« Tank biathlon-2016", which within the framework of international army games took place at the Alabino training ground near Moscow and ended in victory for the Russians. Together with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Oleg Sienko, General Director of the Uralvagonzavod Corporation, presented the winners with medals and keys to modern UAZ-Patriot cars.
The skill of controlling combat vehicles at Tank Biathlon 2016 was demonstrated by 18 teams from all over the world - crews from Russia, Iran, Kuwait, Angola and other countries. The winner of the competition was chosen based on the results of individual races and relay races. The tankers overcame a ford, concrete walls, climbed onto a scarp, and hit targets, reports.
Participants and spectators of the competition gave the T-72B3 tank from Uralvagonzavod a high rating. “This is a trouble-free, combat-ready machine,” says Mongolian team coach 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, chief of communications of the mechanized battalion of the Republic of Belarus. “The best tanks are those from Uralvagonzavod.”
South African independent military affairs expert Ashton Mlinden noted how military equipment UVZ is capable of maneuvering quickly and for a long time.
The newcomers to the competition, the Azerbaijani crew, were also pleased. 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, a different radio station, an improved control system, which has a positive effect on hit accuracy. The tank is now more convenient.”
The competition participants also noted the organization of Uralvagonzavod’s work at the biathlon. More than 30 Uralvagonzavod specialists were involved in vehicle maintenance and crew training. “Last year we were unable to cross 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. Every issue that arises is resolved within 5-10 minutes. Without the corporation’s employees, our crew would not be able to move on to the next stages.”
Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces Russian Federation, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov thanks Uralvagonzavod for cooperation and high-quality work. He drew attention to the fact that, compared to last year, the technical support provided by the corporation has increased many times over. "Until today, very good results showed a Chinese tank. All crews perform on our equipment, except for the Chinese team, they use their own equipment and are favorably superior in speed. Now we are ahead of them."
“This year the tank biathlon participants achieved more professional level, - emphasizes the General Director of the Uralvagonzavod Corporation Oleg Sienko. - There are many worthy competitors, including crews from Belarus, Kazakhstan, India, Venezuela, as well as a team from China, who participated with their own equipment. I hope that next year, at least, if not in performances, then in demonstration performances The crews of the UVZ corporation will perform.”
Tank Biathlon 2016, which started as part of the International Army Games on July 30, 2016, initially involved 54 crews from 17 countries. By the day of the final, only four countries remained, which on August 13 competed in the relay race to determine the best team. So, in the finals of the Tank Biathlon competition, the teams of the Russian Federation (green tank), the Republic of Kazakhstan (blue tank), the Republic of Belarus (yellow tank) and the People's Republic of China (red tank) met.
Results of the Tank Biathlon 2016 finals
Best time in the final international competition“Tank biathlon” was demonstrated by the Russian team, the Chinese team took second place, and tankers from Kazakhstan took third place. The table shows preliminary time, without taking into account adjustments by the judging panel. The results will be updated.
| Tank biathlon 2016 - FINAL | Track no. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:34:25 | 1 | ||
| 1:41:59 | 2 | ||
| 1:53:13 | 3 | ||
| 1:36:40 | 4 | ||
Thus, the results of “Tank Biathlon 2016” in the team competition:
| Place | Country |
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 |
Final relay in the "Tank Biathlon"
Russian Federation ("green" tank), Republic of Kazakhstan ("blue" tank), Republic of Belarus ("yellow" tank), People's Republic of China ("red" tank). July 13, 2016.
The PRC tank needed replacement.
Judging panel 
The winners will be awarded a little later. And the winners of the “Tank Biathlon” in the individual competition (two Chinese crews who won first and second place, and a Russian crew who became third) were awarded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov after the end of the final relay race of the “Suvorov Onslaught” competition.
Second in history "Army international games" will be held from July 30 to August 13, 2016. In Russia, competitions will be held at 18 training grounds of the Western, Central and Southern military districts, and the "Masters of Artillery Fire" and "Sniper Frontier" competitions will be held in Kazakhstan.
Tank crew competitions - "Tank Biathlon - 2016" are part of the "ARMY". Read about the preparation and the Tank Biathlon competitions in 2016 in the selection on our website.
