Mankind today simply cannot do without various technical devices. Machines and equipment help people move and erect structures in a relatively short time. If not for heavy equipment, no one would have built the longest or highest bridges and buildings. And thanks to it, the construction of the most incredible objects becomes possible. And for military purposes, its use is simply necessary. For example, the range of a fighter or helicopter is limited by the fuel supply. And thanks to aircraft carriers, this distance is significantly increasing.
What is included in the concept of "heavy equipment"
This concept covers a fairly wide range of machines and equipment designed to perform various tasks. First of all, this is road construction, as well as military heavy equipment. The first type includes:
- Mining excavators and bulldozers.
- Material Handlers.
- Draglines.
- Mobile crushers.
- Bucket wheel excavators.
- Trawls.
- Mobile screens.
- Mining trucks.
- Tractors and much more.
The second type includes tanks, self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles , armored personnel carriers, airborne assault vehicles, aircraft, helicopters, ships, submarines, missile systems, military all-terrain vehicles, snow and swamp vehicles, etc.
Scope of application
As the name implies, military heavy equipment is mainly used for the needs of the army and the achievement of relevant goals. At the same time, for example, engineering vehicles can be used for civilian purposes to eliminate the consequences of natural disasters or catastrophes.
Heavy equipment of Russia, both civilian and military, is produced in industries that are related to the military-industrial complex. Therefore, most specimens are highly reliable, passable and have a long service life in harsh conditions.
Heavy civilian equipment is used for transportation of various cargoes, road works, construction of buildings and structures, bridges, engineering networks. This makes the work more profitable from an economic point of view, and also allows to reduce the execution time. The heaviest equipment in the world is represented by three models. They differ not only in size, but also in carrying capacity.
The best of the best…
The largest excavator in the world is Bagger 288. This heavy equipment was built for Rheinbraun by Krupp (Germany). The size of the excavator surpassed the tracked conveyor, which NASA uses to transport rockets or shuttles. He needs external power sources, so this giant is considered to be a movable device for career work. The excavator weighs 13.5 tons, dimensions - 240x46x96 (length-width-height).
NASA's tracked transporter is only slightly inferior to the Bagger. Two existing instances are made on a platform of four tracked carts. To maintain the balance of the conveyor, a special hydraulic system is used. This heavy equipment has dimensions of 40x35 meters (length-width) and can transport 6000 tons.
The Slashbuster excavator is recognized as the most productive and dangerous. It is equipped with a high-strength steel mounted disk, which within a radius of 15 meters destroys trees of any breed and age. The metal is very strong, the cutting edge is so sharp that it is impossible to stop the work even with reinforced concrete blocks. In 1 hour, this heavy equipment can destroy up to 120 square meters of forest.
Belarusians hit the Guinness book
Until 2013, the Liebherr T 282B mining truck was considered the largest. And this is not surprising - with its size and carrying capacity, it could rightfully be called the eighth wonder of the world. Its serial production was started in Germany at Liebherr. The overall dimensions of the truck are 14.5x8.8x6.4 meters (length-width-height), engine power - up to 3650 hp. Carrying capacity is 363 tons.
In 2013, the BelAZ company began production of the BelAZ-75710 mining dump truck. This truck surpassed in all respects the aforementioned "eighth wonder of the world." The total engine power is more than 4,500 hp. Overall dimensions and completely serious: 20.6 x 9.75 x 8.17 meters! At the same time, the carrying capacity reaches 450 tons. The truck has 2 fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 2800 liters (Liebherr T 282B has one for 4730 liters of fuel). The speed that the truck can develop as much as possible is 60 km / h (here it is somewhat inferior to its competitor - 64 km / h). In January 2014, BelAZ-75710 set a Guinness record - it was able to carry cargo weighing 503.5 tons.
Finally
Of course, not all consumers need heavy equipment, many can do without it perfectly. But there are areas of activity in which one simply cannot do without it. For example, it would not be possible to launch the Shuttles into orbit or dig pits at high speed. And military heavy equipment helps to reduce the personnel of the armed forces of any state, while increasing, directly or indirectly, the ability to withstand the enemy.