Project of a promising tank "Object 299"
Throughout stories Tank engineering engineers worked on the creation of new machines that have significant differences from existing equipment. For example, in the late eighties, several design bureaus of the Soviet Union began work on promising tank. Of great interest is the development of designers of the Leningrad Kirov Plant (later Design Bureau “Spetsmash”). The solutions proposed in the draft were so bold that some of them are being put into practice only now.
In the framework of the “Object 299” project, it was decided to use the existing experience, as well as to widely apply the latest ideas. Thus, a promising tank had to have an unusual layout for the domestic tank building, original armament, as well as a non-standard approach to crew accommodation. In addition, the “Object 299” was originally created as a universal platform, which can be the base for the main tank, heavy class infantry fighting vehicle, engineering vehicle and even for the carrier of anti-tank missiles. All this greatly complicated the development of the project, but it had to significantly reduce the cost of building technology and facilitate its maintenance.
In order to solve a number of different tasks, it was decided to build a tank "Object 299" using non-standard layout. In front of the hull it was proposed to place the engine compartment, behind it should have been an armored capsule with the crew, and all the food was given under the fighting compartment. One of the main advantages of this arrangement was the possibility of a significant increase in the level of protection of the machine in comparison with the existing technology. Thus, it became possible to install frontal protection on the tank, equivalent to 800-900 mm of homogeneous armor, as well as to improve crew protection with the help of an additional manned volume reservation.
As a power plant for the new tank, a gas-turbine engine with an 1500 hp power was originally proposed. In the future, it was planned to increase the mobility of the armored vehicle through the use of more powerful engines, up to the 2000 hp. According to some reports, for the tank "Object 299" in the future it was supposed to create a gas turbine engine with a capacity of about 1800 hp. with fuel consumption at the level of modern diesel engines.
The undercarriage of the “299 Object” received seven road wheels each with a torsion bar suspension. In connection with the front engine, the drive wheels should have been in the front of the bead, the guides - in the stern.
The crew of a combat vehicle of two or three people (depending on the modification) was supposed to be in the total volume located in the middle part of the body. In connection with this arrangement, the crew tank or other equipment had to get a few original systems. It was necessary to provide the highest possible overview, as well as to equip crew workstations with the controls of all existing systems. In particular, it was required to create an automated uninhabited fighting compartment, completely controlled from the crew workplaces.
To solve this problem, it was proposed to equip the tank with periscopic devices in the roof of the habitable compartment. In addition, the tank could get a camera system for a circular view and a special sight for controlling the fire of the gun. The camera and the thermal imager of the latter were supposed to be on the gun carriage and provide aiming.
In the stern of the hull it was proposed to place a combat (in the form of a cannon and rocket tank) or an amphibious assault (heavy BMP) detachment. The chassis and hull capabilities made it possible to equip a tank with an 152 caliber mm. The gun was supposed to interact with automatic loader and automated styling for projectiles. Due to the absence of people in the fighting compartment, all operations with ammunition - from extracting a shot from the cells of mechanized laying to throwing out the pallet of the sleeve - should have been carried out automatically.
Of particular interest is the proposed version of the tank "Object 299" in the missile version. This machine was to be equipped with a launcher for anti-tank missiles. In the aft fighting compartment, it was proposed to place a vertical launcher with 30 cells for missiles. Using such a launcher could significantly reduce the time required to prepare for the shot (for example, in comparison with the rocket tank IT 1), as well as reduce the likelihood of destruction of the vehicle’s ammunition. It should be noted that in the late eighties or early nineties in the USSR / Russia there were no missiles suitable for use on the “299 Object”. However, in the case of the commencement of full-scale work on the creation of such a machine, the rocket-building design bureaus could receive the corresponding task, as a result of which there would appear ammunition for a promising combat vehicle.
Modifications of the “299 Object” of other classes were to carry the appropriate equipment and weapons. For example, a heavy infantry fighting vehicle could get a combat module with a small caliber artillery gun or machine guns, and in the stern of the hull should have been located. In this case, for landing and landing, the landing party was to use the door in the rear hull sheet.