Tank biathlon in 2016
International Army Games 2016 have ended
At the closing ceremony, the winners of ARMY-2016 were awarded
08/13/2016.
On July 30, 2016, the International Army Games began (the first two races in the Tank Biathlon started on the same day). As part of ARMY 2016, 23 competitions were held, in which military personnel from 19 countries participated. Military personnel of the Russian Federation won 20 gold medals, the Republic of Kazakhstan - 2, the People's Republic of China - 1. And on Saturday, August 13, in Alabino near Moscow, the closing ceremony and awarding of the winners of all ARMY-2016 competitions took place.
Final of "Tank Biathlon 2016"
Final relay of the Tank Biathlon competition: Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, China
08/13/2016.
Tank Biathlon 2016, which started as part of the International Army Games on July 30, 2016, initially involved 54 crews from 17 countries. By the day of the final, only four countries remained, which on August 13 competed in the relay race to determine the best team. So, in the finals of the Tank Biathlon competition, the teams of the Russian Federation (green tank), the Republic of Kazakhstan (blue tank), the Republic of Belarus (yellow tank) and the People's Republic of China (red tank) met.
Third semi-final of the "Tank Biathlon"
Semifinal relay of the Tank Biathlon competition: Azerbaijan, Serbia, Russia, India
08/11/2016.
In "Tank Biathlon 2016" there are three semi-finals with the participation of 12 teams and, of course, one final, in which 4 teams qualify best result in the semi-finals. On August 11, 2016, the third, final, semi-final relay race of the Tank Biathlon competition took place and four countries were determined whose tank crews would participate in the final on August 13. More on this below. And the participants of the third semi-final: Republic of Azerbaijan (track No. 1), Republic of Serbia (track No. 2), Russian Federation (track No. 3), Republic of India (track No. 4).
Second semi-final of the "Tank Biathlon"
Semifinal relay of the Tank Biathlon competition: Kazakhstan, Belarus, Iran, Mongolia
08/10/2016.
Yesterday, August 9, the first semi-final relay of the “Tank Biathlon” took place, in which best time was the Chinese team (1 hour 45 minutes 55 seconds). But today Belarus not only won the race, but the team finished with the best time (1 hour 45 minutes 42 seconds)! But everything is in order. So, on August 10, the following teams entered the start of the second semi-final of the Tank Biathlon 2016 competition: the Republic of Kazakhstan (track No. 1), the Republic of Belarus (track No. 2), the Islamic Republic of Iran (track No. 3) and Mongolia (track No. 4).
The first semi-final of the "Tank Biathlon"
Semifinal relay race of the Tank Biathlon competition: Angola, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, China
08/09/2016.
Left behind first stage"Tank Biathlon - 2016" ("Individual Race") and summed up the results. The 12 best teams have been identified to participate in the semi-final relays. In the first semi-final race of the "Tank Biathlon" competition of the "Relay" stage on August 9, 2016, teams from the Republic of Angola (track No. 1), the Republic of Armenia (track No. 2), the Kyrgyz Republic (track No. 3) and the People's Republic of China (track No. No. 4). As many fans expected, the best today were the Chinese tankers, who showed a time of 1 hour 45 minutes. 55 sec.
"Tank biathlon 2016" - heats No. 14 and No. 15
The 1st stage is completed, the participants in the semi-finals of the "Tank Biathlon" competition have been determined
08/07/2016.
Stage 1 of the “Tank Biathlon 2016” competition ended on August 7, when races Nos. 14 and 15 took place. Crews from Zimbabwe, Iran and China took part in race No. 14; in heat No. 15 - tankers from Venezuela, India and Russia. The third crew of the People's Republic of China, although they demonstrated the second time in the Individual Race, was only one second ahead of the Russian tankers in third and fourth place (China - first and second). “Tank Biathlon 2016” does not end here for everyone; ahead is the semi-final relay, in which the twelve best teams with the highest scores will participate greatest number points based on the results of the first stage.
"Tank biathlon 2016" - heats No. 12 and No. 13
Brilliant result of Chinese tankers
08/06/2016.
On the penultimate day of the “Individual Race” of the “Tank Biathlon 2016” competition, the second crew of the Russian Federation showed a very good time - 22 minutes. 5 sec. This is the second result in the individual competition, since the crew of the People's Republic of China demonstrated a simply brilliant time - 21 minutes. 3 seconds, taking the first line of the table in terms of time to complete this stage. So, the teams of Zimbabwe, Russia and China took part in heat No. 12; in race No. 13 – DOSAAF, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan.
