On June 12, the Russian online publication tvzvezda.ru published an article stating that motorists in Naberezhnye Chelny witnessed two very unusual cars driving through the streets of the city. If in one of them the features of KamAZ are guessed, then the second is more like a fantastic hybrid of the Hollywood "Batmobile" and an armored car from the computer game Half-Life 2.
"Viking" and "Punisher" in Naberezhnye Chelny
The video, filmed by eyewitnesses and posted by them on YouTube, reacted to a lot of automotive experts who helped identify the mysterious armored vehicles. One of them is the Viking multi-purpose cargo-passenger vehicle with armored plating, created at the KamAZ plant by order of the FSB and designed to transport special forces fighters. It is also known that the Viking project (not to be confused with the Viking-29031 SUV) was developed at Bauman Moscow State Technical University.
Armored truck "Viking" industrial premises factory
realnoevremya.ru
It is reported that the Viking was created on the chassis of the KamAZ-4911 Extreme car, designed to participate in international sports rallies (in this case, especially durable units and components are used). Specifications armored truck has not been officially published, however, there are suggestions that its main performance characteristics ( dimensions, speed, wheel formula, etc.) can be close to the characteristics sports KamAZ. The video and a few photos of the Viking published on the Web show four cabin doors and two more doors located in its stern. The armored salon for landing has loopholes around the perimeter for firing from the inside. According to international MRAP standards, the armor of a car of this type must protect military personnel from bullets and fragments of high-explosive shells, and also have sufficient strength to save the lives of the crew and troops when mines are blown up by mines with a capacity of up to several kilograms of TNT.
Armored trucks manufactured by KamAZ OJSC are already participating in counter-terrorist operations
inetauto.ru
Of much greater interest to the commentators of the video was a smaller armored car of an unusual appearance, which followed in front of the Viking. With regard to this armored car, there is more information on the Web, but its history turned out to be very confusing, as sources report conflicting facts about it. Most often, the car is identified as the Punisher armored car - a multifunctional armored SUV for special units.
Armored car "Punisher"
forums.spacebattles.com
The first pictures of the "Punisher" were published on the web in early 2012, when journalists observed an unusual car during testing at the Dmitrovsky training ground in the Moscow region. A publication on the zr.ru website reported that the car was built on the basis of the KamAZ-4326 chassis, and Vladimir Chagin himself, a seven-time winner of the Dakar international rally, conducted its tests. Then it became known that in cross section the armored car has a V-shaped body in order to better dissipate the energy of the explosion in the event of a collision with a mine. Close to traditional car headlights two rows of LED devices were installed on the Punisher, and the journalists deciphered the letters TsSN on the hood as the “Special Purpose Center”.
Armored car "Punisher". In the background - armored truck "Viking"
bmpd.livejournal.com
In the same 2012, other sources reported that the Punisher was built by order of the Russian Ministry of Defense at the AMO ZiL enterprise as part of a certain secret project as a prototype of a promising armored vehicle for special forces. So, the site "Military Review" in April 2012 reported that the development has been going on for several years. The regime of secrecy around the new armored car became the reason for a journalistic investigation. A more detailed study of the topic showed that the Punisher project was launched in 2002, after the Russian Ministry of Defense sent technical assignment No. 2-99 to the country's automotive enterprises, which determined the parameters of the new armored car. Some enterprises, in particular OJSC KamAZ and AMO ZiL, have begun to develop own projects which have developed in parallel over several years.
Armored car "Punisher" on the territory of AMO "ZiL". Photo 2012
sdelanounas.ru
To date, little is known about the new armored car. It is reported that the "Punisher" has a weight of about 12 tons, the chassis is from the KamAZ-4911 Extreme car, the wheel arrangement is 4x4, eight-cylinder diesel engine YaMZ capacity 730 l. With. and speeds over 110 km/h (according to some sources - up to 200 km/h). The armor protection of the Punisher, developed by Fort Technology, can withstand a 7.62 mm bullet and a mine explosion weighing several kilograms. According to some statements, the armored windshield of the car is able to withstand an RPG shot due to its strength and sharp angle of inclination. The salon accommodates 10–12 people who sit back to back along the longitudinal axis of the car. This arrangement allows the fighters to have a permanent all-round view and, if necessary, fire from inside the armored car in almost any direction.
"Punisher" on trials
vpk.name
It is reported that the further development of the project is carried out by KamAZ OJSC (according to other sources, KamAZ only assembles vehicles, and Fort Technology is the general developer). In recent years, various photos of the car have appeared on the Web. An analysis of the outwardly noticeable differences in these photos allowed the bmpd blogger to suggest that today in Russia there are at least four different prototypes of a similar configuration, which is quite plausible, given the long development period of the project, as well as the change of manufacturers, designers and customers. The timing of the completion of tests and the acceptance of the armored vehicle into operation is still unknown.
The photo shows two armored vehicles with some differences, which suggests the existence of several prototypes of the "Punisher"
bmpd.livejournal.com
In recent years, our defense industry has focused, in addition to tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, on the development and production. One of these is the ZIL "Punisher". His appearance immediately attracted the attention of both journalists and ordinary fans of military equipment. But is it really only the appearance of the car is unique?
