COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COMBAT CAPABILITIES OF MODERN TANKS OF VARIOUS TYPES

Modern war is a test of the material and spiritual forces of the people, the state and its Armed Forces, which prompts each country to maintain its defense capability at a level that guarantees reliable protection of society. Analysis of the nature of armed conflict in recent decades shows a sharp increase in the impact of modern weapons and military equipment on the course and outcome of military operations. Currently, weapons and military equipment form the basis of the combat power of the armed forces of any state and are the determining factor in achieving success in war or armed conflict. Despite the rapid development of anti-tank weapons and the decrease in survivability on the battlefield, main battle tanks remain one of the decisive means of modern combined arms combat, which is characterized by dynamism, saturation and speed. They provide the combat stability of their own forces in defense and advance during the offensive, destroy enemy armored vehicles, fire points and living forces. A comparative analysis of the main characteristics of modern combat tanks, the advantages and disadvantages of various types of vehicles of foreign and domestic production, used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the defense of the state and countering the aggression of Russia against Ukraine, in order to improve the effectiveness of their use in different conditions of combat. Western models of modern tanks and the Ukrainian tank "Oplot" in some significant combat characteristics prevail over the modern Russian tank T-90, in particular: in the power of the engine and its reliability of operation (engine overheating and failure); in the effectiveness of optoelectronic counteraction to optical enemy means; in the effectiveness of dynamic protection and countering modern weapons; in the perfection of the fire control system; in the sufficiency of the armor of the machine; in the effectiveness of actions in urban conditions. Keywords: war, battle tank, tactical and technical characteristics, effectiveness, comparative analysis