Tank for nuclear war. Atomic tank The most, the most, the most

Tank model TV-1, presented at the conference Question Mark III

By the time of the next conference, Question Mark IV, carried out in August 1955, the development of nuclear reactors made it possible to significantly reduce their size, and therefore the weight of the tank. The project presented at the conference under the designation R32 envisioned the creation of a 50-ton tank armed with a 90-mm smoothbore gun T208 and protected in the frontal projection by 120 mm armor located at an angle of 60° to the vertical. The reactor provided the tank with an estimated range of more than 4,000 miles. R32 was considered more promising than the original version of the nuclear tank, and was even considered as a possible replacement for the M48 tank, which was in production, despite obvious disadvantages, such as the extremely high cost of the vehicle and the need for regular replacement of crews to prevent them from receiving a dangerous dose of radiation exposure . However R32 did not go beyond the preliminary design stage. Gradually, the army's interest in nuclear tanks faded, but work in this direction continued at least until 1959. None of the nuclear tank projects even reached the stage of building a prototype, just as the project to convert the M103 heavy tank into an experimental vehicle for testing a nuclear reactor on a tank chassis remained on paper.

USSR [ | ]

General Concept Problems[ | ]

The main problem of the tank concept with nuclear engine was that a large power reserve did not mean high autonomy of the car. The limiting factor was the supply of ammunition, lubricants for mechanical parts, resource of caterpillar belts. As a result, the elimination of refueling vehicles from tank units and the simplification of the supply of combustible materials to nuclear tanks in practice did not lead to any significant increase in autonomy. At the same time, the cost of nuclear-powered tanks would be significantly higher than conventional ones. Their maintenance and repair would require specially trained personnel and special repair machines and equipment. In addition, damage to the tank would most likely lead to

In the fifties of the last century, humanity began to actively develop a new source of energy - the fission of atomic nuclei. Nuclear energy was then seen, if not as a panacea, then at least as a solution to a great many different problems. In an atmosphere of general approval and interest, they built nuclear power plants and reactors for submarines and ships were designed. Some dreamers even proposed making a nuclear reactor so compact and low-power that it could be used as a household energy source or as a power plant for cars, etc. The military also became interested in similar things. In the United States, options for creating a full-fledged tank with a nuclear power plant were seriously considered. Unfortunately or fortunately, they all remained at the level of technical proposals and drawings.

Atomic tanks began in 1954 and its appearance is associated with scientific conferences Question Mark, where promising areas of science and technology were discussed. At the third such conference, held in June 1954 in Detroit, American scientists discussed the proposed tank project with a nuclear reactor. According to the technical proposal, fighting machine TV1 (Track Vehicle 1 - “Tracked Vehicle-1”) was supposed to have a combat weight of about 70 tons and carry a 105-mm rifled gun. Of particular interest was the layout of the armored hull of the proposed tank. So, behind armor up to 350 millimeters thick there should have been a small-sized nuclear reactor. A volume was provided for it in the front part of the armored hull. Behind the reactor and its protection, they placed workplace driver, in the middle and rear parts of the hull there was a fighting compartment, ammunition storage, etc., as well as several power plant units.

Combat vehicle TV1 (Track Vehicle 1 – “Tracked Vehicle-1”)

The operating principle of the tank's power units is more than interesting. The fact is that the reactor for TV1 was planned to be made according to a scheme with an open gas coolant circuit. This means that the reactor had to be cooled atmospheric air, being driven next to him. Next, the heated air was supposed to be supplied to a power gas turbine, which was supposed to drive the transmission and drive wheels. According to calculations carried out directly at the conference, with the given dimensions it would be possible to ensure the operation of the reactor for up to 500 hours on one filling nuclear fuel. However, the TV1 project was not recommended for continued development. Over 500 hours of operation, a reactor with an open cooling circuit could contaminate several tens or even hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of air. In addition, it was impossible to fit sufficient reactor protection into the internal volumes of the tank. In general, the TV1 combat vehicle turned out to be much more dangerous for friendly troops than for the enemy.

