Russia's Tank Biathlon

SteelBird

SteelBird

Colonel
Since this event happens yearly, I think it's worth a new thread (last year's event was posted in the type 99's thread).

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Twenty-four countries will compete in
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, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a plenary meeting of the Defense Ministry's Public Council on Wednesday.

"We had invited everyone but some did not come here. I should tell you that 24 countries have declared their intention [to participate in the sport event] in 2015. We hope to be victorious again," Shoigu said.

Teams from China, Pakistan, Latin America and Africa are preparing for tank biathlon competitions in Russia, he added.

"There will be a live fire competition for aircraft as well: attack aircraft, fighter jets and combat helicopters will be the contestants. Qualifications for these competitions will be rather demanding," said the minister, speaking of Aviadarts 2015 piloting skills event.

In addition, Shoigu expressed hope that the Russian Defense Ministry's Public Council would continue its active participation in the ministry's events next year. "This is the army life, this is our life and I am grateful for your active involvement in it," the minister said.


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TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
siegecrossbow said:
That's overkill. There is no glory even if China wins the competition with 99A2.
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The Russians limited themselves to the T72 series as a common denominator, its a factor I like it keeps it about the training. That said they "loaned" other teams the latest T72 variant for competition meaning that I was also a advertising venture and the prize was a brand New T90 Tank. The closest Nato equivalent to this competition was the Canadian Trophy, where NATO forces sent there best tanks to complete with each other. The top prize was a Trophy of a tank not a tank for a Trophy. If you won the Canadian Trophy you had the best tank already. Of course the Canadian Trophy has declined today its only between the US and Canada.
This is more a marketing strategy.

Ultra said:
China is at least a generation or two behind. If China sends Type 99A2, Russia has the option of sending T-90 or T-14 Armata. Either way, China will still lose.
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T14 is not ready for Prime time or competition the issue of the stoppage in the parade proves that the Russian T14 Crews have more training to do. Also the tank was rushed to the Parade. Generally for competition you want to show your active main line systems with cameos of next Gen.
T90 and T99 might be interesting but the aim was mostly marketing to the guest nations of Russia's tanks. If the Chinese wanted to Market T99 or show off MBTseries export tanks that would be fine. And then no doubt the Russians would Roll out T90.
SinoSoldier said:
Can you elaborate on how the T-90, which is in itself an upgraded T-72, can be "one or two generations" ahead of the Type 99A?
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T72 and T90 are based on a evolutionary track with T90 being a major overhaul of T72 still i would consider T99 about a equal in most areas to T90 perhaps not in engines but most systems to be sure. If I was to give a suspicion as to why T99 has not joined the fun its because the PLA doesn't want to risk close inspection of a Chinese only model.
Then why not MBT3000? It was also not ready.
 
TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
sequ said:
I wonder if we would have seen the M1 Abrams and Leopard 2 on last years biathlon, pitted against the T-90, if Russia and he west weren't engaging in a mini cold-war.
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I don't think you would ever have seen M1 or Leopard or Challenger 2 competing, of all the Nato forces I would have to say in the Military to Military relations maybe the French might have been interested... Maybe.
The US government even before the breakdown of relations tried to keep relations between Governments limited mostly to nuclear disarmament and Space technologies. The British government has other issues with the Russians because but seems to have a very very narrow focus on the Mil to Mil
The Germans and most of the Leopard 2 states seem more a civilian relationship less Mil to Mil. The French by contrast were more then Happy to sell Russia hard ware until The EU and NATO sanctioned Russia.
Also remember the Canadian Trophy I mentioned? A NATO wide competition to see who had the bed tanks and Crews? The Last full competition was in the 1990s since then the competition has dropped to just the US and Canadian teams. Sending a tank to competition is not cheap and most of NATO seems happy with what they have. Competing against each other has fallen out of favor since the belief that tank on tank was dead set in in the early 1990s, even today its hard to change that back.
And if NATO was looking to complete your probably not likely to see the Nato states looking to join a Russian tank marketing stunt or allowing close inspections by Russian military of top of the line Tanks.
And btw, the best tank suited for this biathlon is the Japanese type 10, with it's excellent mobility and firepower, it would win hands down.
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perhaps but again a nation with some issues with the Host nation, a limited budget for competition and publicly stunts who only recently opened up to the potential of mil to mil exports and using a tank that is still sporting the factory sticker.

The Russian Chinese Mil to Mil relationship is strong currently that's part of the reason why China participates, getting Chinese Tanks into Russia is easier then European or American thanks to rail lines and political ties as well as budgets.
the tanks sent are known factors with known tech and not top of the line secret laden models, and the PLA is more then happy to show they can keep up with there inferior tank model well still being confident in the T99 back home.
 
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