Object 187
Encyclopedia
Object 187 was a Soviet experimental main battle tank
developed from late 1980s to middle 1990s. It was one of the least known to the general public because of the high level of secrecy surrounding the project.
tank. It was based on the T-72B
but with heavily modified turret. A radical solution became the rejection of the T-64
hull design. The layout of the tank underwent small unpacking, which positively affected the ergonomics and the protection of the upper hull front. Due to lengthening of the hull's nose section, the driver's place was deep into the hull with his optics placed onto the roof of the hull, unlike the T-64 and its derivatives. This also became the solution to the notorious weak spot of the tank at that section between the turret and the hull. The same solution made it possible to arrange armoring at more rational angles of inclination as a countermeasure to the modern sub-caliber armor-piercing rounds. The tank was fitted with a new welded turret, unlike the traditional cast ones, made out of sheets with an average hardness. At that time, practically simultaneously, was conducted work on the welded turrets of the Object 187, Object 188 (T-90) and the future T-80UD
. The turret of Object 187 was characterized by the most imposing overall size, especially in the rear section.
The 902A "Tucha" grenade launcher for smoke and aerosol curtains, and equipment for underwater crossings were also installed.
Several types of power plants and transmissions were tested on the different modifications, including a gas-turbine engine. Most promising of the power plants in the course of tests was the 1200 hp А-85-2 engine. It had a longitudinal configuration, same as the T-34
. The tank received new undercarriage and hydraulic shock absorbers, which substantially increased the tank's dynamic abilities.
. The primary armament of the tank though was the 125 mm 2A66 smoothbore gun with an increased ballistics. Together with the gun, a new sub-caliber armor-piercing round made of uranium
was developed. The 2A66 had a different appearance. A muzzle brake was installed to keep the line of sighting of the guidance system clear for guiding missiles, as a main purpose, and for decreasing the length of the recoil, since the power of the gun was increased. The barrel hardness was strengthened, and the breech increased to accommodate the larger round, with an incremented charge. The tank was equipped with the most advanced fire control system at that time. Something similar began to appear on the potential enemy tanks in the late 1990s.
The 2A66 was based on the 2A46M as a transitional version between the 2A26 gun and the new generation 2A82 smoothbore gun. The 125 mm 2A82 was earlier, late 1970s, tested on the experimental tank Object 785
, which was also testing a 130 mm riifled gun. Around the same time, when Object 187 was in development, the work on yet another rare breed of experimental tanks was in progress. This was the Object 292
, armed with a much more powerful 152.4 mm rifled gun. Similar projects, mainly for up-arming, did exist in the western countries. Few years prior to Object 187 the Americans developed their CATTB, armed with a 140 mm gun. Few years later Germany developed the Leopard 2-140, armed again with a 140 mm gun. Later the Swiss developed the Pz 87-140, armed with a 140 mm gun and using an additional armor. The enhancement of these five tanks though was concerning largely their armament, while the Object 187 was mainly focused on the extreme level of protection, surpassing even today all third generation tanks. The next generations of tanks though are already combining both. The Chinese Type 99KM is an example of possible superiority. It's armed with a powerful 155 mm gun firing next generation kinetic rounds or precision guided missiles, and using a more effective active protection system
. The Russian Object 195
though is claimed to be so advanced that no one has developed anything similar.
for the turret and the hull front, and a rolled homogeneous armour
for the rest of the tank. The passive armor was supplemented by the new Malahit explosive reactive armour
, a prototype of the present Relikt
, and by the Shtora
active protection system
. It also had a CBRN protection. The maximum physical thickness of the passive armor was reaching up to 950 mm, which possibly consisted of special materials including ceramic
or high density uranium
alloys.
. The different modifications of Object 187 were built in three series. Each series differed significantly from the previous, clearly demonstrating the evolution of the tank. The interior differences were less significant.
The first modification was using an 840 hp engine. The tank was equipped with the Kontakt-5
explosive reactive armour. That modification was dismantled after its trials and its hull used for the third modification. The whole power plant of the tank was later used on the Object 188 (T-90).
The second modification had a 1000 hp engine. Its trials showed high level of protection against the contemporary weapons. The 1st and the 2nd mods were the closest in appearance to the future T-90 tank.