By the next Question Mark IV conference, held in 1955, the TV1 project was finalized in accordance with current capabilities and new technologies. The new nuclear tank was named R32. It was significantly different from TV1, primarily in its size. The development of nuclear technology has made it possible to reduce the dimensions of the machine and change its design accordingly. It was also proposed to equip the 50-ton tank with a reactor in the front part, but the armored hull with a frontal plate 120 mm thick and the turret with a 90 mm gun in the project had completely different contours and layout. In addition, it was proposed to abandon the use of a gas turbine driven by superheated atmospheric air and use new protection systems for a smaller reactor. Calculations have shown that the practically achievable range on one refueling with nuclear fuel will be approximately four thousand kilometers. Thus, at the cost of reducing operating time, it was planned to reduce the danger of the reactor for the crew.

Yet the measures taken to protect the crew, technical personnel and troops interacting with the tank were insufficient. According to the theoretical calculations of American scientists, the R32 had less radiation than its predecessor TV1, but even with the remaining radiation level the tank was not suitable for practical application. It would be necessary to regularly change crews and create a special infrastructure for separate maintenance of nuclear tanks.

After the R32 failed to meet the expectations of a potential customer in the face of American army, military interest in tanks with nuclear power plant began to gradually fade away. It must be admitted that for some time there were still attempts to create new project and even bring it to the testing stage. For example, in 1959 an experimental machine was designed based on heavy tank M103. It was supposed to be used in future tests of a tank chassis with a nuclear reactor. Work on this project began very late, when the customer stopped seeing nuclear tanks promising technology for the army. Work on converting the M103 into a test bench ended with the creation of a preliminary design and preparation for the assembly of the prototype.

R32. Another American nuclear tank project

The latest American nuclear tank project power plant, which was able to advance beyond the technical proposal stage, was completed by Chrysler during its participation in the ASTRON program. The Pentagon ordered a tank intended for the army of the next decades, and Chrysler specialists apparently decided to give the tank reactor another try. Besides, new tank TV8 was supposed to represent a new layout concept. The armored chassis with electric motors and, in some versions of the project, an engine or nuclear reactor was a typical tank body with a tracked undercarriage. However, it was proposed to install a tower of an original design on it.

The large unit with a complex, streamlined, faceted shape was supposed to be made slightly longer than the chassis. Inside such an original tower it was proposed to place the workplaces of all four crew members, all weapons, incl. 90 mm gun mounted on a rigid recoilless rifle suspension system, as well as ammunition. In addition, in later versions of the project it was supposed to place a diesel engine or a small-sized nuclear reactor. In this case, the reactor or engine would provide energy to operate a generator that powers running electric motors and other systems. According to some sources, until the very closure of the TV8 project, there were disputes about the most convenient placement of the reactor: in the chassis or in the tower. Both options had their pros and cons, but installing all the units of the power plant in the chassis was more profitable, although technically more difficult.

Tank TV8

One of the variants of atomic monsters developed at one time in the USA under the Astron program.

TV8 turned out to be the most successful of all American nuclear tanks. In the second half of the fifties, a prototype of a promising armored vehicle was even built at one of the Chrysler factories. But things didn’t go beyond the layout. The revolutionary new layout of the tank, combined with its technical complexity, did not provide any advantages over existing and developed armored vehicles. The ratio of novelty, technical risks and practical returns was considered insufficient, especially in the case of using a nuclear power plant. As a result, the TV8 project was closed due to lack of prospects.

After TV8, not a single American nuclear tank project has left the technical proposal stage. As for other countries, they also considered the theoretical possibility of replacing diesel with a nuclear reactor. But outside the United States, these ideas remained only in the form of ideas and simple sentences. The main reasons for abandoning such ideas were two features of nuclear power plants. Firstly, a reactor suitable for mounting on a tank, by definition, cannot have sufficient protection. As a result, the crew and surrounding people or objects will be exposed to radiation. Secondly, in the event of damage to the power plant - and the probability of such a development of events is very high - a nuclear tank becomes a real dirty bomb. The crew's chances of surviving the accident are too low, and the survivors will become victims of acute radiation sickness.

Relatively large range on one fuel fill and overall, as it seemed in the fifties, promising nuclear reactors in all areas they could not overpower dangerous consequences their applications. As a result, nuclear-powered tanks remained an original technical idea that arose in the wake of general “nuclear euphoria”, but did not produce any practical results.

