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Russian Multipurpose Armored Vehicles

The point, that the use of infantry units during a warfare even without chemical or bacteriological weapon is going to be diminished, obtains a wide circulation not only on bush-league forums but even among some professionals. However, the last local conflicts, for instance in Georgia, show that Infantry remains the most all purpose branch of the Armed Forces which is capable effectively fight against foe's infantry units as well as small guerrilla units. Moreover, the infantry units shall become an absolute obstacle for mechanized units. To full fill the mentioned tasks an infantry unit is supposed to have superiority in fire power and last but not least modern attached armored vehicles

In the end of the 20^th century, the changing nature of military operations required the urgent equipment of armed forces and police with light armored vehicles. The new important tasks emerged, namely counter-terrorist and peace-keeping operations, patrolling missions, border protection, etc.

Performing these missions, military units and law enforcement bodies can be attacked in any place and any time in a situation when there is no front and rear. Command and support units are threatened at the same level as combat units do. Combat units possess combat armored vehicles, but other structures used to employ thin-skinned ones. Thus, the losses of general purpose vehicles in local wars were too large.

Soon, many countries realized the need in light multifunctional armored vehicles and started their creation. The US HMMWV Hammer was a kind of symbol of such vehicles. At present, dozens of companies all over the world manufacture such cars, for example, Renault (France), KMW (Germany), Iveco (Italy), FNSS (Turkey), Bin Jaber Group (UAE) and others.

Such vehicles are used both in military structures and law enforcement bodies as well as in many other fields requiring protected and mobile vehicles.

As for the Russian Federation, the first order for developing light armored vehicles was made by the Federal Border Service at the Special Machine-Building Science-Production Center of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. As a result, the BPM-97 Vystrel armored border vehicle was created.

Later on, Russia designed other light armored vehicles - the GAZ-3937 Vodnik and GAZ-2330 Tigr, employed by the Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry and other law enforcement bodies.

KAMAZ-43269 Vystrel

The light armored vehicle is delivered in various configurations - command, patrol, medical and reconnaissance.

The armored bodywork is made by Kurganmashzavod, while the Naberezhnye Chelny-based Remdiesel plant carries out the final assembling and installs series parts of the KAMAZ 4326 truck. This solution allowed extending the overhaul life up to 270,000 km - an outstanding characteristic for armored vehicles.

The hull is assembled from rolled armor sheets with optimal slope angles. The armor in the top part of the hull protects from the 12.7-mm NSVT heavy machine gun from 300 m, while the bottom part and rear - from the 7.62-mm SVD sniper rifle from 30 m. The cupola provides for the installation of the 14.5-mm KPVT machine gun, 12.7-mm Kord machine gun, 30-mm Plamya grenade launcher and antitank missile system.

The BPM-97 has two 125-liter protected tanks and an extra 20-liter tank in the armored hull. The vehicle features an autonomous heater to maintain working temperature in the troopers compartment irrespectively of the engine operation. Also, it has an air filtration unit.

In Russia, the KAMAZ-43269 Vystrel is mainly used to carry explosives, money and valuable cargo. In 2005, several vehicles were sold to the Interior Ministries of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

GAZ-3937 Vodnik

Vodnik has hermetic hull and is amphibious

It is a light armored vehicle of modular configuration. Its hull is welded from rolled armored sheets and represents a combination of front and rear modules. The space limited by the front module includes the powerplant and control compartments separated by a sealed bulkhead. The rear module represents usable volume designed for transporting people and cargo, mounting special equipment and armament.

The two-seat cab with tandem seats is in the front on the left side. It is equipped with a heating/air conditioning unit and adjustable seats. To the sight, one can see a six-cylinder row turbocharged 175-hp 6.23-l engine from the GAZ-5423. The 6.4-t GAZ-3937 can reach a speed of 112 km/h on a highway. The power take-off device allows switching a water-jet motor, a winch and other devices.

Due to the quick-release coupling of the rear module and the hull bearing flange, various modules can be easily replaced on a vehicle on the field. Thus, various modules allow using one chassis for transporting people, cargo, mounting special equipment and armament.

The selectable front-wheel drive, steering booster, heating and air conditioning system provide high cross-country capability and comfort.

The independent torsion suspension, central tire inflation system, smooth bottom side and high clearance ensure the vehicle's smooth movement in cross country conditions. The hermetic hull allows crossing water obstacles afloat at a speed of up to 4 km/h.

The GAZ-3937 is the basis for the 39371 version featuring armored hull, altered cab and turret.

The vehicle is highly unified with GAZ series vehicles, which provides high reliability and serviceability.

GAZ-2330 Tigr

(PIC Tigr)

It is a 4x4 vehicle featuring ring-bridge structure, armored single-volume three-door bodywork and designed to transport up to 9 people and 1,200 kg of cargo. The cargo compartment is separated from the passenger one with a bulkhead and accommodates additional seats for 2-4 persons. The independent double fishbone suspension of all wheels with hydraulic shock absorbers as well as the powerplant consisting of the diesel engine, clutch with an air-hydraulic booster, five-stage mechanical gearbox, two-stage transfer case with an interaxle differential including an electropneumatic differential lock drive, engine systems (cooling, fuel, etc), two limited slip axles, wheel-hub drives and wheels with tires adjusted for cross-country conditions are mounted on the stiff welded frame.