The third modification was intended originally for diverse experiments of a possible structural failure and for this reason it was never fully equipped. Unlike 1st and 2nd mods, the 3rd mod had a new welded turret made out of average hardness armored plates with a thickness of 40 mm each. The turret closely resembled those of the T-90S
, T-90SA
and T-90A
. Their turret design was later based on the 3rd mod's turret. The nose section of the hull was lengthened, the driver's place was deep into the hull, and his optics placed onto the roof of the hull. The tank was originally equipped with a 1000 hp engine, but as an experiment its engine was changed with the 1250 hp gas-turbine engine of the T-80U
and also its transmission, with a change in the hydro-shock absorbers, and the tank sent to trials. The results showed an advantage of the diesel engine over the gas-turbine one. Furthermore, the tank underwent complex tests for anti-nuclear defense at the Arzamas-16 nuclear center. The tank was equipped with the Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armour.
The fourth modification was similar to the 3rd mod before the engine and transmission change. It had a new, increased in sizes, welded turret. That modification was equipped with the 1200 hp А-85-2 engine. It also received the new Malahit explosive reactive armour, a prototype of the present Relikt, with the knock-out panels made of sufficiently massive titanium plates.
The fifth and sixth modifications were the most advanced. The difference between them was in the transmission. The 5th mod had a mechanical transmission while the 6th mod was using a hydro-transmission. Both modifications used the 1200 hp А-85-2 engine. The nose section of the hull was increased in size even more, and changed in form. The protection of the turret was significantly improved. It was increased in size again, reaching a width of 3.12 meters (without the explosive reactive armour), and had the widest rear of all welded turret Soviet tanks. These modifications had the same Malahit explosive reactive armour, as the 4th mod, but with the knock-out panels made of steel armor plates instead of titanium.
Even today the secrecy upon this tank remains. In view of this, all of the scarce data about this tank lies upon presumptions. Even the scale model of Object 187 model No. 6, built by Ural Design Bureau of Transport Machine-Building employees, still stays on the UKBTM premises, with a possibility for a transfer to the armor museum of Uralvagonzavod for storage and exhibition. To the persistent requests of the armor museum of Uralvagonzavod about the transfer of at least one Object 187 for restoration and subsequent demonstration in the museum complex, the answer is always negative referring to secrecy. However, according to some sources, the Kubinka Tank Museum
plans to conduct a repair of the remaining tanks with a subsequent open demonstration.
Main battle tank
A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
developed from late 1980s to middle 1990s. It was one of the least known to the general public because of the high level of secrecy surrounding the project.
Design
The tank was fitted with a cutting-edge systems and structural solutions, losing many of the traditional shortcomings of the Soviet tanks, and at the same time intended to be only a temporary solution until the development of new combat platforms. Object 187 was a parallel project to the Object 188, the T-90T-90
The T-90 is a Russian third-generation main battle tank that is a modernisation of the T-72 . It is currently the most modern tank in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Naval Infantry...
tank. It was based on the T-72B
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
but with heavily modified turret. A radical solution became the rejection of the T-64
T-64
The T-64 is a Soviet main battle tank, introduced in the early 1960s. It was used solely by the Soviet Army in its front-line divisions and was a more advanced counterpart to the T-62...
hull design. The layout of the tank underwent small unpacking, which positively affected the ergonomics and the protection of the upper hull front. Due to lengthening of the hull's nose section, the driver's place was deep into the hull with his optics placed onto the roof of the hull, unlike the T-64 and its derivatives. This also became the solution to the notorious weak spot of the tank at that section between the turret and the hull. The same solution made it possible to arrange armoring at more rational angles of inclination as a countermeasure to the modern sub-caliber armor-piercing rounds. The tank was fitted with a new welded turret, unlike the traditional cast ones, made out of sheets with an average hardness. At that time, practically simultaneously, was conducted work on the welded turrets of the Object 187, Object 188 (T-90) and the future T-80UD
T-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
. The turret of Object 187 was characterized by the most imposing overall size, especially in the rear section.
The 902A "Tucha" grenade launcher for smoke and aerosol curtains, and equipment for underwater crossings were also installed.
Several types of power plants and transmissions were tested on the different modifications, including a gas-turbine engine. Most promising of the power plants in the course of tests was the 1200 hp А-85-2 engine. It had a longitudinal configuration, same as the T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
. The tank received new undercarriage and hydraulic shock absorbers, which substantially increased the tank's dynamic abilities.
