The main specifics of Chenowth were and remain racing buggies. rally cars its designs took part in numerous Dakar Rally, all kinds of Bajas and other types of off-road racing. But in the 1980s, the company won an army contract to develop a fast military buggy capable of traversing the sand dunes while carrying a significant amount of weapons and combat equipment. In 1982, the Fast Attack Vehicle (FAV) was born.
In the first batch there were 120 FAVs - but in reality the cars were idle until the early 1990s. Their first major operation was the war in Kuwait. During the Desert Storm, it was the FAVs that became the first vehicles to enter the capital of Kuwait - and they did not move along the roads at all. The cars were equipped with 2-liter 200-horsepower Volkswagen engines, weighed 680 kg and could travel 320 km on one gas station, the maximum speed was 97 km / h. In the same 1991, the cars received a different name (according to the documents) - Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV). 
Combat use revealed a number of shortcomings. It was necessary to increase the power and carrying capacity of the car (they could carry a mass approximately equal to their own). Therefore, Chenowth Racing Products, Inc. developed the second generation - Light Strike Vehicle (LSV). This machine weighed 960 kg, accelerated to 130 km / h and could carry much more cargo, in particular, it was armed as standard with 12.7 mm M2, 5-56 mm M249 SAW LMG, 7.62 M60 and two anti-tank AT4. In general, it was almost a tank. The LSV is still in use and, in addition to the United States, is in service with Greece, Kuwait, Mexico, Oman, Portugal, Spain and Bangladesh. 
Finally, in 1996, the third and final generation of the US Army buggy, the Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV), appeared. It was an even heavier monster weighing 1600 kg with a 160-horsepower engine capable of "dragging" a car in full gear on 75-degree slopes. The buggy was designed to be transported by a standard army helicopter, say the CH-47 Chinook. 
Despite a successful "army career", Chenowth today exists only on paper and does not produce equipment - neither military nor sports. However, her buggies are regularly used by the US Army in various wars and anti-terrorism operations.
In the last period of the Great Patriotic War, Ivan-Willis provided great services to the troops - this was the name of the Soviet off-road vehicles GAZ-67 and GAZ-67B (aka Bobik), and Lend-Lease American all-wheel drive trucks Studebaker US-6
The mechanical engine appeared in the army a long time ago, and the oldest task solved with its help was the supply of troops. Steam tractors delivered cargo to British troops during the Crimean War. With the beginning of the 20th century, a car with a gasoline engine came into the army, and by the end of the century, the family of paramilitary "cars", outwardly not very similar to their civilian counterparts, had grown greatly.
On the eve of the First World War, a number of armies already had automotive divisions. So far, it was mainly about the motorization of the rear and headquarters, although they already planned to use cars for self-propelled radio stations and searchlights, for installing guns, for evacuating the wounded. With the outbreak of the war, they transferred troops, towed artillery pieces and various trailers, and delivered repair equipment to the site. That is, already then the range of tasks solved by cars in the army was determined. In the interwar period, motorization in the form of a widespread introduction of wheeled and caterpillar transport became one of the main concerns of all advanced armies, regardless of their chosen strategic concepts. The operations of the Second World War are no longer imaginable without the massive use of military automotive technology(BAT).
Over the past six decades, several generations of BAT have changed, and the number and volume of tasks it solves have grown in accordance with the development of means and methods of warfare. Modern military equipment it is customary to divide by type into special wheeled chassis and wheeled tractors, military tracked vehicles transport and traction class, multi-purpose vehicles, mobile means of automotive support (repair and recovery vehicles, technical assistance vehicles, mobile workshops, maintenance equipment). By types - on wheeled and tracked. All this diversity necessary for the troops is formed differently in all countries. We will consider only certain types of army vehicles.
It is quite natural for the armed forces of developed countries to have in service equipment of domestic production or, at least, the necessary service network for servicing foreign-made BAT. Car park The Russian Army in 2005 was estimated at about 460 thousand vehicles - Soviet and Russian production. As a result of the collapse Soviet Union some manufacturers ended up in the "near abroad", and the operation and repair of such a vast fleet cannot be made dependent on external conditions. I had to give up, for example, from the cars of the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automobile Plant (KrAZ). But for Belarusian enterprises - Minsk car factory(MAZ) and Minsk plant wheel tractors(MZKT) - managed to maintain close relations with the Russian armed forces. It has long been known that the BAT fleet requires as much unification as possible so as not to complicate the processes of supply, training, supply, operation, and repair. Meanwhile, in a motorized rifle regiment, for example, 5-6 types of vehicles are still used different manufacturers with their operational features. Therefore, for machines for various purposes (from small to large), they tend to select several base chassis.
HMMWV M998A2 (4x4) - armored using hinged panels (1 - front armor plates, 2 - trunk protection, 3 - bottom protection, 4 - armored doors, 5 - crankcase and fender liner). Weight without armor - 2.544 tons, carrying capacity - 1.25-1.5 tons, engine - diesel, 170 liters. with., speed on the highway - up to 113 km / h
Essential SUVs
The phrase “fancy jeep” that has become familiar carries an internal contradiction. After all, initially "jeeps" are just alien to all sorts of "bells and whistles". Cars with a 4x4 wheel arrangement (that is, four wheels with all-wheel drive for everything) of the most simplified design, increased cross-country ability and high "endurance" began service in World War II as commanders, reconnaissance, sanitary, transport vehicles, mobile communication equipment, field gun tractors and light trailers. The origin of the word "jeep" has long been debated. According to one version, this word comes either from the English abbreviation "JP" - GP ("general purpose"), or from the designation of the GPW "Ford" model - an analogue of the MV "Willis".
The cars that appeared shortly after World War II were the heirs of the first mass-produced jeeps. To this day, such veterans created in the 1950-1960s as, say, the American M151 with a carrying capacity of up to 554 kilograms or the British Land Rover (up to 790 kilograms), or the Soviet UAZ-53 (two people) are widely used in their various modifications. plus 600 kilograms of cargo). But the way wars are fought is changing, and new generations of vehicles are required.
