These are good cars that have been repeatedly tested in various conflicts, but they are already outdated. Already today, the Russian Ground Forces need a new armored personnel carrier. It should be fundamental new car, and not another modernization of old Soviet models.
One of the main intrigues of the Victory Parade, which took place in 2019, was the display of the latest Boomerang armored personnel carrier, rumors about it have been circulating on the pages of various media for several years now. Shortly before the event, the military slightly lifted the veil of secrecy over the new car, but a lot of details remain unknown to this day. So far, we practically do not know the performance characteristics of the new machine.
In fact, the Boomerang armored personnel carrier should become not only a new vehicle, but a real unified platform, on the basis of which new models of armored vehicles will be created. The development of the Boomerang is carried out by the Military Industrial Company LLC, which will also produce these machines.
The path to the birth of a new car was long and difficult. When developing the Boomerang, the experience of creating several armored personnel carriers was used.
History of creation
"Boomerang" is a continuation of two projects to create a new BRT, which were conducted in Russia for recent years. Initially, the project was called "Sleeve" and it actively used the developments obtained during the creation of the BTR-90 "Rostok".
The Russian military abandoned both vehicles, citing the fact that these armored personnel carriers do not meet their requirements. On the machine, which was created during the implementation of the "Sleeve" project, it was planned to place the power plant in the middle part of the hull, install an armament module similar to that on the BTR-82, and apply a dynamic protection system. However, the car turned out to be not very successful: the space inside the hull turned out to be very cramped, it had no opportunities for further modernization. But the experience of working on these projects was very useful in the development of the Boomerang: all the successful design solutions were transferred to the new car. However, despite this, the Boomerang is a completely new car, it is not deep modernization Soviet designs.
For the first time, official information about the development in Russia of a fundamentally new armored personnel carrier appeared in 2010. This was stated by the commander of the Ground Forces Alexander Postnikov.
One of the main problems of the BTR-80 was a rather weak level of protection, especially against mines and land mines. Therefore, fighters prefer to move on top of the car, and not inside it. It was the weakness of mine protection that was one of the main reasons for starting work on a new armored personnel carrier. It was not possible to modernize the old Soviet armored personnel carriers in this direction, they have completely exhausted their modernization resource. It was necessary to create an armored personnel carrier with new form hull, new layout and armor made from modern materials. When creating "Boomerang" Special attention was given specifically to the protection of the crew and paratroopers from mines and land mines.
Also, various anti-tank weapons pose a great danger in modern combat. The developers of the machine paid special attention to the protection of armored personnel carriers from cumulative ammunition.
BTR "Boomerang" was first shown at a closed presentation, which took place in 2013. The car was shown to the general public during the Victory Parade in 2019. Serial deliveries new technology planning to start in 2019.
Machine Description
Today we do not have comprehensive information about the characteristics of the Boomerang armored personnel carrier. There is only scattered information. Based on it, we will try to present you a new armored personnel carrier.
It is known that the weight of the new machine is about 20 tons, while some of the modifications created on the basis of the "Boomerang" will weigh up to 25 tons, due to increased armor protection. The power compartment is located in the bow of the vehicle, increasing the protection of the armored personnel carrier from explosions and enemy frontal fire. The hatch for landing is located in the stern - the most protected during the battle. Significantly increased the volume of the troop compartment, compared with machines developed in the USSR. In those days, bulletproof vests were not practically used, so the fighters needed less space. A modern soldier has much more weapons and ammunition, so he needs more space. And it takes less time to leave a more spacious car, so in this case size is not only a matter of convenience, but also safety.
When creating the Boomerang armored personnel carrier, multilayer armor was used, which includes ceramics. This type of armor is much more effective than conventional homogeneous armor and has never been used before creating an easy armored vehicles. Usually it is used when creating tanks. Basic hallmark layered armor is her high efficiency against cumulative ammunition. By terms of reference, the frontal armor of the Boomerang must withstand the fire of small-caliber artillery, the vehicle must withstand the hit of an anti-tank grenade from any side, as well as the fire of a heavy machine gun.
What kind of engine was used to create the Boomerang armored personnel carrier is still unknown, we do not know its power and other characteristics power plant. One thing must be said for sure - this engine is definitely more powerful than on the BTR-80. Considering the rather serious weight of the Boomerang, it should have more powerful engine. Most likely, the power will be more than 600 horsepower.
The new armored personnel carrier retains the traditional 8x8 wheel arrangement. It can swim, propelled through the water by jet engines mounted on the back of the hull. Information about the speed that the new car will be able to develop is not yet available.