In general, this project was originally aimed at creating a vehicle with improved armor protection for the needs of special units. However, given the presence of a well-established "Tiger", the car will have to survive in the face of strong competition, even if it is adopted. In principle, the project is currently being actively developed and is almost completed.
Oddly enough, but the sanctions of the industry do not interfere. In fairness, it should be noted that the ZIL "Punisher" at the moment most of all resembles some kind of civilian jeep from the future, but not a combat vehicle. By the way, it is for this reason that they are actively interested in the possibility of acquiring it.
Start of development
By the spring of 2002, it became completely clear to the Ministry of Defense that the troops urgently needed a light armored vehicle. Initially, it was about a chassis with a load capacity of up to two tons. It was then that the project received the conditional (at that time) designation "Punisher". In the domestic press, the designation "Bedbug" is occasionally found.
Initial design requirements
Presumably, initially there was no funding for development from the Ministry of Defense, so the participants in the competition had to conduct all the research solely at their own expense. Be that as it may, the plant began designing a machine that would be intended for possible exploitation in off-road conditions. Both the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and other relevant departments were supposed to be the main users.
Therefore, the task immediately arose of designing the body in such a way that the crew could conduct circular fire from it, using their own small arms. There was no particular choice in the placement of the team: the driver was in the left front seat, the commander was to his right, between them it was supposed to mount a wide lodgement for the onboard gunner, who, if necessary, could fire oncoming fire through the raised central section of the windshield.
Five Minute Objectivity
At that time, Andrei Stepanov, a young and ambitious engineer, worked at the plant. He really wanted to make the Punisher armored car. Russia was already extremely interested in this class of machines, and therefore the money for the project was allocated regularly. That's just ... Stepanov was delirious and therefore sought to make a new car so that it could be used not so much in combat as in sports. The result of this approach was quite expected ...
That is why, during the assembly, imported components were massively used without regard to the possibility of a real combat use of the vehicle.
Composition and number of crew
Initially, it was calculated that eight paratroopers could fit inside the body, sitting back to back, and three or four more would be located in the aft compartment. Thus, in the project, the crew could reach 14-15 people. Between wheel arches the prototype had such a distance that the shooter, if necessary, could defend the car using the upper aft hatch. Initially, it was not supposed to equip the armored car with folding seats and other elements that would facilitate its use for the transport of goods.
Works at ZIL
AMO "ZIL" immediately "got involved" in this epic, as the experts expected to use the developments on their old project ("Blue Bird"), throwing the entire chassis without any special changes. As a result, work on both projects simply "stalled", as the engineers were not able to pull two directions at once. Despite this, new armored car ZIL "The Punisher" was still able to appear. Oddly enough, the Moscow authorities played a decisive role in this.
At the same time, Luzhkov, who at that time held the post of mayor of Moscow, became interested in the work. He breathed into the project new life, the plant management again gave the order to stand up for the drawings. Neither shaky nor roll, but the project came up to 2009 in the "Bug" version, and there was already a large-sized operating layout. In principle, by that time there was not one Punisher armored car, but two at once, and the first strongly resembled the current Tiger and was much more attractive to potential customers.
But, for a number of reasons, its further development was stopped. In the same 2009, the mayor resigns from his post, but the plant receives the last tranche for development as a subsidy. It was enough, and in 2012 the first prototype saw the light of the day. Some believe that his name is "Bug", but this is not so. This name was worn by the previous sample.
Main technical characteristics
Remember what we said about sanctions? An Italian (!) four-cylinder Cummins diesel engine is installed on the ZIL 4x4 Punisher, developing power up to 185 l / s. It is paired with a German five-speed ZF automatic transmission. Are there any domestic components in this miracle of engineering?
There is also this. From all-wheel drive KamAZ trucks, they also took bridges and suspension with virtually no changes. The length of the ZIL "Punisher" is 6330 mm, its width is 2397 mm, and its height is 2566 mm. Without taking into account the hanging of armor, the “clean” chassis weighs 4.5 tons. armored version its weight is immediately equal to 8 tons. It is reported that in total, up to 10 people can fit in the car (crew along with paratroopers).
The speed on the highway must reach at least 120 km / h. On dirt roads - about 30 km / h. There was information in the press that the ZIL "Punisher" armored car could independently force water barriers due to its positive buoyancy, but the manufacturer does not particularly cover this.
New engine... and new problems
But! Subsequently, the Italian power plant was abandoned in favor of the YaMZ-7E846. It's just that not everything is so good here. It turned out that all this miracle will consume more than 50 liters of fuel (or even 100) per 100 kilometers! Indeed, the future has come ... According to this indicator, the ZIL "Punisher" off-road vehicle can easily compete with a tank, although it does not look close to it in terms of the level of security.
One way or another, but the management of the plant itself already understood its “flaw”, and therefore the engine for a long time improved. In what state this project is now, it is not known for certain.
Crew location, visibility
The commander and driver are placed in the cockpit, which is moved forward from the engine, and six paratroopers are located in their compartment, sitting with their backs to each other. And two more are planted face back (between the wheels), so that the result is a full all-round view. All glazed surfaces are divided into sections and angled to reduce the likelihood of penetration in the event of shelling the vehicle from small arms.
