Tajik tankers have finished finished first in the first lap of the Tank Biathlon in Moscow oblast outrunning tankers from Angola, Laos and Uganda, according the press center of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) of Tajikistan.
The first lap took place at the Alabino Firing Range in Moscow oblast on July 29 and tank crews from Tajikistan, Angola, Laos and Uganda took part in that lap.
Tajik tank crew reportedly coped with the task, but they failed to hit imaginary helicopter and antitank grenadier from sub-machine-gun.
In the second lap that also took place on July 29 tankers from Azerbaijan, China, Kuwait and Monglia were competing.
Recall, four Tajik top tank crews are participating in the Tank Biathlon World Championship 2017 that is taking place at the Alabino Firing Range in Moscow oblast from July 29 through August 6.
Tajik delegation is led by Colonel Mahmadali Ashourov, Deputy Commander of Ground Forces of Tajikistan.
This year, tank crews from Azerbaijan, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, India, Iran, China, Laos, Kuwait, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Serbia, Tajikistan and Uganda are participating in the Tank Biathlon World Championship in Russia. Laos and Uganda are new entrants to the game.
This year, all the teams use Russian T-72 tanks, except for the Chinese crews, who use their own T-96 tanks and Indian crews, who use their own Arjun tanks.
A Tank biathlon is a mechanized military sport developed by the Russian Military with some similarities to the winter sport of biathlon. It utilizes the complex training of tank crews including their rough terrain passing skills combined with the ability to provide accurate and rapid fire while performing maneuvers.
Participating tanks drive a three-lap route of 6–10 km. During the first lap, crews fire at targets positioned at distances of 1,800, 1,700 and 1,500 m. In the second lap, different targets imitating an anti-tank mortar (RPG) squad and an infantry unit are fired upon. These targets are at a distance of 600–700 m, and must be engaged with a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. In the third lap the tank crews target a target shaped like an anti-tank gun and ATGM unit by use of the turret-mounted heavy machine gun at a distance of 1,200 m. One or more misses leads to an extra penalty lap of 500 m long. On the final lap tanks have to go through various terrain obstacles; an obstacle missed or improperly traversed adds 10 seconds to the crew's final timing.
The 1st Tank Biathlon World Championship took place at the Alabino proving ground on August 4–16, 2014. Out of 41 nations that received invitation to the tournament, 12 sent their representatives. Every competitor (except teams of China and Russia) received a T-72B tank in the biathlon color scheme. The Russian team piloted the newest modification, T-72B3, and the Chinese team brought their own Type 96A.
