The Tank biathlon was just completed in Russia. It was the brainchild of the Russian defense minister, who conceived of a competition between tanks of the various armies in the world, as a test of endurance, skill, and potency of the both the tank and their crew.
This year 19 nations took part and sent their tanks and crew for the competition Alabino in Russia. The Americans and other NATO countries were invited but declined to take part. Despite not taking part, the performance of the tanks would have been of great interest to the US Army which will have to confront the Russian and Chinese tanks in case of conflict.
The indian army sent two T-90 tanks to the competition. It was expected that the Indian-made Vijayanta tanks would be sent but Army HQ decided on the T-90 which is the best and most lethal Russian tank. These tanks are operated by the Indian army. The Indians had done well during the competition and entered the semi finals and it was expected they would give a good run against the Russian and Chinese tanks. During the race both the T-90 tanks broke down because of mechanical problems and the Indian tank team was disqualified. Ultimately the Russian team won, beating the Chinese to the second place militarynews.com reported.
Breaking down of Indian teams T-90
The breaking down of the tanks during a race is not good news and show that the T-90 tank is vulnerable if not maintained properly.
The news is that the Indian tanks were well maintained and if this is so then their breaking down because of mechanical problems will give the Russians food for thought. Out of the 19 nations taking part, only the tanks of the Indian army broke down and will call for some introspection at Army HQ in Delhi as well as at the manufacturers in Russia.
The tank
The tank is the main strike weapon that spearheads the advance of an infantry unit in a war. They are lethal weapons and one can recollect that Hitler’s Panzers broke the Maginot line in France and crushed the French army inside five weeks in 1940.
Tank racing
The biathlon is an exciting concept and it is gaining in popularity.
If one can have auto and car racing, it is logical that tank racing will also generate interest. The sport is getting more popular by the year and next year the Russians expect more countries to send their tanks and crew for the competition. The American M-1 Abraham tank is one of the best in the field and it will be interesting to watch how this tank fares against Russia's T-90. It will be a race between Titans.
