Object 140 tank: An experimental main battle tank of the Soviet Union

The Object 140 is a Soviet experimental main battle tank (MBT), developed between 1960 and 1964 at the Experimental Design Bureau for Transport Engineering of the Kharkiv Transport Engineering Plant (OKBT KZTM) under the leadership of the legendary designer Alexander Alexandrovich Morozov. This project was positioned as an evolutionary development of the T-64 (Object 432) platform, with the goal of creating a highly effective, versatile vehicle for frontline breakthroughs, maneuverable operations, and combat at all ranges, in the face of a potential nuclear conflict, enhanced anti-tank defenses, and difficult terrain. Object 140 stood out with its powerful 5TDF diesel engine (1000 hp), providing record-breaking mobility, improved multi-layer armor with radically sloped surfaces for maximum protection without increasing weight, a 125-mm 2A26 smoothbore gun with high ballistics and an experimental fire control system (FCS), integrating optical-electronic sights and a ballistic computer for accurate fire on the move. Two full-fledged prototypes (No. 1 and No. 2), as well as several mock-ups and components, were built, which underwent extensive factory and state testing in 1963–1967 at the Kharkov and Kubinka testing grounds, demonstrating an outstanding speed of up to 75 km/h, maneuverability, and resistance to damage, but the project was not launched into serial production due to stiff competition with the improved version of the T-64A, reliability issues with the new power plant, economic constraints, and the strategic priority of mass production of proven models. Object 140 was a key step in the evolution of Soviet tank design, laying the technical foundation for the T-64B, T-80, and even elements of the T-72, and symbolizing the transition from the heavy "monsters" of the 1950s to the highly automated, mobile OMBTs of the 1960s and 1970s, when the emphasis shifted to balancing speed, protection, and firepower in the era of the Cold War and nuclear deterrence.

Background and creation

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Soviet Union, at the height of the Cold War with NATO and the United States, was intensively modernizing its armored forces, taking into account the lessons of local conflicts and intelligence on Western developments. The Suez Crisis (1956) and the suppression of the Hungarian Uprising (1956) highlighted the need for tanks capable of rapid deployment across Europe, combat in urban and forested areas, withstanding shaped-charge grenade launchers and kinetic projectiles, and operating in environments with radiation and chemical contamination. KGB intelligence reports on the American M60 Patton (105mm L7 gun, Continental AVDS-1790 diesel engine, 750 hp, multilayer armor) and British Chieftain Mk.1 (120mm L11, Leyland diesel engine, 750 hp) emphasized the inferiority of the production T-55 (100mm D-10T, 520 hp) in range and accuracy, as well as vulnerability to new SS.10 ATGMs. The Berlin Crisis (1961) accelerated the program: the tank was to dominate the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSVG), where swampy and hilly areas were expected. By the Resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated August 15, 1959 No. 1099-495 and the order of the Main Armored Directorate (GBTU) of the USSR Ministry of Defense dated September 20, 1959, KhZTM (Kharkov) was tasked with developing an improved version of the T-64 (Object 432, adopted 1961) under the codename Object 140. The technical specifications (TS) included: combat weight up to 38 tons, 125 mm gun with penetration> 350 mm at 2 km, automated fire control system with night vision, diesel > 900 hp for speeds of 70+ km/h, sloped armor equivalent to 400 mm, a crew of 3 people and NBC protection systems. Competition projects: Leningrad Object 290 (Kotin, with 122 mm) and Chelyabinsk T-62 (115 mm U-5TS, serial production since 1962).

Development of the Object 140 began in January 1960 at the Kharkiv Design Bureau of Tank Engineering (OKBT KhZTM) under the direction of A. A. Morozov, whose T-54/55 had already become the foundation of the Warsaw Pact. The team included lead designer V. V. Kozenkov and a team of over 250 engineers, metallurgists, optoelectronics specialists, and testers, including specialists from the Kharkiv Motor Plant (KhMZ) for the engine and the Kharkiv Tractor Plant (KhTZ) for the armor. The chassis was the T-64 hull, but lengthened by 200 mm to optimize the layout (better placement of the ammo pack and crew), with a borrowed chassis and transmission. The preliminary design was presented in July 1960: 200–250 mm of frontal armor at 68° (equivalent to 450 mm), a drum-type autoloader for 28 rounds, an experimental hydropneumatic suspension for a smooth ride, and early digital elements of the FCS (a vacuum-tube ballistic computer). In 1961–1962, modifications were made: they integrated a 125 mm 2A26 smoothbore gun (a prototype D-81 from OKB-9, with a 50-caliber barrel and a muzzle velocity of 900 m/s), a TPN-1-125 night sight (an IR amplifier from ZOMZ), and a prototype of the 9M14 Malyutka ATGM for long ranges. Mock-up tests in 1962 (wooden and steel) confirmed the ergonomics: the crew in an isolated capsule with monitors and joysticks.