So, in the United States, after the Vietnam campaign, they decided to abandon the descendants of "old Willis" in favor of fundamentally new car. The result was perhaps the most publicized military jeep in the last quarter century HMMWV (an abbreviation meaning "highly mobile multi-purpose wheeled vehicle”), an order for which American Motors General received in 1983. This car is also known under the nickname "Humvee" or under the name "Hammer" ("hammer"), although its commercial modifications are actually called "Hammers". The military M998 HMMWV very successfully combined the powerful diesel engine, independent wheel suspension with wide profile tires low pressure and inserts for driving on flat tires, a wide wheelbase, the ability to transmit high torque to the wheels, high ground clearance and a small height of the aluminum alloy body itself. Also, as advantages, it is worth mentioning the minimum overhangs of the body in front of and behind the wheels, a four-seater cabin and a fairly roomy cargo compartment. True, the low silhouette had to be paid for by the transmission tunnel, which occupied a significant amount of the cabin. The requirement for the car is characteristic - the driver can drive it with an injury to one arm and one leg. This is facilitated automatic transmission gears and a set of controls. Raised air intake above the hood air filter increases the depth of the ford to be overcome and improves work in dusty conditions (dry steppe, desert). The HMMWV family has 15 basic modifications with a common chassis, engine and transmission: 8 of them are combat vehicles carrying weapons on board, the rest are sanitary, staff and so on. In total, 44 replaceable modules are used in the family. This made it possible to replace not only the main predecessor - the massive M151 jeep, which the HMMWV almost tripled in terms of carrying capacity - but also a number of vehicles and significantly unify the fleet of connections. Various modifications of the Humvee serve in more than 30 countries, although this is perhaps the most expensive military jeep on the planet.
Armored modifications of this car were changed as follows: initially, bulletproof armor for patrol cars was provided using steel, Kevlar and polycarbonate armored glass. But in the 1990s, reinforcement of armor began - mainly as a response to the experience that American soldiers endure from the next military campaign conducted by America in one country or another. After the events in Somalia, the M1109 appeared with bulletproof and anti-fragmentation armor. Then, on the heavy chassis HMMWV M1113, the M1114 was built, in which O'Gara-Hess and Eisenhardt supplemented the bulletproof mine protection. These machines were tested in Bosnia, followed by the M1116 with even more enhanced armor protection: together with the M1114, it was needed in Afghanistan and Iraq. The press described, for example, an illustrative case when a patrol M1114 ran into an anti-tank mine in Afghanistan, lost its wheels, the hull was mangled, but none of the four fighters in the cockpit was injured - the reservation worked “for five”. Demand for such vehicles skyrocketed in 2004-2005, when occupant patrols in Iraq were shelled so often that contract drivers allegedly even refused to travel, and army workshops strengthened the armor of the Humvee in artisanal ways. In fairness, it should be noted that HMMWV was created with the expectation of several other tasks. Reservation, which can raise the chassis of a jeep, while maintaining mobility and an acceptable carrying capacity, still does not protect against a cumulative RPG grenade and powerful land mines. This, by the way, also applies to a number of light armored personnel carriers. Well, on the streets of a city or a suburb, a mountain road, any car without cover will be too vulnerable - therefore, it is not surprising to use other methods of protection. In "hot spots" you can find, for example, jeeps with the doors removed - the door still does not protect against a grenade or a shock wave, and it can also hit the passengers and the driver itself, and there are much more chances to leave the attacked car without doors.
Ultra-low LuAZ-967M (4x4), aka TPK, USSR. Weight - 930 kg, load capacity - 320 kg + driver, engine - gasoline, 37 liters. s., speed - up to 75 km / h on the highway, 3-4 km / h afloat, cruising range on the highway - 370 km
Nevertheless, the demand for booking multi-purpose army vehicles, including jeeps, is growing. Here are some figures: from 1993 to mid-2006, Armor Holding "hung" armor on about 17.5 thousand Humvees, of which 14 thousand - after 2003 (mainly in the M1114 and M1116 modifications), and from January 2004 to June 2006 produced more than 1,800 removable armor kits for them.
During the war in Iraq, their HMMWV booking option was offered in South Africa, focusing on protection against high-explosive mines. What was logical - considerable experience in mine protection was gained in South Africa wheeled vehicles, and for HMMWV it became almost main problem.
Sign of the Times - Multipurpose light car LMV (weighing, however, 6.7 tons) Italian company"Iveco" has mine protection already in the basic configuration.
The US recently planned to replace part of the HMMWV and HEMTT LHS tractor trucks, and several firms have begun developing vehicles under two related programs - FFTS UV up to 2.5 tons and FFTS MSV up to 11 tons. In addition to a greater carrying capacity, the requirements for a reinforced suspension (to be able to withstand a set of removable armor) were presented to the new SUV, as well as a more powerful electric generator to power radio and optoelectronic equipment. But navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications are also components of "defense". Heavy machine guns and sniper rifles, hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers, portable anti-tank systems sometimes turn low visibility, high mobility and modern surveillance devices into much more important parameter light vehicles than their body armor.
Jeeps - technique dual purpose. Most military jeeps have civilian modifications, and often more numerous. Evidence of this is the German G-class Mercedes family, the Hummers, and the Soviet UAZ-469, which was originally developed in military and "national economic" versions.
Car GAZ-64
Tigers and Bars
The first production 4x4 military SUV appeared in the USSR in 1941 in the form of the GAZ-61, followed by the GAZ-64, -67 and -67B. However, during the Great Patriotic War, there were much more Lend-Lease "Willis", "Ford", "Dodge three-quarters" in the troops. In 1953, the production of GAZ-69 began. Interest in off-road vehicles was constantly increasing - if in 1956 the USSR produced 5 different basic models, then in 1970 it was already 11.
