The main battle tank "Black Eagle": a tank that still has everything ahead

The Black Eagle is a fourth-generation Russian battle tank that has been developed using new technologies and solutions. Although the machine did not go into production, it has interesting characteristics, such as an uninhabited turret, which makes it similar to the T-14 Armata.

Development of the Black Eagle tank

A mock-up of the new Black Eagle MBT, also known as the Object 640, was shown in 1997, and an early prototype in 1999. But there were no official statements about its combat capability and future prospects. The development was carried out in secrecy, and the tank itself was practically not shown, or else appeared in public with a covered turret.

Better case, better protection

MBT "Black Eagle" was the result of a significant modernization of the T-80U. Its hull was lengthened with an extra pair of road wheels, and the turret was replaced with a new one with a new automatic loader. In addition, he has a very squat silhouette, which allowed him to become the lowest MBT in the world.

"Black Eagle" has a very high degree of protection against various anti-tank weapons. Its turret armor is thick and heavily sloped, as well as built-in next-generation dynamic armor based on the Cactus. The driver's seat has been moved back to better protect the front of the hull. The roof of the tower has multi-layered armor to protect against attacks from above. Also, systems based on active protection Arena-M / Drozd-2 and a complex of optoelectronic suppression Shtora-1 were installed. In addition, a search radar has been installed to detect enemy helicopters and aircraft at a distance of up to 16 kilometers.

In general, the Black Eagle is a powerful and high-tech tank that was created to provide reliable protection in war conditions. Its high degree of protection against various anti-tank weapons, as well as active protection systems and an optoelectronic suppression system, make it one of the most protected tanks in the world.

Best defense is attack

Despite the fact that the Black Eagle did not go into production, many of its technological solutions were used in other Russian battle tanks. For example, a turret with an automatic loader was installed on the T-90 and T-90A, and Arena-M active protection systems were installed on the T-14 Armata and T-90M.

An early prototype of the Black Eagle was shown in 1999 and had a 125mm main gun. Subsequently, larger-caliber guns with a caliber of 135, 140 and 152 mm were proposed. The last of them had a maximum firing range of up to 10 kilometers and could be used as a launcher for guided anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles. Auxiliary armament consisted of two machine guns - 7,62 coaxial and 12,7 remotely controlled on the roof of the tower.

Management system

The tank is controlled by a crew of three who are connected to a global system consisting of means of detection, navigation and data transmission between various combat vehicles. This allows several vehicles or even different types of troops to act in concert.

One of the most significant shortcomings of the tanks of the times of the USSR was the placement of an automatic loader in the tower. The prototypes of the Black Eagle received an ammunition rack that was moved outside the turret into a special removable module. This was an atypical solution for domestic tank building, which significantly improved the safety of the crew and the tank as a whole. Such an automatic loader made it possible to increase the rate of fire to 10-12 rounds per minute and to choose the type of projectile during firing.

The "Black Eagle" was developed using a gas turbine engine, which was supposed to develop 1500 hp. With hanging tanks, the power reserve was supposed to be up to 1000 km.

Conclusion

The development of the tank was frozen. First, due to lack of funding, and later due to the development and creation of a new generation of MBTs - the T-14 Armata. However, the Black Eagle served Russia, allowing it to test new technologies and make sure of the advantage of a traditional diesel engine over a gas turbine one. It also showed Russian engineers' understanding of what a modern main battle tank should look like, successfully combining protection, firepower and mobility.

MBT "Black Eagle" was one of the most protected tanks in the world, thanks to the use of advanced technologies and solutions. It had a high degree of protection against various anti-tank weapons, including turret armor with a large thickness and a strong slope, built-in dynamic armor of a new generation based on Cactus, systems based on active protection Arena-M/Drozd-2 and Shtora-1 optoelectronic suppression complex . In addition, it had high firepower and could be used as a launcher for guided anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.