The German Leopard 2 is one of the most powerful main battle tanks in the world, but it dates back to the 1980s. Leopard 2 A5 main battle tank during a training and combat demonstration – Bundeswehr photos/ CC BY ( ) In such „conventional“ conflicts between two (almost) equal opponents, it is a military truism that recapturing and holding terrain will continue to be possible mainly through mechanized infantry and battle tanks. Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the subsequent war in eastern Ukraine, however, conventional conflict in Europe has once again moved into the realm of possibility, and national defense is experiencing a renaissance. The war on terror, the shift of combat to increasingly urban areas, asymmetric conflicts with their improvised explosive devices and increasingly effective anti-tank weapons in the hands of insurgents increasingly showed tanks their limitations. But with the end of the last Gulf War in 2003, its importance seemed to wane. The main battle tank has dominated the world’s battlefields for over 100 years. Is the T-14 just a spectre or a superior opponent for the Leopard 2, M1 Abrams, Challenger 2 & Co.? The T-14 is said to have already been tested in Syria, during which it was allegedly also a total loss due to shelling. While the start of series production and the delivery of larger numbers is still a long time coming, Russia is already looking for buyers abroad.
For the others, it’s more of a bankruptcy, misfortune and breakdown tank that’s too costly for Russia. For some, the Russian T-14 Armata main battle tank is groundbreaking, revolutionary and a military technology sensation.
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