Impact buggy FLYER R-12 made in Singapore, used in the USA. Weight - 2.47 tons, crew - 3 people, engine - diesel, 81 liters. s., speed - up to 110 km / h, cruising range - 500 km
In 1972, the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant began production of the UAZ-469, which has served with dignity to this day. The test runs passed by the UAZ-469 are very indicative - along the Great Silk Road, the Sahara, the Karakum Desert, Siberia. During a run across the Caucasus in 1974, UAZs even climbed (well, almost) Elbrus, climbing 4,000 meters. The caustic joke “what the Russians won’t invent in order not to build good roads” is just about them. But the army is not going to operate only along the roads. The military modification of the UAZ-469 differs from the civilian one in additional wheel reduction gears, which allowed to increase ground clearance and increase cross-country ability, pre-heater, shielded electrical equipment. IN different modifications UAZ got to more than 80 countries of the world. Noticeably inferior to many foreign SUVs in terms of comfort, very shaky on the go, it had the most important quality for a "jeep" - cross-country ability, reliability and maintainability. Lieutenant General Yu.P. Prishchepo, for example, recalled how in Ethiopia, when overcoming the "wadi" - the bed of a low-water river with sand and silt - "Land Rovers" (very good cars) firmly settled down, and the UAZ, having stalled, nevertheless passed and "Land Rovers" helped with a tugboat.
During production, various changes were made to the car. In 1985, they managed to modernize the UAZ-469 (modification of the UAZ-3151), installing an 80 hp engine. With. (versus 75-77 for the previous UAZ-469) and made a number of changes to the transmission, running gear, and controls. Later, more changes were made, which generally improved the driving and performance of the machine. Military modifications of this brand included a general purpose vehicle, a command and staff vehicle, a radiation and chemical reconnaissance vehicle, and others. Among special equipment to it we can mention a road induction mine detector and a set of railway "moves" for driving a car along a railway track with a wide domestic gauge of 1,520 or "Stephenson's" gauge of 1,435 millimeters.
In the 1990s, a number of attempts were made to modernize the old "goat" UAZ-469 (UAZ-3151), primarily for the commercial market. But military tasks were not forgotten either - the conflicts in which the Russian army participated simply did not let them be forgotten.
Hammer-like GAZ-29752 "Tiger" (4x4), used by OMON and internal troops Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. Weight - 5 tons, carrying capacity - 1.5 tons (or up to 10 people), engine - diesel, 197 or 205 liters. s., speed - up to 125-140 km / h, fuel range - up to 1,000 km
The Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant installed a new 137-horsepower engine with electronic injection combined with 5- step box gears, gear axles, front spring and rear spring suspension. A new model has appeared - UAZ-3159 "Bars". The Zashchita Corporation supplied the Bars, destined for the army and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with hidden or open local cockpit armor.
UAZ-3159 "Bars"
Based on the "Bars" with an increased gauge, the UAZ-2966 was created, which has been supplied to the troops since 2004 and also has the ability to install reservations. By the way, the spacing of the wheels in width is associated not only with the stability of the car on the move, “fitting” into the track or the layout of components and assemblies. It also contributes to protection - when hitting a mine, it is less likely that a torn off wheel will hit the cabin, and the explosion itself occurs further from the seats of the crew and passengers. In Chechnya and Dagestan, the Russian army faced the same problems of mine warfare and shelling from automatic and grenade launchers as the Soviet army in Afghanistan. But local booking paid off. You can recall the case described in the press. The “Bars” of the Ufa OMON came under fire from bandits in Chechnya, one of the bullets, hitting the engine, immobilized the car, which was immediately fired at from an RPG, a grenade exploded in the rear wheel arch. After the battle, the car counted more than one and a half hundred hits. But everyone in the cockpit survived.
Interesting development Gorky Automobile Plant and its subsidiary Industrial Computer Technologies of a heavier GAZ-2975 Tiger jeep with a carrying capacity of up to 1.5 tons (close to the Humvee) using BTR-80 units, independent torsion wheel suspension. In addition to greater reliability, this gave the car excellent cross-country ability, which is facilitated by a very solid ground clearance of 400 millimeters (for the army UAZ-469 - 300), and a tire pressure control system. True, the wheels and the manual gearbox were imported. The export version of the "Tiger" was also received by the American turbocharged Cummings diesel engine, but for delivery to the "native" armed forces, the GAZ-562 engine (produced under license from the Austrian Steyr) can be installed, also turbocharged, 197 horsepower. This is how the "Tigers" delivered to the riot police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are equipped. They also have armor that protects against pistol and small-caliber automatic bullets. Before us is something between a jeep and a light armored personnel carrier for police operations in dangerous areas. Of the analogues, one can cite the British Shoreland armored vehicle on the Land Rover Defender chassis.
Battle gnomes
Other branches of the military require highly mobile and small-sized vehicles as tractors and transporters. For the airborne troops, for example, such a need has been clear since their inception. It is not surprising that jeeps were created for them, which can be called ultra-small, their main advantages are the possibility of being transferred by any military transport aircraft and transport helicopter, landing on light parachute platforms, and low visibility on the ground. These include the American M274 "Mechanical Mule" with an engine of 21 horsepower, the French "Laure Fardi" FL 500 with a 28-horsepower engine. And the very original Austrian "Steyr-Puch" 700 AR "Haflinger" with an engine of 22-27 horsepower was intended for operations in the mountains. The Bundeswehr of Germany made an original move in the 1970s, adopting the Kraka 640 car from the Faun company with a boxer two-cylinder engine and a folding frame, which was originally created as ... an agricultural walk-behind tractor. Nevertheless, Kraka served as both a transporter and a platform for installing heavy weapons - recoilless guns, anti-tank missile systems(ATGM) "Tou" or "Milan", 20-mm automatic gun Rh202. However, in the end, the Krak had to be replaced with heavier vehicles and small airborne armored vehicles.