Based on materials from sites:
http://shushpanzer-ru.livejournal.com/
http://raigap.livejournal.com/
http://armor.kiev.ua/
http://secretprojects.co.uk/

Subject cold war and the confrontation between the two superpowers in lately became one of the most discussed in the world media. First, the Americans announced the rearmament of their strategic forces and the creation of low-power nuclear charges. And then Russia showed the world several impressive developments at once, including a real “weapon of the apocalypse” - an unmanned underwater vehicle at a nuclear installation.

Experts are talking about a new round of the arms race, although both countries deny it. However, projects conceived in anticipation nuclear war in the middle of the last century, they simply acquired some kind of ominous relevance.

Hypersonic glider attacking the enemy from space, missiles on nuclear installation- all this was conceived back in the USSR, when the military was expecting a missile attack at any moment.

During this harsh time, the "Object 279" was conceived and tested - a heavy soviet tank, which was supposed to break through the enemy’s defenses after nuclear bombings. The Soviet command rightly believed that it would not be possible to win the war with bombs and missiles alone.

The vehicle, preserved in a single copy in the museum in Kubinka, looks more like a flying saucer on four tracks than a traditional tank. And there is a simple explanation for this: the elliptical shape was supposed to protect the car from waves nuclear explosion.

The level of protection of the tank is amazing: the thickness of some sections of the cast armor reaches 319 millimeters. In addition, the car was protected by anti-fragmentation and anti-explosive screens. "Two hundred and seventy-nine" could withstand hits from a 122-mm armor-piercing projectile, not to mention a 90-mm cumulative one.

To prevent the tank from turning into a block of iron that cannot be moved, the thickness of the armor was varied. In some places it is only 50 mm, in others it is six times more. All armor consists of four armored elements. According to experts, the Object 279 is twice as protected as the T-10 heavy tank and five times better than the T-34.

Moreover, the “nuclear tank” weighs the same as the heavy IS-4 from the Great Patriotic War - 60 tons. A thousand-horsepower diesel engine accelerates the car on the highway to 55 km/h. And in terms of cross-country ability, thanks to its four tracks, the vehicle can give odds to any modern tank.

The specific gravity on the ground at the “plate” is only 0.6 kg per centimeter, like light tank. The car had to drive through the crater of a nuclear explosion, through loosened soil, mud, swamps and rubble. Judging by the tests, the "Object 279" coped, but it had problems with maneuverability due to its four tracks. To turn, tankers had to expend a lot of effort, and this took a colossal amount of time.

It was assumed that these vehicles would pass first, followed by more maneuverable medium tanks. “Object 279” was supposed to appear in the ashes of a nuclear explosion and finish off the surviving enemy, paving the way for the rest. To break through the defense, the vehicle was armed with a 130-mm cannon with a loading mechanism. The gun's rate of fire is up to five rounds per minute, a decent figure for modern tank. The fire control system was also advanced for those times: an optical rangefinder, an automatic guidance and night vision complex, an infrared searchlight. A real "Armata" from the 1960s.

As a second weapon, the Object 279 was equipped with a 14.5-mm Vladimirov machine gun with a semi-automatic loading mechanism, mechanized stowage and a stereoscopic sight. Quite a decent boost.

Since the vehicle had to operate in conditions of radioactive contamination, it was equipped with chemical, biological and anti-nuclear protection for the crew. A special system was created in the tank overpressure and prevented the entry of contaminated air inside. It was believed that the tank could have passed through the epicenter immediately after the explosion, without really stopping there.

But, fortunately, it was not possible to test this in practice. A total of three Object 279 tanks were built, after which Nikita Khrushchev canceled the project, although the vehicle was successfully tested. The USSR finally concentrated on medium tanks, which, due to their characteristics, began to step on the heels of heavy ones, and weighed much less. In addition, building a "nuclear tank" was too expensive due to complex armor and mechanics. Finally, there came a “thaw” and a long-term détente in relations between Moscow and Washington.

