In its latest assessment, UK MoD said, “It’s been confirmed that the Armata Main Battle Tank has entered service with the Russian Military but will not be deployed to Ukraine. This is highly likely due to the high costs and potential reputational damage of losing a ‘prestige’ vehicle in combat.

Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, Rostec DG Sergei Chemezov said that the T-14 Armata tank was unlikely to be used against Ukraine despite its operational advantages over other tanks.

Chemezov had said that the Armata was costly. While it was far more useful than the existing tanks, the Army was unlikely to press it into battle due to the high cost of production.

“It’s easier for them to buy the same T-90s,” Chemezov emphasized, adding that the state arms manufacturer needed funds to produce newer weapons. Now we need money to create new tanks, new weapons, more, maybe cheaper. Therefore, if it is possible to buy cheaper ones, why not?” said the DG.

In January last year, UK military intelligence claimed that the Russian army hesitated to accept the first batch of tanks due to their ‘poor state.’ The intelligence report also noted that any decision to deploy the T-14 tanks would probably be risky for Russia and its reputation.

By April of 2023, the Russian military began deploying T-14 Armata tanks in the ongoing “special military operation” in Ukraine. However, the T-14s were reportedly involved in combat with Ukrainian defensive positions in an unspecified area of the conflict zone but did not take part in direct attacks.

A British intelligence update earlier claimed that the number of T-14 tanks produced is limited, and military commanders might not be entirely confident in the T-14’s ability to fight.

T-14 Armata

The T-14 Armata is armed with considerable advanced features, positioning it as Russia’s answer to Western MBTs.

Unlike any of its predecessors, the new combat vehicle’s primary benefit is that it has an unmanned turret. Its crew is also positioned inside an armored capsule sealed within the tank’s hull. This setup makes it possible to operate the weaponry remotely, which significantly increases the crew’s resilience in combat situations.

The T-14 Armata’s unmanned turret is equipped with a 125mm 2A82-1M smoothbore cannon with automatic loading. The turret has 45 rounds of ammunition, 32 of which are ready for use. The main gun can also fire laser-guided missiles with a range of seven to twelve kilometers.

The T-14 is protected by its Active Protection System (APS), which deflects and destroys approaching missiles. According to reports, the APS on the T-14 can stop all kinds of anti-tank missiles.

The tank includes reactive armor in the front and bar armor in the rear to defend against rocket-propelled anti-tank grenades (ATRPGs). If needed, it can be modified with more active and passive armor.

The tank is also equipped with NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) defense, smoke grenade dischargers, and an automated fire suppression system. Additionally, it includes composite ceramic and steel-layered armor to fend against incoming threats.

To further enhance its efficacy on the battlefield, the T-14 Armata is equipped with a sensor-activated defense system that can identify and deploy interceptor charges to destroy anti-tank shells and missiles.

According to a previous report by the EurAsian Times, the Russian-built T-14 can function in temperatures as low as -50 degrees Celsius. It is outfitted with mobile power stations that guarantee a rapid and smooth engine start even in freezing conditions.