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Interfax, Russia
August 10, 2013 Saturday 2:56 PM MSK
German, Italian crews may take part in tank biathlon competition in
Russia in 2014 - deputy defense minister
MOSCOW. Aug 10
German and Italian crews may join the participants in a tank biathlon
competition in Russia in 2014, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yury
Borisov told journalists on Saturday.
Tank crews from Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will be taking
part in the final round of the first tank biathlon competition in
Alabino outside Moscow on August 12 to 17, 2013.
"Next year, we want to expand the list of participants so that not
only CIS countries take part in it. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has
invited partners from Italy and Germany to take part in this event,"
Borisov said.
The deputy defense minister highly praised the practical usefulness of
the competition, reasoning that, in addition to improving the tank
crews' skills, it is a good way to demonstrate advantages of Russian
armored vehicles to foreign partners, he said.
"This will be a good opportunity to hold a real competition between a
wheeled and a tracked tank," Borisov said, pointing out that Russia
has been testing the Italian wheeled tank destroyer Centauro since
2012.
The crews will compete in driving, firing, and crossing obstacles,
such as a ford, roadblocks, a treadway bridge, speed sections and
overtake sections.
Each tank will have to pass about 20 kilometers at a high speed and
fire all types of its weapons. The crews will have to hit targets
simulating tanks and low-flying helicopters at ranges of 900 to 2,200
meters.
The final competition will include an additional element: the
participants will have to fire in motion with the tank's turret turned
perpendicular to the axis of movement, which is considered one of the
most difficult and spectacular elements.
Just as in traditional biathlon, the track includes a 500-meter
penalty loop that the participants will have to follow if they miss
the target.
va
August 10, 2013 Saturday 2:56 PM MSK
German, Italian crews may take part in tank biathlon competition in
Russia in 2014 - deputy defense minister
MOSCOW. Aug 10
German and Italian crews may join the participants in a tank biathlon
competition in Russia in 2014, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Yury
Borisov told journalists on Saturday.
Tank crews from Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will be taking
part in the final round of the first tank biathlon competition in
Alabino outside Moscow on August 12 to 17, 2013.
"Next year, we want to expand the list of participants so that not
only CIS countries take part in it. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has
invited partners from Italy and Germany to take part in this event,"
Borisov said.
The deputy defense minister highly praised the practical usefulness of
the competition, reasoning that, in addition to improving the tank
crews' skills, it is a good way to demonstrate advantages of Russian
armored vehicles to foreign partners, he said.
"This will be a good opportunity to hold a real competition between a
wheeled and a tracked tank," Borisov said, pointing out that Russia
has been testing the Italian wheeled tank destroyer Centauro since
2012.
The crews will compete in driving, firing, and crossing obstacles,
such as a ford, roadblocks, a treadway bridge, speed sections and
overtake sections.
Each tank will have to pass about 20 kilometers at a high speed and
fire all types of its weapons. The crews will have to hit targets
simulating tanks and low-flying helicopters at ranges of 900 to 2,200
meters.
The final competition will include an additional element: the
participants will have to fire in motion with the tank's turret turned
perpendicular to the axis of movement, which is considered one of the
most difficult and spectacular elements.
Just as in traditional biathlon, the track includes a 500-meter
penalty loop that the participants will have to follow if they miss
the target.
va