Tank tests and only tank tests

Testing has always been a big part of development, especially when designing armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs). Any armoured vehicle poses its own difficulties in its development stage, and the number of said difficulties increases every year, due to the constant need to design and create more sophisticated systems that can keep up with competing designs of other nations. 

Any initial design proposed by the military never ends up the way it was first suggested. Designers have to think of every possible issue that can arise during the creation phase. These difficulties range from changing the entire suspension design to redesigning a whole turret or even entirely redesigning the hull to accommodate the set requirements with a more direct design approach. 

Almost every test is carried out with the highest testing standards, which guarantees testers to obtain valuable information that can highlight issues and potential flaws in a design, while some tests can associate with danger to the testing crew. 

Mileage tests or commonly known as, mobility tests, pose many dangers and difficulties during state trials. As previously mentioned, these tests are conducted at high testing standards, this also applies to mobility tests. Due to the 'extreme' standards, vehicles are pushed to their limits, this is commonly done during mileage tests, where vehicles are driven at far higher speeds than usual.

A related accident occurred during T-80B state trials. During testing a T-80B was approaching a corner of a cornfield without the knowledge of a UAZ-452 simultaneously approaching the same corner. Considering the UAZ is a far lighter vehicle it managed to stop in time, while the T-80B was going down downhill could not stop in time and was forced to take a sharp turn into the nearby cornfield to avoid the collision. In addition, the test was not conducted on trial testing grounds, but somewhere in the vicinity of a village. 

T-80U returning to its original assembly hall after conducting state trials. The air intake snorkel has an addon filter tube that is used in conditions with increased amounts of dust. 

T-80BV equipped with slat armour (performing mount durability tests).

T-80B undergoing emergency flooding through the drivers hatch at a depth of 5 meters.

Crew escaping the flooded vehicle. 

The T-80Bs story doesn't end there. The crew was running almost 24 hours late. 2 hours after encountering the UAZ, the crew faced another issue. They had to contact a fuel transport crew to assist them with refuelling. For this, all the antennas on the vehicle were placed upwards to increase the communication range. While crossing a railroad track, one of the antennas touched a powerline. This caused the antenna inline cable to burn. Frankly, nothing else was damaged considering the vehicle was carrying 45 rounds of live ammunition. 

T-90 returning after conducting live-fire tests.

T-80UD with a 6TD-2 1200hp diesel engine conducting tests. The left mudguard is missing after the vehicle ran into a birch tree. 

Trials always have to be carried out by professional testers, who know how to behave and act appropriately during unconventional scenarios. Without testers, there wouldn't be tests. Tests play one of the biggest parts in vehicle development, any armoured vehicle would never meet its set requirements if testers wouldn't exist. 

Taken from: Tankomaster 2000 No.6

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