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Object 640 Black Eagle Tank

Object 640 Black Eagle Tank

The Russian Object 640 Black Eagle Tank, was a design developed by the former State owned Omsktransmash manufacturing plant (and its design bureau) in the mid to late 1990’s.

The Black Eagle project has generated a high level of speculation as to its existence. Two different running examples were built-in different configurations and in 2009, a televised statement by a high-ranking Russian Officer denied the existence of the Black Eagle.

In 1997 a very basic mock-up of a tank with 6 road wheels was unveiled at an (unspecifed) defense show. It had a hull resembling a T-80U Main Battle Tank with a new enlarged turret covered in camo nets.

In 1999 a working mock-up went on display at another (unspecifed) defense show and featured 7 road wheels. This is the most commonly photographed vehicle referred to as the Black Eagle.

Object 640 Black Eagle Tank Firepower

Both examples of the Black Eagle featured the 2A46M-4 125mm smoothbore main gun, with a modern Fire Control System. this had a windsensor and thermal sighting for the gunner. It also had an autoloader, but unlike other Russian autoloaders, was mounted in the turrets bustle (rear).

A remote Weapon Station with a 12.7mm Machine Gun was also installed.

There is a lot of speculation that the Black Eagle would have been armed with a 152mm main gun, with little supporting evidence. Any increase in the calbre of the main gun would also have resulted in an increase in the length of the rounds it fired and it is most unlikely that the bustle autoloader of the 2 built examples could fit such rounds.

Object 640 Black Eagle Tank Protection

The Black Eagle wasn’t fully developed enough to feature a new composite or laminate armor. However, the mock-ups had ERA panels and bricks on the hulls front and sides, that look like Konatakt-5 Explosive Reactive Armor. Additional ERA was fitted across a large circular, sweeping turret front. It was marketed as having an ERA package called “Kaktus”.

The Black Eagle mock-ups featured elements of the Arena “Hard-Kill” Active Protection System and may well have been installed on the final production vehicle. The vehicle also could be fitted with an internal fire fighting system.

Object 640 Black Eagle Tank Mobility

The mock-ups had the same rear engine vents as the T-80 tank series and was reportedly a GTD-1250 series gas turbine engine by KLIMOV. The company state they have designed 1400hp and 1500hp gas turbine prototype engines.

Jump t0 4:07 in the video for Black Eagle

Black Eagle Tank Specifications

Firepower
Main Gun 125mm Smoothbore 2A46M-4
Elevation -5 to +14?
Secondary Weapons x1 coaxial 7.62mm MG, x1 12.7mm MG
Ammunition Storage x? 125mm, x? 7.62mm, x? 12.7mm
Mobility
Engine 1250hp GTD-1250 Series
Transmission Manual (4 forward/ 1 reverse gears)?
Top Road Speed 70 km/h?
Road Range ? km
Fuel Capacity ? Litres
Vertical Obstacle 1m?
Water Capability ?m Fording
Trench Crossing 2.85m?
Gradient 60%?
Side Slope 40%?
Dimensions
Length Gun Forward ?m
Length Hull ?m
Width
3.58m?
Height ?m
Ground Clearance 0.45m?
Weight ?kg aka ? tonne combat
Protection
NBC Protected Yes
Armor Type Steel/Slope/Laminate/Explosive Reactive
Active Protection Systems Yes
Crew
Commander Yes
Gunner Yes
Loader
Driver Yes
Additional Crew
Troops Carried n/a

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