At night and under difficult weather conditions, a system of six video cameras is responsible for the review, and a pair of them can work as exterior mirrors, and the remaining four are responsible for providing a full all-round view. Thus, the futuristic ZIL "Punisher" boasts a considerable amount of complex electronic filling.
The peculiarity is in opening the doors: as in an armored personnel carrier, they recline up and down. As a result, a step is formed, which is not only convenient for getting on and off the fighters, but also does not go beyond the structure. The upper flap can be folded separately, which allows more or less aimed fire from personal small arms on the move.
About crew protection
The outer armor protects the crew from machine-gun fire, as well as shrapnel. External door fasteners are designed to minimize the chance of damage in the event of an attack. Armchairs for paratroopers (folding), a suspension of a special shape protect people in the event of a car being blown up by a mine. The folded seats take up almost no space, allowing you to almost instantly transform the cabin to transport wounded soldiers or cargo.
In principle, this makes the armored car a multifunctional tool that can be used in several ways at once. This has always been appreciated by the military.
As for the specific caliber, from which bullets armor can protect, it is reported that it can withstand 7.62x54R and 7.62x51 NATO. To put it mildly, weak. Even the old BTR-80s have better security. Compare this to the Tiger 6A, which can withstand a 12.7mm bullet without issue. This is what ZIL "The Punisher" is characterized by. The price of this development did not get into the press, and therefore is not known for certain.
The main advantages of the machine
If we compare the car with a standard armored personnel carrier, then its exceptional simplicity and low cost immediately attract attention. In a word, a good technique for light infantry. If you try to hang more armor, install powerful weapons and strengthen the base to transport more cargo, the result is a standard armored personnel carrier with all its shortcomings. There are many of these in the Russian Federation. ZIL "The Punisher" claims to occupy a slightly different niche.
Many disadvantages
Despite all of the above, experts still have a lot of questions about this project. Here are just a few of them:
Why was it necessary to use so much glass, even armored? When did such a measure somehow increase the security of a combat vehicle?
The complete absence of a turret on the roof at all looks extremely strange. After all, this is not a pleasure carriage!
As for the "Tiger", it is not at all clear why the ZIL "Punisher" surpasses it? And is it superior?
Finally, a huge number of imported components. Why spend so much money on German automatic transmissions and Italian diesel? After all, this is not such an important project. The domestic analogue in this case is clearly far from ideal.
Side view windows look especially strange. What was the point of making them at a 90 degree angle? There is absolutely no hope that this "armor" will withstand even under fire from something like a PKM, not to mention a more serious machine gun. There is no information from the manufacturer about the actual load capacity. Information about 800 kg slipped, but if so, everything is very bad.
Load capacity and more
Even if we discard the driver and the commander, 10 paratroopers in full armament should sit in the car. The weight of each is obviously not less than 100 kg. So, two will have to be thrown out so that the car can cope with the load? In general, there are many ambiguities. In any case, the car is clearly not intended for further modernization in terms of increasing armor protection. So-so "Punisher". The ZIL car could have been better ...
Moreover, they do not stand up to scrutiny and seats for the crew: if something more powerful than the defensive one explodes under the bottom, then people will have a very hard time. normal cars of this class have a special seat suspension system, which minimizes the effect of a blast wave in the event of a mine collision. In the variant we are considering, there is nothing of the kind and close.
Other "cases"
And the number of holes in the armored hull looks completely ridiculous: hefty openings for doors and windows, a sunroof ... Most likely, this "monster" has no chance to withstand a more or less powerful landmine, so for direct work in the combat zone the car is clearly unusable. Neither headlights, nor mirrors, nor even the optics of video cameras are absolutely protected from fire even by small arms.
In addition, the photographs show completely naked bridges, rods and other details. This is suitable for a civilian truck, but somehow it does not fit with the appearance of a vehicle that must move in a zone of a possible military conflict.
Thus, at present, the prospects for this development in the troops are very, very doubtful. Can the ZIL "Punisher" appear in service with the army? The characteristics of this machine are such that the military is unlikely to be interested. Rather, this project is suitable for that same Dakar.
Here it should be noted the state of the Punisher itself, a Russian armored car, is unlikely to be produced at a plant that has actually been stopped. Perhaps the project will "float" at the expense of private buyers. We already wrote at the very beginning of the article that they are interested in the car because of its extremely specific appearance.
The last few years have been marked by the fact that new types of armored vehicles for the army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs are being created in our country. There is a constant debate around this positive trend, and each one only adds fuel to their fire. The theme "Punisher" has become a typical representative of armored cars, which have become the subject of wide discussion. Recall that the general public became aware of it a few years ago, but then very little information got into the public domain. Only the name of the competition and the approximate purpose became known finished machine. Of course, this did not please lovers of automotive and military equipment, but at the same time it caused a huge amount of speculation. It is worth noting especially the claims to the title of the topic. In the simple, albeit harsh word "Punisher", some citizens saw allusions to thugs in gray uniforms and with "Schmeissers", while others began to wonder who this "Punisher" would punish? Isn't it them, intelligent and conscientious, but disagreeing with the regime? However, all this can be recognized as a specific course of discussion caused by a lack of information about the project.