The first prototype (No. 1) was assembled in December 1963 at Kharkiv Heavy Machine Building Plant, using components from the production T-64A and an experimental 5TDF engine (uprated 5TD). Factory testing took place between January and July 1964 at the Kharkiv proving grounds: a total distance of 1500 km across the steppes and forests of the Kharkiv region (including 0,5 m of snow), 400 rounds from the 2A26 (92% hit rate at 2 km from a standing start), maneuvers (acceleration to 75 km/h in 15 seconds), and ballistics (protection against 100 mm APFSDS at 800 m). The tests revealed advantages: a low silhouette (2,2 m), cross-country ability (a ditch of 2,8 m), but also problems: overheating of the 5TDF in hot weather (temperatures >60°C), suspension vibration, and autoloader jamming (2-3% of cases). In 1965, a second prototype (No. 2) was built with improved engine cooling, reinforced frontal armor (ceramic inserts were added), and a complete "Ob-140" fire control system (optical-mechanical rangefinder and stabilizer). Additional mockups (Nos. 3–4) were used for component testing: transmission (hydromechanical with 6 speeds) and electronics (15 kW generator).

State trials of prototypes #1 and #2 took place in 1966–1967 at the NIIBT Polygon proving grounds (Kubinka, Moscow region) under the auspices of the Main Technical University. The comprehensive program included 3000 km of mixed driving (dirt, swamps, snow), 800 rounds fired (95% hits while moving at up to 30 km/h), ballistics (100 hits with 100-mm and 115-mm shells—no frontal penetrations), maneuvering exercises (turns at 50 km/h), and simulated NBC conditions (radiation, smoke). The tank successfully crossed 1,2-meter fords, stormed a "fortified area" (0,8-meter walls), and fired at night (TPN-1 at 1,5 km). Advantages: mobility (specific power of 26 hp/t), fire control system accuracy (0,2 arcsec), crew survivability (ammunition isolation). Disadvantages: 5TDF reliability (failure rate of 15% of the run), repair complexity (suspension – 8 hours), and cost (1,5 times higher than the T-64A). In 1967, the GBTU commission recommended its closure: the serial T-64A (Object 434, 700 hp, easier to manufacture) was preferable for mass production (target – 2000 units/year), and Brezhnev's economics (since 1964) prioritized the export of the T-55/62. The prototypes were mothballed: No. 1 in the Kubinka hangar (partially dismantled for research), No. 2 was dismantled for spare parts in the 1970s. The documentation and developments were transferred to Chelyabinsk for the T-72 (hydropneumatics in the T-72B) and Leningrad for the T-80 (the "Ob" fire control system in the T-80U), making Object 140 an "invisible" predecessor.

Design and specifications

Object 140 was designed as a second-generation OMBT with an emphasis on balancing firepower, protection, and extreme mobility, with a high degree of automation to reduce crew workload and increase survivability in a nuclear scenario. The hull is welded from multilayer armor (45SN steel + ceramic inserts, 200-250 mm front at 68°, equivalent to 400-500 mm of kinetic energy and cumulative CE penetration), 80-100 mm sides with side skirts (against shaped-charge shells), 50 mm rear, and a cast turret with a 20° slope (300 mm at the front, volume 10 m³). Overall dimensions: length 7,4 m (with gun 9,5 m), width 3,4 m, height 2,2 m. Protection included: withstand of 100-mm 3BM1 BPS at 1 km and 115-mm HEAT at all ranges, anti-aerosol protection system (PAZ) with filters, NBC lining (radiation <10 R/h inside), automatic fire extinguishing system (TDA on CO2, response time 5 sec), smoke screen laying "Tucha" (8 grenades) and vision into smoke (IR filters). The autoloader in the carousel under the turret (28 rounds, rate of 8 rounds/min) isolated the ammunition from the crew, minimizing detonation.

