Cate's Research-Investigation Bureau

Kurganmashzavod continues to report on BMP-3 IFV production. In the latest video, KMZ showcased the latest changes to the BMP-3. The newest change is the reworked armoured housing for the gunner's main sight. The old housing used on the PPND "Sodema" utilized a dual shutter mechanism. The updated housing utilizes a double shutter mechanism. The small shutter placed in the centre is intended for in-combat use to reduce shrapnel damage to vital components. It is operated using a pull-string mechanism. The sight opens using a spring-loaded hinge which forces open the shutter if the pull-string is not actuated.  It is unknown what the purpose of the large shutter is. However, it is worth pointing out that it does not have any mechanism to open and close it. It can be observed that there is a bolt in the top left corner. This might indicate it is a general service shutter for maintenance or repair.  In addition, the spokesperson in the video states that an additiona...

Recently, I have noticed many minor details I missed before . A detail that was missed is the presence of splicing in UVZ's old vehicle demonstration footage. To summarize; UVZ showcases their T-90K from the outside and inside.  This vehicle  is rare,  and so is the even rarer video footage.    In the second half of the video, the CRT and control panel of the sight do not resemble AGAVA-2, used on T-90K MBTs in the early-mid 1990s. Although the CRT matches perfectly with the version used on early ESSA modules. Another interesting feature is a similar control panel on the BMP-3 IFVs with Vesna-K TIS. What is rather interesting is the presence of the 1A40 main gunner's sight and not the 1G46 that is usually  installed  on T-90/S/A variants. This detail makes it difficult to determine whether it is some type of mockup or not.   Gunners position Commanders position ESSA thermal imaging sight  Lastly,...

The Sprut-SDM1 (2S25M) was recommended to be adopted by the Russian army. Kurganmashzavod claims it is ready to put the 2S25M into serial production.  During a briefing between Rostec and the Russian MoD in which the following was stated:  "The 2S25M self-propelled anti-tank gun has successfully passed state tests and is recommended for adoption by the Russian army. In the near future, we are ready to start serial production of the product, relevant studies are underway with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation." Taken from:  Lenta.ru

With the adoption of the BMP-3 in 1987 by the Soviet Army, the vehicle featured many improvements and integrations that set it apart from its predecessors. A new combat module with a paired weapon system consisting of an autoloaded 100mm cannon and a 30mm autocannon. Several onboard systems added more combat capabilities to the vehicle. One of the newly installed onboard systems was a toilet.  The toilet is located under the left seat in the rear troop compartment. Using the toilet is relatively straightforward, a bag with chemicals would be placed inside of the container and after usage disposed of.  It is important to note that a vehicle deployed in a march or active combat should have onboard features that comfort its crew.  After developing the BMP-3, Kurganmashzavod has been working on the Kurganets-25. An IFV is meant to replace older generations of IFVs currently serving in the armed forces.  The Kurganets-25 is similar to the BMP-3. Utilizes a centrally-mo...

UKBTM continues to develop more designs to provide MBTs with additional side protection against shaped charges. One of the more well-known protective measures was integrating soft-bag ERA on T-72B3 and T-80BVM MBTs. The bags would contain shaped moulds which held the ERA slabs in a fixed position. As of 2023, UKBTM has publicly released a new patent for one of their new design approaches to provide MBTs with more side protection. The design still follows the same concept as soft-bag ERA but now utilizes a steel case container to hold the ERA in place.  Image 1 The entire package is mounted to the top ledge of the side skirts using 2 clamps. The ERA container is attached to a holding plate which serves 2 purposes. As depicted in Image 2, the mount can swing up and down, allowing the container to be lifted on a fixed axis.  Image 3 (diagram 2) shows 3 variable mounting angles based on the mounting line. This directly represents the front side skirt segment on T-72B3M, T-80BVM an...

Soviet MBTs utilize a parallelogram hinge mechanism which is used to link the vertical angular motion of the tank's main gun to the head mirror of the main sight. This is done by having 2 hinged parallelograms, one hinge as a common axis of rotation, which is brought into motion from an axis lever attached to a second hinge mounted through an eccentric bushing on the cannon's trunnions. The hinge for the common axis of rotation transfers vertical motion from the gun to the main sight while also duplicating the motion to the auxiliary sight.  Basic parallelogram mechanism viewed from the right side Basic parallelogram mechanism viewed from the top Front view of parallelogram mechanism On the left is the lever arm that connects to the auxiliary sight, and behind the gunner's sight is the connector bridge, which connects the cannon's trunnion through the main parallelogram drive on the right. The main drive has 2 lever arms, which connect to the right side of the sight.  T...

As covered in a previous article,  New Omsktransmash T-80BVM modernization batch , a new Sosna-U sight housing has been installed, featuring several mechanical adjustments. The old design featured a bolted cover, which had to be manually removed by the crew.  The new version features 2 mechanical cylinders: the 1st cylinder operates the shutter hinge while the 2nd cylinder acts as a locking mechanism.  Comparing the housing to other designs present on tanks such as the BMPT or T-90M, the Omsk approach uses a more complex solution. Pull c ables are attached to the handles to pull the pins in the cylinders, compressing the springs inside.  The lower pin releases the cover lock. Additionally, the lock can be disabled by sliding it up the groove.  The cylinder on the side opens the housing shutter.  Releasing the handles by turning them, the springs will close the lid and fix it in place to then be locked by the lower cylinder.  It is possible that Omsk en...

 Omsktransmash has released footage showcasing the production of T-80BVM tanks.  A T-80BVM was shown in its full combat loadout. Several interesting integrations can be identified. This T-80BVM is equipped with up-armoured mudguards, which are present on T-90M tanks and new T-72B3M batches. Previously, T-72B3 tanks have received additional ERA containers mounted on the side of the hull, this feature has been carried over onto T-80BVM tanks. This T-80BVM also mounts the same protective netting which is present on T-90M MBTs.  In the same video, a very interesting observation can be made. Standard T-80BV turrets are retaining the old 1G42 housing while featuring a Sosna-U cover. This is very odd, considering that during the production of T-80BVMs the old housing is removed and welded shut and replaced with an auxiliary TV-based sight located next to Sosna-U. The old DVE-BS cross-wind sensor mast has been replaced with a new welded housing.  The original placement ...

Over the last few years, CRIB-Blog has made large leaps in content quantity and quality. Several large pages have been written containing a large variety of publicly available information.   On August 2nd 2021, a valued member of this community, MandeFTW, created his work of passion and allowed CRIB-Blog to host it. A Leopard Family page that contains every Leopard tank and its variants ever made.  More than a year has passed, and MandeFTW is ready to share his new and improved page, which he has been working on for the last couple of months. The page has been reworked entirely! A new ToC allows Blog users to quickly navigate through a seemingly endless page of information, new vehicle additions, expanded bibliography and an embedded frame for easier page navigation without having to scroll a lot!  It is advised that mobile users who are interested in browsing this page use the "Desktop site" feature! Due to the magnitude of this page, mobile browsers compress the em...

In a previous article, I covered a new T-72B modernization batch . New close-up footage has been released, showcasing the same vehicle and some of its integrated features. One of the tank operators explains that the housing can be manually operated from behind the hatch. This confirms a previously made statement: " 1PN-96MT-02 received a mechanical shutter which is operated by the gunner using a lever, which can only be operated when the gunner's hatch is open ".  Closed housing Open housing Video snippet showing housing operation Taken from: ANNA-News