Question about Ukraine OOB...

[MarkSheppard]

So...the Russians recently restarted tank gas turbine engine production after...30 years.

That's a big deal, because they don't have a lot of machine tools and they already have the V92 Diesel (T-90) and the weird Diesel for the T-14 in production.

So why restart tank GTEs after 30 years?

Because the T-80 fleet has been mostly extinguished in this war, it can't be about maintaining the T-80 fleet.

I think it's because the weight of all the addons on the T-90 (massive ERA addons, the cope cage anti drone stuff) over the decades, and the need for mobility and reliable cold weather start/performance has forced this upon the Russian Armed Forces.

They need 1500 HP to maintain a mobility advantage over the AFU's increasingly more mobile western tanks; and the V92 Diesel taps out at around 1150 HP; and the T-14 Opposed Piston Diesel simply doesn't work.

Soo....gas turbines by default win.