Light chassis (4x4) "Faun" KRAKA 640, Germany. Weight - 1.61 tons, carrying capacity - 0.75 tons (or up to 6 people), engine - gasoline, 26 liters. s., speed - up to 55 km / h, cruising range - about 200 km
In the USSR, the development of an ultra-small off-road vehicle began in the 1950s with the task of creating an inconspicuous "front-line transporter" (TPK); however, an agricultural career was also envisaged for him. In the 1960s in Soviet army a floating SUV LuAZ-967 manufactured by the Lutsk Automobile Plant with a squat pontoon body and a four-cylinder engine appeared air cooling. The TPK served for the evacuation of the wounded, the transport of ammunition, military equipment, as well as the installation of certain types of weapons - the Konkurs or Metis anti-tank systems, the AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher. The driver could drive the car lying down. Small dimensions and weight, combined with good maneuverability and buoyancy, made the TPK convenient for landings, a winch and removable catwalks increased cross-country ability, the winch could pull loads and the wounded to the car. But the TPK nevertheless received an agricultural modification - in the form of non-floating vehicles LuAZ-969 and ZAZ-969.
It would seem that by now small-sized jeeps have completed their military career. However, recently the US Marine Corps remembered them. The MV-22 vertical take-off and landing aircraft adopted by it can hardly accommodate the HMMWV jeep, which means that the landing troops are left without vehicles and heavy weapons. As an option, it was proposed to use the light jeep "Growler", created on the basis of the units of the old M151 jeep - a curious turn in the career of the heirs of the "Willis". The name "Growler" turns out to be quite appropriate here, because it is called "an old-fashioned four-wheeled cab."
impact buggy
Cars armed with machine guns or automatic cannons were designed at the very beginning of the 20th century. Their real samples found combat use during two world and a number of local wars. Say, during World War II, the Red and american army not without success, the Willis armed with machine guns were used in battle, the British commandos successfully used jeeps heavily armed with machine guns in North Africa. Not to mention the numerous anti-aircraft machine gun installations on automobile chassis.
Panhard SPV vehicle on G270 CDI chassis for French special forces. Weight - 4.0 tons, capacity - 6-8 people, engine - diesel, 210 liters. s., speed - up to 120 km / h, cruising range - 800 km, mine protection of the bottom
A new surge of interest in highly mobile armed cross-country vehicles occurred in the 1970-1980s in connection with the formation of "light" formations and rapid reaction forces, the expansion of the use of special forces and airborne troops. The vehicles were assigned the tasks of reconnaissance and patrolling, the destruction of manpower and military equipment, laser target designation of precision-guided munitions, raids and search and rescue operations behind enemy lines. The lack of armor protection was supposed to compensate for mobility (due to the high specific engine power, independent wheel suspension, low specific pressure) and low visibility, which was provided by a low silhouette and low noise. The average transport helicopter was supposed to carry two cars with crews inside. It is clear that here armored vehicles could not compete with unarmored ones. Since then, there have been several generations of impact vehicles.
Of great interest as the chassis of such a car was a buggy - light sport car, characterized by very small size and weight, high speed, permeability and stability. An example is the FAV, LSV and ALSV "Chinout" machines successively tested by the Americans. ALSV at speeds up to 130 kilometers per hour and acceleration from standstill to 50 kilometers per hour in 8 seconds can carry 3-4 people, 12.7 mm (M2HB) and 7.62 mm (M240G) machine guns, that is, weapons, comparable to the Humvee. At the same time, it has a commercial diesel engine and transmission, an electronic control system, communications and navigation. The Jordanian strike vehicle AB3 Black Iris is distinguished not only by its 4x2 wheel formula and squat hull, but also by the frame at the stern for transporting a light motorcycle.
The original Desert Raider strike machine was introduced at the turn of the 21st century by the Israeli company AIL. The car looks like an elongated buggy, but with a 6x6 wheel arrangement - two front wheels with independent suspension and four rear ones, suspended in pairs on balancers. The crew is located in a rhombus - the driver is along the axis of the car, machine gunners are on the sides behind the driver, 1-2 more people with weapons or transported property can be accommodated on the platform behind the driver. Strangely, the layout of this large insect resembles a Soviet tracked airborne combat vehicle. An important feature of the "Desert Raider", which managed to get the army name "Tomer", is the location of the engine and the exhaust system, which reduce the thermal and acoustic visibility of the vehicle. Armament may include 2-3 machine guns of 5.56 (Negev) or 7.62 (MAG) mm caliber, as well as one ATGM.
Speed or armor?
Buggy and chassis like the Desert Raider, which are small attack vehicles, are good for driving on sandy soils, besides, their ability to transport ammunition, fuel supplies and food is limited. Much more versatile and reliable are shock vehicles of the "medium" (up to 4.5 tons) and "heavy" (up to 6 tons) class based on army jeeps and even four-wheel drive trucks.
Vehicle M-626/G "Desert Raider" (6x6), Israel. Weight - 2.6 tons, engine - gasoline, 150 liters. s., or diesel, 107 liters. s., speed - up to 110 km / h, cruising range - 600 km
For example, we can recall the vehicles of the British Special Operations Forces. During the Falklands War, they used traditional Land Rover jeeps. But the C-130 aircraft could take on board no more than two such machines, and it was required - up to seven cars with crews. For the 22nd British SAS Regiment, light LSVs were made. They were put into action in 1991 in the Persian Gulf. However, already there, the British still preferred the much more spacious old Pink Panther jeep on the chassis of the long-wheelbase Land Rover - in addition to weapons and several people, it carried smoke grenade launchers, cans of fuel and water, navigation equipment, hanging trunks for property. They were used in combination with Canon motorcycles and support vehicles on the chassis of the German Unimog truck. On the good old Land Rovers, British patrols also move in Iraq.
