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Military Defense Technology - Remote Controlled Weapon Station
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| Analysis: Modern Russian main battle tanks need RCWS Remote Controlled Weapon Station | |||
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 Russian main battle tank T-90A is fitted with a remote weapon station mounted on the turret roof armed with one 12.7 mm PZU-7 heavy machine gun. |
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| T-90A main battle tank has made its combat debut in Syria. Syrian governmental forces highly estimate remotely controlled NSVT Utes anti-aircraft heavy machinegun chambered for 12.7x108mm cartridge as it allows eliminating of terrorists in tower-blocks during operations in urban terrain. At the same time, the T-90A`s organic AA weapon station comes short of modern remote controlled weapon stations as it lacks elevation angle. T-90A tanks, as well as T-72B3 / T-72B3M should receive rooftop-mounted RCWS, being able to eliminate hostile infantry, Russian defense analysts suppose. The indigenous defense industry received its first experience of RCWS integration during the development of T-90MS (M stands for upgraded, Modernizirovanny) Tagil MBT. The tank received an unmanned station armed with Kalashnikov PKT machinegun chambered for 7.62x54Rmm cartridge. However, T-90MS has yet to be adopted by Russia`s Ministry of Defense (MoD). Both T-90A and T-72B3 MBTs still lack a rooftop-mounted RCWS equipped with armament and sensors. In January 2016, the MoD ordered the upgrade of about 30 T-72B3 tanks to the T-72B4/B3M level (both designations are unofficial ones). The modified T-72B3 has not received an unmanned station. |
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 Second armament of the T-14 Armata includes one remote weapon station mounted on the top rear of the turret armed with one 7.62mm mm machine gun. |
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T-14 Armata developed by Uralvagonzavod (Russian acronym: UVZ) scientific-research corporation seems to be the first Russian serially-produced (in the case of Armata "intended for serial production" would be the correct definition) MBT armed with an RCWS. The tank seems to retain the T-90MS` station armed with Kalashnikov PKT machinegun. The station obviously lacks a sensor suite, unlike most of its Western counterpart (for instance, the US CROWS II based on M151 Protector RCWS developed by Norway's Kongsberg company), while Kalashnikov PKT machinegun does not have sufficient combat capability in urban warfare.
At the same time, Russia`s defense industry have developed several RCWS to be produced on the serial basis. TsNII Burevestnik (a subsidiary of the UVZ corporation) scientific-research institute has launched the serial production of 6S21 unified RCWS in three configurations. 6S21-01 is armed with 12.7mm Kord (Russian MoD`s designation: 6P49) heavy machinegun with an ammunition load of 200 cartridges. The station has a combat weight of 230 kg, an elevation angle between -15° and +75° and a traverse of 360°. 6S21-02 and 6S21-03 stations are armed with Kalashnikov PKTM (6P7K) 7.62mm machinegun with an ammunition load of 500 and 320 cartridges, respectively and feature the same specifications. In basic configuration, all variants of 6S21 lack main weapon stabilizer (it is offered as an option). The stations are equipped with remotely controlled trigger take-up system. The sensor suite of 6S21 includes TV-channel with integrated thermal imager. The station can record videos and send them via CAN 2.0., RS485, Ethernet and HD-DSI networks. 6S21 seems to be the only Russian RCWS being produced in large quantities. According to a source in Russian defense industry, modern Russian MBTs might be equipped with such unmanned combat stations. "However, the related decision has yet to be taken", he said. |
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 Typhoon-U with 6S21-01remote controlled weapon station (RCWS) |
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To arm innovative tracked and wheeled armour platforms, Burevestnik has protected 6S21-01 module at Level 2 STANAG 4569 (all-round protection against 7.62mm steel-core armour-piercing bullets at 30 m distance). Kurganets-25-based and Bumerang-based armoured personnel carriers (APC) have received new up-armoured 6S21 unmanned stations.
Russia`s JSC Arms Workshops (Oruzheinie Masterskie) has started the low-rate initial production of its Arbalet-DM RCWS. The station was unveiled at the RAE-2015 defense show. It is armed with single 6P49 Kord machinegun with an ammunition load of 450 cartridges. Arbalet-DM has a combat weight of 250 kg, an elevation angle between -20° and +70° and a traverse of 360°. The unmanned module has received an advanced sensor suite that comprises TV-cameras and a thermal imager with a detection range of about 1,500 m. The integrated laser rangefinder has a maximum range of 3,000 m. Arbalet-DM is integrated with VPK-233114 Tigr-M light multirole utility vehicle (MUV). The Tigr-M MUVs armed with Arbalet-DM stations took part in 2016 Victory Day parade in Moscow. At the same time, there are no known plans to install the unmanned combat station on Russian MBTs. The defense industries of Eastern European countries have developed their own approach to the increasing of the tanks` anti-personnel capabilities. For instance, Slovenian Valhalla company offers the integration of an automatic gun-armed RCWS with ageing T-72 tanks. The station can be equipped with 20 mm Rh-202, 30 mm 2A42 or 23 mm 2A14 automatic guns with an ammunition load of 400 to 500 rounds (depends on the type of the chosen gun). Slovakian defense industry has developed T-72M2 Moderna MBT armed with 125 mm 2A46M main gun and two KAA-200 gun pods with 20 mm chain guns. Russia`s defense companies were developing the Object 195 MBT armed with single 2A42 gun as the secondary weapon. However, the related efforts turned out to be fruitless. T-14 Armata was originally reported to have received two externally mounted 2A42/2A72 guns. Nevertheless, the demonstrated T-14 tank received an RCWS armed with machinegun. |
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