Russia's new "Terminator" armored vehicle was designed to address weaknesses in urban combat, particularly the vulnerability of tanks to attacks from above and below. The Terminator features dual 30mm cannons that can angle upwards to +45 degrees, allowing it to blast enemy infantry launching attacks from above. It also has a turret that can depress to -5 degrees, enabling it to engage targets in close quarters. The vehicle is equipped with anti-tank missiles, high-explosive missiles, and grenade launchers, making it a formidable force in urban combat.
However, the Terminator has failed to turn the tide of the war in Ukraine. Its main problem is the lack of protection for its weapon systems, making them vulnerable to concentrated small arms fire and explosives. Additionally, Russia's doctrine for using the Terminator is flawed, as it relies on other tanks to protect it, rather than dismounted infantry. This limits the vehicle's situational awareness and response time to enemy targets.
As a result, the Terminator has not been effective in urban combat, and its performance has been poor. It is believed that most of the Terminators deployed to Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged, and the vehicle is not expected to be used in large numbers in the future.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. In May 2022, Russia deployed a new armored vehicle called the Terminator in Ukraine.
2. The Terminator was designed to combat threats in urban environments.
3. The vehicle features dual 30mm cannons with a turret that can angle upwards to +45 degrees.
4. The Terminator can also be equipped with anti-tank missiles, high explosive missiles, and a 7.62mm machine gun.
5. The vehicle has a top speed of 37 miles per hour (60km/h) and can dive as deep as 1.2 meters (1.8 meters with a snorkel).
6. The Terminator has a crew of three and is based on the chassis of a BMP fighting vehicle.
7. The vehicle features modern all-weather sights with thermal vision and a computerized fire control system.
8. The Terminator can carry up to 600 30mm grenades and has a range of 2500 to 4000 meters.
9. The vehicle's turret is lightly armored, leaving its weapons vulnerable to small arms fire and explosives.
10. Russia's current doctrine for using the Terminator in urban combat is to have two Terminators protect each tank.
11. The Terminator has limited situational awareness compared to dismounted infantry.
12. The Russian army has not purchased the Terminator in large numbers, and only one active unit is believed to exist.
13. Western intelligence believes that most of this unit, deployed to fight in and around Severodonetsk, was either destroyed or suffered catastrophic damage.