"Tank biathlon 2016" - heats No. 10 and No. 11
Chinese tank crews took to the start of the "Individual Race"
08/05/2016.
The next races of the “Individual Race” of “Tank Biathlon 2016” took place. According to the draw, the first crew of the People's Republic of China took part in the first stage only on August 5, showing the 5th result in the individual (general) competition and the best in its race. It is clear that the twelve best teams that scored the most points at the end of the 1st stage will participate in the semi-final relay, but individual results are not only important, but also very interesting. So, Mongolia (second crew), India and Armenia took part in heat No. 10; in heat No. 11 - Mongolia (third crew), DOSAAF (out of the standings), Iran, China.
"Tank biathlon 2016" - race No. 9
Tankers of the Republic of Kazakhstan demonstrate the best time in the "Individual race"
08/03/2016.
On August 3, 2016, only one (ninth) race took place in the “Tank Biathlon 2016” - the first stage, “Individual Race”. Participants are tankers from Serbia, Belarus, Iran and Kazakhstan. Crew No. 3 of the Republic of Kazakhstan showed the best time in all nine races of the Tank Biathlon - 22 minutes. 20 seconds, and crew No. 2 from Kazakhstan takes second place in this indicator with a result of 23 minutes. 15 sec. But the competition continues - for example, the team of the People's Republic of China (all three crews) and two crews of the Russian Federation have not yet started. And in total there are 6 races left in the “Individual Race”.
"Tank biathlon 2016" - heats No. 7 and No. 8
August 2 - the fight continues
08/02/2016.
The first place in terms of time to complete the route after the first three days of the Tank Biathlon competition, when 6 races took place, is occupied by the second crew of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The first crew of the Russian Federation lost 3 seconds. Russian tank crews (second and third crews) will take to the start of the Tank Biathlon on August 6 and 7. And today, on August 2, the 7th race will take place - Serbia, DOSAAF (does not compete), Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and the 8th race - Nicaragua, Kuwait, Angola, Kyrgyzstan.
"Tank biathlon 2016" - heats No. 5 and No. 6
08/01/2016.
August 1, 2016 is the third day of the international Tank Biathlon competition, when races No. 5 and No. 6 take place. In the fifth race - tankers from Nicaragua, Kuwait, Angola, and Kyrgyzstan. In the sixth heat there are teams from Nicaragua, Belarus, Armenia, and Kazakhstan. All that is happening now is the first stage (“Individual Race”), and the result of the tank crew’s race is the sum of the total time spent completing the distance and the number of penalty points accrued. The twelve teams with the most points in the Individual Race will advance to the semi-finals and will participate in the Relay stage.
Second day of "Tank Biathlon - 2016" - races No. 3 and No. 4
07/31/2016.
July 31, 2016 - the second day of the Tank Biathlon competition. In heat No. 3 of the “Individual Race” stage, Venezuela, Belarus, Angola and Kyrgyzstan are participating; in heat No. 4 - Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. Let us recall that first stage("Individual Race") will end on August 7, 2016 and the 12 teams with the most points will advance to the semi-finals and participate in the "Relay" stage. In total, tank crews from 17 countries compete in “Tank Biathlon - 2016” - 51 tank crews (three from each country, as well as a DOSAAF team competing outside the competition).
First races in Tank Biathlon 2016 - first results
The first day of the “Tank Biathlon” – two individual races
07/30/2016.
The individual race, which determines the rating of each crew, is the first stage of the Tank Biathlon 2016, in which teams from 17 countries take part. The order of conduct, starts, and colors of the tanks were determined on July 25, 2016 at the press center of the Alabino training ground. On the opening day of ARMY-2016, July 30, 2016, the first race was attended by Serbia, India, Russia and Kazakhstan; in the second race - Mongolia, Kuwait, Armenia. Let's find out the results of the "Tank Biathlon" in more detail.
Start of the International Army Games
The opening of ARMY-2016 took place on July 30, 2016
07/30/2016.