In the last days of March, the discussion of The Punisher resumed with new force. He was spurred on by just one photograph taken at the Dmitrovsky training ground. Maybe she would have gone unnoticed, but ... Firstly, no official information was attached to the photo, and secondly, the captured car looked very unusual. As a result, it did not immediately become clear who the author of the project was, and by that time many noted that such a technique would rather have a place in fantasy films or computer games. Indeed, the Punisher in the photo looks like a hybrid of the Batmobile (Batman's vehicle) and the armored car from the game Half-Life 2. Naturally, this attracted attention. And immediately, technology lovers, experiencing a hunger for information, tried to “pull out” as much information from the photo as possible. Let's try to join them and carry out analytical work.
In some sources, under the new photo of the Punisher, it was indicated that this was the development of the KAMAZ plant. However, it soon became clear that in Naberezhnye Chelny they were working on a competitive project, but their project had nothing to do with the car under discussion. The fact is that the fantastic armored car in the recently appeared photographs was taken at the ZIL plant. Even later, information appeared that the Kama Automobile Plant still has some relation to the ZiLovsky Punisher: the demonstrated car was made on the basis of the KAMAZ 4911 chassis. for the armor protection of the new vehicle. Finally, the inscription on the “kenguryatnik” of the new car played its role in confusing the situation. Instead of the quite logical and understandable letters “ZiL”, some “TsSN” are written there, which, as it became clear a little later, stands for “Special Purpose Center”. It remains only to find out which law enforcement agency this center applies. In general, the situation is complex and confusing. official information almost none, and even that came into circulation through third parties. If even the origin of the machine is so mysterious, then what to expect from the design?
If the rumors about the KAMAZ chassis turn out to be true, then we can draw some conclusions about power plant And driving performance ah "The Punisher". 730-horsepower eight-cylinder diesel YaMZ-7E846 sports truck KAMAZ 4911 allows it to accelerate to two hundred kilometers per hour. In combination with a gross weight of up to 12 tons, this requires huge expense fuel - about 100 liters per 100 km. It is possible that some reduction in the characteristics of the originally sports chassis, for example, the removal of turbocharging and the simplification of the transmission, will allow the armored car based on the 4911 to have tolerable performance not only in the driving aspect, but also in the economic one. So, most modern armored cars have top speed about a hundred kilometers per hour, and fuel consumption usually does not exceed 20 liters per "hundred". One way or another, the original chassis from KAMAZ 4911 is not acceptable for a full-fledged combat vehicle and needs to be improved. Whether they were and, if so, which ones, is still unknown. ZIL hides this information in every possible way. There is also a version about the undercarriage of the Likhachev Plant's own design. But in this case there is no starting point in the analysis at all.
No less mysterious is the body of the new armored car. In the available photograph from the Dmitrovsky training ground, as well as in the one leaked to the network a couple of years ago, both prototypes look rather strange. In particular, the layout of the front end raises questions. If the engine compartment and hood look normal enough, then the glazing that follows it raises a lot of questions. Such glass on vehicles is very unusual: large and located under acute angle to the horizontal. One can only guess what it is like for the driver to look at the road through them and what are the viewing angles. At the same time, the lack of forward and downward visibility, in which many people have already blamed the Zilovsky Punisher, looks not so bad against the background of more serious armored vehicles. Unfortunately, both available photographs of the car are made in such a way that it is not possible to estimate its dimensions with sufficient accuracy. At the same time, there are reasons to "suspect" the body of the machine in some vertical compression. In this case, the driver's head is close enough to the ceiling of the cab, which, in combination with the design of the windows and the hood, can serve as a transparent hint. It seems that the "Punisher" from the ZIL plant, according to the review from the driver's seat, to some extent resembles bonneted trucks.
However, there is no exact data about the location of the driver and the view from his place. There are some concept arts of the "Punisher" on the Internet, allegedly having the most direct relation to the project and allegedly leaked from the design bureau. They show the approximate layout of the cabin and the original design of the doors. So, when opened, their upper part goes up (attached to the roof on a loop), and the lower part, supported by cables, goes down, where it serves as a step. At the same time, the front doors, together with the rear ones, form fairly wide hatches without central pillars. Probably, in this way it is possible to ensure the normal opening of doors with specific contours of the sides of the body, as well as to make boarding and disembarking more convenient. In the same 3D drawings, you can see that two seats are accessed through each rear side door. Thus, together with the driver in this configuration, five more soldiers can simultaneously ride (one in the front seat and four in the rear). Behind the "troop compartment", apparently, is the luggage compartment. On the available photos of the armored car, it is almost invisible, but it is much better seen on all the same concept art. On the back of the machine there is a fairly wide cargo hatch with two wings. It is noteworthy that these wings are bucket-shaped and protrude beyond the limits of the car body. One can only guess why an armored car needs such things, but on the available photos you can see that such a design of the tailgate "survived" to a prototype. Trunk capacity, as well as other parameters of the car, has not yet been announced.
