Tank's Genesis
In the 1970s-80s, the Morozov name design bureau developed the ideas of A. A. Morozov, laid by him in the T-74 project, leading the development of the tank by the Buntar'/Boxyor/Molot theme. The design of these machines included many innovative solutions. However, in the course of improvement, they became more and more complex, departing from the Morozov's design principles. Another drawback of the new design was that it ignored many other solutions that were considered perspective at that time.
In 1885 at the Kharkov Polytechnic Institute a group of students completed their graduation project on the "Perspective tank" topic. The project included a number of solutions that were absent in the design of the "477 object", such as the front placement of the engine unit, the inclusion of the turbine in the power path, the electric transmission, two equally functional crew members, additional weapons of two multi-purpose automatic grenade launchers capable of firing at anti-tank ammunition, better ammunition and crew separation, as well as the perfect detection and sighting system, within which, in particular, the development of the world's first videostation was started.
The tank is the first to use a hydraulic system that combines the anti-recoil and round loading functions. Of the four cylinders, the upper two served as barrel recoil brake-recuperator, and each of the lower two independently swayed on the axle of the trunnions and had at its end a grip, which combined the function of extraction a round from the magazine and the function of breech locking. While one cylinder was loading the round and acting as a recoil brake, the other received the next round from the rack. It was also the first system with attaching the recoil devices to the breech block.
Automatic grenade launchers were the first weapons with stationary under-armor magazines, feeding ammunition in an upright position through a small hole, and then turn them to the bore line with a rotating chamber. Subsequently, a similar scheme became standard for the main tank gun.
But the main thing was that this work was preceded by a fundamental study of the entire world experience in the use of tanks. This study led to the conclusion that the main characteristic of the tank is its compliance with the threats from the enemy's fire means. First of all, this refers to the reaction speed of the sighting and weapon complex. Mobility is of some importance. Passive protection should only protect the crew from those enemy means from which it is capable of protecting, and not attempt to protect against those means from which it cannot protect. The main means of protection should be active protection, namely the main ability of the tank - an increased speed of reaction to threats from enemy fire means. The correctness of the Morozov principle in creating a lightweight tank with a weapon of increased power, such as the T-54 and T-64, was convincingly proved. The аmerican tank destroyers were recognized as best tanks of the Second World War with the most elaborate concept of application.
This group of students, which received the later wideknown name ARMA, was given the opportunity to implement their project in metal under the internal index A100 within the Morozov name OKB. By the beginning of 1987, the improved ARMA 101 was created, which had the 130 mm cannon, the full-fledged additional turbine in the aft part of the hull conjugated with diesel engine, as well as the non-rotating combat compartment. The pic shows the vehicle without conformal cruise fuel tanks.
In 1989, the pre-production A102 was created.
In 1995, the A106 was created, which included many improvements based on the results of trial operation. It received the false turret, which served to protect the ammunition magazines from above impacts and as additional volume for various devices.
A114 "Putilovets" was the culmination of the Morozov OKB's works over the classic tank design. Its features were the new layout with the maximum possible separation the crew in the aft hull and ammunition in the bow, as well as the steam turbine generator with the highly efficient working medium and with catalytic heating. Seeing the transition to the rocket army, work on the machine was discontinued, but many of its solutions were used in the design of the Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle for the new army.