T-14 Armata

[Ironside]

I'm not even sure whether I would call this high-tech, having an autoloader is not new, they've been building and improving them for decades. To remote-control a turret, well, that is also not really high-tech, remote control devices were around in WW2, digital cameras are not exactly cutting edge technology any more, electrical turret drives also existed in WW2 already, so what exactly is the high-tech in simply having an unmanned turret? The difference to a western tank seems to be more about not having the low-tech in the form of the human eyeball in the turret anymore, which can be a disadvantage but says nothing about the required technologies.

High-tech is probably wrong word. Higher risk of technology failure, that is very common in combat on average.

If the auto loader jams, back to base or have the unjamming done behind the lines, since someone has to go in the open. If the cameras get smeared or broken, fall back blind until you get the time to fix it.

Let me put it this way. If it's old tech and works with no problem, why haven't it been implemented in the tanks yet? The jamming issue is for example the reason why the autoloader aren't universal.

I think USAnians should be a bit worried...

Not because of any direct threat this tank represent, but because Russia is once again building up their military export industry...

In these days where military casualties are highly frowned upon by the US populace, a small nation who suddenly get, say, 50 of these T14 has dramatically changed the balance..

Seen from that angle, this is actually a rather big step up by Russia on the world political scene...

They can do the same by exporting T-90, unless I'm completely mistaken. Any tank that are a challenge for the Abrahams, instead of the opposition they faced in Iraq. Also, if T14 works well, it's still not that much of an upgrade. It gets the advantage, but it's not terrifying hard to destroy while blowing up the enemy with ease (like the Abrahams in Iraq did).