https: //www.site/2016-08-15/shoygu_i_sienko_nagradili_pobediteley_tankovogo_biatlona

Shoigu and Sienko awarded the winners of the "Tank Biathlon"

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Uralvagonzavod Corporation General Director Oleg Sienko presented awards to the winners of Tank Biathlon -2016, which was held as part of the international army games at the Alabino training ground near Moscow and ended with the victory of the Russians. According to the site in the press service of Uralvagonzavod, the winners, in addition to medals, also received keys to UAZ-Patriot cars.

18 teams from all over the world took part in the "Tank Biathlon-2016", in particular the crews of Russia, Iran, Kuwait, Angola and other countries. The winner of the competition was selected based on the results of individual races and relay races. Tankers overcame the ford, concrete walls, climbed onto the escarpment and fired at targets.

Competitions were held on T-72B3 tanks from Uralvagonzavod. “This is a reliable, efficient vehicle,” the coach of the Mongolian team Gantsukh Erdenetsogsh shared his impressions about the tank. - The main advantage is reliability and simplicity. It can be easily driven and, if necessary, repaired. " The independent expert on South African military affairs Ashton Mlynden noted the excellent maneuverability of the tank.

Also, the participants of the competition appreciated the work of Uralvagonzavod specialists during the biathlon. It should be noted that more than 30 UVZ specialists were involved in servicing the vehicles and training the crews. “Last year we were unable to pass the ford,” says the head of the Serbian delegation, Dragan Boic. - This year there were no such problems. Now we have close cooperation with UVZ specialists. Each question that arises is resolved in 5-10 minutes. Without the employees of the corporation, our crew would not have been able to proceed to the next stages. "

Commander-in-chief Ground Forces Russia, Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov thanked Uralvagonzavod for the quality work and drew attention to the fact that compared to last year, the technical support from UVZ has grown many times over: “Until now, the Chinese tank has shown very good results. All crews use our vehicles, except for the Chinese team. They - on their own technique and advantageously surpassed in speed. Now we are ahead of them. "

The general director of the corporation, Oleg Sienko, noted that this year the participants of the tank biathlon have reached a more professional level. “There are many worthy rivals, including the crews of Belarus, Kazakhstan, India, Venezuela, as well as a team from China that participated in their own vehicles. I hope that next year, at least, if not in performances, then in demonstration performances, the crews of the UVZ corporation will perform, ”Sienko noted.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and UVZ General Director Oleg Sienko present awards to the winners of the tank biathlon.

Tank Biathlon-2016, held in Alabino, has come to an end. He summed up a justified and deserved result: our tanks and crews are practically out of competition.

The first competitions, which Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu proposed to regularly hold in Alabino in 2013, were held with the participation of crews from only three countries: Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia. In 2016, at the biathlon, participants from previous years met again and new ones arrived from almost two dozen countries. There are 121 teams in total, and their total number was three and a half thousand people. Compared to 2015, their number has doubled.

No complaints about tanks

Oleg Sienko in an interview with the press noted that general level professionalism is markedly different from the degree of preparedness demonstrated by the military of the past. He also expressed the hope that in the future the corporation will be able to present crews with drivers working at UVZ. He noted that the teams had no complaints about the tanks, which is very important. When the market is full of competitors' products, given fact serves for the corporation as an additional positive recommendation of the product on the market, especially during the period of its promotion.

The Sakhalin crew of the 39th separate motorized rifle brigade won the rivalry among the army men. Its commander, Major General Ruslan Dzeitov, was proud of the victory by right, as he proved by deeds that his crew is one of the best in the world. The big country Russia honored the winners of the international army games "ARMY - 2016". They were greeted with congratulations and words of gratitude not only by friends and relatives, but also by the leaders of the regions, noting their skill and fighting spirit, their ability to win.

The gratitude of the command was generous, as always: the UAZ-Patriot jeeps have already become a traditional prize given by the Uralvagonzavod corporation to the first among the best. The head of the corporation, Oleg Sienko, expressed his personal gratitude to the champions and personally handed over the keys to the cars.

Oleg Sienko has been the head of NPK Uralvagonzavod for seven years. He has repeatedly been awarded government awards, has medals and orders ("For Services to the Fatherland"), three times became the head of the list of the best managers in Russia (review of the "Kommersant" publication), laureate of numerous awards in his industry.

It was he who stood at the beginning of the development and launch in the shops of the Uralvagonzavod corporation of the production line for debugging and serial production of the Armata tank, as well as other new products of both military and civilian equipment.

World elite of snipers

"Tank Biathlon" has managed in a short time to gain great popularity not only in our country, but all over the world, attracting the press and spectators to the stands and to the TV screens. This is not just a tournament, but part of a lot of painstaking work in the preparation of the large-scale military games "ARMI-2016". They demonstrate the strength, morale and power of the army and provide an insight into military leadership at the international level.

