Posted on 04/28/2022 8:48:08 AM PDT by SpeedyInTexas
Russian tanks with their tops blown off are just the latest sign that Russia's invasion of Ukraine isn't going to plan.
Hundreds of Russian tanks are thought to have been destroyed since Moscow launched its offensive, with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on Monday estimating it had lost as many as 580.
But Moscow's problems go beyond the sheer number of tanks it has lost. Experts say battlefield images show Russian tanks are suffering from a defect that Western militaries have known about for decades and refer to as the "jack-in-the-box effect." Moscow, they say, should have seen the problem coming.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Does the author understand that there's a difference between what is commonly called a "missile" and what is called a shell?
Even the Germans acknowledged that for overall battlefield performance, the T-34 was the best fighting vehicle deployed. Does anyone know whatever happened to the man who designed that tank. Was he killed in the Stalinist purges?
This was a design choice they made many, many years ago - that a higher rate of fire and lower profile would prevail over the increase in vulnerability. But with top attack weapons this vulnerability greatly increases. You probably saw pictures of tanks that went into Ukraine with cages on top of some of them, a field expedient to try to stop the top attack ATGMs, but it appears not to have been very effective.
Isn’t it so nice of cnn to tell the whole world of the defect so that putin can simply start the redesign process now?
It reminds me of the written press of WWII showing images and pointing out that the B-17 had design flaws so that enemies knew how to attack B-17s.
The press in any venue are the scourge of the world!
Mother russia has lots of sons.
Saw plenty of ammo racked Iraqi tanks in 2003.
I’d say it’s well known.
The other day I posted a comment suggesting what would be a poetic way for Putin to shuffle off his mortal coil, Stalin style, and was immediately called a Neocon. So, comparing Vladimir Vladimirovich to the last guy who massacred Ukrainians by the truckload makes me a latter-day Gen. Jack D. Ripper, ready to bomb the Russkies and protect our precious bodily fluids. Got it.
The tank can fire both shells (APFSDS, HE) and a missile.
They copied the basics of the T-34 from Walter Christie. An American inventor who was rejected by the US army.
Funny how the M1 Abrams doesn’t have that problm.
“Stunning that the Ruskies carried this flaw into each next generation. What on earth were they thinking?”
Russian design philosophy has always been aimed at cost and producibility. The idea was to overwhelm the enemy. Casualties don’t matter. The lack of concern for casualties is because of the political system. Russia has three hundred thousand anti-riot police. If you’re not worried about what the great unwashed masses think about the way you are conducting a war, then you aren’t concerned with casualties. As the article stated and I can confirm, having worked on the Abrams and a lot of other armored vehicle designs, the number one concern for every design feature is, what does it do to crew survivability? Even just taking the practical consideration, highly trained tank crews can’t be produced by just a few weeks of training and reading the course material. The US had an investment in every service person, and they protect that investment. But the number one thing protecting the lives of US service members is that we elect our leaders.
It was not a defect in the sense that they did not know it. It was a deliberate design tradeoff.
“Of course, the Ukrainians are basically driving the same tanks”
For now. The rumor mill is indicating that the US is slyly transferring 200-250 functional M1A1 tanks (with assorted upgrades) to Ukraine via Poland. This transfer is likely taking place right now.
I have not heard any indication that the Ukies would receive any M1A2 tanks.
The Ukies are also supposed to be getting an unknown number of LAV-25 combat vehicles. I have not heard any mention of them receiving any Brads.
If you root for the firefighting crews to put out fires in California because you care about people and their homes and businesses, the Pooties accuse you of being a Newsome stooge just because he is leading the efforts as the governor.
“highly trained tank crews can’t be produced by just a few weeks of training and reading the course material.”
Yea that very important point was made at the end of the article.
“Does the author understand that there’s a difference between what is commonly called a “missile” and what is called a shell?”
These days the lines have blurred on that topic as many cannon-launched ‘shells’ have guidance features and are able to autonomously maneuver like a platform launched missile.
In British parlance I think the dash indicates whether or not you might be queer.
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