Panda Hobbies have added to their imminent Armata T-14 MBT with their new Armata series T-15 infantry support vehicle. Every bit as savage and good looking in 35th scale plastic, we have some info on the real thing and pictures of the kit put together for you to check out and compare. Let’s see what it looks like in the plastic…
T-15 BMP / Object 149
Armata AIFV tracked armoured infantry fighting vehicle
Panda Hobbies
1/35th scale
Kit No 35017
Photo Etch and decals for Russian vehicles provided
In Lieu of any other info apart from what we see in front of us in pictures we thought you might want to become more familiar with this new infantry support vehicle before we look at the plastic and PE…
The T-15 BMP Armata is the latest generation of AIFV (Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle) developed and manufactured by the Russian Defense Industry. The T-15 BMP Armata was unveiled for the first time to the public during the rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade in April 2015. The T-15 vehicle (Object 149) has been designed by Uralvagonzavod Research and Production Corporation in Russia’s Urals region. This vehicle is based on the universal platform Armata, which is also used for the T-14 Armata MBT (Main Battle Tank). This enables T-15 to be deployed on a battlefield together with Armata tanks, not behind them, thus making it possible to deliver infantry landing parties right in the middle of the fight.
An unmanned turret is located at the rear of the vehicle designed and manufactured by the Defense Company KBP, and according to Russian experts is armed with 30mm 2A42 automatic cannon. The 2A42 cannon is highly reliable due to single-barrel gas-operated action which has a maximum range of 4,000m. The fixed receiver facilitates the ammunition belts feeding into the gun. The ammunition load is consumed efficiently due to selective feeding and firing rate alteration capabilities implemented in the gun. The long barrel contributes to extended point-blank firing range. The T-15 Armata carries a total of 500 ammunition including 160 armor-piercing and 340 high-explosive fragmentation rounds. Second armament of the vehicle includes a PKTM 7,62mm machine gun and two anti-tank guided missile Kornet-D launchers mounted on each side of the turret. The Kornet-D use technical vision with an automatic target tracker to make it a "fire and forget" missile, giving it a 5-times increase in accuracy of target tracking at any range. It can engage targets from a range of 150 to 10,000m. The fire and forget capability gives a vehicle the ability to salvo launch against two different targets at once, increasing its rate of fire and decreasing the number of vehicles needed for a mission. It can also salvo fire two missiles against one target to defeat vehicles equipped with an active protection system Turret traverse and weapon elevation are all-electric with manual controls provided for emergency use. The turret weapon station is fully autonomous with ammunition located inside the turret and thus fully isolated from the crew compartment.
The T-15 BMP Armata used a new design if you compare the old generation of Russian AIFV (Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle) as the BMP family. At the front of the hull is located the crew of the vehicle with the commander, gunner and drive and the troops compartment at the rear which can carry a total of 9 soldiers. The armour consists at some places of a layer of concrete sandwiched between layers of steel, ceramic and composite materials, which offers a high level of protection against firing of small arms and blast of mine explosions. The front of the vehicle is protected by add-on armour to provides protection not only from firing of small arms and shell splinters but also against the most modern tank ammunition and anti-tank guided missiles. The top of the vehicle seems to be protected by integrated ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour). The rear side of the hull is equipped with a power-operated ramp that opens downwards that offers the troops to leave and enter quickly of the vehicle. The protection of this ramp is enhanced by the use of slat armour.
The T-15 BMP Armata uses a torsion bars suspension which consists of each side of seven dual rubber-tyre road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front, the idler at the rear and four track-support rollers. The powercell/pack is located at the front of the vehicle and consists of a 1.500hp power engine. The T-15 can run at a maximum road speed of 70 km/h.
Accessories
The weapon station of the T-15 BMP Armata is fitted with a computerised fire control which includes multi-sights, one for the gunner and one for the commander. The turret has day/night fire-on-the-move capability. To increase its protection, the T-15 is equipped with the "Afganit" active protection system including sensors and laser detection systems. This system is designed to defeat threats such as the rocket propelled grenade and the anti-tank missile, including newer anti-tank missiles with longer ranges. The active protection system can protect against missiles fired from both infantry carried rocket launchers and from helicopters, which attack the vehicle directly or by overflying it. On each front side of the vehicle, there are five cylinders which can launch projectiles to counter guided missile and RPG (Rocket-Propelled Grenade), and one block of 12 smoke grenade launchers able to create a smoke screen in case of missile or rocket attacks. All this countermeasure equipment are part of the Afganit active protection system. Afganit active protection system uses Doppler radar to detect incoming projectiles such as rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank missiles. Once detected, the active defence launches an interceptor rocket from one of the cylinder that destroys the incoming projectile. For a closer view, the T-15 is equipped with wide-angle cameras mounted around a vehicle giving full 360° all-round vision on displays. The system allows the crew to appraise the area outside the vehicle before opening doors or hatches. According to Russian information, the vehicle is also fitted with control and information systems to manage on-board equipment.
More on this kit when it comes to market – hopefully in our own build review…Till then check out the Panda Model / Kittyhawk’s Webpage for more on this and Panda’s model kits… (Same parent company guys)...