Tanks (since 1945) - USSR: Illustrated History Books & Guides (1/2)

Combat Vehicles of Russia's Special Forces : Spetsnaz, airborne, Arctic and interior troops (Osprey)

Elite forces need elite vehicles. As Vladimir Putin has devoted effort and funds into modernising Russia's armed forces and turning them into an instrument geared not just for defending the Motherland but also projecting power beyond its borders, Russia has seen a growing emphasis on special and specialist forces.

Traditionally, the elite Spetsnaz commandos had to make do with regular vehicles or civilian-based 'technicals', not least to conceal their presence (or, indeed, very existence). Now, increasingly at the forefront of Russian power projection, the Spetsnaz are acquiring more capable, versatile vehicles, such as the paratroopers' BTR-D personnel carrier, and also experimenting with exotic, specialist new acquisitions, such as the Chaborz M-3 buggy and Yamaha Grizzly all-terrain vehicle.

The other elite branches of Russia's forces, such as the Arctic-warfare troops of the 200th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade, the paratroopers of the Air Assault Troops (VDV), the Naval Infantry, and the elite units of the security forces are also developing and fielding new vehicles for their specialist roles, from combat snowmobiles to urban-warfare vehicles.
From highly-mobile LMVs able to operate in the deserts of Syria, through dedicated fire-support vehicles such as the air-droppable Sprut-SD or the massive BMPT 'Terminator', to amphibious tanks and drone-equipped security trucks, these are the workhorses of Russia's special forces.

This study explores all these combat vehicles in detail, combining expert analysis from Russia expert Mark Galeotti with highly accurate full-colour illustrations and photographs.

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M1 Abrams vs T-72 Ural - Operation Desert Storm 1991 (Osprey)

The Gulf War bore witness to a number of deadly encounters between these two great adversaries. Heavily armoured, highly mobile and capable of killing at over 2500m the M1 Abrams is, to this day, a veritable fighting machine. Superior to both Iraq's Soviet era T-55 and T-62 tanks, nearly all sources claim that no Abrams tank has ever been destroyed by enemy fire. Despite entering service in 1980, the M1 Abrams remained untested in combat until the Gulf War in 1991, where it was to be confronted by its archenemy the Iraqi-assembled Soviet-designed T-72.
Entering production in 1971, the T-72 arguably outstripped its contemporaries in a balance of mobility, protection and firepower. By the time of Operation Desert Storm, however, the tables had turned and the tank suffered due to low quality ammunition and poorly trained crews.
In this fascinating study, Steven Zaloga pits these two great fighting machines against one another, plotting the development of the Cold War until both tanks met in combat in the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Strategic Situation - Technical specifications - The combatants - Combat - Statistics and analysis - Aftermath - Bibliography.

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Modern Russian Tanks & AFVs (1990-Present) - Tanks, Self-Propelled Guns, APCs, IFVs

Created from what was left of the gigantic stockpiles of Soviet armoured fighting vehicles after the end of the Cold War, the Russian armoured forces were reorganized in the early 1990s. Ground forces were involved in a series of conflicts in border states, nationalistic insurrections of minorities following the end of the Soviet Union, and the lifting of its iron fist on these regions.
From Chechnya to the Crimea to the Ukraine, this book explores the main battle tanks, armoured fighting vehicles, armoured personnel carriers, self- propelled guns and missile-launching platforms in service since 1990.

Pages of the book "Modern Russian Tanks & AFVs (1990-Present) - Tanks, Self-Propelled Guns, APCs, IFVs"

Organised by type and then alphabetically by manufacturer, the entries include the BMD-3, BMPT Terminator, T-90 and T-15 main battle tank, and their variants, as well as the Buk missile system.
Illustrated with expert colour profile artworks for each entry and completed with technical specifications, "Modern Russian Tanks & AFVs" is a detailed reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in modern military technology.

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NATO and Warsaw Pact Tanks of the Cold War

Led by the USA with Western European partners, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 to counter the Soviet threat. In response the Soviet Union assembled and dominated the Warsaw Pact in 1954.
The mainstay of both alliances' groundforces were their main battle tanks (MBTs).

Initially both sides relied on Second World War MBTs; in NATO's case the Sherman medium tank and its successor the M26 Pershing together with the British Centurion and the heavy Conqueror.