Let's move on to defense. The very word "armored car" implies the presence of some kind of armor. The most recent photo shows that the side doors received glass much smaller than before. Probably, here the ZiL designers went the same way as the authors of many foreign armored cars - instead of large and fragile glass, they put small ones on the doors, which have greater survivability in battle. And the vacant place was covered with armor plates. However, the huge windshield with a large slope has not gone away. At the same time, judging by its hue and characteristic black stripes along the edge, the photographed sample has a bulletproof windshield installed. The thickness and protection class of the glass, unfortunately, is unknown. Similarly, there is no information on the metal elements of the reservation. Apparently, the entire protection of the "Punisher" must withstand at least 7.62-mm bullets of intermediate cartridges. As for mine protection, here too you have to rely on guesswork. For example, the characteristic contours of the lower part of the sides of the body may hint at the overall V-shaped bottom. However, the additional step and the angle in the photo do not allow you to see it. Although the armored car captured at the test site may not have an anti-mine bottom. This version is supported by the fact that in the existing photo, despite the snow falling during the shooting, something resembling a differential is visible behind the front lower shield. Hardly such an important detail all-wheel drive vehicle would not have been "honored" with body armor.
Summing up, it should be noted once again that there is very little open information on the subject of "The Punisher". For some reason of their own, the Ministry of Defense and the ZiL enterprise are in no hurry to share “secret knowledge”. Therefore, you have to collect crumbs and carefully analyze what is available. So one cannot rule out the possibility that in just a few days / weeks / months this article will turn out to be irrelevant and even incorrect. But for this, the customer and developer of the Punisher must lift the veil of secrecy and publish a sufficient amount of information. Until then, we will have to use only what we have. But the main and, perhaps, the most important thing that can be learned from the “detective” with the “Punisher” right now is that the Likhachev Plant is still capable of creating new interesting projects. On the background general condition domestic auto industry, this gives rise to some optimism.
"Falkatus" - Armored car of the special purpose center of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation.
Armored vehicles appeared on the battlefields of the First World War and since then it is difficult to imagine an army without these combat vehicles. In the course of their evolution, their purpose has constantly changed. Law enforcement agencies appreciated the main qualities armored vehicles- the ability to quickly deliver fighters to their destination, protecting them from bullets and shrapnel and, if necessary, cover them with fire. The classic armored personnel carrier is too bulky. That is why special narrowly targeted armored cars are being developed.
History of creation
Work on an armored car for the Special Purpose Center of the Federal Security Service (TSSN FSB) began back in 2002. According to unofficial data, the first prototype was designed at AMO "ZiL" and was called "Klop", as the designers dubbed it because of its unusual appearance. In 2009, a complete layout of the "Klop" was assembled. But due to unknown disagreements, the assembly took place not at the ZiL plant, but at the KamAZ enterprise. Because of this, the technology was not followed and the layout was dismantled. It is not known when they returned to the design, but in the spring of 2012 the first photos of this machine were published along with some technical parameters, which caused a strong reaction in society. During this time, the armored car changed its name to "Falcatus" (official), while the press dubbed it much more menacingly - "Punisher".
Falcatus is a kind of sword, which indicates the purpose of the machine. True, information about the technical parameters is too scarce to make a complete picture of the armored car from it, most of the information about it is guesswork based on photographs. So the photographs show that the car belongs to the Central Security Service of the FSB. Due to the lack of information, Falcatus was gradually forgotten.
The second wave of discussions began after the Falcatus, along with the Viking armored car, appeared on the road in Tatarstan in May 2015. Gradually, photographs began to appear from other regions of Russia, and in February 2016, Falcatus appeared on television, during its presentation to Vladimir Putin. New car finalized by the specialists of CJSC Fort Technology. In the same video, the director of the Russian FSB, Alexander Bortnikov, stated that the Falkatus armored car was a counter-guerrilla vehicle.
Specifications "Falcatus"
It is indisputable that the armored car is made according to the 4X4 scheme, presumably on the basis of the KAMAZ-4911 rally truck. These trucks are equipped with YaMZ-7E846 engines with a capacity of 730 hp. With. With an estimated weight of an armored car of 12 tons, such indicators may be redundant, so the engine may also be less powerful. When using this engine, you can accelerate the car to 200 km / h, which can sometimes be useful.
- Empty weight - 12 t
- Full curb weight - 15.42 tons
- Wheel formula - 4x4
- Maximum speed - 200 km/h
- Maximum climb angle - 36 degrees
- Maximum landing - up to 12 people with a driver
Engine
class="eliadunit">
- Engine - YaMZ-7E846, V-shaped
- Type - diesel
- Number of cylinders - 8
- Engine capacity - 17 liters
- Engine power - 730 hp at 2500 rpm
- Maximum torque - 2700 Nm, at 1200-1400 rpm
Design features of the FSB armored car
Despite all the futuristic appearance, such a hull design makes it possible to protect the crew from shelling from small arms and machine guns. The V-shaped bottom dissipates the wave from the mine explosion, which also has a positive effect on the survivability of the crew.
The view from the driver's cab is carried out through three armored glass with a large angle of inclination, which makes it difficult to see, but also increases bullet resistance. Due to the elongated front part, a large blind zone is formed in the driver's field of view, which, most likely, is eliminated by means of outdoor video cameras. In turn, the crew monitors the area through small elongated armored glass located around the perimeter of the entire vehicle.
Fighters can parachute from the car through five car doors, which are located on the sides (two on each side) and in the stern. Doors open to different sides, which can cover the group in crossfire. Also, the side doors are very wide, which makes it easy to leave the car, using it as a shelter. The rear door opens down, forming a step, for which it has two lattice platforms.
