Kurganets & Boomerang Discussions Thread #1

ult wrote:Kurganets-25 next to BMD-4M.

My God what's going on here? Are those large objects attached to the side applique armor, or some other attachment? Because if they are then they're super thick! We will only definitively know by May 9th.

And another one:

Edit: Ult beat me to it.



Personal theory: perhaps Armata will (hopefully!) also have such thick side armour over the tracks, but the blocks have been taken off to facilitate rail transport (probably making it too wide to fit on standard railway cars).

magnumcromagnon wrote:

ult wrote:Kurganets-25 next to BMD-4M.

My God what's going on here? Are those large objects attached to the side applique armor, or some other attachment? Because if they are then they're super thick! We will only definitively know by May 9th.

It is both, further development of the BMP2/3 Applique Armor with ERA. Some layers of additional armor plates along with Heavy ERA protecting the sides against almost everything such IFV's are suppossed to fight, well except high calibre KE unless it is Relikt, which i doubt at least for now.

George1 wrote:Kurganets behind

You can clearly see the covers for propellers near the bottom of the step-ramp.

A little bit bigger picture.

ult wrote:Kurganets-25 next to BMD-4M.

One things seems clear, its huge! No more low and as small as possible IFV´s here. Looks great, and with the massive passive side armour a good protection. I think we will see no more soldiers riding outside on this machine.

Cant wait to se the inside...

magnumcromagnon wrote:

George1 wrote:Kurganets behind

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=231258&d=1427373709

You can clearly see the covers for propellers near the bottom of the step-ramp.

pump jets

Holy sheeeeeit.

1.) Damn its ugly.

2.) Russian army not only taking side skirts seriously, but going overboard. Very cool.

agree, very ugly. The elegant race of the BMP and BMP-3 will extinct now... Probably the coolest military vehicles ever devised.

TR1 wrote:Holy sheeeeeit.

1.) Damn its ugly.

2.) Russian army not only taking side skirts seriously, but going overboard. Very cool.

It's still missing the front section of the sideskirts, it should look like image below....but yeah, the sideskirts look massive

Here's some brief (and I mean brief) video footage of Kurganets-25...like the first 3 seconds:

Kurganets-25

George1 wrote:Kurganets behind

Looks like door within a ramp.

TR1 wrote:

George1 wrote:Kurganets behind

Looks like door within a ramp.

Wouldn't you want something like that in case the hydraulics go out?

Oh no doubt. Makes perfect sense, which is why I am surprised the Generals wanted it .


Overall I am pretty shocked to the extent the Russia Army is going with significantly heavier vehicles. Kurganets itself is beefy, and the Armata is something else.
Everyone is increasing their IFVs in weight generally speaking, but I figured GenStab would be conservative.

TR1 wrote:Oh no doubt. Makes perfect sense, which is why I am surprised the Generals wanted it .


Overall I am pretty shocked to the extent the Russia Army is going with significantly heavier vehicles. Kurganets itself is beefy, and the Armata is something else.
Everyone is increasing their IFVs in weight generally speaking, but I figured GenStab would be conservative.

Unlike all western IFV's this is amphibious so they have higher mobility value and do not undermine the doctrine of motorized and mechanized forces.

TR1 wrote:Holy sheeeeeit.

1.) Damn its ugly.

2.) Russian army not only taking side skirts seriously, but going overboard. Very cool.

those side skirts could also serve dual purpose of adding more flotation to the vehicle in the water.

Poor quality image, but the front of Kurganets-25 nonetheless. It shows the front-most armor module. I'm guessing the cube shaped piece covered by tarp is part of the APS.

That trim vane in front is supposedly titanium.

Yet there is nothing to say that Russia will be procuring Armata and Kurganets-based brigades in large numbers; as compared to Bumerang and Typhoon-based brigades.

So while the vehicles might become heavier, the overall tonnage footprint might not change too much.

Actually I suspect the weight of armoured forces will dramatically increase...

I rather suspect the vast majority of the new forces will be wheeled Boomerangs and Typhoons as they are cheaper but with sophisticated weapons and sensors and all that net centric communications stuff.

In the 1980s the BMP-2 was popular because of its protection, but the mobility of the BTRs was appreciated too.

Boomerang is a BMP-2 level armour and fire power vehicle with the mobility of wheels.

If you look at all the vehicles in an armoured unit you have maybe 30 tanks and perhaps 60 MBTs/IFVs and most of the rest are light BRDM/BTR/MTLB based vehicles.... even in a boomerang unit all of a sudden the MBTs are 15 tons lighter, but the IFVs are 7 tons heavier, the BTRs are 11 tons heavier (14 tons for a BTR... 25 tons for a Boomerang), and all the very light scout car type vehicles are as well armoured as the other vehicles... in the armata units all the vehicles are heavily armoured... the choice between a BTR-80 and a BMP-2 was effected by the fact that the BTR has basically the Russian equivalent of a 20mm cannon as a main armament, and relatively light armour, while the BMP-2 is better armoured and better armed.

With Kurganets and Boomerang the armament and sensors will be the same... the armour will be heavier than either BMP-2 or BTR-80, the main difference will be mobility... wheeled vs tracked.

those side skirts could also serve dual purpose of adding more flotation to the vehicle in the water.

Most likely and even if they don't the gap between the side skirts and the hull will act as spaced armour rendering HESH ineffective. Most likely it will contain ceramic armours and likely NERA, or non explosive reactive armour that changes shape to resist penetration but does not contain explosives.

That trim vane in front is supposedly titanium.

I remember them saying they were using expensive exotic materials...

Poor quality image, but the front of Kurganets-25 nonetheless. It shows the front-most armor module. I'm guessing the cube shaped piece covered by tarp is part of the APS.

Yes or possibly sensors/cameras...