Source: The Telegraph
Translation: Telegrafi.com
The latest improvement in Russian tank design would make the creators of the mighty, war-winning T-34 tank turn in their graves. The so-called “dandelion tank,” proudly unveiled by the Russian Defense Ministry last week, is not a step forward but a symptom of desperation. It is the latest and crude attempt to stem the catastrophic losses of armored vehicles in Putin’s so-called “special military operation”—losses that reliable estimates put at over 6,000 Russian tanks.
More tanks have now been destroyed in Ukraine than during the Battle of Kursk in World War II - the decisive clash that marked Nazi Germany's first decisive defeat on the Eastern Front and changed the course of the conflict. History seems to be repeating itself a few miles to the west. Like Hitler before him, Putin's ambition to subjugate Europe may well be the cause of his downfall. Napoleon discovered the folly of marching to Moscow in winter; modern autocrats should be warned of the dangers of conducting armored battles near Kursk.
Russia’s efforts to protect its tanks from Ukrainian drones have become a farce. First came the “turtle tanks,” covered in raw sheet metal. Then the “hedgehogs,” studded with steel spikes. Now we have the “dandelion,” adorned with metal petals, all designed to counter the destructive efficiency of Ukrainian drones that have wiped out hundreds of Russian crews. Innovation on the battlefield is nothing new, as soldiers have always improvised, but when the best solution that the pride of the Russian armored force could once offer resembles a garden decoration, it is clear that the battle is getting out of hand.
In contrast, Britain and its allies are approaching the drone threat the right way – through technology. Instead of welding scrap metal onto platforms costing millions of pounds, we are developing our own electronic warfare capabilities and active protection systems (APS), which can shoot down not only drones but also missiles. The Israelis already use APS successfully, and the next generation of British tanks will have them too. When a tank can neutralize many approaching drones, at a cost of just a few dollars per shot, the aerial threat is mitigated and the combat vehicle can once again move freely and dominate the battlefield, as it was designed to do.
The Russians seem to have forgotten the holy trinity of tank design: firepower, protection, and mobility. Dandelion armor undermines all three. The T-90’s 125mm main gun is powerful, but its target acquisition through a makeshift metal cage is – in my opinion as a former tank commander for nearly 25 years – seriously compromised. The protection could easily be improved against drones, but the significantly increased size and profile make the vehicle much more visible and, therefore, easier to destroy. Mobility – the decisive factor in armored warfare – is crippled by the extra weight, bulk, and risk of getting stuck: in a dandelion tank, it will be almost impossible to “recover” – the art of maneuvering smoothly through forests and protected terrain to hit the enemy.
In reality, the dandelion, like the tortoise and the hedgehog before it, made Russian tanks easier - not harder - to destroy. While this is a positive thing from a military perspective, one can't help but think about the poorly trained crews who are forced into these mobile coffins, just so the Kremlin can maintain the illusion of progress.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine's armed forces face another disappointment. With enough modern military capabilities from the West, Ukraine could almost certainly defeat a Russian army that is increasingly fighting with World War I tactics and equipment dating back to World War II.
It remains to be hoped that Donald Trump, the American president, will also understand this and exert significant pressure on Putin to accept the current peace proposals, before more young Russians are sent to battle within the "dandelions", and before the Ukrainians are forced to endure another day of this illegal war. /Telegraph/