In the “shock” variant, they also offered the American HMMWV, which they put on in different versions - we bend our fingers - a 40-mm MK19 automatic grenade launcher, a 7.62-mm M60 machine gun, a 12.7-mm M2HB, a 12.7-mm multi-barreled GAU- 19/A, 30mm ASP(R)-30 cannon, Tou ATGM. But the basic HMMWV turned out to be a little heavy. Therefore, its modification HMMWV / SOV for special operations forces has a shortened and “narrowed” base, an open top, safety arcs and installations for automatic weapons. For the UK, on a reduced-width HMMWV ECV chassis, a Shadow car was developed with the ability to install a stabilized platform with automatic small arms, recoilless rifles or anti-tank systems. At the same time, the US Marines adopted the IFAT "high-speed assault vehicle" on the chassis of the German Mercedes GDT 290, capable of carrying 6 fully equipped fighters, as well as a 12.7-mm M2NV machine gun and a 7.62-mm M240G or 40-mm grenade launcher Mk19. And most importantly - IFAT fits perfectly into a medium transport helicopter.
Impact buggy ALSV, USA. Weight - 2.35 tons, crew - 3 people, engine - diesel, 140 liters. s., speed - up to 130 km / h, cruising range - 500 km
On the G270 chassis of the same Mercedes G-series in Germany, they built impact vehicles LIV and LIV (SO) weighing 2.55-3.3 tons of a modular design. Four portable jack supports allow you to put in the field a combat module with a missile system, a protected module for transporting soldiers, reconnaissance equipment, a fuel tank, a set of repair and evacuation equipment, and an electric generator. You can install an automatic cannon or an automatic grenade launcher.
Naturally, it was also decided to equip the attack vehicles with light armor. In front of the same ALSV, non-metallic armored panels can be mounted. Impact jeeps can carry combat tires, mine protection kit, removable bulletproof armor. That is, the development of off-road chassis, on the one hand, and means of armor protection and destruction, on the other, nevertheless brought the attack vehicles of the middle and heavy classes closer to light armored vehicles. This was also facilitated by the interest in automatic guns of 20-30 mm caliber as a group weapon of units. The British, for example, put a 20-mm Vector GAI cannon on the Unimog chassis, and a stabilized WMIK platform with a 20- or 30-mm cannon or twin 12.7 and 7.62 can be placed on the Land Rover Defender 110 chassis -mm machine guns.
UAZ-469 with machine guns was used by the Soviet special forces in Afghanistan. On the basis of the Russian UAZ-3159 with an extended track, the Scorpion-2 vehicle is presented with enlarged doors (to facilitate leaving the car), a turret for installing a machine gun with a caliber from 7.62 (PKTM) to 14.5 mm (KPVT).
Finally, it is difficult to count the number of improvised "shock machines" generated by local wars. Afghan dushmans, for example, used jeeps and pickup trucks "Toyota", "Semur", "Datsun" with heavy machine guns or recoilless rifles for raids and as nomadic fire weapons. There are also curiosities like the proposed Ukrainian manufacturers MLRS on the chassis of the old LuAZik with ... an aviation unit of unguided rockets.
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The spread of light cross-country vehicles such as "buggies" aroused a legitimate interest in them by the military: small-sized high-speed vehicles that differ high traffic, seemed to be an ideal means for raiding. The first such vehicles, designated by the abbreviation FAV (Fast Assault Vehicle - “high-speed assault vehicle”), were acquired by American special forces. Following them, buggies were adopted in a number of other countries.
Fighting vehicles such as "buggies" have gained considerable popularity in Latin America. This was facilitated not only by their tactical qualities, but also by the exceptional simplicity of the design, which makes it possible to assemble such vehicles literally in sheds, presenting them as a product of the “domestic military industry”. As a result, combat buggies of their own design appeared in service not only in the relatively developed Peru and Uruguay, but also in the much less industrialized Bolivia.
The American FAV class vehicles served as the prototype for combat buggies.
medium.com
Common features of all combat buggies: the most lightweight, but at the same time, a strong body formed by a tubular spatial truss and practically devoid of any skin, as well as a reinforced suspension and a crew of three (driver and commander - in front, shooter - behind and above their). Used on cars various options commercial engines with a working volume of 1.6–2.5 liters, which, combined with a small mass, provides a combat buggy excellent dynamics. As a rule, these machines are non-wheel drive - with a leading rear axle.
"Kojak"
In the first half of the 90s, a retired colonel of the Bolivian army named Cornejo set out to provide the military with a light and cheap combat vehicle. The first prototypes of the Bolivian buggy were tested in 1995-1997, but the development of the design took almost ten years. Only in October 2005, the car was put into service, choosing for it the name of the protagonist of the once popular television series - "Kojak".
Even against the background of its “classmates”, the Bolivian “Kojak” is distinguished by its extremely narrow dimensions. On the one hand, this greatly facilitates camouflage, on the other hand, there was no room for a trunk in the car, and backpacks with crew members' belongings are hung on the outside of the frame. Another drawback that catches the eye is the insecurity of the shooter: there are no safety arcs at his workplace. When capsizing the Kojak, the shooter will at best get off with serious injuries ... The only element made of sheet steel is the bottom of the car. There is no cover for the sides, not even swamps. The machine can tow a light single-axle trailer with additional reserves, which is quite appropriate when operating in isolation from the main forces.
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The main armament options for the Kojak are: a 7.62 mm machine gun (on the right side of the vehicle) and a 12.7 mm machine gun (on the left).
www.razonyfuerza.mforos.com
The Kojak shooter is not protected even by the simplest safety arcs.
www.razonyfuerza.mforos.com
It is believed that the Bolivian army has acquired about four dozen Kojaks. Standard option armament is considered machine-gun: on top installation the shooter has a 7.62-mm or 12.7-mm machine gun mounted, the commander has only an automatic rifle. At the same time, the Bolivian military is trying to pile literally everything at hand on the Kojak: RPG-7 grenade launchers, Chinese HJ-8A ATGMs, Chinese MANPADS, as well as launchers of 70-mm unguided rockets created in Bolivia.