But now it’s simply a sin not to remember about the car, especially since there is nothing like it in Russia’s arsenal. Will the T-90 or the Armata cope with such specific combat missions? It’s unlikely, although in a normal battle they will be much better.

Modern "Armata" weighs 48 tons with an engine power of 1 thousand 500 horsepower. Speed ​​on the highway is about 80 km/h. Maneuverability is simply incredible, judging by the demonstration videos. The crew in the T-14 is much more comfortable; the vehicle is equipped with active and dynamic protection systems. But how will all this work in a nuclear war? Perhaps the 30-centimeter protection of the “279” will become much more effective than all these advanced electronic systems that will simply stop functioning. After a nuclear explosion, no one will run around with Javelins, and flying airplanes and helicopters will also become extremely dangerous. "Project-279" in an unmanned version could well become a kind of "machine of the apocalypse", slowly and steadily moving into the territory of a bloodless enemy.

In 1956, Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev instructed the designers to begin work on a project for a unique tank that was not afraid of an atomic explosion, radiation contamination of the crew, or chemical or biological attacks. The project received article number 279.

And such a heavy tank weighing 60 tons was designed by 1957 at SKB-2 of the Kirov Plant of Leningrad (KZL) under the leadership of the chief designer, Major General Joseph Yakovlevich Kotin. It was immediately and rightly called atomic. Moreover, the lion's share of its weight was armor, in some places reaching up to 305 millimeters. That is why the internal space for the crew was much smaller than that of heavy tanks of similar weight.

The atomic tank embodied the new tactics of fighting the Third World War and a more “vegetarian” era when human life at least it was worth something. It was the concern for the crew of this armored vehicle that dictated some of the tactical and technical data of this tank. For example, if necessary, the hermetically sealed turret hatch and breech of the gun prevented even a speck of dust from entering the interior of the vehicle, not to mention radioactive gases and chemicals infection. Bacteriological danger was also excluded for tankers.

Thus, even the sides of the hull were protected by almost twice as thick armor as the German Tigers. It reached 182 mm on the 279th. The frontal armor of the hull generally had an unprecedented thickness - from 258 to 269 mm. This exceeded the parameters of even such a cyclopean German development The Third Reich, as the heaviest monster in the history of tank building, as if jokingly named by its developer Ferdinand Porsche Maus (“Mouse”). With a vehicle weight of 189 tons, its frontal armor was 200 mm. Whereas in an atomic tank it was simply covered with impenetrable 305 mm high-alloy steel. Moreover, the body of the Soviet miracle tank was shaped like a turtle shell - shoot, don’t shoot, and the shells simply slipped off it and flew on. In addition, the giant’s body was also covered with anti-cumulative shields.

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It was no coincidence that this configuration was chosen by the leading designer of the SKB-2 KZL, Lev Sergeevich Troyanov: after all, the tank was not just called nuclear - it was intended to conduct combat operations directly near a nuclear explosion. Moreover, the almost flat body prevented the machine from tipping over even under the influence of a monstrous shock wave. The tank's armor could withstand even a frontal hit from a 90-mm cumulative projectile, as well as a close-range shot from an armor-piercing charge from a 122-mm cannon. And not only in the forehead - the side also withstood such hits.

By the way, for such a heavyweight he had a very good speed on the highway - 55 km/h. And being invulnerable, the iron hero himself could cause a lot of trouble to the enemy: his gun had a caliber of 130 mm, and easily penetrated any armor existing at that time. True, the stock of shells gave rise to pessimistic thoughts - according to the instructions, only 24 of them were placed in the tank. In addition to the gun, the four crew members also had a heavy machine gun at their disposal.

Another feature of Project 279 was its tracks - there were four of them. In other words, a nuclear tank, in principle, could not get stuck - even in complete off-road conditions, thanks also to the low specific pressure on the ground. And he successfully overcame mud, deep snow, and even anti-tank hedgehogs and gouges. During the tests in 1959, in the presence of representatives of the military-industrial complex and the Ministry of Defense, the military liked everything, especially the thickness of the armor of the nuclear tank and its complete protection from everything. But the ammunition load plunged the generals into despondency. They were not impressed by the difficulty of operating the chassis, as well as the extremely low ability to maneuver.