Tanks go to biathlon from training grounds, which are directly connected with Uralvagonzavod. As a supplier and manufacturer of tanks, its engineers, technologists and, first of all, the head Oleg Sienko are in constant contact with the military, introducing all the achievements into the production chain modern science and technology.

Games require careful preparation, its progress and scope can be estimated if you know that only at the preliminary stage 70 thousand soldiers and specialists of different levels were involved, including tank crews. There were more than three thousand of the latter in the qualifying exercises.

The number of participants at the qualifying stage of the competition increased due to changes in the rules of the Games, as noted by the head of the combat training department of the Ground Forces, Yevgeny Poplavsky. Changes affected both the relay race and the race itself: the number of target shooting increased, and adjustments were made to the competition conditions for BMP crews.

There are 23 types of disciplines in the Games program. All types of troops were preparing for them and throughout Russia, as well as on three seas (Black, Baltic and Caspian), the military from the units of the marines and paratroopers competed. Snipers competed in Kazakhstan.

Oleg Sienko noted that the release of the modernized T-72B3 tanks produced by UVZ, which were prepared specifically for increased loads, was timed to coincide with these games. Compared to the previous vehicle, the tank received the most important thing - a powerful engine of 1130 hp. with. (was 840). Also installed in the car: an automatic transmission system, a panoramic device with a thermal imaging view for the commander and a motion control system that can inform in time when a particular unit is in critical mode.

During the preparation for the 2016 Games, Oleg Sienko has repeatedly received convincing evidence of the reliability and accuracy of tanks manufactured by the Uralvagonzavod corporation. Tanks driven by crews from Russia and Serbia, India and Kuwait, Mongolia and Iran, Nicaragua and Greece and other countries easily took over obstacles: concrete walls and fords, climbed the escarpment, as if shooting at targets. In total, according to the terms of the competition, it was necessary to walk from three to five kilometers, shooting at targets. The final result provided for taking into account the time for which the distance was covered, and the accuracy of the shooting. The Russian military noted that the Chinese and representatives of Kazakhstan became the most powerful rivals for them.

The winners of the current season of the Games received awards and keys from ATVs, cars and other valuable prizes from the hands of Sergei Shoigu and Oleg Sienko. But the organizers promise that next season there will be more awards. Colonel General Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces Russian Federation, noted that representatives of any countries will be able to participate in the Games, and equipment may come from abroad.

Durability and unpretentiousness

At least thirty specialists of the corporation took part in shifts in the process of preparing the event. Top military leaders and team leaders noted the quality work of Uralvagonzavod and the excellent management of its leader Oleg Sienko. Independent experts and heads of foreign delegations agreed that the level of biathlon training deserves the highest praise and maximum assessment, and without their work, the transition to the next stage would be impossible.

They note the improvement in the quality of the equipment and its maintenance, are impressed with the maneuverability of the tanks, as well as the irreducible level of productivity. The success of management (and this reflects the personal success of Oleg Sienko and the team he selected) is that all obstacles, problems or discrepancies that arise in the course of work did not cause meaningless disputes, but were eliminated as soon as possible.

Armored vehicles manufactured in the corporation have proven themselves from the very better side attracting everyone's attention more representatives of foreign firms and organizations. They demonstrated at the training grounds the power and coherence of control systems, reliability, unpretentiousness in conditions close to combat. A member of the Mongolian team noted that the equipment is easy to operate and does not require complex repairs if necessary.

Much cheaper than similar tanks

Almost all the participants of the competition - from soldiers to generals - noted the high reliability of the tanks produced by Uralvagonzavod. Oleg Sienko also spoke about a very important detail: our vehicles are six or seven times cheaper than foreign tanks of the same level. This is if we talk about the T-72B3 tank. Another model, the T-90, is supplied to our army at a price that is 5 times lower than on the foreign market.

Oleg Salyukov also emphasized that the military more than once expressed gratitude to the specialists of Uralvagonzavod for the equipment - personally to Oleg Sienko and the entire team as a whole. He highlighted such a remarkable moment: the technique is mastered very quickly. For example, in the tank biathlon, the Azerbaijani team in target shooting showed best time on the 72b3 tank, which speaks of excellent qualities: ease of use and excellent control system.

Oleg Sienko also noted the potential of tanks, saying that the T-72 and T-90 are much higher in terms of survivability on the battlefield, in terms of combat endurance and potential than tanks produced in other countries. And the ratio "price-quality" at the corporation "Uralvagonzavod" is beyond competition.

Further work is dedicated to the service

Noting the successes achieved, the head of the corporation emphasized in conversations and interviews with the press that the company's concern in the future lies in the field of service, since such an important export item as military equipment, including flamethrower and artillery, should not be ignored. The most important thing for those who buy it is the possibility of service.