The Kojak, armed with a 70mm rocket launcher, tows a single-axle trailer.
www.razonyfuerza.mforos.com
"Aperea"
The Uruguayan military took care of creating their own buggy about a decade later than their Bolivian counterparts, and the car turned out to be more thoughtful. A power frame made of pipes with a diameter of 50 mm protects not only the commander and driver, but also the shooter. For the latter, an additional rollover protection is provided by a spare wheel mounted on top. From splashes and dirt, the crew is covered with a hood and small sidewalls, the car is equipped with swamps.
The Uruguayan buggy was given the name "Aperea", meaning a rodent, also known as the Brazilian guinea pig. The buggy is largely equipped with components imported from Brazil, in particular, these include diesel engines"Volkswagen" with a working volume of 1.6 or 1.8 liters. Max speed with the first of them is 140 km / h, with the second - 160 km / h. A 60-liter fuel tank provides a car with a 1.6-liter engine with a decent range of 700 km. An empty car weighs 630 kg, equipped (with a crew) - up to 1100 kg.
"Aperea", armed with a 40-mm automatic grenade launcher and a 7.62-mm machine gun.
defensanacional.foroactivo.com
As in the case of the Kojak, the Aprea's main armament includes two machine guns: a 12.7 mm M2NV for the shooter and a 7.62 mm FN MAG for the commander. Instead of the upper machine gun, you can mount a 40-mm automatic grenade launcher - an American Mk 19 or a Singaporean CIS 40. The heaviest weapons tested on Aprea are the American 30-mm M230 automatic cannon.
The shooter on the "Aperea" is protected by a massive tubular frame.
vasili.io.ua
"Lobo"
The Peruvian "Wolf" (this is how the nickname "Lobo" is translated) gives the impression of the most thoughtful design among all Latin American "crafts". The development of the machine under the official designation VATT (Vehiculo de Ataque Todo Terreno - “all-terrain assault vehicle”) has been carried out by Casanave SA since 2001, and the first production models entered service in 2005.
"Lobo" with basic weapons - 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns.
discasanave.com
Like the "classmates", the body of "Lobo" is made of steel pipes, but of higher quality - with titanium anti-corrosion coating. In addition to the hood and low sides, some of the vehicles are equipped with a roof over the driver's and commander's jobs. The car can be transported by air (including on the external sling of a helicopter) and is adapted for landing on a cargo parachute.
The length of the VATT is 4.5 m, the width is 2.2 m, the height is 2.6 m. The reference books indicate a mass of 850 kg, but most likely this figure does not include weapons (“Lobo” can carry a wide variety of its combinations) . In addition to the almost standard set of 7.62-mm and 12.7-mm machine guns for Latin American buggies (ammunition load of 2500 and 500 rounds, respectively), several anti-tank missile systems were tested on the Peruvian vehicle. The most common option is the ATGM 9K11 "Baby" (or its Chinese clone HJ-73C). Two ATGM launchers of this complex are mounted on the sides of the upper part of the vehicle (spare missiles, as far as can be judged from the available photos, are not provided). In addition, more modern anti-tank systems were tested on Lobo: the Russian 9K135 Kornet, the Israeli Spike LR, the Ukrainian Skif (with the Barrier RK-2 ATGM), as well as the Rayo self-developed complex. An alternative to the ATGM is the RPG-7V grenade launcher with a portable ammunition load of six grenades.
"Lobo", additionally armed with ATGM "Malyutka".
discasanave.co
Depending on the power plant, there are several variants of VATT. For army units of special forces, the M-1A2 variant was supplied with a four-cylinder petrol boxer air-cooled engine "Volkswagen Escarabajo" with a working volume of 1.6 liters with a manual gearbox (four speeds forward, one back). Engine power is 120 hp. From 0 to 70 km / h, the car accelerates in 6 seconds, the maximum speed reaches 120 km / h. The army men considered that this was quite enough, but the Marines were not enough: the M-2A1 variant, supplied to the Marine Corps, is equipped with a 1.8-liter Volkswagen engine with a capacity of 140 hp. Export models M-3E and M-4E are equipped with even more powerful Subaru EJ-25 engines with a working volume of 2.5 liters. The power reserve of Lobo, depending on the engine, is 380-450 km. Without weapons, the car costs about $18,000 (probably with a Volkswagen engine), and with weapons and communications equipment, the price of the Lobo reaches $45,000.
VATT on the exercises of the ground forces of Peru.
discasanave.com
VATT turned out to be the only Latin American combat buggy, the production volume of which was not limited to a few dozen units, and also the only one that was exported. The Peruvian military acquired a total of 210 Lobos. The largest foreign buyer was Angola, which acquired fifty VATT. Smaller batches arrived in Niger (15 cars), Guinea (12) and Honduras (12). Finally, there are reports of the delivery of a dozen Lobos to Ukraine, but we could not find documentary evidence of this.
The raid group of the Peruvian special forces: in the foreground - "Lobo", behind him - light cars "Puma".
discasanave.com
VELA and VLF
The development of their own combat buggies at one time was carried out by the Argentines. They needed a car weighing no more than 1000 kg, adapted for transportation by a UH-1H Iroquois helicopter (on an external sling). The VELA car (Vehiculo de Exploracion Ligero de Asalto - “light reconnaissance and assault vehicle”) was equipped with a 1.6-liter Volkswagen engine and was armed with two machine guns (12.7 mm M2NV and 7.62 mm M60). An interesting detail Argentinean buggy was equipped with two grenade launchers for firing smoke grenades.
