Russia's T-14 Tank Can Outshoot America's by Miles
Russia's next-generation main battle tank can fire an anti-tank missile at targets more than seven miles away. That gives the T-14 Armata tank, set to begin testing with the Russian Army in 2019, nearly twice the range of the America's latest version of the venerable Abrams, the
M1A2 SEP V3. Whether this extended range is all the useful is another matter.
The T-14 is a formidable-looking beast. Armed with a new 125-millimeter main gun, an unmanned turret, modular armor, and an active protection system designed to shoot down incoming missiles, the vehicle has caused a stir within NATO's tank community. One particularly dangerous feature is the Armata's ability to destroy targets at ranges of up to 12 kilometers, or 7.4 miles.
For years, Russia has armed its tanks with laser-guided missiles that can be fired from the main gun. The first generation missile, the 9M112
Kobra HEAT, was installed on the T-80 tank. Kobra had a range of 4 kilometers, or 2.5 miles, and could penetrate up to 700 millimeters of armor. The current missile, the 9M119
Reflecks, has a range of 3.1 miles and can penetrate up to 900 millimeters of armor.
Here's the
Reflecks in action:
Russian T-14 Tanks Get Anti-Tank Missile With 7-Mile Range