new 14 Ombre was formed. He fought in the ATO in the composition of the special purpose battalion “Kolos”. For participation in hostilities he was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky III degree.
Bagaev gave an interview to one of the Ukrainian media.
- Roman, how many team members had the experience of last year's competitions?
- Of the twelve people, only five participated in the Strong Europe Tank Challenge 2017. Most rode for the first time.
- What are the most important stages in the competition? What was and was not possible at these stages?
- The key ones are “tank platoon in offensive” and “tank platoon in defense”. For them it was possible to score on 500 points.
But nothing could be done. We drove four T-84. During the “offensive operation”, only one tank fired. On the other three, the projectile or not fully loaded into the gun, or the sensors did not work.
The system showed that the tank was not fully charged, so the gun from the hydrostop did not come off. Although in fact it was charged, but the empty tray was not fully lowered - it was manually lowered onto one tank.
On the others, it was necessary to manually unblock with a doubler sight, that is, they shot the gun from the hydrostop through the double.
- Explain ...
- When the projectile is loaded, the gun automatically becomes on the loading angle, it becomes on the hydrostop. There are sensors that reflect the end of each operation and transmit the signal further. The gun is on the loading corner, the wedge is open, the gun is on the hydrostop, the shell is being sent. If the wedge closes - the sensor is activated, which indicates that the lever with the empty tray has lowered, the wedge is closed. Then the sensor is triggered, the gun is removed from the hydrostop - you can control it.
In our three tanks, the guns were at the loading angle, because the sensors did not fully work.
Also in two tanks the fire control system let down - there was no stabilization of the gun. After each shot, the situation was the following: you do not touch the control panel, but it (the gun) is shaking.
How to get on this 1,5 km? ..
- Faults started immediately?
- Yes, it happened on the first day. We scored 208 points from 500.
For each tank they were given ten shells, just four tanks — forty. We were able to shoot only 16 shells from 40.
At other stages of the competition, we scored a lot of points, but shooting let us down, and this was the most important thing.
- It turns out that the blame for the failure lies primarily at the Kharkov plant named after Malyshev, where they prepared T-84. Was the factory representative with you at the competition? Tried to repair?
- have been. They did what they could.
But at first they did not believe us, they said that this could not be. And during the next shooting, I filmed everything on video and they tried to repair it. But the loading mechanism could not be repaired. The sensors constantly “flew out” every five shots.
Five shots is still good, because you could have made two. So it was at the stage of “action in defense”. There were 28 targets. We knocked out 21, and left one tank for cover - hoping that he would fire at the end. And so all the tanks shot out, raised the last three targets, and in the tank we hoped for, the MOH “flies” (loading mechanism), and it cannot shoot. We bombarded targets with machine guns, but this does not count ...
As a result, two countries knocked out targets on 24, one - 22, we - 21, the rest - on 20.
- When did you start preparing for the competition? Which tanks?
- In January we were already in Kharkov at the site. We learned that we will perform on T-84.
The technique was not taken soon. One tank was given in March. We shot him five times, the Ministry of Health failed, he was taken to the factory.
They didn’t want to teach us at the plant - they said that the training was not paid. Once admitted to the simulators.
- What was the training then?
- If last year we did not know the program of the competition and trained shooting, we now focused on other exercises.
In November, they taught English at the Lviv Academy of Land Forces. Of course, this is not enough for English, but there were no problems with a foreign language. We only had one translator, and that was more than enough.
For all the time of training, we once shot the whole platoon. The rest of the time there were no four ready-made tanks for the platoon to go training.
Perhaps that is why the crew coordination was, but there was no platoon coordination.
There is one tank and everyone is shooting at it. But everyone should get used to his tank.
- That is, the tanks did not have time to break in?
- We took the last tank already when we were loading the trawls and driving to Germany. Of the two tanks, we managed to shoot.
Machines as of April: the first tank was 40 shells, the second was 99, the third was 26, the fourth was 36, and the fifth was 13 shells.
From the second tank 50 shells did not shoot us, but the commission that tested the imager. The rest we shot.
“You left for Germany early because the Combined Resolve X international NATO exercises were held there before the competition. Very positive reports were received from these maneuvers about the actions of our tankers -“ raid after two days of defense, ”“ impressive battle in the city, ”“ hit several “Abrams” ... There was an opportunity to shoot from T-84 not virtually, but really, to get used to them?
- Shoot no, but could ride. And already then every day one or two tanks were denied by the fire control systems, although in reality we had not yet fired. On one block they burned - brought from Ukraine.
Before the competition itself there was a shooting, all the tanks were shooting. But on the very first day everything went awry.
- In your brigade in service are proven T-64BV. Why did the competition have to go to the T-84U - the previous, not very reliable version of the “Stronghold”?