Main Armament
During the testing process some of the Object 187 modifications were fitted with the 125 mm 2A46M smoothbore gun of the T-80BT-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
. The primary armament of the tank though was the 125 mm 2A66 smoothbore gun with an increased ballistics. Together with the gun, a new sub-caliber armor-piercing round made of uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
was developed. The 2A66 had a different appearance. A muzzle brake was installed to keep the line of sighting of the guidance system clear for guiding missiles, as a main purpose, and for decreasing the length of the recoil, since the power of the gun was increased. The barrel hardness was strengthened, and the breech increased to accommodate the larger round, with an incremented charge. The tank was equipped with the most advanced fire control system at that time. Something similar began to appear on the potential enemy tanks in the late 1990s.
The 2A66 was based on the 2A46M as a transitional version between the 2A26 gun and the new generation 2A82 smoothbore gun. The 125 mm 2A82 was earlier, late 1970s, tested on the experimental tank Object 785
Object 785
Object 785 was a Soviet experimental main battle tank built in the late 1970s. It was an improved variant of the T-80B, with seven road wheels....
, which was also testing a 130 mm riifled gun. Around the same time, when Object 187 was in development, the work on yet another rare breed of experimental tanks was in progress. This was the Object 292
Object 292
Object 292 was a Soviet experimental tank built in September 1990.The tank was based on the T-80's chassis, using a new turret, and was armed with a 152.4 mm rifled gun. In September 1990 the tank was completed and in 1991 underwent trials. The trials showed high stability and reliability of the...
, armed with a much more powerful 152.4 mm rifled gun. Similar projects, mainly for up-arming, did exist in the western countries. Few years prior to Object 187 the Americans developed their CATTB, armed with a 140 mm gun. Few years later Germany developed the Leopard 2-140, armed again with a 140 mm gun. Later the Swiss developed the Pz 87-140, armed with a 140 mm gun and using an additional armor. The enhancement of these five tanks though was concerning largely their armament, while the Object 187 was mainly focused on the extreme level of protection, surpassing even today all third generation tanks. The next generations of tanks though are already combining both. The Chinese Type 99KM is an example of possible superiority. It's armed with a powerful 155 mm gun firing next generation kinetic rounds or precision guided missiles, and using a more effective active protection system
Active protection system
An active protection system is a system designed to prevent sensor-based weapons from acquiring and/or destroying a target....
. The Russian Object 195
T-95
T-95 is the common informal designation of a Russian fifth generation tank that was under development at Uralvagonzavod before being cancelled in May 2011.-History:...
though is claimed to be so advanced that no one has developed anything similar.
Armour
The Object 187 used a composite armourComposite armour
Composite armour is a type of vehicle armour consisting of layers of different material such as metals, plastics, ceramics or air. Most composite armour are lighter than their all-metal equivalent, but instead occupy a larger volume for the same resistance to penetration...
for the turret and the hull front, and a rolled homogeneous armour
Rolled homogeneous armour
Rolled homogeneous armour is a type of steel which is used to armour vehicles.-Composition:Armoured steel must be hard yet impervious to shock in order to resist high velocity metal projectiles. Steel with these characteristics is produced by processing cast steel billets of appropriate size and...
for the rest of the tank. The passive armor was supplemented by the new Malahit explosive reactive armour
Reactive armour
Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened long rod penetrators...
, a prototype of the present Relikt
Kontakt-5
Kontakt-5 is a type of third-generation explosive reactive armour originating in the Soviet Union. It is the first type of ERA which is effectively able to defeat modern armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds....
, and by the Shtora
Shtora
Shtora is an electro-optical active protection system or suite for tanks, designed to disrupt the laser target designation and rangefinders of incoming anti-tank guided missiles...
active protection system
Active protection system
An active protection system is a system designed to prevent sensor-based weapons from acquiring and/or destroying a target....
. It also had a CBRN protection. The maximum physical thickness of the passive armor was reaching up to 950 mm, which possibly consisted of special materials including ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
or high density uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
alloys.
History
The work on the tank was conducted by the Ural Design Bureau of Transport Machine-Building under a T-72B improvement program with an order dated June 19, 1986. Conceived as a promising tank, it was designed to fulfill the operational requirements unmet till then by the rest of the main battle tanks built by UralvagonzavodUralvagonzavod
Uralvagonzavod is a Russian machine building company located in Nizhny Tagil, Russia. It is one of the largest scientific and industrial complexes in Russia and the largest main battle tank manufacturer in the world....