Armament VELA: 12.7-mm and 7.62-mm machine guns, smoke grenade launchers (on the sides of the spare wheel), as well as two disposable M72 RPGs stacked on the roof.
taringa.net
Conceptually, VELA was close to the Bolivian Kojak, being devoid of any body panels, but the Argentine designers still took pity on the shooter, protecting him with a safety arc. VELA prototypes were tested in the 601st airborne assault battalion, but the car was not accepted into service: the Argentine military preferred more heavy vehicle"Gaucho", reminiscent of a reduced SUV HMMWV.
Argentine car VELA.
vasili.io.ua
They also created a combat buggy on the "Island of Freedom". The Cuban state enterprise Union de Industrias Militares (UIM) developed the VLF (Vehiculo Liviano de Fiero - “light fire machine”). Information about her is limited to a few photographs. The VLF is armed with a 7.62 mm PKM machine gun and a 30 mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher, with the last shooter firing while standing. The parameters of the power plant of the car are unknown, but from the photographs it can be assumed that the VLF is all-wheel drive. The number of machines manufactured, probably does not exceed one and a half dozen, they are operated by the Cuban special forces "Avispas Negras" ("Black Wasps").
VLF fire support vehicle of the Cuban special forces "Avispas Negras".
Kulhanek L. Vojenské “buginy” zemí Latinské Ameriky // ATM, 2015, No. 5
Literature:
- Kulhanek L. Vojenské “buginy” zemí Latinské Ameriky // ATM, 2015, No. 5
- www.razonyfuerza.mforos.com
- defensanacional.foroactivo.com
- discasanave.com
- militar.org.ua
Today, light and fast military vehicles are becoming increasingly important. The armies of many countries are armed with ATVs and buggies. In Russia, not so long ago, the army all-terrain vehicle AM-1 was adopted. At the same time, the Research Center for Automotive Technology of the 3rd Center of the Research Institute of the Russian Ministry of Defense is considering the prospect of introducing buggy-type all-terrain vehicles into the Russian army. Such machines are actively used in the armies of some states, so the military in Russia is seriously interested in their capabilities in relation to the realities of our country.
One of the most active operators of army buggies is the US military. More than 20 types of buggies manufactured here are in service. various companies. Initially, their main purpose was to patrol the US borders. Also, these vehicles are well suited for operations in the desert, conducting sabotage attacks and reconnaissance. Usually they are carriers of light weapons, and their crew consists of 2-3 people. Military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown that improving the armor protection of off-road vehicles inevitably leads to an increase in their mass and the loss of the ability to perform a number of reconnaissance missions. In this situation, they have to give way to light vehicles with high maneuverability, speed, low visibility on the ground and a relatively low price.
The first buggies appeared in the USA in the 1950s. For their manufacture, old, unused Volkswagen Beetle cars were usually used. From the diminutive form of the name of the Volkswagen "Beetle" - Volkswagen Bug, the word "buggy" - "bug" came from. During the alteration, the body, wings, doors were removed from the cars, and a lightweight frame or fiberglass body was installed as a supporting structure, and in some cases a stripped-down version of the standard Volkswagen body was left. Due to the strength of the chassis and the patency of the "Beetle", the absence of a radiator, high ground clearance, and rear location engine, this popular and recognizable to this day passenger car was ideal for creating a buggy based on it. The popularity of the buggy was also facilitated by the availability passenger car Volkswagen Bug.
In the late 1970s, the United States realized that military vehicles did not have to be large and inspire fear in their appearance. Even then, the army felt the need for a fast and light vehicle that would be suitable for patrolling the desert, remembering the buggy. Buggy is light frame car, characterized by high cross-country ability, speed, small dimensions and good cornering stability. These machines have proven to be very helpful. The first production buggies were delivered to the US military by a small Californian company, Chenowth, which specializes in the production of racing buggies. Cars of her design successfully participated in the famous races of the Dakar Rally.
In the early 1980s, this Californian company won an army contract to build a fast military buggy that could easily navigate the sand dunes while carrying a significant amount of various combat equipment. Already in 1982, the first army buggy was born, which went into mass production, FAV - Fast Attack Vehicle. In the first batch there were 120 buggies, but in reality the cars were idle until the early 1990s. Their debuts were operations in the Persian Gulf. They were first used in Kuwait. During Operation Desert Storm, it was the FAV buggies that became the first vehicles to enter the liberated capital of Kuwait. At the same time, they did not move along the roads at all. As part of Operation Desert Storm, buggies were used not only by the US military, but also by British special operations forces.
Fast Attack Vehicle equipped with two-liter air-cooled engines Volkswagen, developing a maximum power of 200 hp, a 4-speed gearbox, as well as an independent suspension. The car weighed 960 kg and could travel 320 kilometers on one gas station. The maximum speed of the buggy was about 130 km / h. A characteristic feature of the buggy was a light body, which was made of high-strength steel tubular structures (frame and safety arch), as well as the location of the transmission and engine in the rear of the hull. 7.62-mm and 12.7-mm machine guns, grenade launchers, anti-tank systems or MANPADS could be used as weapons, and a radio station could be additionally installed. Over time, the buggy received a new designation DPV - Desert Patrol Vehicle (literally - transport for patrolling the desert).
The DPV buggy was built on the basis of the VW Beetle. A front torsion bar suspension was mounted on a tubular frame, and an air-cooled boxer engine was located at the rear. The frame was sheathed with sheet steel. The crew of the FAV/DPV buggy consisted of 3 people. Two of them were traditionally located, as in an ordinary car (one was the driver, the second was shooting from a machine gun, reading cards), another crew member was located in the upper superstructure located above the power unit. He could fire from a machine gun or a grenade launcher.
Tactical and technical characteristics of FAV/DPV:
Overall dimensions: length - 4080 mm, width - 2100 mm, height - 2000 mm.
Ground clearance - 410 mm.
