Russian soldiers during a pontoon crossing

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

“In fact, weather is considered to be the pontoon the rain: in cloudy weather, in combat conditions it is best to build bridges and to transfer technology. And today the heat under thirty, the inside of military vehicles — generally about forty degrees, the climate control was not provided”, — says one of the organizers of the international stage of the competition pontoon-crossing units “Open water — 2018,” Colonel Alexander Grigoriev.

“Open water” — it’s like a relay race, only instead of balls and hoops participants forward speed through the water tanks, “Ural” and howitzers. This year the organisers attracted more than 250 soldiers and more than 150 units. Key participant in Murom, Vladimir region, of course, was the Russian team . Muromlyane — soldiers of the 45th guards of the Berlin order of Kutuzov, Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Alexander Nevsky and red Star separate engineering brigade of the Western military district in the final “Open water” win in 2015.

Dust, heat, and water tanks

To measure swords forces with the best military engineers of our country in this time arrived colleagues from the Chinese province of Henan — soldiers of the 83rd chemical engineering brigade of the land forces of the people’s liberation army of China. At home this leading avant-garde force of the chemical engineering troops called the “defender of the people”. Today, however, guests are objectively difficult: both teams play on the Russian technology.

To deploy

Self-propelled artillery “Msta-s”

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

Self-propelled artillery “Msta-s”
© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

Within 45 minutes, until lasted the test at the site of the contest, all revel, explode, the equipment floated, flew, drove along the coast. Men in uniform and civilian is concerned with a squint watching the actions of the teams, and the women were periodically let out a yelp and startled by sharp sounds.

“The peculiarity of the sites on the Oka — sandy shore, quite a fast river, great depth (up to 10 meters — approx. TASS). Sandy beach creates great difficulties for wheeled and tracked vehicles”, — shared his impressions of the captain of the Russian team Colonel Ivan Gudkov.

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But the main participant of the battle that day was the heat. And even the fact that the competition took place on the Bank of the Oka cool, not saved from the attack of the sun. Widespread dust, heat, smoke screens, and the roar of helicopters flying seems to be a few feet over your head — in this scenery competed, it seemed, not only the best military pontoon Russia and China, members of the fictional fighting began thousands of spectators who were thrilled with the event.

“I liked it. Most of all, of course, I remember the helicopters overhead, and as they transported the tanks and machine interesting. When you see it, you know that we have a great country and great people,” says tenth-grader Katya Nikolaeva, who had come to cheer on our of Selivanovsky district of Vladimir region.

To transport the tank for ten minutes

The relay race consisted of seven stages. To complicate the task of the pontoon, around the venue constantly exploding simulation charges and something smokes. Top fly the su-27 and circling attack helicopters Mi-24. “Are elements of the show” — explain the military.

To deploy

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

The first task is the simplest. “The night before crossing water obstacles the sappers, reconnaissance intelligence source Bank, which was covered and masked by a high speed inflatable boat “Favorit-F470″. Engineering reconnaissance patrol need a boat to run to the water barrier, to carry out the loading of personnel, start the engine and maneuver along the buoys,” the booming voice announces presenter.

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Within minutes to the shore are special engineering vehicles, the BAT-2, and a few seconds later on the water come floating conveyor PTS-2. The Russians from getting ahead — first on the meters, then minutes.

The next task is to transport ammunition for the mortar battery, using a 60-ton ferry. Wonder how easily the participants collected a crossing for tanks of four pontoons, fast splicing complex mechanisms and devices. At the finish military has been ferried to the opposite shore two self-propelled howitzers, self-propelled guns “Msta-s” 2S19 and three T-72 tanks. To perform all stages of the Russian team took 42 minutes. The Chinese spent four more, plus receive six penalty minutes.

To deploy

During a pontoon crossing of tanks T-72B3

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

During a pontoon crossing of tanks T-72B3
© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

“Judges take into account the order of the stages: it is impossible to start the next stage without completing the previous one. Penalty points accrued for violations of safety rules, each sector commands a width of 150 meters, marked by buoys, for which you cannot swim,” explained the judging criteria in the contest’s organizing Committee.

The Chinese did not have enough training

“The main problem for us is, of course, the technique, the second is food, third is the weather. We’re the guests, so it is very difficult. We were on the Russian technology, our comrades it is not very well mastered. And had not enough time for training,” — said about his team’s performance the chief of staff of the 83rd chemical engineering brigade of the land forces of the people’s liberation army of China Lieutenant Colonel Gao Wei Guo.

Before the competition, foreign military managed to hold only three full-scale exercises on Russian cars and only once failed to work out each stage separately.

“I am very proud that our team in such a short time learned to manage your appliances: it’s obviously more complicated our”, — said the Colonel.

To deploy

Soldiers of the people’s liberation army of China at the competitions “Open water”

© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

Soldiers of the people’s liberation army of China at the competitions “Open water”
© Sergey Bobylev/TASS

Then admitted the captain of the Russian team Colonel Ivan Gudkov, in this competition, our soldiers experienced in every stage, but especially difficult was the crossing techniques for 60-ton ferry.

“With China we have been Dating for three years. It is strong, powerful, resistant opponent worthy. Hard to compete with them, but still show that the Russian pontoon stronger. In addition, the Russian championship is very serious. Not to say that the Chinese team is better than any Russian team, which is a second or third place was taken”, — said Gudkov. According to him, next year the Russians are willing to accelerate the passage of the test of “Open water”.

Meanwhile, the chief of the engineering troops of the Armed forces of the Russian Federation Yury Stavitskiy at the end of the competition stated that next year the organizers plan to make the contest stages. “I hope that next year will be much more participants, and the entire river will be filled with teams,” he said.

To compete in Murom military planning from Laos, Mongolia, Belarus, Serbia.

Anna Ustinova