The Soviets originally fielded the T-34-85 medium tank and the IS-2 and IS-3 heavy tank replaced by the T-10. Next came the T-54 followed by the T-55 and 155mm armed T-63 (1965). The final WP Cold War MBTs were the T-64, T-72 and T-80 all with 122mm main armament.

By contrast, NATO nations increasingly deployed a range of MBTs; the widely used American Patton series (M46 through M48), British Chieftain (1963) and Challenger (1982), French AMX-13 (1950) and AMX-30.
From 1963 the Bundeswehr was equipped with the homegrown Leopard 1 and 2. The US M60 series and M1 Abrams came into service from 1980.

These and more MBTs and variants are covered in expert detail in this superbly illustrated book.

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T-14 Armata Main Battle Tank

The T-14 "Armata" Main Battle Tank (MBT) made its debut public appearance in May 2015, at a time of renewed tensions between the Russian Federation and the United States and its NATO allies not seen since the 1960s during the Soviet era.

The T-14 "Armata" is a technically sophisticated tank, the first "production" tank with a fully automated turret entirely devoid of crew as one of many new design features. The tank is also however expensive to build and operate compared to more "low risk" tanks such as the T-90 and T-72B3 MBT types, and requires significant crew training to operate compared with other Russian tanks in service.

Pages of the book "T-14 Armata Main Battle Tank"

Today, the T-14 "Armata" remains a showpiece of military engineering, but the upgrade of earlier T-72, T-90 and even T-80 tanks is now being pursued in parallel as a more cost-effective solution for everyday needs.
Whether the "high risk" development T-14 "Armata" will become a series, albeit limited production tank, or remain a technical showpiece has yet to be seen, but there is no doubting that it has made the impression it was intended to.

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T-72 Main Battle Tank 1974-1993 (Osprey)

The Russian T-72 Ural tank is the most widely-deployed main battle tank of the current generation. Used by the armies of the former Warsaw pact and Soviet Union, it has also been exported in large numbers to many of the states in the Middle East.

This book reveals the previously secret history behind the tank. Steven J Zaloga examines the conditions under which the T-72 was designed and produced. Technical aspects of the weapon are also discussed, including its EDZ reactive armour which, when it first appeared in December 1984, gave NATO a nasty shock.

Contents: Design and Development - Foreign T-72 Development - Inside the T-72M1 - Operational Use - T-72 Variants.

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T-80 Standard Tank - The Soviet Army's Last Armored Champion (Osprey)

The Soviet T-80 Standard Tank was the last tank fielded before the Soviet collapse, and the most controversial. Despite having the most sophisticated fire controls and multi-layer armor ever fielded on a Soviet tank, its turbine power plant (rather than a conventional diesel) remained a source of considerable trouble throughout its career.

Steven J Zaloga charts the little-known history of the T-80, covering the initial construction, through the development to the subsequent variants, the T-84 and Russia's enigmatic "Black Eagle Tank."
Accompanying detailed cut-away artwork illustrates the unusual design features that made the T-80 so controversial.

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T-90 Standard Tank - The First Tank of the New Russia (Osprey)

In the wake of the T-72 tank's poor performance in the 1991 Gulf War, the Kremlin instructed the Russian tank industry to drop the discredited T-72 designation in favour of the T-90 Vladimir.
The T-90 was in fact a further evolution of the T-72 family, but the name change represented an important break in Russian/Soviet tank design history. The T-90 has become the principal export tank of Russia, and is in service in large numbers in many countries including Algeria, India, and many of the former Soviet republics.

Using detailed illustrations and full colour artwork, this book also describes the evolution of the T-90s many failed successors including the little known Bokser, Molot, and T-95, as well as its likely successor, the new T-14 Armata, and the wide range of specialized vehicles based on the T-90 chassis such as the formidable Terminator tank support vehicle.

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Die Waffen der Russischen Armee - Panzerfahrzeuge

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the most disturbing events of recent years. Images from the conflict zones have revived old fears, as Russia commands one of the largest armies in the world.
Tanks play a key role in this war and will remain central, especially with Western tanks now being delivered to Ukraine.

In this context, Victor Shunkov focuses on Russian tanks currently in service or planned for deployment. The book covers well-known models like the T-80 and T-90, as well as the advanced T-14. It offers a comprehensive and timely overview of modern Russian armored forces.

Pages of the book "Die Waffen der Russischen Armee - Panzerfahrzeuge"

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