Weight - 960 kg.
Maximum speed - 130 km / h (on the highway).
Acceleration from 0 to 50 km / h - 4 s.
The maximum slope is 75%.
The maximum side slope is 50%.
Load capacity - 680 kg.
Fuel supply - 80 l.
Crew - 3 people.
A further development of the DPV buggy was new car LSV - Light Strike Vehicle (literally translated as light strike vehicle). Possible armament was significantly expanded and could consist of: 12.7 mm machine gun M2, 5.56 mm machine gun M249 SAW LMG, 7.62 mm machine gun M60 or M240 of the GPMG series. Two AT4 anti-tank grenade launchers or one BGM-71 TOW ATGM could also be used.
Later, around October 1996, the improved buggies ALSV - Advanced Light Strike Vehicle saw the light of day. They became the third generation of Chenowth's army buggies and the direct heirs of the DPV and LSV models. The improved light shock vehicle is available in two versions - with a 2-seater and a 4-seater body. This vehicle is in service with the US Army and Marine Corps, some NATO countries, the states of the Middle East and Central America.
It should be noted that recently there has been a trend towards changing the design of desert buggies. Given the fact that the Volkswagen Beetle has ceased to be produced since the mid-1990s, the front torsion bar suspension is gradually being replaced by a suspension with transverse A-arms. The rear suspension of the buggy is based on diagonal levers.
The most "advanced" army buggy Advanced LSV, built on the basis of Humvee car, got a proper name - Flyer ("flyer"), which only emphasizes the good speed characteristics machines. According to the manufacturer's information, the entry and exit angles of these buggies are 59 and 50 degrees, respectively. The new buggy model has already proved its mobility and firepower. Thanks to the presence of a circular turret, the shooter can fire 360 degrees without deploying the buggy for this. The machine can be equipped with a heavy 12.7 mm M2 machine gun or a 40 mm MK19 automatic grenade launcher. As additional weapons, light machine guns and portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems can be used. Each of the buggy doors can be equipped with a turret for mounting 7.62 mm and 5.56 mm machine guns.
The mass of the buggy has increased to 2 tons. Thanks to the presence of a 160-horsepower diesel engine and all-wheel drive buggy has excellent off-road qualities. The engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox. There are variants of the ALSV buggy, designed to transport the wounded and transport goods, as well as vehicles that are equipped with armor and are intended for direct participation in combat operations. At the same time, ALSV buggies still remain compact, they can be transported by air by CH-47 Chinook or CH-53 Sea Stallion transport helicopters.
The tasks for which such buggies are intended remain unchanged:
- conducting special operations;
- fast attack/penetration deep into enemy territory;
- reconnaissance operations;
- adjustment of fire on ground targets (including with the help of UAVs);
- team car.
The performance characteristics of Flyer ALSV:
Overall dimensions: length - 4570 mm, height - 1520 mm, width - 1520 mm.
Clearance - 355 mm.
Turning radius - 5.48 m.
Curb weight - 2041 kg.
Gross weight - 3400 kg.
Load capacity - 1360 kg.
The power plant is a 1.9-liter diesel engine with 160 hp.
Fuel supply - 68 l.
Power reserve - 725 km.
Crew - 2-3-4 people.
Today, at the Chechenavto plant in the city of Argun, a presentation of the Chaborz M-3 military buggy took place. This is a joint project of the F-Motorsport company from Fryazino near Moscow, which produces off-road buggies, and the Gudermes International Training Center for Special Forces. Translated from Chechen, Chaborz means "bear and wolf."
Chaborz was created on the basis of the model, in 2016 representatives of law enforcement agencies- in particular, Daniil Martynov, deputy head of the regional department of the Russian Guard, which is in charge of the training center in Gudermes. The military formulated their requirements for a tactical buggy and developed everything related to weapons. In military guise, the all-terrain vehicle was first shown at the Interpolitech-2016 exhibition under the name Alabai.
With the assistance of Ramzan Kadyrov, it was decided to produce buggies at the Chechenavto plant, which has been assembling Lada cars since 2008 (Grants are now being produced there). One copy, made in Fryazino, was shipped to Chechnya in September 2016, and then preparations for SKD began. To date, four vehicles have been assembled under the SKD scheme. In the future, the plant will switch to small-scale assembly with self-welding space frame and the manufacture of some suspension elements. Also in Argun, they will remake gearboxes from Grants - change gears (they are made of titanium-filled steel) and install a limited-slip differential. Estimated production volume - 20 cars per month.
Chechenavto management (from left to right): Bekmirza Elmurzaev, plant representative at AvtoVAZ, Mukhadi Tovsultanov, deputy director, Said-Khussein Taymaskhanov, general director
Buggy Chaborz M-3 built on VAZ units. In addition to the aforementioned gearbox, a 1.6-liter VAZ engine is used (although the original project had a 1.8 engine), electric power steering from Kalina and a VAZ brake booster. Suspension arms and shock absorbers are original.
Chaborz's own weight without weapons is about 400 kg, while the carrying capacity is 250 kg. The rear-wheel drive three-seat vehicle can carry a PKM 7.62 machine gun with a large supply of ammunition, an AGS30 grenade launcher and a BTD smoke screen module. According to the director of the company F-Motorsport, Eduard Mymrin, it was possible to achieve such a smooth ride, in which it is possible to conduct aimed shooting “on the move”. “The shooters do not press the butt to the shoulder while shooting,” Mymrin wrote on one of the Internet forums. The maximum speed is 130 km/h.
The price of Chaborz is 1.5 million rubles: it was she who was named today to Ramzan Kadyrov at the presentation. But they will also produce a civilian version - with a plain color and without mounts for weapons. For such a car they will ask for 1.1 million rubles. For comparison, the donor FunCruiser Lite costs 950 thousand rubles. IN future plans- release of the six-seat military buggy Chaborz M-6.