The high technical characteristics of the tanks, the export potential of the corporation, were assessed and noted by the trainer from Mongolia Gantsukh Erdenetsogsh, Lieutenant Batkhtsu Batgisrgal and the crew commander. UVZ General Director Oleg Sienko confirmed that one of the security components of armored vehicles is their mobility.

Russian participants and winners in biathlon expressed special gratitude not only to Oleg Sienko as an excellent leader, but also to the entire staff of UVZ. They noted the simple elegance, reliability and strength of the equipment, the victory came thanks to the skill of the crews and the quality of the armored vehicles. They also noted with satisfaction that if earlier Chinese tanks were ahead of ours in speed, now Russian tanks have left them behind.

About ARMI-2016 in numbers

• Weapon units - more than 700.
• Consumption of fuels and lubricants - about 16 thousand tons.
• Ammunition spent - 150 thousand.
• More than half a million viewers.
• Participated in the competition of driver-mechanics - more than 7 thousand.

Design features of offensive defense

If at the Games of last year Belarus and China, represented by their crews, shared the victory with Russia, then at the Games in 2016 our team was out of competition, and this is undoubtedly not only the merit of the military, but also a reflection of the fact that the corporation under the leadership of Sienko is constantly works to improve product quality.

All teams competed in the Russian T-72 and BMP, only the Chinese used their equipment. Also, Belarus used its own armored vehicles, also produced by the corporation, in some types of competitions.

Chinese equipment, as mentioned above, surpassed our tanks in speed. This year, Chinese specialists arrived in their upgraded Type 99 machine, which is equipped with elite units. Also in the Chinese army, Type 96B is used, in the design of which many technical findings of tanks of the Soviet period are used. One of the Chinese military experts said that they are not inferior to the technology of Russia or the United States.

Probably, he is not familiar with such novelties of technology as "Armata", as well as T-90. These machines are also produced by a corporation headed by Sienko. The use of a laser active protection system can disable electronic systems and deprive their crews of the ability to see.

The weapons that combat vehicles have are impressive: a 125-mm smoothbore cannon with a coaxial machine gun, a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun. The T-99 tank is also armed with the most modern system firing.

And although Chinese tanks are equipped with last word military equipment, their cost is an order of magnitude higher than ours, they are expensive even to produce it in large quantities for the Chinese army. Therefore, Oleg Sienko rightly believes that they fall out of the list of competitors, especially since they do not surpass cars made in Russia.

The very good preparation of our crews was also noted by the head of the corporation. He said that if last year our team won the competition with ease, then at this biathlon it was not an easy task to snatch victory from the hands of rivals. Sienko also noted that such a victory spurs competition, making the tasks of production workers more interesting, encouraging them to creative breakthroughs.

About the incentive to upgrade

The fact that the Games within the framework of army competitions are becoming more and more popular is undeniable, and their results are a yardstick for the decisions that many armies of the world make in their development. An example is the Belarusian team. She competed in Russian technology and managed to get ahead of the Chinese in the semifinals. Their modernized version of the machine, the T-72BM, was produced at Uralvagonzavod back in the days when Oleg Sienko was not the head of the enterprise. The new development of the plant, a thermal imaging device for aiming fire, is its main innovation, which helped to go through all the stages of the difficult path of the competition almost perfectly.

Sienko more than once drew attention to the fact that, despite the widespread opinion that it is unnecessary to modernize armies, and especially tanks, they will be a relevant component in all armies of the world for a long time to come. Therefore, new samples and modernization of machines already in production are again becoming the main ones in the list of priority tasks of the corporation. They receive worldwide recognition and new orders: an order for 200 vehicles has been placed in Algeria. The country is also considering buying a license to assemble tanks on its own territory.

Recent events in the countries of the Middle East have clearly shown that on the battlefield a tank is indispensable even in the presence of serious losses due to the use of anti-tank weapons. In addition, the tanks receive a running-in in combat conditions, clearly demonstrating their reliability: when an American anti-tank missile hit the T-90, the tank was insignificantly damaged and was quickly restored.

This fact is perfectly understood by Sienko as the head of the corporation, constantly keeping control over how the machines are being modernized in order not only to meet international standards, but also to stay ahead of them.

Excellent technique for masters of their craft

The world level of tank building is 70% - an indicator of the work of UVZ. General Director Oleg Sienko says that the corporation is not going to concede the leadership. He is personally involved in the development of this project. He also stressed that the car, in which he personally accelerated to a speed of 80 km / h, does not tolerate dismissive or inept treatment. This car is not for those who just came to the army for military service, but for professionals in their field. For those for whom the army has become a daily job, who cares for the cause and knows how to handle equipment.

It is worth talking a little about a technique that can not only defend or destroy, but also build. For example, a new excavator has been developed, which the Chinese are interested in. It is being prepared for serial production next year and its cost is an order of magnitude lower than similar foreign products. And what is important, Sienko stressed, all the components are produced in Russia.