- Perhaps, “from above” was the task to show the new tanks “Oplot”.
Such tanks as ours (T-84U “Oplot” - a preliminary version of the T-84 BM “Oplot”) in 2001 were made ten pieces. Now there are six, with four more — I don’t know. They were stored at the factory, on the basis of storage, several in the 92 th brigade.
In fact, when we were at the factory, we were told: “Our“ Stronghold ”is made for export to Thailand, wait.” During this time, the Atlet BREM was collected from scratch, and no one reached our tanks. We went to the factory as beggars.
In the end, they looked at the general plan. No one looked at the fire control system - it starts up and well. And what happens after the shot, in general, no one was interested. We didn’t even have spare parts - we took them from the sixth tank, which is located in the factory.
It would be worthwhile to revise all the blocks, the control system, the fuel system. Therefore, during the exercises, fuel flowed in our river. Tanks 17 years were dry - burst rubber nozzles connecting the fuel system. I had to change in the course.
True, they made an upgrade - they installed a thermal imager, installed a third-generation image intensifier (electro-optical converter) for the commander's sight.
This unit, which is included in the fire control system. With him, the commander can duplicate the gunner, if something happened to him, can shoot from his seat. They managed to install only two tanks. Also, a rearview camera and a ladder to go to the tank.
But everything that they upgraded could be done after the competition and send tanks to the Donbass.
- This upgrade is useful in battle?
- Thermal imager in battle will be needed. Ladders are a trifle.
The rear view camera is a bluff that no one needs. It stands on the side, the exhaust gases are just at her - when the car moves back, nothing is visible.
EOP in the sight of the commander with night vision is useful, but you need at least some lighting, at least from a month. We were in the forest - and there was nothing to be seen. GPS installed.
Not so bad in our tank ...
- How are these tanks better in combat than T-64?
- The engine is much better. He is so powerful that we "Abrams" and "Leclerc" caught up.
Also on the T-84 is a strong power unit. It works quietly, you can fire without starting the engine.
There are upgrades for night combat. At the same time, when I looked at the Abrams' night sight, our step forward in terms of sights seems small.
In fact, if the fire control system is adjusted, then it will be good.
Our tank is the lowest. And we have a shovel for digging a trench on a tank.
They (NATO members) tanks can not shoot when traveling forward, and the gun looks back. Ours can. And for combat readiness, they need more time.
- How did the foreign teams comment on the failure of our tanks?
- They said that the loading mechanism is both good and bad. In the "Leopards", "Abrams" no loading mechanism. They have a loader - an extra person in the crew.
- Representatives from the plant made some conclusions after the competition?
- They made reports to the factory. There are no spare parts for these tanks, so they do not know how to repair them. And if in combat conditions it breaks, then leave one and disassemble for details for others? ..
- What results did you show at the stages where the tanks did not use?
- They were the most possible to score 100 points.
Identification of the technique we passed 24 from 30. At the time of completion were the second of the four.
In intelligence, 42 points from 45 were scored and were at the finish line in first place.
For medical care and restoration of damaged equipment were in third place: the coordinates were right, they gave a report on NATO standards, they called a helicopter.
If we had scored our points for shooting, like last year with the T-64, then the top three winners would definitely be included.
Last year we defended more in defense than the current winner.
On the other hand, on the T-64 we would have lost 50 points on driving. One of the requirements of the exercise is to drive at full speed in reverse. T-84 in reverse can go 35 km / h, and T-64 - up to 4 km / h.
In driving now we ranked fourth, but with the first difference was insignificant - 20 seconds.
“Challengers” and “Leclercs” are fast tanks, but for some reason they are behind us.
In radiation and chemical contamination, we had a second result.
“Are these T-84 yours now?” Will 14 Ombr be adopted?
- They have not yet been brought from Germany. But so five tanks are considered in our arsenal. They will give one more.
- It will be six new tanks. And what is the need?
- In the subsection must be all the same type of tanks. Need four more.
But if the previous ones did so long, then I don’t even know when the rest will be done from scratch.
I have two platoons on T-84, and one on T-64. They will not be able to perform combat missions together due to the different speeds of the tanks.
- If these six tanks will be repaired, and they will be in the brigade, will they go to the Donbass?
- I think that after the parade on Independence Day, they will be in the Donbas. First, they should be set up at the factory, and then we will try them out.
Just there the problem will arise that in the platoons there are different tanks. The only option is to assign separate tasks to one platoon on T-64.
Then just a video made up of those clips that Ukrainian tankers shot for the Kharkov enterprise. No comments.
They gathered in the Donbass ...
Originator: “And what about yakbi in battle? ..” Chesne Іnterv'yu commander of the Nazi tank squad platoon, who was left to remain on the ground of NATO
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