The T-14 "Armata" tank is considered the most modern in the Russian army. However, not a single one reached the front in Ukraine, and the reason is shameful, writes 19fortyfive.com, citing the opinion of former Pentagon consultant Ruben Johnson.
According to him, the T-14 is nothing more than a waste of rubles. The tank has no practical value because it is too expensive to be sent to the front against Ukrainian forces.
Russia showed its T-14 "Armata" tank for the first time in 2015. at the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow. But the T-14 broke down during the armored vehicle parade. But this comic episode does not explain the absence of this tank at the front. The reason is very simple: its price.
It is a complex machine - too complex in some ways. In fact, it was too advanced to be used in the brutal combat environment of Ukraine. A Ukrainian expert compared the T-14 to an Italian sports car that looks great in the showroom, but when driven on the highway, its impracticality becomes apparent.
The T-14 does have a modern design, and its systems are a significant step forward compared to previous generations of Russian tanks. For example, it is so "highly computerized" that in theory it could operate as an unmanned tank. But these new technologies buried the "Armata". The T-14 is proving absurdly expensive. The Armata is estimated to cost between $5 million and $9 million per unit.
The tank boasts an impressive array of sensors, but they are vulnerable to battlefield conditions. It is easier for the Russian military to rely on older T-90s - a previous generation main battle tank - than to deploy T-14s in Ukraine - because of Ukrainian drones and anti-tank missiles.