"International Army Games - 2016" began on July 30. They were launched by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, in the Military Patriotic Park of Culture and Recreation "Patriot" near Moscow. Sergei Shoigu said that “in terms of the intensity of passions, the army games are not much different from the world’s largest sports championships.” But he noted that it is true, “the principle “the main thing is not victory, but participation” does not work here. For the military, any task must be completed,” said the head of the Russian military department.
Waiting for "Tank Biathlon 2016"
Tank Biathlon schedule: who and when?
07/27/2016.
There are a few days left before the first race of the Tank Biathlon 2016 competition and the draw has already taken place. Teams from 17 countries take part in the competition (each team has 24 people, but more on that below). The first thing that awaits us is a stage called “Individual Race”. It has its own rules and features. But the first thing that interests you, and if you don’t want to go into details, is who competes and when? And when can you see Russian tank crews?
"Tank Biathlon - 2016": draw
The draw for the Tank Biathlon and Suvorov Onslaught teams, which will be held as part of ARMIIG-2016, has taken place.
07/26/2016.
The International Army Games 2016 will start very soon. Intense competitions, including 23 competitions, will be held from July 30 to August 13, 2016 at 20 training grounds in Russia and Kazakhstan, in the waters of the Black, Baltic and Caspian seas. Representatives from 20 countries will take part in ARMY 2016, and 3 thousand military personnel will compete at the training grounds. But we are very interested in “Tank Biathlon”, as well as “Suvorov’s Onslaught”. The draw for teams for these competitions took place on July 25, 2016 in the press center of the Alabino training ground.
NATO countries have the wrong “Tank Biathlon”
Prospects for competitions in the Armed Forces
06/04/2016.
NATO countries held tank crew competitions in May. “But this is somewhat different from the biathlon that we do. They took the component that we conduct in formations, units and in the army,” said Lieutenant General Ivan Buvaltsev, head of the Main Directorate of Combat Training of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, in a TV channel broadcast "Russia 24" ("Strategy: combat training in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation"). He noted that the event was unscheduled, and NATO was worried about the growing authority of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
District stage of "Tank Biathlon 2016" in the Central Military District
The district stage of the "Tank Biathlon" of the Central Military District has ended in the Chelyabinsk region
05/25/2016.
The district stage of the “Tank Biathlon” of the Central Military District has ended at the Chebarkul training ground in the Chelyabinsk region, the district’s press service reports. Eight crews on T-72B3 tanks and five crews on BMP-2 took part in the competition military units and formations stationed in the Novosibirsk, Orenburg, Samara, Sverdlovsk, and Chelyabinsk regions. For the first time, cadets of the Kazan Tank School took part in the competition.
Germany won the NATO tank championship
NATO Tank Championship in Europe – Strong Europe Tank Challenge
05/14/2016.
The NATO tank championship in Europe SETC (Strong Europe Tank Challenge) took place for the first time since 1991. Crews of tanks from NATO countries from Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and the USA took part in the competitions in Western Europe. The SETC Championship took place from May 10 to 12 at the German training ground Grafenwoehr, and the award ceremony took place on May 13, 2016. In NATO tank crew competitions, Germany takes first place; Denmark is second and Poland takes third place. The website of the Stars and Stripes newspaper (the daily newspaper of the US Department of Defense for contingents of the US Armed Forces stationed abroad) writes about this.
"ARMY-2016" will be held from July 30 to August 13
The number of competitions at the International Army Games 2016 will increase significantly
04/13/2016.
The second ever International Army Games will be held from July 30 to August 13, 2016. In Russia, competitions will be held at 18 training grounds of the Western, Central and Southern military districts, and the “Masters of Artillery Fire” and “Sniper Frontier” competitions will be held in Kazakhstan. Teams from 21 countries have already confirmed their participation in the International Army Games this year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced this yesterday. Invitations were sent to 47 states. As part of ARMY 2016, the number of competitions will be increased to 23, and the number of participants will also increase significantly.
The first "International Army Games" have ended
The closing ceremony of ARMY-2015 took place at the Alabino training ground
08/15/2015.
The first International Army Games 2015, in which 57 teams from 17 countries took part, ended on August 15 with the closing ceremony. "ARMY-2015" took place in the year of the anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and the closing ceremony is dedicated to the Victory. Spectators and participants could watch the light and music show “Film of Memory” with the participation of the Central Military Orchestra of the Russian Ministry of Defense under the direction of Valery Khalilov and other groups and artists. During the closing ceremony, participants remembered the most highlights competitions.
