In 2017, the Ukrainian State defense industry UkrOboronProm plants started and successfully completed development and testing of new military equipment and weapons, with the goal to strengthen the Ukrainian army in the near future. Only this year the BTR-4MV1, the combat UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Horlytsya, the 3D observation radar 80K6T, T-72AMT main battle tank and many other modern weapon products were demonstrated.
New Ukrainian-made BTR-4MV1 8x8 Armoured Personnel Carrier APC vehicle (Picture source Defense Blog)
The BTR-4MV1 was unveiled for the first time to the public in Kiev during the Defense Exhibition Arms and security in October 2017. The BTR-4MV1 was developed using BTR-4 operation experience in combat zone. The vehicle is build using NATO standards and technological solutions in accordance with the latest generation of armored vehicles technology. This allowed to achieve fundamentally new combat capabilities of the new vehicle.
The first prototype of the BTR-4MV1 was equipped with the BM-3 "Shturm" remote-controlled weapon station, but the vehicle can also be fitted with other weapons station as the BAU-23x2, "Grom" turret or BM-7 "Parus" turret. The BM-3 "Shturm" turret is armed with a ZTM-1 30 mm automatic gun which can be remotely operated to provide increased soldier protection in hostile environments. There is also two launchers on the right side of the turret for the Barrier anti-tank laser-guided missiles.
The BTR-4MV1 is based on an modular platform offering the possibility to install additional types of protection (including ceramic plates and explosive reactive armour) to reach the fourth and fifth protection levels in accordance with the NATO standards.
The BTR-4MV1 has a crew of three including driver, commander and gunner and can carry seven troops at the rear of the hull.
New Ukrainian-made T-72AMT main battle tank
The T-72AMT is an upgraded variant of the Soviet-made T-72A main battle tank (MBT) developed in Ukraine by the Kiev Armoured Plant. It was developed based on the experience acquire by the Ukrainian troops in the Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (ATO) zone.
The protection of the T-72AMT has been upgraded with new armour around the turret and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) mounted at the front and each side of the hull.
Main armament of the T-72AMT consists of one 125mm 2A46 smoothbore gun, which has a rate of fire of six to eight rounds a minute. It can also fire anti-tank laser-guided missile developed by State Kyiv Design Bureau ‘Luch’. This missile uses a semi-automatic guidance from laser beam and can penetrate 750 mm of armour at a range of 5 km.
The T-72AMT main battle tank is motorized with a diesel engine developing 840 hp, it can run at a maximum road speed of 60km/h.