The Falcatus can carry, in addition to the crew, 10-12 troops. They are located with their backs to each other, which allows them to observe the battlefield, as well as fire from personal weapons. For this, there are loopholes similar to loopholes in army armored personnel carriers. However, due to the complex shape of the hull, blind spots are formed during shelling. To get rid of this, a second row of loopholes is provided, located in such a way as to fire at the lower sector. Machine gunners have separate firing positions. Firstly, there is a special loophole in the back door. Secondly, there is a hatch in the roof for firing. It is possible that a tower can be installed in place of the hatch, but there is no information or photographs confirming this.
The further fate of the fantastic armored car of the Russian special forces
"Falcatus" is one of the most mysterious units of armored vehicles of modern Russian army. Perhaps its secrecy can be compared with the first wave of information about the T-14 "Armata". This mystery is warmed up by the specific coloring of the car - most of the surface is black, frontal part painted red. So the only thing that remains for fans of armored vehicles is to wait until the Falcatus becomes a standard and widespread law enforcement vehicle.
In the summer of 2015, a futuristic-looking car was seen on Russian roads (in particular, in Tatarstan), clearly intended for the army or law enforcement agencies. The car immediately aroused considerable interest, primarily due to its formidable and unusual design. It is known that it bears the name "Chastener" and is latest development domestic auto industry for the Armed Forces of Russia.
The RuNet has rather scarce information about this car. Surely, many who are interested in military and automotive technology, I would like to know more about the "Punisher": why do we need a car so unusual look, what are the differences from existing car models, what design and engineering solutions were used to create it, what are the performance characteristics and how reliable protection? Here we will try to answer all these questions.
HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF THE ARMORED CAR "PUNISHER"
Story armored car "Punisher" dates back to November 2001, when, in accordance with the decision of the Plenum of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Main Armored Directorate (GABTU) of the Ministry of Defense of Russia and terms of reference No. 2-99 dated April 15, 2002, a number of car factories of the country were invited to participate in research work on the topic "The Punisher", which provides for the development of a technical project for a family of army multi-purpose vehicles with a carrying capacity of 1 to 2.5 tons in 2010-2015.
AMO "ZIL" also entered the circle of those organizations that were involved in the project on a competitive basis. During 2003, the plant studied the possibility of its participation in the development multi-purpose vehicle with a wheel formula 4x4 with a carrying capacity of 2.5 tons, taking into account military and civilian applications. However, at the end of the year, the management of the enterprise, referring to the employment of design and technical services and pilot production of the plant in the design and construction of prototype models of army vehicles of the 4x4 and 6x6 types (with a carrying capacity of 2.5 and 4 tons, respectively) on the Kalam topic, notified the Ministry of Defense of that AMO "ZIL" will not be able to fully participate in the work on the new project.
And yet, 5 years later, at the beginning of 2008, Moscow Mayor Yu. Luzhkov instructed to CEO managing organization CJSC Moskovskaya car company”(MAK) K. Laptev to return on his own initiative to the above topic, taking into account the previously prepared tactical and technical assignment of the Ministry of Defense. Having received the consent of the military department, in April of the same year, ZIL began developing a draft design for a family of 4x4 multi-purpose vehicles with a carrying capacity of 2.5 tons in accordance with the theme "Punisher". The new sample received the designation ZIL-3901.
The need for a new car for the army and law enforcement agencies
Why did the machines of the mentioned type so much interest Russian military specialists?
The fact is that in the last 15-20 years the technologies of wars have fundamentally changed in the world. On the one hand, the fleeting actions of various military formations on large bridgeheads with the use of the latest tools weapons and equipment, using automated control of the entire process of hostilities ("Desert Storm", 1991; "Free Iraq", 2003).
On the other hand, internal armed conflicts on an ethnic and religious basis, which are characterized by terrorist acts, often taking place on the streets of towns and cities, and even on individual objects and in residential buildings, have become more frequent. This required the creation of special forces equipped with highly effective countermeasures to capture objects inside peaceful territories.
In accordance with the change in the technology of wars, the military equipment. For example, over the past 15-20 years, three generations of military wheeled vehicles have come to life in the United States, and in the Russian Federation, even today, troops are equipped with practically Soviet-era equipment.
Finally, the army armored vehicles available in our country with a gross weight of more than 10-12 tons, due to their significant size, sluggishness, heavy weapons, relatively small resource and high cost, do not meet the new requirements for combat in local conflicts, where high mobility and ability to operate effectively in cities, on rough terrain or in mountainous conditions.
Thus, the designers were faced with the task of creating a new generation of vehicles in the 4x4 car class, which should be distinguished by high traction and dynamic qualities, maneuverability and mobility, the ability to carry the most modern weapons and protective equipment. From the standpoint of an artistic and design solution new technology must have individual expressiveness of external forms, manufacturability of the design, the possibility of armor protection for the crew, ease of use, and also allow the creation on the basis of the basic body maximum number modifications to perform special military and national economic tasks.
Design of the armored car "Punisher"
Implementing this concept, two areas of work on shaping the appearance of future 4x4 cars were approved: designing samples with two-volume bodies and cars with a one-volume body, which will be discussed.
