Click to see full-size image. (Uralvagonzavod\Rostec)
Russia’s Uralvagonzavod has completed testing of an upgraded BREM-80 armored repair and recovery vehicle equipped with enhanced protection against drones, sixth-generation communications and a mechanized coupling system designed to allow crews to recover damaged vehicles without leaving the cabin, state defense corporation Rostec announced on October 6.
The modernization was carried out with combat operations in Ukraine in mind, according to Rostec, which said in a statement that Uralvagonzavod specialists tested the resistance of the vehicle’s new communications equipment to electronic warfare and subjected the mechanized coupling system to maximum loads while towing heavy armored vehicles over rough terrain.
In addition, the BREM-80 received strengthened protection against shaped-charge munitions, drones and artillery fragments.
The vehicle’s new sixth-generation radio equipment is designed to maintain communications under electronic interference, while the mechanized coupling system allows recovery crews to attach towing cables without leaving the vehicle under enemy fire, Rostec said.
Click to see full-size image. (Uralvagonzavod\Rostec)
The vehicle is fitted with a bulldozer blade that can be used to clear roads and passages and to anchor the vehicle on the ground.
“Experience from the special military operation has shown that the evacuation of damaged vehicles is one of the most dangerous tasks at the front. The modernization of the BREM-80 was aimed primarily at crew safety. The mechanized coupling system and new armor protection make it possible to perform the work faster and with minimal risk to the lives of the crew. Serial production of the updated vehicles has already been launched, and the equipment is being delivered to Russian troops,” Uralvagonzavod said in its own statement.
The BREM-80 is built on the chassis of the T-80 tank and uses a gas-turbine engine. Rostec said the power plant can be started within several minutes at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius, allowing the vehicle to operate in a range of climates, including Arctic conditions.
The company noted the vehicle’s towing capacity allows it to recover not only Russian and Soviet armored vehicles but heavier Western-made equipment as well. It can tow several tanks at once, according to the corporation.
The special military operation in Ukraine highlighted the importance of armored repair and recovery vehicles. The shortage of such highly specialized vehicles contributed to several of Ukraine’s major failures on the battlefield in the last few years. Even with NATO backing, Kyiv forces continue to struggle with this issue. Meanwhile, Russia seems to be widening the gap in this field.
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