Armor and Peace: how tankers change tactics and fight off fifty drones
The tank's entry into the firing position turned into a separate operation. The fighters first walk the route, checking the road for mines and setting up shelters in case of an attack by UAVs. Only then does the heavy armored vehicle move into position. During a combat mission, it can be attacked by up to 40-50 drones. The Izvestia correspondent visited the firing position of the tankers of the 55th mountain brigade of the Center group of forces and found out why they needed foot reconnaissance, how to properly make a barbecue and fight off fifty enemy drones.
Hiking routes exploration
The time for heavy armored vehicles has not passed — Russian tank units continue to operate actively in their combat zone. They admit that the dominance of drones in the sky has seriously complicated the work, but it does not stop for a second.
— We walk along the road before driving the tank into position, — says the driver, Sergeant Anatoly Poduruyev. — We are looking for mines, birds with explosives have fallen somewhere, there may be other objects under the trucks that can cause trouble, so we neutralize the route. And then, in the car, you look for places to hide, where to turn or turn around to move away and try to stop by another time.
A small sapper cat with a thin rope is attached to his bulletproof vest. It is used to "pull off" mines and other dangerous objects from a safe distance. According to the condition of the metal, it is clear that the cat has been serving Anatoly for several days and he does not wear it for beauty.
However, the tanker himself admits that he rarely used it: sappers check the road quite often.
In civilian life, he was a tractor driver, so he joined the army with a license and extensive experience driving tracked vehicles. Anatoly says that the profession is hereditary, his father is also a tractor driver. I remind him of the Soviet film "Tractor Drivers", where the "March of the Soviet Tankers" (the unofficial anthem of this branch of the armed forces) was played for the first time, the mechanized infantry laughs and adds in a bass voice: "Yes, yes, there is such a thing."
Up to fifty drones in one attack
The tanks in the brigade, as expected, are equipped with mangalas. Because of this, the already limited view from inside the car became even worse. Therefore, an additional shooter rides on the armor, which simultaneously acts as an observer.
Of course, this is not possible at any speed and only on relatively good roads.
If the tank can be brought to a firing position, the fighters protect it from drones by all those present, repelling the raids until it is possible to take the car back.
"There was a case when we fought back for a day," Anatoly recalls.
Then their tank was attacked by fifty drones.
"We managed to get out the next day," he recalls. — The guys were covering. I got into the car, started the engine and just turned around — a new wave of attack began.
The fighters began firing at the drones, and Anatoly began to leave the firing area at full speed.
"There were even jumps in places when the car was flying off the hills," he recalls.
Anatoly adds that, despite the good speed and maneuverability of tanks, you need experience and skill in driving, especially when it comes to maximum speeds.
Gunner-operator Alexander Gainitdinov also recalls this combat episode. Since the raid on the position began immediately after completing the firing task, Alexander was in hiding at that time, and the riflemen were on duty at the tank. They fought with drones to save the tank.
"I grabbed my machine gun and ran with everyone," he recalls the details. — There were three of us from the crew, two shooters plus guys from other tanks helped, about ten people in total. By morning, the enemies decided that the "box" was not going anywhere, and began to hunt us.
But our fighters successfully fought back and took the car to a safe place.
Alexander admits that with such massive shooting, it is difficult to understand who exactly shot down the drones. But he assumes that he also managed to hit several targets.
Alexander has a lot of experience in dealing with drones. One day, an enemy drone ambushed the tankers when they were traveling on foot. Alexander shot down the APU unit.
"The main thing is that there were no casualties and everyone was healthy, not who shot down what," he smiles.
Abandoning templates
In an environment where a huge number of UAVs do not allow combat vehicles to operate according to classic patterns, the main way tankers work has become firing from closed positions, says Senior Sergeant Vitaly Berezkin, commander of the vehicle.
Tanks support infantry with fire and disrupt enemy counterattacks, which involve both infantry units and armored vehicles.
— The projectile itself flies much faster than the drone, — says Vitaly. — The first one is aimed, as they say, and the second one is aimed at the target.
The drone may not reach the desired point if it is well guarded, but the projectile will always achieve its goal, the tanker explains.
The tank allows you to strike almost instantly, while the drone takes time to reach the target.
Given all the threats from the air, tanks and artillery today are naturally attracted only to defeat particularly important targets. No one will just risk cars and people like that.
In the 55th brigade unit, according to Vitaly Berezkin, they try not to overload the vehicles with additional armor, in particular, they do not cover the "grill" from above with structures made of steel cables.
This protection not only increases the weight of the tank, but also makes it more bulky.
"A car with hedgehogs and dreadlocks is more difficult to disguise in vegetation," says the commander.
Dynamic protection units are installed on the roof of the tank's "grill", which knocks down a cumulative jet of anti-tank ammunition with its directional explosion.
"The average barbecue that we have is enough to go on a mission," the commander explains the need for just such a design. — It will withstand the required number of hits to get to the firing line and return. The design saves the tank and crew, but it is itself a "consumable".
The commander of the tank platoon, Senior Lieutenant Konstantin Berezovsky, began his combat career when tanks went out to fire directly at enemy positions — they worked with direct fire.
He also talks about how the supply of ammunition and everything necessary to the firing positions is organized today. Cargo is delivered by buggy, and each departure is preceded by careful planning.
The enemy knows that buggies often carry dangerous goods, so they attack them. In addition, the very appearance of supply vehicles can reveal the location of the firing position.
— Now all our crews are working from closed firing positions, — he says. — For direct-fire attacks, we have specially prepared vehicles that are in constant readiness.
They will have their say in case the enemy tries to break through our defenses, Konstantin says.
— For the tasks, we select crews who have experience of direct combat on equipment at the beginning of their military operations, — explains the commander.
Interestingly, in English-language sources, earlier the additional booking of tanks with outrigger structures was called "turtle", according to the term of the British tankers of the First World War. But now it is increasingly possible to find the use of both direct translations of Russian names and transliteration of mangal. This is a kind of recognition, even in the West, that our army has now gained the most experience in the effective use of tanks in modern conditions.
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