Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms Space By Flag By Year By Tag

Object 279 (Obyekt 279)

1957 COLD WAR X-TANK

History

The Russian Soviet heavy tank Obyekt (translated as "object") 279 was developed at the Kirov factory in Leningrad in 1957 by L. Troyanov, the engineer responsible for the development of the tank prototype. The heavy tank was designed to wage war on rural European battlefields in the upcoming World War III scenario. The new tank design had to maneuver over rough terrain inaccessible to conventional light or medium tanks currently in Soviet inventory.

This is achieved by running a "track chain" on either side of the entire track area. Most tanks use two tracksone on each side of the hullwhile the 279 featured a 4-track undercarriage mounted on two rectangular hollow beams that also served as fuel tanks.

The toe adjusters themselves are snail-shaped.

The

Type 279 is known for its highly unusual but powerful second pair of T95 caterpillars (or caterpillars). The weight per square foot of this heavy vehicle has been evenly distributed across 4 track systems. With this arrangement, the 279's operating weight will not exceed its maximum pounds per square foot, which affects its ability to perform its given mission on any surface. The new design approach improves off-road performance while also allowing it to traverse natural obstacles such as loose ground, swampy terrain, tree-cut fields, and even snow.

The 279 can also traverse Czech-style hedgehogs, 3-foot-tall faux "L" or "H" shaped tank obstacles that were also popularized as beach obstacles in many countries at the time.

The

279's glacis plate armour (the forward-most sloping part of the hull) is 269 mm (10.591 in) thick and 305 mm (12.008 in) at its thickest point on the turret. The tank is covered by a thin oval shroud, giving it a more submarine-like appearance than any previous tank design. The over-shaped hull provides the 279 with inherent protection against HEAT (High Explosive, Anti-Tank) shaped charges from enemy tanks.

The shape is also designed to keep the fuel tank system from tipping over in the event of a nuclear explosion. To deflect the waves, the tanks are unevenly shaped, with varying thickness and slope.

The fully cast hull has a rounded front with thin armor plates that are effective against fast-moving HEAT projectiles on the front and side edges of the hull. The sides of the hull were cast with armor-like plates.

The frontal armor of the cast turret consists of circular protective plates, mounted at a 70-degree angle, with a protective turret ring.

The crew consisted of the traditional four - tank commander, gunner, loader and driver. The tank's main gun is a 130mm M-65 gun that fires armor-piercing shells (APDS) at a muzzle velocity of 1,000 meters per second. The gun is equipped with a semi-automatic reloading system and a fire control system (FCS) that uses an optical and radar rangefinder with automatic guidance. For night or low-light operations, the L2 night vision goggles with infrared searchlights are available.

To protect the infantry, a 14.5mm KPVT coaxial machine gun (HMG) is mounted in the forward-facing turret.

Power is provided by a 16-cylinder DG-1000 diesel engine (950 hp) or a 2DG-8M engine (1,000 hp). The tank suspension is hydropneumatic with a three-speed planetary gearbox. The tank provided the crew with nuclear, biological and chemical protection and an automatic fire-extinguishing system.

Smoke routing equipment was stowed on board for added protection, and the fighting compartment was equipped with a full heating and cooling systemthe latter standard on tanks today, but unique to tank crews in 1957.

The tank passed all tests across wet and soft terrain. In 1959, Nikita Khrushchev decided that a class of "heavy tanks" - tanks that originated in the war years of World War II - were almost obsolete. Like most military planners in countries around the world, including the US and UK, he sees missile technology and missile-launching tanks like the IT-1 as the future.

Consequently, Program 279 was discontinued in 1959.

The prototype of the bicycle was preserved and later exhibited at the Kubinka Armory Museum outside Moscow.