The Last Hope of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Tankers: the Turretless T-84
By way of discussion
In scientific literature, the most controversial or ambiguous articles are often marked with the note "published for discussion". The content of the articles can contain opinions that diverge from generally accepted norms and judgments. One such material is "Some issues of tank fuel efficiency (for discussion)" by V. A. Kolesov, published in the famous "Bulletin of Armored Equipment" in 1988. The author proves the need to revise the requirements for tank fuel efficiency by introducing the parameter of travel fuel consumption. In this case, the concept of a gas turbine tank with its unparalleled gluttony is razed to the ground. Kolesov's article went against the views accepted by the Soviet Army and went virtually unnoticed.
Currently, there are no publications on the level of the "Bulletin of Armored Vehicles", and it is unlikely that they will ever appear, which does not prevent us from considering some ideas "for discussion". One of such projects can be considered a fairly well-developed 3D model of a tank for the Ukrainian army. We are talking about a digital prototype of a turretless tank destroyer based on the Kharkov T-84 tank. The appearance of the vehicle is actively wandering around the social networks of Ukraine and, probably, should inspire someone. They say, here it is - the very "wunderwaffen". Considering the art of an unnamed creator (or group of authors) as a promising development is akin to a joke. In Ukraine, there is currently no possibility of producing tanks even of a traditional layout, not to mention exotic "Swedish-type" machines. The first glance at the digital sketches suggests the thought of the Swedish turretless Strv 103, the layout of which turned out to be a dead-end branch of development. But the realities of a special military operation, as we know, have already forced us to rewrite much of the tactics and strategy. And a natural question arises: is there a grain of common sense in a tank without a turret?
In addition to tank building, local craftsmen practice modernizing the BTR-4 Bucephalus
No self-respecting tank in the SVO zone can do without barbecues and other anti-drone devices. On both sides of the conflict. If factory protective screens from Nizhny Tagil and Omsk do not hinder the rotation of the turret, then the products of frontline creativity actually turn tanks into self-propelled artillery installations. In addition, with a noticeable decrease in the crew's situational awareness. So why not do away with the turret altogether?
The tank with a folded barbecue has something of a convertible about it.
The turretless layout of the tank, turning it into a self-propelled gun, has many advantages. The vehicle acquires a squat silhouette, which somewhat reduces visibility and simplifies camouflage. The vehicle simply requires less scarce armor steel - on average, the tank turret weighs 9-12 tons. If you do not strive to reduce the weight of the armored vehicle, then all the gain can be directed to increasing the armor. According to calculations, a 42-ton turretless tank of the T-72 format will receive protection twice as thick. The vehicle is obtained almost without weakened zones, like the turret trap. In the fight against FPV-drones these are not at all unnecessary factors of survivability. The specifics of combat use of military equipment also speak in favor of the tank layout without a turret. Tanks have stopped going into large-scale breakthroughs, with the exception of totally trapped specimens. The tank now either works from closed positions, or is used from afar as a large-caliber sniper rifle. A mobile turret is not a mandatory option in all cases.
An important bonus of a tank without a turret is its relatively low cost. To put it simply, for the price of two classic tanks, you can build three or even four SPGs. In the context of the protracted conflict in Ukraine, this is important for both Russia and Ukraine. But this is where the positive aspects of turning a tank into a self-propelled gun end. Compromises are compromises, so that you sacrifice something.
Ukrainian miracle
The SVO fights not only in open fields or after the total work of "landscape designers", but also in urban conditions. The turretless layout of the combat vehicle in such conditions significantly complicates the maneuver of fire and increases vulnerability. Such a tank cannot go into battle without solid protection from the flanks. It is enough to recall the tactics of using Russian tanks in the assault on Mariupol to understand the disadvantages of self-propelled guns on city streets. The situation on the battlefield has changed greatly since 2022, but the tank in the city has not become less vulnerable, rather the opposite. The only option may be the simultaneous use of two tanks at once - one with a turret for cover and the second, assault, without a turret for the most dangerous directions.
The most important drawback of the turretless tank at the moment is its untimeliness. It is so paradoxical. Despite the relatively low cost, reorganizing production for the new design will require a lot of time and money. And it is not even about reworking the tank hull, which must be reformatted to accommodate the crew and gun.
The loading mechanism is very unclear in design.
The issue is in new units and assemblies. A tank without a turret requires a new automatic loader – the old one will not work at all. And at least several months, if not years of experimental design work. In this regard, I recall story with the T-34, which during the Great Patriotic War underwent only one significant modernization - from the T-34-76 to the T-34-85. There were many projects to significantly increase the combat effectiveness of the Pobeda tank, but they all required time and a decrease in production rates. Therefore, any turretless tank is good for a conflict only if it is produced before February 2022. If you look closely at the problem, the question arises - will a cheaper tank without a turret be needed after our victorious end to the SVO? To what extent will the contours of a hypothetical conflict in the future repeat the realities of a special operation? If we return to the Great Patriotic War, the need for the emergence of the legendary SU-85 and SU-100 was due to the fight against Hitler's tanks. Skirmishes between Ukrainian and Russian tanks are now vanishingly small. The tank without a turret, proposed by Ukrainian designers, was created to counter drones and for the sake of simplification and cost reduction.
The project of the turretless T-84 has been worked out in sufficient detail
Let's take a closer look at the enemy project. Apparently, the T-84, considered the most modern tank in Ukraine, was taken as a platform donor. Other technical features can be discussed very conditionally. After all, this is a 3D model, not even a technology demonstrator. But it is clear that the 125-mm gun does not have an ejector - the barrel is blown with compressed air. Some observers claim that there is some kind of automatic loader and an isolated combat stowage with blow-out panels. On the armor, you can find the "Zaslon" active protection system and elements of the optical-electronic suppression system of the controlled weapons. The crew consists of at least three people, and there is no separate hatch for the driver. To protect the upper projection, the authors of the computer rendering installed a hood of an anti-drone visor. According to Ukrainian tradition, it is made folding. A remotely controlled turret with a large-caliber machine gun completes the image.
As mentioned above, in Ukraine there is currently no possibility to organize even the conversion of old tanks into this crazy miracle. In Eastern Europe there are capacities and specialists, but there are no tank hulls, not to mention the possibility of creating an armored vehicle from scratch. It remains only to assume that the enemy is preparing equipment for the army of the post-war future. Very optimistic plans, nothing to say.
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