Armored cars of Ukraine

The development of light wheeled armored vehicles in Ukraine began long before 2014, but the projects were mostly irregular and did not have permanent funding. However, after the events on the Maidan and the outbreak of hostilities in the Donbass, the creation of armored cars has become one of the priority tasks. National battalions fighting civil uprisings needed protection from firearms and shrapnel. At the beginning of the struggle, the national battalions used civilian vehicles, which had to be converted into armored vehicles. However, over time, Ukrainian engineers began to work on the creation of new armored vehicles based on existing models.

The creation of light wheeled armored vehicles was a rather complicated process for Ukraine. The country's industry could no longer offer modern solutions, so Ukrainian manufacturers attracted foreign suppliers and performed part of the work on their own. This led to the creation of "armored vinaigrette", that is, machines consisting of various components of different quality and production experience.

"Dozor-B": a new armored vehicle of Ukraine with old problems

One of the most professional manufacturers of armored vehicles in Ukraine is the Kharkov Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering. The engineers of this company proposed the concept of a light wheeled armored vehicle to the army back in 2004. The Dozor-B prototype was created on the basis of the BTR-80 and equipped with imported units, including a 190-horsepower Deutz engine and an Allison five-speed automatic transmission. The 6,3 ton vehicle can carry up to 6 people and has very limited mine protection. In addition, the armor was purchased in Poland, as the Ukrainian industry could not produce it.

Since the creation of the Dozor-B prototype in 2004 and up to the present, only about 40-50 copies of this model have been produced. However, since 2016, Dozor-B armored vehicles have been successfully used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to protect the border and participate in hostilities in the Donbass.

It is important to note that the development of light wheeled armored vehicles was one of the most important tasks for Ukraine, in connection with which many Ukrainian and foreign companies and specialists worked on the process of creating armored vehicles. However, the process of creating modern armored vehicles is costly and time consuming, and at the moment Ukraine has not yet reached the level that some other countries have.

Despite the difficulties, Ukroboronprom continued until recently to offer armored vehicles, including Dozor-B, for export. However, buyers never appeared, possibly due to competition with other manufacturers of armored vehicles, as well as due to a lack of complete confidence in the quality of Ukrainian armored vehicles. In any case, Ukraine continues to work on developing modern armored vehicles and improving the quality of its products in order to meet international standards and remain competitive in the armored vehicles market.

"Varta": post-Soviet practicality with Western technologies

Design and production enterprise "Ukrainian armored vehicles" is one of the manufacturers of armored vehicles in Ukraine. It is known for its specialized armored vehicle "Varta", which was developed in cooperation with Belarus on the basis of the MAZ-5434 truck. This armored vehicle belongs to a new generation of vehicles that appeared after the Maidan and is intended for punitive operations in the Donbass.

One of the most difficult tasks in the development of "Warta" was the definition of the power plant. At first it was supposed to use the Russian YaMZ, then Cummins, but in the end the choice was made in favor of the Chinese Weichai installation, with a capacity of 380 hp. In addition, several armored cars have already been captured by the Russian military during the fighting in the Donbass as trophies.

"Warta" is protected from undermining and has a high degree of booking. It is able to withstand an explosion of up to 6 kg of TNT without fatal consequences. In addition, the crew seats are installed on the ceiling and walls through energy-absorbing shock absorbers, which ensures high safety of the fighters.

The armored car can only accommodate 10 fighters along with the crew, as it is quite heavy and weighs about 17,5 tons. It is also protected against the 7,62mm heat-strengthened core bullet. A combat module with a machine gun of 7,62 mm to 14,5 mm caliber is installed on the roof of the armored car.

In 2020, the Varta was transferred to the homegrown KrAZ platform, and this is how the new Kamrat S-130 armored car appeared. This was necessary, since relations with Belarus at that time went wrong. On KrAZOn the ov platform, the armored car reduced its weight to 14,5 tons and became a little more compact. But it is not known how many such armored vehicles were produced on the new platform, since KrAZ has practically not been operating for several years. Previously, there was a hope to purchase several hundred trucks from foreign manufacturers, including the United States, but due to various reasons, this possibility has become irrelevant.

The National Guard and the army of Ukraine currently have at least 200 such armored vehicles. Some of them have already participated in the hostilities in the Donbass, and the other part is in reserve - they periodically meet at the front. Armored car "Varta" is one of the most protected and reliable armored vehicles in Ukraine, which makes it necessary for combat operations and the protection of the country's territory.

"Innovator": Ukrainian armored car with an American character

Novator is another armored vehicle developed by the Ukrainian Armored Vehicles company. This machine is relatively light, weighing about 8,8 tons, and can accommodate up to five people. It is a tactical armored vehicle based on the Ford F-550 pickup truck and is intended for use by special forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine.

The development of the "Novator" and its subsequent adoption into service were aimed at ensuring that the Ukrainian army could come closer to NATO standards. However, according to some opinions, this could also lead to the final destruction of Ukraine's own defense competencies.