Another trading partner important for UVZ is India. The corporation signed a memorandum that the products will receive promotion and support in India. And not only military, but also civilian equipment. A trial batch of wagons has already been sent to a distant country, of which a lot will be required for the program for the development of railways.

For the domestic consumer, Uralvagonzavod delivered tram cars to the capital, significantly reducing the price - by 20%.

Sergey Petrov

Tank Biathlon-2016, which took place at the Alabino training ground near Moscow, as part of the international army games, ended with a victory for the Russians. Together with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu, Oleg Sienko, the general director of the Uralvagonzavod corporation, presented the winners with medals and keys to modern UAZ-patriot vehicles.

The skill of controlling combat vehicles in the "Tank Biathlon-2016" was demonstrated by 18 teams from all over the world - these are the crews of Russia, Iran, Kuwait, Angola and other countries. The winner of the competition was selected based on the results of individual races and relay races. Tankers overcame the ford, concrete walls, climbed the escarpment, hit targets.
Participants and spectators of the competition gave a high assessment of the T-72B3 tank of Uralvagonzavod. “This is a trouble-free, combat-ready machine,” says the coach of the Mongolian team, Gantsukh Erdenetsogsh. - The main advantage is reliability and simplicity. It can be easily driven and, if necessary, repaired. "

“All stages of the T-72B3 are going well,” says Ivan Lagutin, head of communications of the mechanized battalion of the Republic of Belarus. "The best tanks are those of the Uralvagonzavod."
South African independent military affairs expert Ashton Mlynden noted how Combat vehicles UVZ is capable of maneuvering quickly and for a long time.
The newcomers of the competition, the crew of Azerbaijan, were also satisfied. The coach and team captain Bakhtyar Mamedov and Rashat Atakshaev noted the successful modernization of the T-72A tank, for which they thank Uralvagonzavod. “The car has become stronger. A powerful motor, another radio station, an improved control system, which has a positive effect on hitting accuracy. The tank is now more comfortable. "

Also, the participants of the competition noted the organization of the work of the Uralvagonzavod in biathlon. More than 30 specialists from Uralvagonzavod were involved in servicing vehicles and training crews. “Last year we were unable to pass the ford,” says Colonel Dragan Bojic, head of the Serbian delegation. - This year there were no such problems. Now we have close cooperation with UVZ specialists. Each question that arises is resolved in 5-10 minutes. Without the employees of the corporation, our crew would not have been able to move on to the next stages. "
Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov thanks Uralvagonzavod for cooperation and quality work. He drew attention to the fact that compared to last year, the technical support from the corporation has grown many times over. “Until now, the Chinese tank has shown very good results. All crews use our equipment, except for the Chinese team - they use their own equipment, and surpassed favorably in speed. Now we are ahead of them. "
“This year the participants of the tank biathlon,” emphasizes Oleg Sienko, general director of the Uralvagonzavod corporation, “have reached a more professional level. There are many worthy rivals, including the crews of Belarus, Kazakhstan, India, Venezuela, as well as a team from China that participated in their own vehicles. I hope that next year, at least, if not in speeches, then in demonstration performances, the crews of the UVZ corporation will perform. "

“Armor is strong and our tanks are fast” - these well-known lines from the “March of Soviet Tankmen”, written back in 1938, have not lost their relevance today when summing up the results of the International Tank Biathlon, held at the Alabin training ground near Moscow as part of the International Army Games -2016. Russian military specialists once again demonstrated their masterly possession of armored vehicles and won a well-deserved victory in the final of the relay, leaving behind the most experienced crews from China, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The intensity of the struggle at all stages of the competition sometimes surpassed the Brazilian Olympic passions, as evidenced by tens of thousands of spectators in the stands of the tankodrome (only about 25 thousand guests were present at the final) and millions of television fans. Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff General of the Army Valery Gerasimov, hundreds of Russian and foreign military leaders and military experts watched the decisive battle with great attention and undisguised excitement.

The geography of the countries participating in the world championship in tank biathlon (this status has long been assigned to the Alabinsk competitions by Russian and foreign specialists) this year covered almost all continents. Crews from 17 countries took part in the official program: Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Venezuela, Angola, Belarus, Iran, Azerbaijan, Zimbabwe, Armenia, Mongolia, India, Serbia, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Nicaragua, Tajikistan. For comparison: teams from 4 countries participated in the races in 2013, in 2014 there were already 12, in 2015 there were 13 national teams.