The external architecture and interior of the armored car "Punisher" was created by A. Chirkov and S. Sahakyan. The latter, together with the Deputy Director for Development of AMO "ZIL" - the project manager of the engineering company S. Oshurkov, developed general layout chassis and car body. The layout and placement of the units was carried out by the leading design engineer A. Stepanov, and the arrangement of the crew (fighters) back to back was suggested by K. Potekhin. V. Mazepa, Deputy Chief Designer of AMO ZIL, was appointed the head of the development of the preliminary design and running layout.
It cannot be said that a car with a one-volume body original design, which became the brainchild of a group of young designers, appeared in an unusually short time for this kind of product. Work from the first sketch to the construction of a running landing mock-up was completed from May to September 2009.
During the design of the armored car "Punisher" AMO "ZIL" interacted with various specialized organizations, such as RSC "Energia", MAMI, CJSC "Fort Technology", Research Institute "Steel", JSC "Institute of Plastics. G.S. Petrov, MSTU im. Bauman, STC "Multiset", NIIII-21 of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, etc. At the same time, analytical material was collected and summarized on multi-purpose vehicles of foreign and domestic production, research was carried out performance characteristics and driving performance of promising samples together with units of combined arms services, the FSB, the Airborne Forces and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
When solving the tasks set, a software package was created based on the products of RTS Pro / Engineer - Windchill, which connected the entire design process - from design to design and technological documentation. This approach made it possible to lay down technical and layout solutions that make it possible to use on single platform various bodies, and in the chassis - the introduction of various power units and transmission units. The development of the design of the layout of the car "Punisher" was carried out using computer technology 3D, attracting a limited number of performers. This made it possible to drastically improve the quality and significantly reduce the time of the project.
The design was carried out taking into account the trends in the automotive industry associated with the replacement of cast parts with sheet bent-welded spatial structures, which, in addition to simplifying the manufacture of a prototype, make it possible to obtain stronger (rigid) parts with less weight. Techniques that include the entire range of work, from product layout to laser cutting, have received practical application. 3D design combined with a laser cutting machine has significantly reduced development and manufacturing time individual elements chassis.
DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CAR "PUNISHER"
Layout and design
In January 2009, in the ZIL model shop, a model of the Punisher armored car was made on a scale of 1:10 from aluminum alloy, taking into account the fundamental layout parameters: the distance from the bearing surfaces of the wheels to the upper shelves of the frame spars - 1000 mm; track front and rear wheels- 2100 mm; wheelbase - 3800 mm.
When developing the design of the car body (December 2008 - January 2009), the landing of the crew was performed according to the 1 + 10 scheme, however, after correcting the dummies models and agreeing with potential customers, the crew was reduced to 1 + 9. The driver's and commander's seats are located in the front of the body, on the sides of the frame behind the engine line. Six crew members are placed back to back on the frame along the longitudinal axis. The two crew members sit facing backwards in a row between the rear wheel arches. This landing provides all-round visibility and the ability to conduct combat around the entire perimeter. Quick leaving the body was made possible thanks to wide doorways.
The artistic and design solution of the armored car is based on the idea of creating a unique, ultra-modern, formidable and aggressive image of an off-road vehicle that performs not only the utilitarian functions of an armored car, but is also an effective psychological weapon. The main features of the design solution of the car were the “one-volume” body, the “aggressive” radiator grille, the “faceted” shape, and the narrowing of the body towards the bottom.
The body of the armored car "Punisher" consists of two parts: front and crew. The inclination of the front and undercarriage parts coincides at the place of their joining. It continues on the undercarriage, forming the slope of the windshields, and passes through the radius bend into the horizontal roof. As a result, the body forms a one-volume structure, and also emphasizes the modernity and dynamism of the car.
The rear part of the hull is quite elongated, which is dictated by the possibility of placing a fighter with a machine gun there. The back part is cut off by a vertical surface with a loophole. In the planes forming the narrowing of the back, there are windows with loopholes for firing two extreme rear fighters. Similarly (vertically) are the side flat windows with loopholes. This provides a good view of the fighters sitting with their backs to each other.
Roof, windshields and the hood are divided longitudinally into three parts: the middle and two side, located at an angle to the middle. The middle zone may vary depending on the function of a particular modification.
On the sides, the roof passes into vertical glass. Under the glass, the surface of the door has a stepped contour and narrows towards the bottom. This solution provides an anti-high explosive effect - narrowing the bottom to reduce damage to the passenger compartment when hitting a high explosive. The stepped section of the vehicle in the transverse direction reduces the area of its surface located at right angles to the direction of fire.
The side doors are formed by upper and lower wings, hung on the body body with externally fixed hinges, and provide quick entry and exit of the crew. The upper doors open upwards, the lower doors open downwards, forming a step that does not go beyond the size of the car. The upper flaps in the raised position also do not protrude beyond the side clearance of the car, which allows it to move with open doors and increases the possibility of combat. The rear door consists of three wings: two side doors that open to the side, and one lower door that opens down and forms a step.
The radiator grill is designed in a very original way. It is made in the form of three vertical "pylons" with slots, giving the car a rather aggressive look and emphasizing its belonging to military equipment.