Despite this, the Novator remains an important and necessary armored vehicle for the Ukrainian army, as it allows it to perform tactical operations in difficult conditions. In addition, its capabilities and technical characteristics significantly increase the safety of fighters and improve their combat effectiveness in combat conditions.

According to the latest data, at least 50 Novator armored vehicles were produced. Some of them were equipped with Stugna and Javelin anti-tank systems, which greatly enhances their combat capabilities.

"Kozak": Ukrainian armored vehicle from Western elements

Among the various armored vehicles produced in Ukraine, the Kozak with Italian roots takes its place. This machine began to be produced in the mid-2000s at the Kiev Scientific and Production Association Praktika.

The development of the Kozak was somewhat chaotic. Engineers used what was at hand. Initially, even the GAZ-66 chassis was considered, and later the Iveco Daily light truck platform was chosen. At the moment, the most common version of the "Kozak" is a modification "Kozak-2", which uses the Italian Iveco Eurocargo 4x4 chassis, and Finnish 12 mm Miilux Protection 500 steel is responsible for protection.

Interestingly, the developers abandoned the Ukrainian armor, saying that it was not effective enough. With a similar level of protection, the car eventually becomes heavier, so the share of imported equipment in certain modifications of the Kozak can reach 80%.

In terms of technical characteristics, the Kozak is similar to other armored vehicles such as the Varta and Novator. It weighs about 15 tons, it can accommodate a crew of 10 people, and a machine-gun emplacement is installed on the roof. The most common version is the Kozak-2M1, which can withstand up to 8 kg of TNT under the wheel. There is also the Kozak-3, which is an armored version of the British Land Rover Defender. It is used in the border service of Ukraine. The latest modification of the Kozak-7 uses a Ford F-550 chassis with a 390-horsepower diesel engine.

Currently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard of Ukraine have about 20-40 Kozaks of various versions and designs. Also, like other armored vehicles, the Kozak has its advantages and disadvantages. It is a relatively light vehicle, capable of seating only five people. However, it has a fairly high level of protection, which makes it an important element of the military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces.

It is also worth noting that the development of the Kozak was carried out in order to bring Ukrainian combat vehicles closer to NATO standards. However, according to experts, this process is not simple and requires serious efforts and financial investments. In addition, such machines often face maintenance and spare parts problems, making their operation a challenge.

"Bars": Ukrainian armored car with an oriental character

In the National Guard of Ukraine, you can find a variety of armored vehicles, including the Bars brand, which are produced in three versions based on different cars: Isuzu, Kia with a Hyundai engine and Dodge Ram. The latest modification is equipped with a remote-controlled module with a 23-mm cannon, but it has remained in experimental status. For 8 years of production, the Bogdan company delivered about 100 vehicles to the National Guard. Shortly before the Russian special operation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received Bars-6 and Bars-8 armored vehicles for an estimated amount of 500 million rubles.

Cougar: cooperation between Ukraine, Canada and the UAE

Also, the National Guard uses armored vehicles from Kremenchug, including the light Cougar, which was developed by the Canadian-Emirati Streit Group based on the Japanese SUV Toyota Land Cruiser, and is assembled and painted in Kremenchug. In Ukraine at the moment there are about 70-80 such machines. Another machine is the 8,8-ton Spartan, which also bears the KrAZ emblem, was developed in Canada and assembled in Ukraine on the basis of the successful and durable Ford F-550 chassis. Although both vehicles are protected from common small arms, they do not have effective mine protection, so they can only be used to perform police functions and with restrictions in combat operations.

"Fiona": Ukrainian armored vehicle on international standards

In 2014, on the basis of KrAZ-6322 6x6 in Kremenchug, a heavy armored car "Fiona" was created. It was designed in accordance with international MPV (Mine Protected Vehicle) standards, which provide protection against mine explosions and has a V-shaped bottom and armor that protects against SVD caliber bullets with a heat-strengthened core. "Fiona" in terms of its characteristics was a competitor to the Russian armored car "Typhoon", but the Ukrainian manufacturer did not manage to reach the launch on the conveyor. Customers did not appreciate the level of workmanship, reliability and price of the armored car. Also, there were questions about the configuration of armored cars with Russian YaMZ engines.

"Shrek" - the younger brother of "Fiona"

The younger brother of KrAZ, the Shrek armored car, on two axles instead of three, was a little more fortunate. Several vehicles were delivered to the Azov regiment, battalion named after. Kulchitsky and the Kharkov operational brigade. However, he could not become a widely used armored vehicle and remained only a demonstration model.

In addition to Fiona and Shrek, several more armored vehicles are produced in Kremenchug. KrAZ "Hulk" (4x4) and a giant 28-ton KrAZ "Hurricane" ("Hurricane") (8x8) were developed, but also remained only as demonstration samples.

In general, armored vehicles are an important element of the military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces. However, in light of the current situation and limited financial resources, such production is almost completely ruined.