Each of the teams consisted of 24 people, including the head of the national team, four tank crews of 3 people each (one spare crew), two coaches and a technical support department of 6 specialists. Out of competition, three crews of the League of Veterans representing DOSAAF of Russia and made up of reserve servicemen took part in the races. By the way, within the framework of the military training for the citizens who are in the reserve, it would be possible to recruit the best teams of reservists for their subsequent participation in similar competitions at the regional, Russian and international levels. As one of the devoted fans of tank biathlon, in the recent past, an experienced mechanic driver of the famous Kantemirovsk division, Artem Vorobyov, said: “My former colleagues and I are in constant contact, improving our tactical skills through virtual tank battles. If the opportunity presented itself, many of my former colleagues would have undergone real retraining and, I am sure, would not have lost their faces in the mud ”at their home range during army competitions. In addition, almost all teams (except for China and Belarus) played on the most reliable T72B3 cars presented by the host. “These tanks have been in service with us for over 30 years and have not lost their combat readiness and demand,” says the deputy chairman. public organization"Officers of Russia" of the Odintsovo District Vladimir Marennikov. The most important thing in these competitions is the unity of the tank crews, mutual assistance, the ability to fire and lead the tank to the finish line. "

It should be noted that not only the servicemen of the four Russian military districts, but also the specialists of the national defense industry carefully prepared for the tank championship. By the efforts of the engineers of the corporation "Uralvagon-zavod" specially for the competition was created new modification the T-72 tank (or its "biathlon" version of the T-72B) is an upgraded model T72-B3, which differs from the serial samples in increased reliability, increased engine power (up to 1130 hp), significant modifications in the chassis and tracks. A digital chassis control system was installed on the tank, providing automated control of the operation of the power plant, transmission and automatic gear shifting modes, an additional aiming and fire control system, as well as improved video surveillance devices.

The new version of the combat armored vehicle, practically failing at the Alabinsk training ground, was highly appreciated by both Russian and foreign participants in the competition, as well as independent military experts. “This is a trouble-free, combat-ready machine,” says the coach of the Mongolian team, Gantsukh Erdenetsogsh. The main advantage is reliability and simplicity. It can be easily driven and repaired if necessary. " The coach and captain of the Azerbaijani team, Bakhtyar Mammadov and Rashat Atakshaev, share a similar opinion: “The car has become stronger. A powerful motor, another radio station, an improved control system, which has a positive effect on hitting accuracy. The tank is now more comfortable. " “All stages of the T72B3 are going well,” said Ivan Lagutin, head of communications of the mechanized battalion of the Republic of Belarus. The best tanks are those of the Ural-Carriage-Factory. " Ashton Mlynden, an independent expert on South African military affairs, highlighted the speed and long-term maneuvering capability of the Russian vehicle.

Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Land Forces of the Russian Federation, spoke about the reliability of our tanks when summing up the results of the relay: “Until now, the Chinese tank has shown very good results. All crews use our equipment, except for the Chinese team, they use their own equipment, and advantageously surpassed in speed. Now we are ahead of them. "

Chinese colleagues brought their own novelty to the championship, a deeply modernized Type 96B tank with an increased power plant and an improved air supply system, a new transmission, and new tracks. In official documents, a clearly underestimated engine power of a Chinese car of 1000 hp was declared. (according to experts, this figure does not match at least 200 positions). These innovations allowed the crews from the Celestial Empire to develop just cosmic speeds at the test site. However, it was not without breakdowns in the final race, the tank of our main competitors when passing the "comb" lost one of the road wheels.

Partners from Belarus brought their modernized version of the T-72, equipped with the SosnaU optical-electronic aiming system and a wind sensor produced at the enterprises of the union state. The engine power of the tanks they presented did not exceed 840 hp, which, however, did not prevent the Belarusian tankers from leaving behind their Chinese competitors at certain stages.

For reference: German Leopard 2A5, Leopard 2A6, Italian Ariete, Slovenian M-84 (modernized T-72) and American Abrams M1A2SEP take part in such competitions of NATO countries. However, these competitions do not have a "biathlon" component and are more reminiscent of tactical maneuvers with practice shooting. And most importantly, they do not have those sports wrestling, emotional intensity and team spirit that have been distinguishing international tank competitions held in Russia for several years now.

From the first meters of more than sixteen-kilometer distance, the crew of the People's Republic of China breaks ahead, trying to take advantage of the super-powerful engine of their armored vehicle. The Russian team, consisting of the tank commander, Senior Lieutenant Artem Kirillov, the driver-mechanic Junior Sergeant Stepan Gavrilov, representing the Western Military District, and the gunner-operator Sergeant Konstantin Vertunov from the Eastern Military District, rush in pursuit, trying not only to catch up with the opponent, but also to try to make a certain groundwork at the high-speed section of the relay, determined by lot for our tankers.

Russian tank at the first firing line, flanking cannon fire. The last shot, the exhalation of the regret of thousands of spectators, there is one blunder. Before that, the Kazakh crew makes three unforgivable mistakes at once and becomes a temporary outsider of the race. The Chinese are sniper accurate.