The complex of original solutions proposed in the “Object 299” project should have provided a noticeable advantage over existing combat vehicles. Thus, a new tank could have a relatively powerful booking and a high level of crew protection. The gas turbine engine was supposed to provide a high power density even when the combat weight reached about 50 tons. Using 152-mm guns would give the tank a uniquely high firepower.
In addition, the “Object 299” project had positive features related to the creation of a single platform for various equipment. It should be particularly noted that tank chassis were previously used as the basis for various equipment (repair and recovery vehicles, engineering equipment, etc.), however, in the “299 Object” chassis project it was proposed to initially take into account the requirements for chassis for various vehicles .
The project "Object 299" used a lot of original ideas that required testing and development. For this reason, was built undercarriage perspective tank. It was a chassis with an original layout of internal volumes and a chassis with six road wheels on board. For the convenience of the testers, the crew seats were raised, and a superstructure of characteristic shape with windows appeared on the roof of the hull.
It is known that the experienced "Object 299" passed a large amount of tests, which determined the positive and negative features of the ideas applied. In general, the proposed layout of the units has justified itself, although some features of the machine required further development. However, the work did not lead to the emergence of an efficient machine. The project "Object 299" completed at the stage of testing the first running layout. At the end of the eighties, there were serious economic and political problems in the country that seriously hit industry, including the defense sector.
Shortly after stopping work on the 299 Object project, Leningrad engineers stopped developing new armored vehicle projects. Some of the existing developments were subsequently used by other design organizations, others were ignored.
At present, a project of a promising armor platform of a heavy class “Armata” is being developed in Russia. Next year it is planned to show the main tank created on the basis of this platform to the general public. In the future, on the basis of a common platform will be built new equipment for another purpose.
According to some data, the Armata will have a non-standard layout for domestic tanks: the engine compartment in the front of the hull and the total volume for crew accommodation, made in the form of a separate armored capsule. All this suggests that the developments on the "299 Object" are not lost and have found their application. More than two and a half decades passed from the first tests of the 299 Object layout to the start of deliveries of serial tanks with the original layout, but daring and promising ideas could still reach full implementation in practice.
On the materials of the sites:
http://vestnik-rm.ru/
http://rosinform.ru/
http://deraltesoldat.ru/
http://gunm.ru/
In the framework of the “Object 299” project, it was decided to use the existing experience, as well as to widely apply the latest ideas. Thus, a promising tank had to have an unusual layout for the domestic tank building, original armament, as well as a non-standard approach to crew accommodation. In addition, the “Object 299” was originally created as a universal platform, which can be the base for the main tank, heavy class infantry fighting vehicle, engineering vehicle and even for the carrier of anti-tank missiles. All this greatly complicated the development of the project, but it had to significantly reduce the cost of building technology and facilitate its maintenance.
In order to solve a number of different tasks, it was decided to build a tank "Object 299" using non-standard layout. In front of the hull it was proposed to place the engine compartment, behind it should have been an armored capsule with the crew, and all the food was given under the fighting compartment. One of the main advantages of this arrangement was the possibility of a significant increase in the level of protection of the machine in comparison with the existing technology. Thus, it became possible to install frontal protection on the tank, equivalent to 800-900 mm of homogeneous armor, as well as to improve crew protection with the help of an additional manned volume reservation.
As a power plant for the new tank, a gas-turbine engine with an 1500 hp power was originally proposed. In the future, it was planned to increase the mobility of the armored vehicle through the use of more powerful engines, up to the 2000 hp. According to some reports, for the tank "Object 299" in the future it was supposed to create a gas turbine engine with a capacity of about 1800 hp. with fuel consumption at the level of modern diesel engines.
The undercarriage of the “299 Object” received seven road wheels each with a torsion bar suspension. In connection with the front engine, the drive wheels should have been in the front of the bead, the guides - in the stern.
The crew of a combat vehicle of two or three people (depending on the modification) was supposed to be in the total volume located in the middle part of the body. In connection with this arrangement, the crew tank or other equipment had to get a few original systems. It was necessary to provide the highest possible overview, as well as to equip crew workstations with the controls of all existing systems. In particular, it was required to create an automated uninhabited fighting compartment, completely controlled from the crew workplaces.
