Russia has turned its T-90 tank into a robot – and plans to hire gamers to fight future wars

 

Future of warfare? Russia’s deputy prime minister said that they now need gamers who play World of Tanks, an online war simulator, rather than regular tank drivers. Pictured above is an image from the online game

 

• Arms company said it is refitting iconic war machine to work remotely
• Drivers will be able to manoeuvre war machine from up to three miles away
• Russian deputy prime minister said future army will need to recruit gamers
• Named online game World of Tanks as possible recruiting tool for soldiers

Russia is to turn its famous T-90 tank into a robot – and wants the wars of the future to be fought by computer gamers.

A close ally of Vladimir Putin announced this week that the T-90 – a staple of Russia’s army with some 20 years of service – will be refitted so that it doesn’t need physical drivers.

Russia’s New Armata Tank Can Be Upgraded to Robot – Official

 

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier on Sunday, Russian media cited an interview with a deputy general director of Uralvagonzavod, the Armata’s manufacturer, who said that the tank could be fitted with remote control to become a robot.

“It was provided for from the beginning,” Rogozin said via his Twitter account referring to earlier reports of possible upgrades to Russia’s new main battle tank.

Putin’s New ‘Wunderwaffe’: The World’s Deadliest Tank?

 

Russia will display its newest tank during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 this year. 20 units of the world’s first series-produced third generation main battle tank, designated T-14 and based upon the new “Armata” universal chassis system, have recently been delivered to the Russian Armed Forces for training purposes.

By 2020, Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), the largest main battle tank manufacturer in the world, plans to produce 2,300 T-14 Armata models. According to media reports, large deliveries of the tank (around 500 per year) will start in 2017. In total, the Russian Land Forces are scheduled to receive a batch of 32 Armata main battle tanks this year.