Photo: rg.ru
The CEO of the Military Industrial Company (VPK in Russia), Alexander Krasovitsky, made a sensational statement during his visit to the International Exhibition of Weapons Systems and Military Equipment ‘KADEX -2016’ in the capital of Kazakhstan, the Russian RG daily reported. He said that VPK developers are working on an armored personnel carrier with a hybrid power-plant unit.
The Russia’s army has never had such combat vehicles. It is a kind of locomotive, moving by electric traction. The diesel engine is connected to a powerful generator, which generates electric current. Energy comes in special drives – high-capacity batteries. At the same time, electric power is supplied to the eight electric motors, located in the housing of the armored carrier. In the case of movement downhill, the electric motors become generators and produce energy for the accumulators.
Each electric motor has an individual drive shaft, which connects it with the wheel. In case of need, the diesel-generator set can be turned off, and the armored carrier will move silently due to the energy stored in the accumulators. This allows to reduce tell-tale factors in combat conditions. In addition, the armored carrier can be invisible in the infrared spectrum because the diesel engine is turned off.
The experimental armored personnel carrier was based on BTR-90. Preliminary tests of the carrier were carried out at the proving ground of the Research Test Center of the Russia’s Defense Ministry Armed Forces in Kubinka. Tankmen who tested the armored carrier pointed out that it has smooth motion, good dynamic qualities and superior maneuverability. According to specialists, this combat vehicle has very interesting prospects. As of today, experimental and test work is underway.