The main armament was a 125mm 2A26 smoothbore gun (barrel length 50 calibers, muzzle energy 8-9 MJ, ejector to reduce dust), with 3BM3 armor-piercing sub-caliber rounds capable of 350mm of penetration at 2 km and OF-23 high-explosive fragmentation rounds for infantry/fortifications. Ammunition consisted of 40 rounds (28 in the automatic magazine + 12 hand-held), plus a prototype 9M14 Malyutka ATGM (range 3 km, penetration 400mm, wire-guided). A twin 7,62mm PKT machine gun (2000 rounds) for infantry and a roof-mounted PKT anti-aircraft gun (1000 rounds) were also present. The Ob-140 fire control system is an innovative innovation: an optical-mechanical rangefinder (up to 4 km), two-plane stabilization, a TPN-1-125 night sight (IR, visibility 1,5 km), a TG-12T commander's panoramic sight (360°), and a ballistic computer (wind/temperature correction). Accuracy on the move is 0,2 arc seconds, with a first-shot hit rate of 95%. The crew consists of three: the commander and gunner in the turret (with separate monitors), and the driver-mechanic in the hull (joystick, Klin IR vision system). The compartments are ergonomically designed, with shock-absorbing seats, ventilation, and on-tank communications.

The engine is a medium-speed diesel 5TDF (V-shaped 12-cylinder, 1000 hp at 2300 rpm, specific power 26 hp/t), on diesel or a mixture, consumption is 400-500 l/100 km. Maximum speed is 75 km/h on the highway, 50 km/h on rough terrain, acceleration to 30 km/h - 10-12 sec. Cruising range is 500 km (with additional tanks - 600 km). Transmission - hydromechanical with a planetary gearbox (6 speeds forward, 2 reverse), steering - friction clutches. Suspension - individual torsion bar with hydropneumatic elements (6 road wheels with a diameter of 650 mm per side, hydraulic shock absorbers), tracks are 580 mm wide with rubber-metal hinges. Specific pressure: 0,8 kg/cm², cross-country ability: 35° slope, 2,8 m ditch, 0,8 m wall, 1,2 m ford (with protective armor – 1,8 m). Electronics: 10-RT-26 radio (range 40 km), 15 kW generator, IR beacons for night maneuvers. The design was complex to manufacture (the autoloader took 20% of the assembly time), but provided +30% protection and +20% speed compared to the T-64.

Specifications:

• Weight: 38 tons
• Crew: 3 people (commander, gunner, driver)
• Armor: hull front - 200-250 mm (68° slope, equivalent to 400-500 mm KE/CE), sides - 80-100 mm with screens, rear - 50 mm, turret front - 300 mm (20° slope)
• Armament: 125 mm smoothbore gun 2A26 (ammunition 40 rounds, including 3BM3 BPS and OF-23 OFS), twin 7,62 mm PKT machine gun (2000 rounds), anti-aircraft PKT (1000 rounds), ATGM 9M14 "Malyutka" (range 3 km)
• Engine: 5TDF, diesel V12, 1000 hp (735 kW)
• Speed: up to 75 km/h (highway), up to 50 km/h (rough terrain)
• Range: ~500 km (highway, with main tanks of 680 l)
• Suspension: torsion bar with hydropneumatic elements, 6 rollers per side
• Obstacles to be overcome: ditch - 2,8 m, wall - 0,8 m, ford - 1,2 m (1,8 m with protection), climb - 35°

Production never began: prototypes were hand-assembled at the KhZTM plant, but calculations indicated a mass production of 100–150 units per month with further development. The concepts (fire control system, suspension) were incorporated into the T-64B (1976) and T-80BV (1985).

Combat application

Object 140 did not participate in actual combat, limiting itself to laboratory, factory, and state trials, which was standard practice for experimental Soviet OMBTs of the 1960s. The first prototype (No. 1) underwent factory tests at the Balashovka proving ground in Kharkiv from January to July 1964: a total run of 1500 km across steppes, forests, and artificial obstacles (2,5 m ditch, 0,6 m snow), where the 5TDF demonstrated acceleration to 70 km/h, and the Ob-140 fire control system demonstrated a 92% hit rate at 2 km from a standing start. Firing tests with the 2A26 (400 rounds, including BPS and HE rounds) confirmed the ballistics: 350 mm of penetration at 2 km, but barrel erosion was recorded after 300 rounds. The maneuvers revealed the smoothness of the hydropneumatics (vibration <1 g), but also engine overheating at +35°C (requires an additional radiator). KhTZ ballistic rigs tested the armor: 100mm APFSDS shells failed to penetrate the front at 800 meters, and HEAT shells dispersed on the screens.

