Super tank Armata can fight on Mars

Russian media claim that the country's modern Armata tank line is capable of interplanetary combat.

Russia's new generation Armata tank. Photo: Sputnik.

Military experts from Russia's Sputnik newspaper recently stated that the advanced starting system in the engine of the new generation Armata tank could allow it to operate in the harsh weather environment of Mars, National Interest reported on September 9.

According to Izvestia, the system uses multiple supercapacitors to store large amounts of electricity to power the vehicle and allows the Armata's diesel engine to start at temperatures of -50 degrees Celsius.

This system is similar to the system equipped on hybrid cars, using a battery motor to convert electricity at low speeds and then switching to the gasoline engine when the car accelerates.

''We have conducted full-scale testing of using a supercapacitor to start a car in conditions where the main fuel is frozen,'' engineer Mikhail Lifshits said.

According to Lifshits, a regular car’s battery would lose all its power if it were parked in the cold for several days. However, by using a mobile power station with supercapacitors, the Armata can start its frozen fuel engine multiple times in a row.

The new starting system allows the Armata to carry a smaller battery, leaving more space for fuel and ammunition.

AlthoughHowever, according to National Interest, this possibility is still questionable because the actual temperature on Mars ranges from -62 to -120 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile,, the atmosphere on Mars is quite thin, which could cause difficulties for the internal combustion engine of the Armata tank.

If Russia wants to demonstrate this combat capability, dropping a 50-ton T-14 Armata on Mars would also be a big challenge.

According to VNE