To solve this problem, it was proposed to equip the tank with periscopic devices in the roof of the habitable compartment. In addition, the tank could get a camera system for a circular view and a special sight for controlling the fire of the gun. The camera and the thermal imager of the latter were supposed to be on the gun carriage and provide aiming.
In the stern of the hull it was proposed to place a combat (in the form of a cannon and rocket tank) or an amphibious assault (heavy BMP) detachment. The chassis and hull capabilities made it possible to equip a tank with an 152 caliber mm. The gun was supposed to interact with automatic loader and automated styling for projectiles. Due to the absence of people in the fighting compartment, all operations with ammunition - from extracting a shot from the cells of mechanized laying to throwing out the pallet of the sleeve - should have been carried out automatically.
Of particular interest is the proposed version of the tank "Object 299" in the missile version. This machine was to be equipped with a launcher for anti-tank missiles. In the aft fighting compartment, it was proposed to place a vertical launcher with 30 cells for missiles. Using such a launcher could significantly reduce the time required to prepare for the shot (for example, in comparison with the rocket tank IT 1), as well as reduce the likelihood of destruction of the vehicle’s ammunition. It should be noted that in the late eighties or early nineties in the USSR / Russia there were no missiles suitable for use on the “299 Object”. However, in the case of the commencement of full-scale work on the creation of such a machine, the rocket-building design bureaus could receive the corresponding task, as a result of which there would appear ammunition for a promising combat vehicle.
Modifications of the “299 Object” of other classes were to carry the appropriate equipment and weapons. For example, a heavy infantry fighting vehicle could get a combat module with a small caliber artillery gun or machine guns, and in the stern of the hull should have been located. In this case, for landing and landing, the landing party was to use the door in the rear hull sheet.
The complex of original solutions proposed in the “Object 299” project should have provided a noticeable advantage over existing combat vehicles. Thus, a new tank could have a relatively powerful booking and a high level of crew protection. The gas turbine engine was supposed to provide a high power density even when the combat weight reached about 50 tons. Using 152-mm guns would give the tank a uniquely high firepower.
In addition, the “Object 299” project had positive features related to the creation of a single platform for various equipment. It should be particularly noted that tank chassis were previously used as the basis for various equipment (repair and recovery vehicles, engineering equipment, etc.), however, in the “299 Object” chassis project it was proposed to initially take into account the requirements for chassis for various vehicles .
The project "Object 299" used a lot of original ideas that required testing and development. For this reason, was built undercarriage perspective tank. It was a chassis with an original layout of internal volumes and a chassis with six road wheels on board. For the convenience of the testers, the crew seats were raised, and a superstructure of characteristic shape with windows appeared on the roof of the hull.
It is known that the experienced "Object 299" passed a large amount of tests, which determined the positive and negative features of the ideas applied. In general, the proposed layout of the units has justified itself, although some features of the machine required further development. However, the work did not lead to the emergence of an efficient machine. The project "Object 299" completed at the stage of testing the first running layout. At the end of the eighties, there were serious economic and political problems in the country that seriously hit industry, including the defense sector.
Shortly after stopping work on the 299 Object project, Leningrad engineers stopped developing new armored vehicle projects. Some of the existing developments were subsequently used by other design organizations, others were ignored.
At present, a project of a promising armor platform of a heavy class “Armata” is being developed in Russia. Next year it is planned to show the main tank created on the basis of this platform to the general public. In the future, on the basis of a common platform will be built new equipment for another purpose.
According to some data, the Armata will have a non-standard layout for domestic tanks: the engine compartment in the front of the hull and the total volume for crew accommodation, made in the form of a separate armored capsule. All this suggests that the developments on the "299 Object" are not lost and have found their application. More than two and a half decades passed from the first tests of the 299 Object layout to the start of deliveries of serial tanks with the original layout, but daring and promising ideas could still reach full implementation in practice.
On the materials of the sites:
http://vestnik-rm.ru/
http://rosinform.ru/
http://deraltesoldat.ru/
http://gunm.ru/
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