The second shooting of the Russians from an anti-aircraft machine gun. Artem Kirillov, as befits an experienced and cold-blooded commander, hits the "helicopter" and "ATGM" of the simulated enemy. But the Chinese are literally stepping on their heels. Both teams approach the third line almost at the same time. Our coaxial machine gun shooting 3 accurate hits. The main rival unexpectedly lost sight of one mistake, a penalty circle and almost a minute lag in the transfer of a stage. The third with a significant lag so far are Belarusians.

Separately, mention should be made of the new regulations for tank competitions. The championship was divided into three main stages: an individual race with the participation of all teams, a relay semifinal with 12 participants and a final relay competition. The individual races were attended by 3 crews from each team. In races with an interval of 12 minutes, 4 crews started, which had to overcome 3 laps of 35 km long, firing from a cannon with three regular artillery shots at 3 tank targets, from an anti-aircraft machine gun at a conventional helicopter and ATGM, from a coaxial machine gun at 3 conditional calculations of manual anti-tank grenade launcher enemy. The results of the teams were made up of the total time for passing the distance and the accrued number of penalty points.

According to the rules of the competition, 10 penalty points were awarded for each knocked down (hit) pillar (limiter) of obstacles, 30 for moving without reducing the speed to 5 km / h 510 meters before the escarp.

At a distance, the tankers had to overcome a whole series of serious artificial obstacles: a section of obstacles and maneuvering, a ford, a rut passage in the MVZ, a mound, a fire strip, an anti-tank ditch with a passage, a model of a track bridge, a comb, a escarpment, a slope.

The twelve teams with the most points in the individual race advanced to the semifinals of the relay.

The very first individual races refuted the opinions of skeptics about the lack of competition in modern tank biathlon. Russian team with a score of 23 minutes. 18 p. expectedly came in its debut start to the finish line first, but the Indian crew (2 minutes behind) was ahead of the Kazakh colleagues, who were considered one of the favorites of the competition. In the third race the team of Belarus took the lead, but its result was 26 minutes. 58 s. was by no means a grandmaster. In the sixth race, another crew of the Union State was only 7 seconds ahead of the tankers from Armenia. In the confrontation between the Kazakh and Belarusian colleagues, the first took the upper hand with a confident two-minute lead. In the face-to-face confrontation between Russia and China in the 12th race, our colleagues won a landslide victory, showing an excellent time to cover the distance of 21 minutes. 3 s., Remaining the record of the current championship.

According to the results of the results of the team standings of individual races, the leadership was taken by the team of the People's Republic of China (two of its crews confidently settled down on the first lines of the podium), followed by Russia (3rd and 4th positions) and Kazakhstan, Belarus remained fifth, leaving the Indian national team ahead. The list of the twelve strongest was closed by the Angola team.

The best Russian crew was a team made up of representatives of the 39th separate Red Banner motorized rifle brigade of the 68th Army Corps of the Eastern Military District, which received bronze medals.

“There is no need to despair,” said the gray-haired veteran-tankist sitting next to him on the podium, who did not miss a single race. The Russians have always been strong in their team spirit. Every dog ​​has his day. After all, the relay is ahead! "

From the chronology of the final of the tank relay

At the second stage, the Russian crew consisting of the tank commander Senior Lieutenant Pavel Martyanov, the gunner-operator Junior Sergeant Yevgeny Yazhgunovich and the driver-mechanic Junior Sergeant Artyom Ubiennykh, representing the Eastern Military District, have a small handicap in front of the closest pursuer. But the Chinese team is supported by the absolutely best trio of "armored vehicles virtuosos" according to the results of individual races. The Russians pass the high-speed section perfectly, but make an unfortunate mistake at the firing range, one tank target remains unaffected. Meanwhile, the Chinese put all three cannon charges on target and take the lead.

But there is also a hole in the old woman. Announced as a supertank of the Celestial Empire, the Type 96B unexpectedly loses one of its road wheels when passing the comb. However, without waiting for a spare car, the Chinese continue to confidently lead the race, demonstrating to the whole world the safety margin of their even partially damaged car. The Belarusians, although with a great lag, hold the third position.

Shooting Russians from an anti-aircraft machine gun and again one annoying mistake. But the penalty loop cannot be avoided and the Chinese also suffered one setback at the shooting range. However, the rivals are still ahead. A quick change of tank for a spare, and they again lead the race. Artem Ubiennykh squeezes the maximum out of his native "seventy-two". The leading teams approach the third shooting line almost simultaneously. The shots of Evgeny Yazhgunovich fall right on target. But the Chinese snipers also confirm their high qualifications.

