The Main Automotive-Armoured Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (, abbr. GABTU; another translation: ''Main Directorate of

Armoured Armour (Commonwealth English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat ...

Forces'') is a department of the

Russian Ministry of Defence The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (; MOD) is the governing body of the Russian Armed Forces. The President of Russia is the Commander-in-Chief of the forces and directs the activity of the ministry. The Minister of Defence exerci ...

which is subordinated to the Chief of

Armament A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law e ...

s and

Munition Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of oth ...

s of the

Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

, vice-minister of defense (). In January 1943, the Main Automobile Directorate (GAU) of the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

was formed. In January 1946, the Main Automobile Directorate of the Red Army was transformed into the Automobile Directorate of the Armed Forces of the USSR. In 1949, on the basis of the Automotive Directorate of the Armed Forces and the Tractor Directorate of the GAU of the Armed Forces, the Main Automotive and Tractor Directorate (GAVTU) was formed. In 1953, the Main Automotive Directorate was transformed into the Autotractor Directorate (AVTU) of the Ministry of Defence. In 1961, the Autotractor Directorate was transformed into the Central Autotractor Directorate (TSAVTU) of the Ministry of Defence. In December 1982, the Central Automobile and Tractor Directorate of the Ministry of Defence was renamed the Main Automobile Directorate (GLAVTU) of the Ministry of Defence.

Main Armored Directorate

In December 1994, the GBTU of the

Russian Ministry of Defense The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (; MOD) is the governing body of the Russian Armed Forces. The President of Russia is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Commander-in-Chief of the forces ...

and the GLAVTU of the Russian Ministry of Defense were reorganized into the Main Armored Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (GABTU of the Russian Ministry of Defense). Today it is the main developer of military-technical policy in the field of military vehicles and armored weapons and equipment. It is also the main customer and supplier of armored and automotive equipment to the troops. The

T-80 The T-80 is a main battle tank (MBT) that was designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union and manufactured in Russia. The T-80 is based on the T-64, while incorporating features from the later T-72 and changing the engine to a gas turbi ...

performed so poorly that after the

First Chechen War The First Chechen War, also referred to as the First Russo-Chechen War, was a struggle for independence waged by the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria against the invading Russia, Russian Federation from 1994 to 1996. After a mutually agreed on treaty ...

that General-Lieutenant A. Galkin, the head of the Main Armour Directorate, convinced the Minister of Defence to never again procure tanks with

gas-turbine engine A gas turbine or gas turbine engine is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the direction of flow: ...

s. On November 22, 2019, the Main Armored Directorate was awarded the Diploma of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Heads of the Main Armored Directorate

* 1992—1996 —

Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Galkin Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are A ...

— colonel general ( :ru:Галкин, Александр Александрович (генерал)) * 1996—2004 — Sergey Aleksandrovich Mayev — colonel general * 2004—2007 — Vladislav Aleksandrovich Polonsky — colonel general, General Major Vladislav Polonskiy was identified by '' Krasnaya Zvezda'' on September 14, 2004. * 2007—2009 — Nikolay Fyodorovich Yershov —

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

* 2009– 2019 — Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Shevchenko — Major General. * 2019–2021 – Sergey Vladimirovich Bibik – Major General * 2022–present – Aleksandr Anatolyevich Shestakov – Lieutenant General

Object numbers

GABTU is responsible for assignment of object () numbers to almost all the tanks and other combat vehicles entering service in the Armed Forces of the

Russian Federation Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

. Объект is often transliterated as , etc. These names are sometimes referred to incorrectly as "industry designation" or "factory names". The initial digit corresponds to the design bureau. *1-99 Gorky Automobile Factory (GAZ) *100-199 Ural Railway Car Building Factory (Uralvagonzavod plant №183) *201-299

Leningrad Kirov Plant The Kirov Plant, Kirov factory or Leningrad Kirov plant (LKZ) () is a major Russian mechanical engineering and agricultural machinery manufacturing plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was established in 1789, then moved to its present site in 1801 ...

(LKZ) *300-349 Ural Plant of Transport Engineering (UZTM) *400-499

Malyshev Factory The Malyshev Factory (; abbreviated ), formerly the Kharkov Locomotive Factory (, ), is a state-owned manufacturer of heavy equipment in Kharkiv, Ukraine. It was named after the Soviet politician Vyacheslav Malyshev. The factory is part of the s ...

(HZTM) *500 Omsktransmash (plant №174) *501-549 Rubtsovsk Engineering Works *550-599

Mytishchi Machine Building Factory OJSC Mytishchi Machine-Building Plant () is a Russian manufacturer of dump trucks and armored tracked vehicles, with its headquarters in Mytishchi. The plant was formerly part of Metrowagonmash, from which it was spun off in 2009. As of 2016, it ...

(MMZ) *600-699 Kurgan Engineering Factory (KMZ) *700-799 Chelyabinsk Kirov (Tractor) Plant (ChKZ, ChTZ) *800-849 Various *850-899 Moscow Automobile Factory (ZIS, ZIL) *900-999 Stalingrad (Volgograd) Tractor Factory (STZ, VgTZ) *1000-1050 Kutaisi Automotive Factory (KAZ)

List

References

External links