Front headlights include dipped and high beam as well as a turn signal. The dipped / main beam headlight, depending on the configuration, can be either the original rectangular or round, borrowed from trucks and special equipment manufactured in our country. The second option reduces the cost and simplifies the design, making it more reliable and maintainable. The front marker lights are located at the corners of the grille. Rear lights - rectangular shape also widely used in our country.
As a result, thanks to the innovative design and the implementation of a number of special solutions in the construction, the Punisher-themed SUV has a unique futuristic appearance and is not like any of the existing analogues.
Armor protection "Punisher"
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When creating an army vehicle for combat, a traditionally difficult task is the need to use steel armor, which has a large mass (120-140 kg / sq.m), reducing the vehicle's carrying capacity to almost zero and reducing its capacity. Considering the relatively low permissible gross weight of the new multi-purpose vehicle (no more than 7-8 tons), we had to look for an alternative to steel armor. In October 2008, Zilovites established contact with CJSC Fort Technology of the Central Security Service of the Federal Security Service, after which research began on new methods of protection when armoring a car with a one-volume body. As a result, the prototype frame and body of the "Punisher" were completed taking into account the requirements of a possible booking for class 6a based on modern species ceramics and/or highly oriented polyethylene.
The proposed design of the armored car and body, the landing of the crew "back to back" allow for a circular view of the terrain and shelling. Roof and side surfaces bodies are adapted to combat operations to the maximum extent, providing firing from a standing and sitting position. The V-shaped design of the bottom of the car in combination with the use of special high-explosive seats can significantly reduce the impact on the crew of the shock wave of the explosion under the wheel or the bottom of the car.
Armored plates of varying degrees of protection can be hung on the body frame of the Punisher car. This solution allows you to get a multifunctional and easily repairable armored car. External fastening of doors and hatches ensures the preservation of the opening kinematics when using armor of various thicknesses.
The body of the "Punisher" has a unified mount to the chassis, which allows you to solve the issues of maintainability and versatility when installing various superstructures. Folding chairs with suspended anti-mine mounts have been developed, which provide protection for the crew in the event of an explosion and allow you to quickly transform the cabin for transporting the wounded or various cargoes.
Designed and manufactured technological workplace driver, designed to be installed on the chassis of the car before mounting the cab or body on it. This allows you to check the functioning of all systems of the Punisher car during engine starts, as well as move the chassis under its own power with working controls.
Engine and Chassis
The chassis of the armored car "Punisher" is made as a single unit, and not a set of separate components and assemblies. When designing, it was possible to solve complex problems in the layout of various options for units. The location of the main components of the car inside the frame (usually they are located on its outer surfaces) allows in the future to use additional chassis volumes to accommodate storage boxes and additional fuel tanks.
The machine uses 4-cylinder diesel Cummins engine 185 hp, mechanical 5-speed gearbox ZF S5-42 Ecolite, transfer case and drive axles KAMAZ with leaf spring suspension.
The carrier frame with spars of constant length and section is designed as a single element that ensures the optimal functioning of the vehicle's components and assemblies. The designers moved away from the frame design typical for ZIL serial vehicles. Tubular crossbars of relatively small diameter and with a large wall thickness were replaced by integral spatial structures. Frame elements provide the maximum possible number of functions. Yes, in front subframe integrated front leaf spring brackets, power steering mount and anti-roll bar center brackets. The crossbars are integrated with the air reservoir brackets. Crossbars and subframes are made with a maximum cross section and a minimum wall thickness using laser cutting technology, bending and subsequent welding.
Surveillance systems
At the request of the customer, a prototype of the Punisher armored car was equipped advanced system video surveillance that helps the driver move in difficult weather conditions and at night. The car was equipped with six external video cameras: two of them served as exterior front and rear view mirrors, two were located in front and two in the back. The image from the cameras was displayed on three displays in front of the driver.
Weight and size characteristics
In the course of joint studies with the Central Security Service of the FSB of Russia in September 2009, a full-size running prototype model of the Punisher car was built.
Its track is 2100 mm, wheelbase- 3800 mm. The mass of the curb sample (without armor) reaches 4570 kg.
The length of the car is 6330 mm, width - 2397 mm, height - 2500 mm, tire size - 12.00R20, wheel diameter - 1140 mm.
This development is protected by a patent for an industrial design.
CONCLUSION
Even at the stage of preparation of the draft design, one of the Anti-Terror Directorates of the FSB of the Russian Federation showed interest in the prototype of the armored car "Punisher". The product was demonstrated twice with the participation of the fighters of this unit, equipped with a set of appropriate uniforms and weapons. In October 2009, the car was shown to the First Deputy Minister of Defense - Chief of Armaments V. Popovkin and GABTU MO RF A. Shevchenko.
The experience gained during the development and construction of a 4x4 multi-purpose vehicle on the topic "The Punisher" can be used to create vehicles of any type and class, including for use using dual-use technology. Potential customers in Russia of this type are departments such as the FSB, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, etc.
Currently, ZIL-3901 was transferred to Kamsky car factory, who made a prototype of the "Punisher" on its aggregate base. By the way, the current appearance of the armored car "Punisher" in better side differs from the prototype shown in the illustrations for this article. The car began to look even more menacing and impressive.
The content of this page was prepared for the portal "Modern Army" based on the article by V. Vasiliev in the journal "Technique and weapons. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow". When copying content, please remember to link to the source page.
