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The technical progress in the art of war made in the early part of the 20th century brought about new kind of
combat systems - battle tanks. These fighting vehicles embodied the firepower of artillery, armour protection against enemy's
fire, and high mobility during cross-country movement. The combination of all these capabilities made it possible to plan
and carry out military operations on a qualitatively new level, and, hence, caused rapid rise in the quantity and quality
of tank fleets.
The outcome of the world wars and local conflicts became directly depended on wide use of tank troops - the
main striking force of land armies.
Nowadays the battle tank is one of the most complex machines. Its design ensures its reliability and operability
under extreme conditions, under the influence of climatic, operational and combat factors. This is achieved by strenuous
efforts of designers, researchers and manufacturers.
The history of the Kharkiv Morozov Machine
Building Design Bureau is closely connected to the history of the Kharkiv Locomotive Plant (KhPZ) - Malyshev Plant.
Tanks and prime movers designed and manufactured by these enterprises have always been the core element and pride
of our country's armoured formations. The vehicles that left these walls have played a key role in determining the
world's trends in the development of battle tanks.
The proposed materials describe for the first time in chronological order the process of development of specialised
vehicles at these enterprises and summarises the 75-year experience in this field. This book may be of considerable interest,
because, as the analysis of the recent armed conflicts shows, there is no alternative to the battle tank as a fighting vehicle.
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