The unit unification with the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier and GAZ-39371 Vodnik multifunctional armored vehicle, which are checked by multi-year experience, guarantees the Tigr's high reliability and long overhaul period.

This multifunctional vehicle was ordered by the Defense Ministry of the UAE, which spent $60 million for developing and manufacturing test models. The first Tiger HMTV vehicles were presented in Abu-Dhabi at the IDEX-2001 exhibition. Though, the consumer liked the vehicles, the supply contract was not signed.

Several vehicles were put into test operation with the Moscow Special Rapid Response Unit of Russia's Interior Ministry. As a result, this ministry ordered the special police version of this vehicle for its units. The Tigr's series production is carried out at the Arzamas machine-building plant.

 

The Tigr special police vehicle (SPM-1 and SPM-2) is designed for transportation and operational missions conducted by Interior Ministry forces during anti-terrorist operations, territorial defense and assisting Russia's Federal Border Service.

The Tigr SPM-2 version provides Level 5 ballistic protection. Its roof has two hatches. The cabin has places for the crew as well as for the radio station and radio-controlled bomb locking device. The SPM-1 version provides Level 3 ballistic protection and has some extra equipment, namely the conditioning system, arm support for weapons, etc.

The STS GAZ-233014 Tigr is a special-purpose vehicle designed for military troops. It provides Level 3 ballistic protection. There is a rotating hatch with a folded cap and arm supports for weapons in the roof. Opening armor windows in the doors and sides allow using side arms by the troopers. The cabin has seats for the driver, vehicle commander and 4 troopers. The size of the pivot hatch allows two crew members to fire in two directions at once. Inside the STS GAZ-233014 Tigr, there are cases for the machine gun and grenade launcher ammunition loads, arm supports for machine guns, automatic grenade launcher, reactive antitank grenades (RPG-22, RPG-26 and RShG-2) and manpads (Igla and Igla-S).

The Tigr's army version has two controllable powerful pilot lights, one mounted in front and the other - at the rear on the roof.

There is a versatile arm support with sockets for communication systems in the hull on the transmission tunnel. Arm supports for communication antennas are mounted outside. The hull and door windows are bulletproof and the interior spall liners protect personnel against spalls if the hull is hit by bullets or fragments and exclude ricochet from the opposite side if the hull is pierced.

The series STS Tigr vehicles are constantly improved. The current version has a board information control system (BIUS) and a multiplex electric equipment control system. These systems are integrated into the on-board network by he CAN multiplex bus. In December 2009, a new Tigr version powered by the 420-hp diesel engine was presented in Nizhny Tagil. The previous versions were powered by 2-5-hp diesel engines.

The KShM R-145BMA Tigr is a command and control vehicle used by the commanders of Special Forces to control their troops, communicate with superior chiefs and cooperating bodies. The vehicle provides communications on the move and stand and commutation with stationary communications systems. The means of communication work in various bands and include satellite communications systems, ciphony equipment, commutation systems as well as various power sources. This command and control vehicle was jointly created by the Military-Industrial Company and Tambov radio plant Signal.

SPM-3 Medved

This special-purpose armored police vehicle was first shown in public in autumn 2008 in Moscow. It was initially planned to make a family of vehicles on the chassis of SPM-3 APC designed for the Internal Troops. Featuring better ballistic protection and especially strong anti-mine protection, the SPM-3 can be used for delivering infantry units to the battlefield and fire support missions, too. The SPM-3 can be widely used in the armed forces for the following purposes:

• for escort and patrolling missions, commandant control service, special post service, transporting and keeping secret documents in field;

• as a protected command and control vehicle. Its large usable interior volume (about 12 cu.m) allows installing the necessary communications and control systems and providing comfortable work of the combat crew;

• as a reconnaissance scout vehicle. In this case, its advantages in speed, protection and place for reconnaissance equipment and systems are used;

• as a self-propelled antitank combat vehicle (it has large internal volume);

• as a self-propelled mortar;

• as a armored medical vehicle for MEDEVAC missions;

• as a NBC reconnaissance vehicle, etc.

Characteristics	Vodnik	Vystrel	Tigr
Configuration	4 x 4	4 x 4	4x4
Cab seating	3 + 8 men	2+8	2+7
Weight (empty)	6.6 - 7.5 t	10.5 t	7.6 t
Maximum load	1.5 - 2.5 t		1.5 t
Length Width Height	5.38 m 2.6 m 2.15 / 2.57 m	5.3 m 1.9 m 2.3 m	5.7 m 2.3 m 2.3 m
Engine power	175 hp	240 hp	205 hp
Maximum road speed	112 km/h	90 km/h	140 km/h
Amphibious speed on water	4 - 5 km/h	-	-
Range	up to 1 000 km	up to 1100 km	up to 900 km
Gradient	60,00%	60,00%	50,00%
Armor	bulletproof	bulletproof	bulletproof

 

Cooperation / N2 2010