The one that could be seen at the parade in Moscow is armed with a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon, a PKT machine gun and an anti-tank missile system that fires Kornet guided missiles. Armament is assembled into a single combat module, which is controlled remotely. The ammunition load of the automatic cannon is 500 rounds. Both the commander of the vehicle and the operator-gunner can fire. Ammunition is securely isolated from members of the landing group and crew.
However, so far we have seen only one version of weapons that can be installed on the Boomerang. This combat platform can be equipped with various types of weapons.
On the basis of this Boomerang, they plan to create a mobile anti-tank complex, infantry fighting vehicles, a wheeled tank, an armored personnel carrier, and many types of special vehicles. All of them will differ in their weapons.
Probably on an armored personnel carrier will be installed latest systems surveillance and fire control. Most likely, these vehicles will be included in a unified tactical-level control system, which will allow the commander to see the vehicles on the battlefield online.
While it is difficult to give a final assessment of the new car. We are waiting for the appearance official information about its performance characteristics and its cost.
If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.
Based on the latest wheeled chassis, a whole family has been created specialized machines In the coming years, a unified combat platform will appear in Russia. In preparation for the adoption of the latest Boomerangs, the industry developed a family of specialized vehicles on their basis - anti-tank, communications, electronic warfare, command and staff, sanitary and repair and evacuation. To solve each of the tasks, a special combat module has already been created, which can be easily replaced with another one. Now several dozens are used simultaneously in units and subunits various machines with different undercarriage and engines. This creates problems with their supply and maintenance. Therefore, the leading armies of the world are now betting on the unification of the chassis. As told to Izvestia CEO"Military-industrial company" Alexander Krasovitsky, on the basis of "Boomerang" developed a full-fledged family of specialized machines, which will be represented by the entire functional line. There will be all the vehicles that will accompany the Boomerang armored personnel carrier in battle, - said Alexander Krasovitsky. - Modules for them have already been created. These modules from one "Boomerang" can be rearranged to another or even to "Kurganets" without significant alterations and costs. According to the CEO, work on the Boomerang platform is progressing well, despite the use a large number new technologies and components. He added that the platform performs well in tests, and manufacturers are ready to produce any number of vehicles ordered by the military. Wheeled armored personnel carriers "Boomerang" are combat vehicles new generation, which use the most modern technologies, including ceramic armor and uninhabited combat modules. "Boomerangs" were first shown to the public in 2015 at the Victory Parade. Their adoption into service and the beginning serial production planned for 2019. However, armored personnel carriers do not fight alone. We need vehicles for the transportation of command, the removal of the wounded, the evacuation of damaged equipment from the battlefield, the fight against enemy aircraft and tanks. Therefore, interchangeable combat modules have been developed for placement on the Boomerang wheeled chassis. This will allow changing the functionality of combat vehicles depending on the situation and, for the first time in the history of the Russian armed forces, creating brigades and divisions that will be completely unified. This was achieved only by the Americans, who in the 2000s had brigades based on the Stryker armored personnel carrier. According to military expert Alexei Khlopotov, the unification of the platform will significantly reduce the cost of production. It is much easier to produce one chassis and put different modules on it than to make hulls and machines for different tasks, - the specialist noted. - In addition, repairs are greatly simplified. A module or chassis damaged in combat can be replaced at no extra cost. Conversion opens up great opportunities - replacing one module with another, depending on the tasks being solved. For example, in some conflicts, vehicles with air defense functionality are not needed, but repair and evacuation or ambulances, on the contrary, are required in more, - Alexey Khlopotov explained. - Modular scheme allows you to quickly adapt. As American experience has shown, units armed with heavy wheeled armored personnel carriers and combat vehicles with different functionality are well suited for expeditionary operations. They have high mobility and are able to independently solve a wide range of tasks, - said Alexei Khlopotov. BTR "Boomerang" has a wheel arrangement of 8x8 and can swim. It differs from the previous generation of armored personnel carriers by its large inner space and a convenient stern ramp for landing and landing. When creating the Boomerang, multilayer armor was used, which includes ceramics. This type of armor is much more effective than conventional homogeneous armor and is able to withstand fragments and heavy machine gun shots. The armament of the armored personnel carrier is assembled into a remotely controlled uninhabited combat module, which is reliably isolated from the crew and troops.
Earlier, Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces, reported that the promising Boomerang armored personnel carrier, being developed in the interests of the Ground Forces, would be comparable in its firepower to a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle.