“The armor is strong and our tanks are fast” - these famous 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 Alabine training ground near Moscow as part of the International Army Games -2016. Russian military specialists once again demonstrated their masterly command of armored vehicles and won a well-deserved victory in the relay final, leaving behind the most experienced crews from China, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The intensity of the fight at all stages of the competition sometimes exceeded the Brazilian Olympic passions, as evidenced by tens of thousands of spectators in the stands of the tankodrome (about 25 thousand guests were present at the final alone) and millions of television fans. The course of the decisive battle was watched with great attention and undisguised excitement by the “founding father” of this military-applied sport, Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov, hundreds of Russian and foreign military leaders and military experts.
The geography of countries participating in the world tank biathlon championship (this status has long been assigned to the Alabino competition by Russian and foreign experts) 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 took part in the 2013 races, in 2014 there were already 12, and in 2015 there were 13 teams.
Each team consisted of 24 people, including the head of the team, four tank crews of 3 people (one spare crew), two coaches and a squad technical support consisting of 6 specialists. Outside the competition, three crews of the League of Veterans, representing DOSAAF of Russia and made up of reserve military personnel, took part in the races. By the way, as part of military training for citizens in reserve, it would be possible to complete best teams reservists for their subsequent participation in similar competitions of the district, Russian and international levels. As one of the devoted fans of tank biathlon, in the recent past, an experienced driver mechanic of the famous Kantemirovskaya division Artem Vorobyov, said: “My former colleagues and I are in constant contact, improving our tactical skills through virtual tank battles. If the opportunity had arisen, many of my former colleagues would have undergone real retraining and, I’m sure, would not have lost face” at their home training ground during army competitions. In addition, almost all teams (except China and Belarus) competed on the most reliable T72B3 machines, presented by the host country. “These tanks have been in our service for more than 30 years and have not lost any sense of combat readiness or demand,” Vladimir Marennikov, deputy chairman of the public organization “Officers of Russia” of the Odintsovo district, shares his opinion. The most important thing in these competitions is the cohesion of tank crews, mutual assistance, the ability to fire and drive a tank to the finish line.”
It should be noted that not only military personnel from four Russian military districts, but also specialists from the domestic defense industry carefully prepared for the tank championship. Through the efforts of the engineers of the Uralvagon-zavod corporation, a new modification of the T-72 tank (or its “biathlon” version T-72B) was created specifically for the competition, the modernized model T72-B3, which differs from production models in increased reliability, increased engine power (up to 1130 l . p.), significant modifications to the chassis and tracks. The tank was equipped with a digital chassis control system, which provides automated control of the operation of the power plant, transmission and automatic gear shift modes, an additional aiming and fire control system, as well as improved video viewing devices.
The new version of the armored combat vehicle, which practically failed at the Alabino training ground, was highly praised 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, if necessary, repaired.” The coach and captain of the Azerbaijani team, Bakhtyar Mamedov and Rashat Atakshayev, share a similar opinion: “The car has become stronger. A powerful motor, a different radio station, an improved control system, which has a positive effect on hit accuracy. The tank is now more convenient.” “All stages of the T72B3 are going well,” says Ivan Lagutin, chief of communications of the mechanized battalion of the Republic of Belarus. The best tanks are the tanks of the Ural Carriage Plant.” Independent South African military affairs expert Ashton Mlinden particularly noted the speed and long-term maneuverability of the Russian vehicle.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Oleg Salyukov, also spoke about the reliability of our tanks when summing up the results of the relay race: “Until today, the Chinese tank showed very good results. All crews perform on our equipment, except for the Chinese team, they use their own equipment and are favorably superior in speed. Now we are ahead of them."
Chinese colleagues brought their own new product to the championship: a deeply modernized Type 96B tank with a higher-power power plant and an improved air supply system, a new transmission, and new caterpillar tracks. The official documents stated that the engine power of the Chinese car was clearly underestimated - 1000 hp. (according to experts, this figure does not coincide by at least 200 positions). These innovations allowed crews from the Middle Kingdom to reach cosmic speeds at the test site. However, there were some breakdowns in the final race: the tank of our main competitors lost one of the road wheels when passing the “comb”.
