Russian Stealth Tank 'Armata' Production Begins..."Engine Issue Resolved"

Production delayed every year since 2015...
Starting deliveries to Russian Ministry of Defense next year... "Preparing for overseas exports"

The Armata tank featured in the 75th Victory Day military parade commemorating the end of World War II, held on June 24 (local time) in Moscow, Russia. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The Russian government announced that the production of its latest stealth tank, the T-14 Armata, which it has been promoting as its cutting-edge model, has officially begun and that deliveries to the Russian Ministry of Defense will start next year. Since its unveiling on Victory Day in May 2015, the Armata has faced continuous delays due to issues such as engine defects, leading to doubts about its actual existence.

According to Russian news agency TASS on the 3rd (local time), Denis Manturov, Russia’s Minister of Industry and Trade, stated in an interview with TASS, "Production of the Armata tank has started," adding, "The engine problems and thermal imaging camera issues that delayed production have been resolved." Deliveries of the Armata tank to the Russian Ministry of Defense are expected to begin in April next year. Minister Manturov added, "Along with deliveries to the Ministry of Defense next year, production for previously received overseas orders will also take place." Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense ordered 132 Armata tanks from the state-owned defense manufacturer Uralvagonzavod, the producer of the Armata, starting in August 2018. However, production has been continuously delayed due to defects such as engine problems.

The Armata was first revealed during the Russian Victory Day parade on May 9, 2015, and was promoted as an invincible tank. The Russian government claimed that the Armata is equipped with an automated unmanned turret, remotely controlled machine guns, and anti-aircraft missiles. It also boasts stealth capabilities that make it undetectable by radar and infrared sensors, and it is equipped with special armor that makes it impervious to anti-tank weapons.

The original plan of the Russian Ministry of Defense was to produce more than 2,300 units between 2015 and 2020, but due to production delays, no deliveries were made. This led to suspicions about the tank’s actual existence. Earlier in April, the Russian government announced that the Armata had been deployed to the Syrian battlefield, where a civil war is ongoing, to undergo real combat testing.