One of the culminating moments of the Chinese race comes (a new one after a forced replacement) and Russian tanks simultaneously break out into a wide open space. It's time for a real battle between driver and motor mechanics. Artem Ubiennykh, using all the power of the unique brainchild of the Ural defense industry, classically bypasses the "Celestial Hope" on the left flank, breaking away a hundred or one and a half meters from the formidable pursuer. And the Chinese crew ... goes to the penalty loop. The jury admitted that the breakdown of the tank was the fault of the crew, and the time for its replacement did not compensate.

The rules of this most spectacular stage of the competition provide for a tank battle of three crews from each team, changing in stages. Representatives of the four teams start at the same time and go through four laps (35 km long), overcoming obstacles and hitting targets at three firing lines. In this case, the shooting sequence is determined by lot.

Each of the teams must overcome a section of the high-speed race, carry out flank firing from a cannon at three targets on the move, hit two targets from an anti-aircraft machine gun and three targets from a coaxial machine gun. In case of inaccurate shooting, penalty circles are awarded for each miss. An additional 500 meters of distance will also punish the mistakes of driver-mechanics. The requirements for the passage of the route are incredibly strict. A penalty loop is added to the crew in cases of stopping at the ford, rolling back when entering the opposite bank or bypassing it; for driving in reverse, dumping from the layout of the track bridge or bypassing it; for a stop at a mound or escarp; for grazing the side wall of the anti-tank ditch with a passage, which led to damage that does not affect the movement of the combat vehicle; for moving without reducing speed, stopping on an anti-tank ditch with a passage; for hitting a track mine in an explosive obstacle; for a stop on a slope; for movement with an open hatch and violation of the procedure for unloading weapons.

A more serious penalty (two additional circles) is provided for violation of safety measures: starting a movement or firing without the command of the chief referee; firing by the crew with open hatches beyond the side protection zones outside the line of opening and ceasefire; the movement of the tank when the crew members did not take their regular places; loading ammunition when the engine is not muffled.

In the relay race, the crew must demonstrate all their shooting skills and in motion hit 3 Tank targets with artillery fire (frontal imitation of armored vehicles at ground level with dimensions of 2.37x3.42 m at a distance from 1600 to 1800 m); knock out 3 RPG targets from a coaxial machine gun (imitation of calculations of an enemy hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher with dimensions of 0.85x0.85 m at a distance of 600 to 800 m); hit the "Helicopter" target from an anti-aircraft machine gun (frontal projection at a height of 12 m with dimensions of 3.2x3.8 m at a distance of 800 to 1000 m) and an ATGM target (frontal projection of an anti-tank gun with dimensions of 1.1x1.5 m at a distance from 800 to 1000 m).

As expected by the experts, all the favorites of the competition at the semi-finals stage brilliantly coped with these most difficult tasks. In the very first race, the Chinese team easily bypassed its competitors and showed a grandmaster result of 1 hour 45 minutes. 55 s. However, in the next four, our Belarusian friends surpassed this time by almost 4 seconds, leaving behind the national team of Kazakhstan, which was more than three minutes behind. But the audience was most interested in the third race with the participation of the Russian team. And our tankers did not fail only 1 hour 39 minutes and it took them 50 seconds to overcome this super-heavy distance. They "brought" as much as 20 minutes to the Indian team, which became the second in the race. The stands applauded the skill of the domestic crews. At the end of the race, Artem Vorobyov, a former tanker-kantemirovnik, who closely follows the progress of the competition, exclaimed: “Russian guys always harness longer, but they drive much faster. Affected by the cool army training. Russian tankers have always been, are and will be the best in the world! " However, there was still a long way to go before the victorious reports. Ahead is the most difficult final of the relay with the participation of Chinese, Belarusian and Kazakh teams eager for revenge.

From the chronology of the final of the tank relay

Our finisher in this dramatic race is a tank crew consisting of commander Senior Sergeant Alexei Cheban, gunner-operator Senior Sergeant Alexander Tobodyakov and driver-mechanic Junior Sergeant Sergei Bronnikov (all represent the Eastern Military District). This well-coordinated "mechanized trio" (in the individual race, remained outside the prize-winners' line, but took the honorable fourth place) went the distance with almost a minute advantage over rivals from China. Belarusian tank crews are the third to pass the baton.

The first Chinese firing from a coaxial machine gun, all cartridges fall right on target. The Russians, after passing the high-speed section, also methodically and accurately shoot tank targets. Opponents once again almost simultaneously approach the second firing line. The moment of truth is coming for our shooters. Sergei Cheban hits two targets with two well-aimed shots from an anti-aircraft machine gun, but the Chinese gunner also leaves no chances for the tanks of the conditional enemy. The "war of motors" begins again.