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 similar competitions of NATO countries. However, these competitions do not have a “biathlon” component and are more reminiscent of tactical maneuvers with training shooting. And most importantly, they don’t have those wrestling, emotional intensity and team spirit, which have been distinguishing the international tank competitions held in Russia for several years now.
From the first meters of a more than sixteen-kilometer distance, the crew of the People's Republic of China rushes forward, trying to take advantage of the super-powerful engine of their armored vehicle. The Russian team, consisting of tank commander Senior Lieutenant Artem Kirillov, driver-mechanic Junior Sergeant Stepan Gavrilov, representing the Western Military District, and gunner-operator Sergeant Konstantin Vertunov from the Eastern Military District, rushes in pursuit, trying not only to catch up with the opponent, but also to try to make a certain groundwork on the high-speed section of the relay determined by lot for our tankers.
Russian tank on the first firing line flank cannon fire. The last shot, the exhalation of regret from thousands of spectators, is one miss. Before this, 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 Russians from an anti-aircraft machine gun. Artem Kirillov, as befits an experienced and cold-blooded commander, hits the “helicopter” and “ATGM” of the mock enemy. But the Chinese are literally stepping on their heels. Both teams approach the third milestone almost simultaneously. Our shooting from a coaxial machine gun 3 accurate hits. The main opponent unexpectedly lost his aim: one miss, a penalty lap and almost a minute lag when transferring the stage. Belarusians are still third with a significant lag.
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 semi-final with 12 participants and a relay final. 3 crews from each team took part in individual races. In the races, with an interval of 12 minutes, 4 crews started, which had to overcome 3 laps with a length of 35 km, firing from a cannon with three standard artillery rounds at 3 tank targets, from an anti-aircraft machine gun at a conditional helicopter and an ATGM, from a coaxial machine gun at 3 conditional calculations of an enemy hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher. The teams' results were based on the total time spent completing the distance and the number of penalty points awarded.
According to the competition rules, 10 penalty points were awarded for each knocked down (hit) obstacle pole (limiter), 30 for moving without reducing the speed to 5 km/h 510 meters before the scarp.
At the 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 cost center, a mound, a fire strip, an anti-tank ditch with a passage, a model of a rut bridge, a ridge, a scarp, a slope.
The twelve teams that scored the most points in the individual race advanced to the semi-finals 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 result of 23 min. 18 p. As expected, she finished first in her debut start, but the Indian crew (2 minutes behind) was ahead of their Kazakh colleagues, who were considered one of the favorites of the competition. In the third race, the Belarusian team prevailed, but its result was 26 minutes. 58 p. 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 former prevailed with a confident two-minute lead. In the head-to-head confrontation between Russia and China in the 12th heat, our colleagues won confident victory, showing an excellent time for completing the distance of 21 minutes. 3 s., which remains the record of the current championship.
Based on the results team competition In individual races, the leadership was taken by the team of the People's Republic of China (two of its crews confidently positioned themselves on the first lines of the podium), followed by Russia (3rd and 4th positions) and Kazakhstan, Belarus remained fifth, behind the Indian team. The list of the twelve strongest was completed by the Angola team.
The best Russian crew was the team assembled from representatives of the 39th separate Red Banner motorized rifle brigade of the 68th Army Corps of the Eastern Military District, which received bronze awards.
“Don’t despair,” reassured the gray-haired veteran tanker sitting next to him in the stands, who never misses a single race. The Russians have always been strong in their team spirit. Every dog has his day. After all, there’s a relay ahead!”
From the chronology of the tank relay final
At the second stage, the Russian crew, consisting of tank commander Senior Lieutenant Pavel Martyanov, gunner-operator Junior Sergeant Evgeniy Yazhgunovich and driver-mechanic Junior Sergeant Artem Ubiennykh, representing the Eastern Military District, has a small handicap over their closest pursuer. But for Chinese team the absolute best trio of “armored vehicle virtuosos” performs based on the results of individual races. The Russians pass the high-speed section perfectly, but make an unfortunate mistake at the firing line; one tank target remains unhit. Meanwhile, the Chinese place all three cannon charges right on target and take the lead.