. The different modifications of Object 187 were built in three series. Each series differed significantly from the previous, clearly demonstrating the evolution of the tank. The interior differences were less significant.
The first modification was using an 840 hp engine. The tank was equipped with the Kontakt-5
Kontakt-5
Kontakt-5 is a type of third-generation explosive reactive armour originating in the Soviet Union. It is the first type of ERA which is effectively able to defeat modern armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds....
explosive reactive armour. That modification was dismantled after its trials and its hull used for the third modification. The whole power plant of the tank was later used on the Object 188 (T-90).
The second modification had a 1000 hp engine. Its trials showed high level of protection against the contemporary weapons. The 1st and the 2nd mods were the closest in appearance to the future T-90 tank.
The third modification was intended originally for diverse experiments of a possible structural failure and for this reason it was never fully equipped. Unlike 1st and 2nd mods, the 3rd mod had a new welded turret made out of average hardness armored plates with a thickness of 40 mm each. The turret closely resembled those of the T-90S
T-90
The T-90 is a Russian third-generation main battle tank that is a modernisation of the T-72 . It is currently the most modern tank in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Naval Infantry...
, T-90SA
T-90
The T-90 is a Russian third-generation main battle tank that is a modernisation of the T-72 . It is currently the most modern tank in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Naval Infantry...
and T-90A
T-90
The T-90 is a Russian third-generation main battle tank that is a modernisation of the T-72 . It is currently the most modern tank in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Naval Infantry...
. Their turret design was later based on the 3rd mod's turret. The nose section of the hull was lengthened, the driver's place was deep into the hull, and his optics placed onto the roof of the hull. The tank was originally equipped with a 1000 hp engine, but as an experiment its engine was changed with the 1250 hp gas-turbine engine of the T-80U
T-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
and also its transmission, with a change in the hydro-shock absorbers, and the tank sent to trials. The results showed an advantage of the diesel engine over the gas-turbine one. Furthermore, the tank underwent complex tests for anti-nuclear defense at the Arzamas-16 nuclear center. The tank was equipped with the Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armour.
The fourth modification was similar to the 3rd mod before the engine and transmission change. It had a new, increased in sizes, welded turret. That modification was equipped with the 1200 hp А-85-2 engine. It also received the new Malahit explosive reactive armour, a prototype of the present Relikt, with the knock-out panels made of sufficiently massive titanium plates.
The fifth and sixth modifications were the most advanced. The difference between them was in the transmission. The 5th mod had a mechanical transmission while the 6th mod was using a hydro-transmission. Both modifications used the 1200 hp А-85-2 engine. The nose section of the hull was increased in size even more, and changed in form. The protection of the turret was significantly improved. It was increased in size again, reaching a width of 3.12 meters (without the explosive reactive armour), and had the widest rear of all welded turret Soviet tanks. These modifications had the same Malahit explosive reactive armour, as the 4th mod, but with the knock-out panels made of steel armor plates instead of titanium.
Status
The Uralvagonzavod undertook enormous efforts for this tank to be adopted, but in the end after all successful trials and clearly high combat and technical potential the tank was not accepted. Instead, the preferred project was the Object 188 (T-90), which was a symbiosis of the T-72B's hull and some of the Object 187s systems. According to its chief designer Vladimir Ivanovich Potkin, Object 187 should have become the foundation for design and production of the entire family of Soviet tanks to come, and even to serve as a foundation for more advanced and powerful tanks.Even today the secrecy upon this tank remains. In view of this, all of the scarce data about this tank lies upon presumptions. Even the scale model of Object 187 model No. 6, built by Ural Design Bureau of Transport Machine-Building employees, still stays on the UKBTM premises, with a possibility for a transfer to the armor museum of Uralvagonzavod for storage and exhibition. To the persistent requests of the armor museum of Uralvagonzavod about the transfer of at least one Object 187 for restoration and subsequent demonstration in the museum complex, the answer is always negative referring to secrecy. However, according to some sources, the Kubinka Tank Museum
Kubinka Tank Museum
The Kubinka Tank Museum is a large museum of armoured fighting vehicles in Kubinka, just outside Moscow. It has many famous tanks from World War I, World War II and the Cold War. The museum also houses many unique vehicles, such as the Panzer VIII Maus, Troyanov super-heavy tank and a Karl-Gerät...
plans to conduct a repair of the remaining tanks with a subsequent open demonstration.