Starting firing from a coaxial machine gun, Alexander Tobodyakov probably felt formidable rivals resting on his back. But he did not flinch, as if he hit all the targets. The shooting of the Chinese commander "helicopter" was knocked out, the last target of the "ATGM" shot remains unaffected. The main rivals go to rewind the penalty loop. Meanwhile, Russian biathletes are pressing hard for their fourth victory in the history of this military-applied sport. The last minefield, an anti-tank ditch and the Russian crew, under the enthusiastic shouts of the fans, burst into the podtribunnaya square of the Alabinsky training ground that has become famous all over the world. The best tankers of Russia "brought" their closest competitors the Chinese national team more than two minutes and were almost 12 minutes ahead of the third team from Kazakhstan.

“Our team has completed the task 100 percent. We have proved once again that Russia is a worthy rival, ”said Pavel Martyanov, the commander of one of the crews, following the results of the race. “There is no place for emotions on the test site. Perfect discipline and team cohesion are the keys to success. Everyone must act in harmony ”, other members of our victorious team supported their commander.

Russian tankers have once again confirmed the title of the best in their profession at major international competitions. At the closing ceremony of the International Army Games 2016, awards in this category were presented by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Uralvagonzavod Corporation General Director Oleg Sienko. The winners, together with well-deserved medals, received the keys to modern UAZpatriot vehicles. Representatives of the Chinese team won silver medals and valuable gifts, and Kazakhstan won bronze. Alexey Cheban and his comrades Alexander Tobodyakov and Sergey Bronnikov were recognized as the most well-coordinated crew.

Representatives of the Russian defense department, who closely followed the course of the competition, gathered for themselves a lot of useful information, which, undoubtedly, will be used in drawing up new requirements for manuals on combat training of the branches and arms of the troops, as well as types of weapons and military equipment. According to the head of the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Ivan Buvaltsev, the proposed innovations are objectively conditioned by the experience gained during the International Army Games, and, in particular, the stages of tank biathlon. According to him, the new requirements for combat training of servicemen have already planned a significant reduction in the time for performing live firing, as well as increased the norms for the supply of crews.

“Each of the tank biathlon competitions made adjustments to the“ Courses of shooting requirements ”adopted for the tank units of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the veteran is sure tank troops, editor of the magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland" Viktor Murakhovsky. Competitions are far from real combat. For example, you cannot see the shooting of a tank while driving at maximum speed, cross-country ability in swampy terrain or driving on a highway. But the clear regulatory requirements for passing the stages of the distance reveal other secrets, the specific preparedness of tank crews. The year before last, I was able to get acquainted with the summary data of the firing of the teams of the biathlon participants, and they turned out to be worse than “satisfactory”. It was after this that Sergei Shoigu demanded that his subordinates not save on ammunition. The intensity of the use of armored vehicles in the course of various exercises also increased. Today, none of them can do without tanks and their practical use. "

According to the expert, the development of new requirements is impossible without a comparative analysis of what and how is happening in other armies. In this regard, tank biathlon competitions are a unique opportunity not only to test themselves, but also to compare their methods with other armies.

In the opinion of Colonel General Sergei Mayev, who previously headed the Main Armored Directorate of the RF Ministry of Defense: “An ordinary tank crew uses their equipment no more than 60%. The competitive moment can increase the effectiveness of its combat use up to 8090%. Servicemen go to the bank for the sake of victory. This moment deserves analysis for making changes to combat training plans, creating new methods for training tank crews, and clarifying firing courses. Only in the course of direct comparison can you understand the strengths and weaknesses, draw conclusions and make adjustments to your own combat training plans. "

The participants of the competition especially noted the technical side of their organization. More than 30 specialists from Uralvagonzavod were involved in servicing vehicles and training crews. “Last year we were unable to pass the ford,” says Colonel Dragan Bojic, head of the Serbian delegation. There were no such problems this year. Each issue that arose was resolved in 510 minutes. Without such assistance, our crew would not have been able to move on to the next stages. "

Let's hope that the future world championships in tank biathlon, traditionally held in Alabin near Moscow, will be even more representative, competitive and spectacular. Especially with the participation of teams from the North Atlantic Alliance. According to the organizers of the competition, since 2013 they have been inviting representatives of the NATO armed forces to fight at a tank range near Moscow, but they stubbornly keep silent. Meanwhile, fair competition on Olympic principles with the leading Western powers could not only raise the level of international army games, but also contribute to strengthening mutual understanding between peoples and easing international tension.

“The military needs to show their skills somewhere,” General of the Army Sergei Shoigu said at the closing ceremony of “ARMI2016”. There are two places for this: one of them, as you understand, is war. Another is our International Army Games. That is why I am absolutely convinced that their geography will grow. The number of teams this year is 2.5 times more than last year. About 3.5 thousand specialists of various professions arrived: pilots and sailors, scouts and paratroopers, artillerymen and engineers, sappers and dog handlers, physicians, all those who in one way or another are engaged in military affairs, military affairs. I would like to thank you for that work, for your service aimed at ensuring the security of your countries. I would very much like us to meet only on these fields, on the fields of such competitions. "

Andrey PETROCHININ