In later generations, tank guns have not changed for decades, 120 mm in the West, 125 mm in the East, various ammunition has been constantly developed, but the caliber of tank guns has not changed.

Why?

There are many reasons, the most critical is the end of the Cold War, and it is almost impossible for a large-scale ground war to break out between powerful countries, so countries have no intention of developing the main battle equipment of tanks, and look at the fact that all countries are reducing equipment, Germany made Leopard-2, and as a result, in its own army, there are only more than 200 Leopard-2 tanks, which are still in overhaul, and there are many equipment waiting for spare parts, and there are not even 100 intact tanks.

They are no longer in demand.

If the Cold War continues, the development of weapons and equipment will certainly not be so slow.

Now, in the late eighties, the 120-mm, 125-mm guns of various countries have been equipped for several years, especially in the USSR, 125-mm guns have been equipped for twenty years, isn't it possible to pre-develop the next generation of tank guns?

That's for sure, of course.

In fact, not only the Soviet Union, but also Britain and France are studying the next generation of tank guns, and the British 120-mm tank gun has been equipped with the Chieftain tank as early as now, and it has been a long time coming.

Therefore, the next generation of tank guns is actually a topic.

What is the caliber?

Speaking of tank guns, of course, the caliber is the first thing to say, the larger the caliber, the more powerful it is, after the end of World War II? Most of the tank guns are still about 80 mm caliber, and at the beginning of the Cold War, it was overturned to 100 mm? Until now? 120 mm and 125 mm are gradually starting to become common? At the same time, the next generation of tank guns has also begun to be pre-developed.

Got a different story? 130 mm? 135 mm, there are also 140 mm, Qin Zhenhua is here? Of course, it's the biggest one.

Don't look at our tank guns only over-the-top to 125 mm? But? We have already started the pre-development of a 140 mm caliber tank gun.

The topic of our 125-mm tank guns now? Revealed? What tank gun has a chamber pressure? How big is the medicine room, why the shells that go out are so penetrating and so on, all about it, a destined transitional model, what is there to talk about? Let's talk about the tank of the future.

If the USSR hadn't collapsed? The development of tanks in later generations will definitely not be so slow? Before the new millennium? There will definitely be tank guns of a larger caliber to equip the troops? So now, when it comes to talking about this, it's not a kind of nonsense? What kind of castle in the sky, there is a down-to-earth demand.

"We already have a hunch that with the continuous enhancement of the protection capability of Western tanks, the 125 mm caliber tank gun can only be a transition, don't look at our ability to penetrate 500 mm, the British Chobham armor, the protection is stronger, which is enviable." Qin Zhenhua said: "In order to increase the power, we can only increase the caliber, we think that the 140 mm mouth caliber as the next generation of tank gun caliber standards, more appropriate, what do you think?" ”

Hearing Qin Zhenhua talk about this, Kartsev was also interested: "140 mm caliber? If it is such a large barrel, it will be a very heavy burden on the tank. ”

In later generations, tank guns did not further increase the caliber, on the one hand, there was no urgent need, and on the other hand, because there were real technical difficulties.

Tank guns, what is needed are high-speed armor-piercing shells, and if the shells want to be high-speed, the barrel must be long enough. Therefore, it is already very common to have a diameter of more than 40 times, the 120 mm guns of the Germans are 44 times the caliber, and the 125 mm guns of the eastern powers are 48 times the caliber, so to speak, the barrel is getting longer and longer, and when it comes to the 140 mm tank gun, if it comes to a 50 times the diameter, how long is it?

More than seven meters long barrel! Such a long barrel is a big burden, its weight is certainly not light, it will be more difficult for the tank turret to rotate, and it will not be easy for the turret to counterweight, so, when you think about it, it should be difficult to achieve.

Is the other party talking casually, or is it really engaged? Just see what the other person says next.

Hearing Kartsev's words, Qin Zhenhua nodded approvingly: "Yes, what you said is so right, such a large barrel will give us tank designers quite a headache, so we have also made a decision that the next generation of tanks will become turretless tanks." ”

"What?" When Kartsev heard Qin Zhenhua's words, he was even more surprised.

Turretless tanks!

Since the appearance of the tank, there is a turret, after years of development, from a single turret, a double turret, a three-person turret, the development has been very perfect, and then there is an automatic loader, and it has changed back to the mechanism of a double turret, and now, Qin Zhenhua actually said that there is no turret?

"yes, you wouldn't have thought about it, would you? That turret is the nightmare of our tank designers, so let's just not have a turret. Qin Zhenhua said: "Without the turret, the tank can reduce the weight of at least ten or even fifteen tons, and these weights can be added to the armor protection to improve the performance of the tank." At the same time, the bomb area of the tank will also be greatly reduced, which increases the survival probability of the tank, and the benefits are too many. ”

The 140 mm tank gun brought new challenges to the design of the tank, so let's just come up with a novel design.

Tanks without turrets have appeared, this is the Swedish STRV103 tank, this tank has no turret, the barrel is directly mounted on the hull, quite small, when you need to turn the barrel, then directly turn the hull to aim.

However, no one knows what the performance of this tank is, after all, Sweden has never exported this tank, and after they use it, the next generation of tanks will also be replaced with turrets.

"Without the turret, how can the tank gun turn? Where are the tank drivers? The Swedes have already tried, and this design is unscientific. Kartsev asked.

Hearing the other party's words, Qin Zhenhua originally wanted to talk a few more nonsense, but felt that if he didn't come up with some new plans, it was estimated that the other party would be able to see that he was talking nonsense, which was naturally not good.

"Oh, there seems to be something wrong with what I just said." Qin Zhenhua said: "It's not a turret, it's an unmanned turret. As long as there are no people in the turret, the size can be greatly reduced. The weight is also saved, and if you want to be able to carry a 140 mm cannon barrel, you must have an unmanned turret. ”

The difference in one word makes a completely different difference. The turret is still there, but because there is no need for people, the turret is greatly reduced, and the weight is saved, making up for the big hole in the increase in the dead weight of the 140 mm gun.