# Russian Tank Biathlon  (Russia invites foreign tank crews to compete)



## CougarKing (11 Aug 2013)

So will the Germans dominate with their Leopard IIs in this competition?



> *Russia Challenges US in Tank Biathlon*
> en.rian.ru
> 10/08/2013
> 
> ...


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## George Wallace (11 Aug 2013)

Love the WoT ad on that article.

Nothing new.  Canada created such a competition, Canadian Army Trophy (CAT), for NATO and it was run up until the early '90's.  The trophy, a sterling silver Centurion, is now at the Armour School.  

Always an indicator of some of the best crew Gunnery skills, but not necessarily the best tank.

This sounds like quite an interesting event.


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## The Bread Guy (11 Aug 2013)

Already on Wikipedia - what the course appears to entail (with the usual Wikipedia caveats)....


> .... Tanks go on a three-round route of 6-10 kilometers.
> 
> During the first round crews fire at targets positioned at a distances of 1800, 1700, 1500 meters.
> 
> ...


YouTube video from the Belarus military Info-machine here


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## Humphrey Bogart (11 Aug 2013)

looks like a lot of fun!


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## CougarKing (15 Aug 2013)

Didn't realize the competitors each had to pick an unusual colour...  ;D

Video snippets of the Tank Biathlon 2013 competition


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## CougarKing (20 Aug 2013)

Surprise, surprise...the Russians won the competition they hosted. Didn't the Kazakhs, Ukrainians and all these other CIS states all use the same MBT as the Russians?

*For the Win – Russia Triumphs in Tank Biathlon*
en.ria.ru










> The racing field dwarfs the 40-ton machines and is clouded by smoke. The announcer’s deep voice struggles to cut through the booming guns and whistling signal rockets, and the engines’ roar is deafening as brightly-painted killing machines thunder past, each leaving a plume of dust in its wake.
> 
> The idea is pretty simple – just like a regular biathlon, only with tanks.


<snipped>


> *US, Germany – Bring it On*
> Shoigu also said that the United States and Germany, Russia’s rivals on the arms exports market, were invited to bring their own tanks to compete against Russia next year.
> 
> After Saturday’s race, *the US and German military attachés both said that their respective superiors are still deciding whether to accept Shoigu’s invitation, though the German officer sounded excited about it.*
> ...


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## SeaKingTacco (20 Aug 2013)

Hmmm.... Germans vs Russians in a tank competition....

where have we seen this before?


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## The Bread Guy (20 Aug 2013)

SeaKingTacco said:
			
		

> Hmmm.... Germans vs Russians in a tank competition....
> 
> where have we seen this before?


Here?


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## CougarKing (31 Jul 2015)

The 2015 edition of this competition is next week! And the Chinese team will be reportedly using their own non-Russian-made tank, the Type 96, which is not a clone of the T-72, T-80 or T-90 tanks most of the other teams are using.

Diplomat



> *Russia to Host World Military Games: China Brought its Own Tank
> The ‘World Championship Tank Biathlon 2015’ will kick off on August 1 near Moscow.*
> Teams from 17 countries, including Belarus, China, Egypt, India, Nicaragua and Tajikistan, are currently gathering at the Alabino firing range in the suburbs of Moscow to compete in this year’s World Tank Biathlon Championship RT reports.
> 
> ...


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## CougarKing (18 Jul 2016)

Chinese Type 96 MBTs joining Russia and other former Warsaw Pact tank teams at this year's edition of tank biathlon:

*China will use upgraded Type 96A main battle tank for Tank Biathlon 2016 competition in Russia* | Army Recognition - 13 July 2016


> China will use upgraded Type 96A main battle tank for Tank Biathlon 2016 competition in Russia.
> 
> The upgraded Chinese Type 96A main battle tanks (MBT) are going to participate in the Tank Biathlon 2016 competition, according to Russian defense analysts and local sources. The Type 96A was showed for the first time to the public, during the military parade at Beijing in 2009.



IHS Jane's 360 - 12 July 2016



> One of China's biggest military manufacturers, China North Industries Corporation (Norinco), has developed a new variant of its Type 96 (ZTZ-96) main battle tank (MBT) in time to participate in the 30 July to 16 August International Army Games organised by the Russian Ministry of Defence.
> 
> <snipped>
> 
> ...







At least five T-96Bs arrived in Russia on 7 July to take part in the Masters of Automobile and Tank Hardware competition, according to Russian media reports. (CJDBY website)


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## medicineman (18 Jul 2016)

This year has a new surprise - a two way range...

MM


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