But even an old woman can have trouble. Announced as the 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 large lag, hold third position.
The Russians fired from an anti-aircraft machine gun and again one unfortunate mistake. But a penalty loop cannot be avoided, and the Chinese also suffered one setback on the shooting range. However, the rivals are still ahead. A quick change of tank to a spare one, and they are again in the lead in the race. Artem Ubiennykh makes the most of his seventy-two. The leading teams approach the third shooting line almost simultaneously. Evgeniy Yazhgunovich's shots hit the target. But Chinese snipers also confirm their high qualifications.
One of the climax moments of the race is coming, the Chinese (new after a forced replacement) and the Russian tanks simultaneously burst into a straight wide open space. The time has come for a real battle between driver mechanics and engines. 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 by a hundred to one and a half meters from the formidable pursuer. And the Chinese crew... is sent to a penalty loop. The jury found the breakdown of the tank to be the fault of the crew, and the time required to replace it was not compensated.
The rules of this most spectacular stage of the competition provide for a tank battle of three crews from each team, changing during the stages. Representatives of four teams start simultaneously and complete four laps (35 km long), overcoming obstacles and hitting targets at three firing lines. In this case, the firing sequence is determined by lot.
Each team must overcome a section of the high-speed race, carry out flank shooting from a cannon at three targets on the move, hit two targets with an anti-aircraft machine gun and three targets with a coaxial machine gun. In case of inaccurate shooting, penalty laps are awarded for each miss. Drivers' mistakes are also punished by an additional 500 meters of distance. The requirements for passing the route are incredibly strict. A penalty loop is added to the crew in cases of stopping at a ford, rolling back when reaching the opposite bank, or going around it; for reversing, falling off a model track bridge or bypassing it; for stopping on a mound or scarp; for touching the side wall of an anti-tank ditch with a passage, leading to damage that does not affect the movement of the combat vehicle; for driving without reducing speed, stopping on an anti-tank ditch with a passage; for hitting a mine in a rut in a mine-explosive barrier; for stopping on a slope; for driving with the hatch open and violating the procedure for unloading weapons.
A more serious penalty (two additional laps) is provided for violating safety measures: starting to move or firing without the command of the chief judge; firing by the crew with open hatches behind the side protective zones outside the line of opening and ceasefire; movement of the tank when the crew members did not take their regular positions; loading ammunition with the engine off.
In the relay race, the crew must demonstrate all their shooting skills and, while moving, 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 of 1600 to 1800 m); use a coaxial machine gun to knock out 3 RPG targets (imitation of crews of an enemy hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher with dimensions of 0.85x0.85 m at a distance of 600 to 800 m); from an anti-aircraft machine gun, hit the “Helicopter” target (frontal projection at a height of 12 m with dimensions of 3.2x3.8 m at a distance from 800 to 1000 m) and the “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 the experts expected, all the favorites of the competition at the semi-final stage coped brilliantly with these the most difficult tasks. In the first race, the Chinese team easily beat its competitors and showed a grandmaster result of 1 hour 45 minutes. 55 pp. However, in the next four, our Belarusian friends exceeded this time by almost 4 seconds, leaving behind the Kazakhstan team, which was more than three minutes behind. But the audience was most interested in the third race with the participation Russian team. And our tankers did not let us down: it took them only 1 hour 39 minutes and 50 seconds to overcome this super-heavy distance. They “brought” the whole 20 minutes to the Indian team, which became the second in the heat. The stands applauded the skill of the domestic crews. As former Kantemirov tanker Artem Vorobyov, who was closely following the progress of the competition, exclaimed at the end of the race: “Russian guys always harness longer, but drive much faster. It's cool army training. Russian tank crews have always been, are and will be the best in the world!” However, the victorious reports were still far away. Ahead lies the most difficult final of the relay with the participation of the Chinese, Belarusian and Kazakh teams hungry for revenge.
From the chronology of the tank relay final
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 representing the Eastern Military District). This well-coordinated “mechanized trio” (in the individual race, they remained behind the medalists, but took an honorable fourth place) went into the distance with an almost minute advantage over their rivals from China. The third to pass the baton are the Belarusian tank crews.
