In the romantic comedy that is Russian vs. US relations, we're finally getting the will they/won't they kiss - the two aging superpowers are going to face off in tank competition.
It's only going to be a 'friendly' match, so you can come out of your nuke-proof basement bunkers. Specifically, NPR reports that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu challenged US Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to a tank biathalon.
A biathalon, for those of you who don't watch every event at the Winter Olympics, is a crosscountry skiing race combined with a shooting competition. RIA Novost news gave the details of what a shooting-and-driving tank biathalon entails.
In the tank biathlon, every tank runs almost 20 kilometres at a maximum possible speed, while firing from all weapons the targets, which are rising in different directions and distances. On the course, a tank has to pass repeatedly a ford, fences, a rut bridge, high-speed sections and overtaking passages. At all the times, the crew remains constantly in the firing position.
Of course the US agreed to the challenge, which is expected to take place sometime next year. Autoblog speculates it will be a M1 Abrams vs T-90 (seen above) competition, but we're not sure.
Either way, if you see US tank crews running to the tops of mountains screaming "DROGO," now you know why.
Photo Credit: Russia Today