“The Boomerang is a breakthrough in engineering. In my own way technical excellence are space technologies. He, for example, has the protection of the upper hemisphere. The machine can be controlled remotely. So it's practically a robot. It has such serious protection systems against high-precision weapons that it is simply unkillable. As part of the Boomerang project, we are really pushing the entire industry forward. Made for this car new engine. Its manufacturer is Yaroslavl plant- brought about a real industrial revolution. In Russia before similar engines was not,” Krasovitsky said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper.
The general director noted that, compared with the previous generation machine - BTR-82A - "Boomerang" can solve a much wider range of tasks: it has " new base, new ground clearance, new height, new armor, new weapons. Its customers are the Ministry of Defense, the Russian Guard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“Today the BTR-82A both floats and shoots. We've been improving a lot lately. I received a task from the Ministry of Defense on about 80 points for improving the BTR-82A after its operation in various climatic conditions. For example, when the car is sailing, visibility is limited in high waves. We increase the length of the periscope, make a larger shield that protects against waves. And there are many such directions. But the most important thing is reliability,” he said.
According to Krasovitsky, the car has no direct competitors: technical solutions, embedded in the "Boomerang", from his point of view, more interesting, more modern and cheaper than the Finnish counterpart Patria or american car Stryker.
As for the deadlines for completing the tests of the armored personnel carrier, Krasovitsky noted that the company is entering the homestretch.
“It’s flattering that our car completed the Victory Parade, but this is a new car, and we continue to work on armor, weight, ergonomics, weapons. Therefore, we would not like to say what it will be like at the exit. Now we are testing 12 cars: we roll, shoot, burn, freeze. Work in progress to use different kind armor. We have a test order, one laboratory work over this car 250: freezers, explosions, shootings, coups. So as soon as we pass the exam, deliveries to the troops will immediately begin,” he added.
Earlier, Krasovitsky, in an interview with RIA Novosti, said that more than 40 leading Russian enterprises are involved in the work on the Boomerang. The main volume of work on the creation of the machine and testing is carried out by the military engineering center of the company.
"Military Industrial Company" (part of the "Basic Element" holding) was founded in 2006, is engaged in the production of armored wheeled vehicles, primarily armored personnel carriers and special machines"Tiger".
", the unique Russian armored personnel carrier "Boomerang" will be able to operate effectively on the water surface during sea landing.
The armored personnel carrier was developed and is currently being tested by the Military Industrial Company (VPK LLC). For the first time, it was presented for a detailed review to the public at the exhibition-forum "Army-2017". Prior to that, he was seen at the Victory parades on Red Square.
As stated in the main command of the Navy, at the moment, the tactical and technical requirements for the Boomerang armored personnel carrier, intended for marines. Equipment is required not only the ability to independently force small water obstacles, but also the ability to participate in over-the-horizon landings (that is, over 60 km from the coast) amphibious assault. At the same time, in both cases, the Boomerang must be able to effectively hit coastal targets from all types presented in the weapons complex.
The floating version of the Boomerang armored personnel carrier is being tested. The appearance of the car is still being finalized to meet the requirements of the customer, so it is premature to talk in more detail about its capabilities now.
- said the general director of the military-industrial complex Alexander Krasovitsky.
At the moment, the re-equipment of the marines is being carried out through the supply of BTR-82A and 120-mm self-propelled artillery guns 2S31 "Vienna".
The plans for the development of the Navy include the construction of a series of new large landing ships of the Avalanche type. These ships will be able to deliver up to 60 units of light armored vehicles to the shore, land them on an unequipped shore through a bow ramp, or transfer them to land using speedboats. As part of this work, sailors ordered own development a promising combat vehicle to replace the classic armored personnel carriers, but due to limited funds, the work was not developed. "Boomerang" can be considered a compromise that will provide the Marines with both seaworthiness vehicle when landing from the water, and increased firepower.
- explained Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences Vadim Kozyulin.
The front engine position in the Boomerang provides additional protection crew and troops from enemy bullets and grenades, as well as a more convenient way out of the car through the stern ramp. The amphibious capabilities of the machine are achieved through a sealed displacement armored corps and two water cannons located in the aft part of the armored personnel carrier behind the wheels of the vehicle. Thanks to them, the speed of movement of a 20-ton "Boomerang" on the water surface reaches at least 12 km / h.
Unlike the BTR-82A, the Boomerang can be equipped with various unmanned combat modules with weapons from 12.7 mm to 125 mm in caliber. It is possible to install anti-tank missile system. The modular principle of completing the machine allows us to offer it to almost any of the Russian law enforcement agencies. On this moment the K-16 armored personnel carrier and the K-17 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle have already been developed. Completion of tests basic version BTR "Boomerang" is expected in the current year.