The first shooting of the Chinese from a coaxial machine gun, all the cartridges hit the target. After passing the high-speed section, the Russians also methodically and accurately shoot at tank targets. The opponents once again approach the second firing line almost simultaneously. 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 leaves no chance for the mock enemy tanks. The “motor war” begins again.
When starting to fire from a coaxial machine gun, Alexander Tobodyakov probably felt his formidable opponents pressing into his back. But he didn’t flinch, as if he hit all the targets. The Chinese commander's "helicopter" was shot down, the last target of the "ATGM" shot remains unhit. The main rivals are sent to “rewind” the penalty loop. In the meantime Russian biathletes They are pushing at full speed towards their fourth victory in the history of this military applied sport. The last minefield, anti-tank ditch and the Russian crew burst into the under-stand area of the Alabino training ground, which has become world famous, to the enthusiastic cries of the fans. The best tankers of Russia “brought” their closest competitors the Chinese team more than two minutes and were almost 12 minutes ahead of the third team from Kazakhstan.
“Our team completed the task 100 percent. We have once again proven that Russia is a worthy opponent,” noted the commander of one of the crews, Pavel Martyanov, following the results of the race. “There is no place for emotions at the training ground. Perfect discipline and team cohesion are the key to success. “Everyone must act harmoniously,” other members of our victorious team supported their commander.
Russian tank crews once again confirmed the title of the best in their profession at the largest international competitions. At the closing ceremony of the International Army Games 2016, awards in this category were presented by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu and the General Director of the Uralvagonzavod Corporation Oleg Sienko. The winners, along with their well-deserved medals, received the keys to modern UAZpatriot cars. Representatives of the Chinese team received silver medals and valuable gifts, while 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, learned a lot useful information, which will undoubtedly be used in drawing up new requirements for the manual on combat training of types and branches of 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 determined 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 military personnel have already planned for a significant reduction in the time for performing live firing, and also increased the standards for ammunition supply for crews.
“Each of the tank biathlon competitions made adjustments to the “Shooting Requirements Courses” adopted for tank units of the Russian Ministry of Defense, says Viktor Murakhovsky, a veteran of the tank forces and editor of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine. The competition is far from real combat. For example, you cannot see a tank firing while moving on maximum speed, walking through swampy areas or driving on the highway. But clear regulatory requirements passing the stages of the distance reveals other secrets about the specific preparedness of tank crews. The year before last, I managed to get acquainted with the summary shooting data of the biathlon participating teams, 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 during various exercises has also increased. Today, none of them can do without tanks and their practical applications.”
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 yourself, but also to compare your methods with other armies.
According to Colonel General Sergei Mayev, who previously headed the Main Armored Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry: “A typical tank crew uses its equipment no more than 60%. The competitive moment can increase the effectiveness of its combat use to 8090%. Military personnel go all in for the sake of victory. This point deserves analysis in order to make changes to combat training plans, create new methods for training tank crews, and clarify shooting courses. Only through direct comparison can one understand the strengths and weaknesses, draw conclusions and make adjustments to one’s own combat training plans.”
The competition participants especially noted the technical side of their organization. More than 30 Uralvagonzavod specialists were involved in vehicle maintenance and crew training. “Last year we were unable to cross the ford,” says Colonel Dragan Bojic, head of the Serbian delegation. This year there were no such problems. Every issue that arose was resolved in 510 minutes. Without such assistance, our crew would not be able to move on to the next stages.”
Let's hope that future World Tank Biathlon Championships, traditionally held in Alabino near Moscow, will be even more representative, competitive and entertaining. 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 training ground near Moscow, but they stubbornly remain silent. Meanwhile, fair competition on Olympic principles with the leading Western powers could not only raise the level of international army games, but also help strengthen mutual understanding between peoples and ease international tension.
“The military needs to show their skills somewhere,” Army General Sergei Shoigu said at the closing ceremony of Army Games 2016. There are two places for this: one of them, as you understand, is war. Another thing 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 greater than last year. About 3.5 thousand specialists of various professions arrived: pilots and sailors, reconnaissance officers and paratroopers, artillerymen and engineers, sappers and dog handlers, doctors - all those who are in one way or another involved in military affairs, military affairs. I would like to thank you for your work and service aimed at ensuring the security of your countries. I would really like for us to meet only on these fields, on the fields of such competitions.”
Andrey PETROCHININ