And the project was abandoned. The tank remained manufactured in a single copy, which today is exhibited in Kubinka - in the Armored Museum. And the other two are unfinished prototypes went to the smelter.

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Another exotic development of our military engineers was the A-40 or, as it was also called, “KT” (“Tank Wings”). According to the alternate name, he could even... fly. Design "CT" (namely we're talking about about the airframe for the domestic T-60) began 75 years ago - in 1941. In order to lift the tank into the air, a glider was attached to it, which was then towed by a TB-3 heavy bomber. It was none other than Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov, who then worked in the Glider Directorate as the chief engineer at the People's Commissariat of the Aviation Industry, who came up with such a non-standard solution.

It is clear that with a weight of almost eight tons (including the glider), the tank, equipped with wings, could fly behind the bomber at a speed of only 130 km/h. However, the main thing they wanted to teach him was to land in the right place, unhooking from the BT-3 in advance. It was planned that after landing, two crew members would remove all unnecessary flight “uniform” from the T-60 and be ready for combat, having at their disposal a 20 mm caliber gun and a machine gun. The T-60 was supposed to be delivered to surrounded units of the Red Army or partisans, and they also wanted to use this method of transportation for the emergency transfer of vehicles to the necessary sections of the front.

Tests of the flying tank took place in August-September 1942. Alas, due to its low speed, the glider only just stayed at a height of forty meters above the ground due to poor streamlining and its rather solid mass. There was a war going on, and at that time such projects were not welcome. Only those developments that could become combat vehicles in the very near future were welcomed.

For this reason, the project was canceled. This happened in February 1943, when Oleg Antonov was already working in the design bureau of Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev - his deputy. Another important point, due to which work on the A-40 was stopped, was the condition for transporting its ammunition along with the tank - this question remained open. The flying tank was also made in just one copy. But it was not the only project of our designers. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of such developments. Fortunately, our country has always had enough talented engineers.

Vitaly Karyukov

“Object 279” – very original Soviet project heavy tank for nuclear war conditions...

Appearance atomic weapons required the military to reconsider both the strategy and tactics of combat operations. But the role of tanks has only increased. After all, as it turned out, of all types of military equipment, tanks turned out to be the most resistant to the effects of all damaging factors nuclear explosion. Of course, improvements were required... Object 279 is a tank optimized for operation in a full-scale nuclear war. Its design has two “highlights”: an original chassis with four tracks, and a body in the shape of an elongated ellipsoid.

The cast hull was complemented by anti-cumulative screens, which gave the tank unusual shape, reminiscent of a “flying saucer”. According to the designers, this was supposed to prevent the tank from capsizing when exposed to a powerful shock wave.

The four-track undercarriage gave the heavy tank unique maneuverability: when overcoming obstacles, it was almost impossible to plant it “on its belly,” and the ground pressure of the 60-ton vehicle was only 0.6 kg/sq.cm.

It was assumed that such super cross-country ability would be needed to pass through the destruction zone near the epicenter atomic explosion. In addition, to protect against Soviet tank armies the Europeans were seriously planning to use nuclear landmines for the destruction of reservoirs and river beds for flooding and swamping of the area.

But the original design also had its very significant drawbacks: big losses power, turning resistance increased 12 times compared to the “classic”, difficulty in maintenance and repair. Object 279 was manufactured and tested, but for many reasons it did not become a production vehicle. Now the unique tank is in the tank museum in Kubinka...

Rumors are heard from behind the scenes of military developments that this unique car will still receive the right to life, having undergone serious modernization in the conditions modern world. Well, let's hope so! Performance characteristics tank Object 279:

Dimensions:

length – 10.2 m (without trunk 6.77 m)
height – 2.5 m
width – 3.4 m
Weight – 60 t

Armor:

forehead – 93-269 mm
side – 100-182 mm
tower – 217-305 mm

Weapons:

M-65 gun 130 mm caliber
KPVT machine gun 14.5mm caliber – 1 pc.
Ammunition – 24 rounds

Engine– diesel 16-cylinder H-shaped four-stroke DG-1000 or 2DG-8M

Power reserve – up to 250 km
Speed ​​– up to 55 km/h
Crew – 4 people