The second prototype (No. 2) underwent modifications and additional factory tests in 1965: integration of the Malyutka ATGM (50 launches, 85% accuracy at 2,5 km) and night maneuvers (TPN-1 at 1,2 km). State tests No. 1 and No. 2 in 1966-1967 at the NIIBT Proving Ground (Kubinka) were comprehensive: 3000 km of mixed travel (60% soil, 20% swamps, 20% snow), 800 shots (95% hits on the move up to 40 km/h, including the "first hit" of 90%), ballistics (150 hits of 100-mm/115-mm - penetration of only the sides at 300 m), maneuvering exercises (turns at 50 km/h, fording a 1,2 m ford) and NBC simulation (radiation, smoke - the FCS worked in 80% of cases). The tank successfully stormed a "simulated front" (0,7 m walls, anti-tank obstacles), demonstrating a speed of 50 km/h in mud, and fired at night (IR sight – 1,5 km). Advantages: mobility (26 hp/t), accuracy (20% better than the T-62), survivability (the ammo pack saved the tank in three detonation simulations). Disadvantages: reliability of the 5TDF (failure rate 15% of the mileage, repair time 10-20 hours), suspension vibration (crew fatigue after 200 km), and the complexity of the fire control system (electronics on tubes – sensitive to vibration). The GBTU commission noted in a 1967 report: "Superior to the T-64A, but requires 2-3 years of refinement."

In the context of the Prague Spring (1968) and preparations for a possible conflict in Europe, Object 140 could have reinforced the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSVG), where a speed of 75 km/h would have allowed for quick flanking attacks, but the priority was the serial T-64A (simpler, cheaper: 1 million rubles vs. 1,5 million for the 140). After its closure in 1967, the prototypes were mothballed: No. 1 in the Kubinka hangar (for static storage, the turret was dismantled in 1975), No. 2 was disassembled into components for the T-64B (engine and fire control system). The ideas were integrated: hydropneumatics in the T-80UD (1980s), the "Ob" fire control system in the T-72B (1985), and ATGMs in the T-64B (1976).

Meaning and Legacy

Object 140 represents the pinnacle of the Kharkiv school of tank design in the 1960s, symbolizing Morozov's ambitious innovations in the era of "détente" and the nuclear balance. Born in the shadow of the Berlin crisis, this project embodied the transition from the "mass" T-55 to "smart" OMBTs: the 5TDF as a precursor to the T-80 (1000+ hp), sloped armor as the basis for the composite Kontakt-1 (1980s), and the Ob fire control system as a prototype for the Burka in the T-90 (1992). Its characteristics outstripped NATO: compared to the M60A1 (105 mm, 48 km/h), Object 140 was faster (75 km/h), better protected (500 mm equiv. vs. 300 mm) and more accurate (0,2 arc sec vs. 0,4). Four years of development and 4500+ km of testing demonstrated its effectiveness, but its cancellation reflected the reality: the T-64A's mass production (12,000 units by the 1980s) trumps "experiments." The legacy lives on: the suspension is in the T-80BVM (2020s), the autoloader is in the T-14 Armata (2015), with a three-man crew—an echo of the T-140. Without it, the T-72 might have fallen behind, and Soviet exports might have been inferior in mobility.

Historically and culturally, Object 140 is a "ghost of an era": 1960s photos from the GBTU archives, Morozov's memoirs ("We Forged Speed ​​for Europe"), and test reports emphasize its role in the "tank boom." One example survives: No. 1 at the Central Museum of Armored Vehicles in Kubinka (restored in the 2010s, the turret has been restored), and models are at Patriot Park in Moscow. The project is popular among enthusiasts: in "World of Tanks" (premium Tier VIII, speed 75 km/h), "War Thunder" (realistic tests), the documentaries "Kharkiv Tanks: From T-34 to T-80" (History Channel, 2019), and 1:35 models from Tamiya. The Kharkiv Plant's archives and publications in "Military Review" (2005–2015) preserve the blueprints, emphasizing their value to modern engineering. Compared to the German Leopard 1 (1963, 105 mm, 65 km/h), the Object 140 was more compact and better protected, but a victim of bureaucracy. The Object 140 is a symbol of genius and oversight: from the steppes of Kharkiv to the fields of Europe, from innovation to the triumph of the T-80, a reminder that great prototypes are born not only in series production but also in the boldness of a blueprint.