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Sunday, December 13, 2009

Ukraine to sell BTR-4 armored vehicles and An-32 transport planes to Iraqi military



Ukraine has signed a deal to deliver $550 million (338 million pounds) worth of arms to Iraq, an official said on Friday, in what local media said was part of the country's largest-ever arms deal.Ukrainian arms firms will sell around 400 BTR-4 armored vehicles and 10 An-32 transport planes to Iraq's military, said Stepan Havrish, the deputy head of the council of national security and defence council, Interfax news agency reported.



Ukrainian daily Delo reported on Thursday that Kiev had negotiated a $2.4 billion deal with the Iraqi government, to be financed by the United States, which would be the largest arms deal in Ukraine's history.Ukraine was a centre for arms production in the Soviet Union and remains a major exporter of armoured vehicles and anti-missile defence systems.It is one of the United States' closest allies in the former Soviet Union.


The BTR-4 is a 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed in Ukraine by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau as a private venture. The prototype was unveiled at the Aviasvit'2006 exhibition held in Ukraine in June 2006. The BTR-4 medium-armored vehicle is well suited for rapid reaction forces and marine corps carrying up to fully equipped infantrymen/marines in addition to the three-man crew.

It has been designed to operate on road and cross country in extreme climates and adverse weather at day/night with temperatures ranging from -40 to +55 Celsius. The BTR-4 medium-armored vehicle is well suited for any land or infantry marines forces carrying up to fully equipped soldiers in addition to the three-man crew. KMDB is developing several versions derived from the BTR-4 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC).


The BTR-4K is a command vehicle featuring a 7-man crew, communications equipment and a combat weight of 20t; BRM-4K is a reconnaissance vehicle featuring six-man crew, communications and reconnaissance equipment and combat weight of 20.7t; BREM-4K is a four-man, 19t repair and recovery vehicle equipped with crane, winch, etc; BTR-4KSh is a command and staff vehicle featuring a combat weight of 18t, communications equipment and a 7-man crew; BSEM-4K is an 18.6t ambulance; MOP-4K is a 21t fire support vehicle fitted with a 120mm gun and 40 rounds.


Variants :
BTR-4K : Command Post
BTR-4Ksh : Staff and command vehicle
BRM-4K : Reconnaissance armoured vehicle
BREM-4K : Repair and recovery vehicle
BSEM-4K : Medical support vehicle
MPO-4K : Fire support vehicle with a 120 mm gun
BTR-4 BAU : With a two gun 23 mm turret


Armament

In its base configuration, the BTR-4 is armed with a Grom weapon station whose armament – 30 mm gun, automatic grenade launcher, 7.62 mm machine gun and 4 anti-tank missile launchers is fully stabilized in two planes. The BTR-4 can be also equipped with the GROM, Shkval or BAU 23x4 weapon stations. GROM includes a 30mm gun with 360 rounds, a 30mm grenade launcher with 150 rounds, a 7.62mm machine gun with 1,200 rounds and four Konkurs or Baryer anti-tank missiles. Shkval module consists of a 30mm gun with 360 rounds, 30mm grenade launcher with 150 rounds, a 7.62mm machine gun with 2,000 rounds and two Konkurs or Baryer anti-tank missiles. The BAU 23x2 includes two 23mm automatic guns with 400 rounds and one 7.62mm machine gun with 2,000 rounds.


Protection

The vehicle layout is similar to Pandur, Piranha and AMV — the driver and commander are sitting in the front of the hull, the engine is in the middle, troops are in rear. The troops egress is through the rear door. The BTR-4 hull consists of three compartments: front compartment is the driving station; middle compartment contains the vehicle's powerplant; and rear compartment which acts as the troops and fighting compartment.

The basic version featuring ballistic protection against medium-caliber firearms weighs 17.5 tons. The basic version featuring ballistic protection against medium-caliber firearms weighs 17.5 tons. One version, can also be fitred with add-on amour, with this feature, the BTR-4 providing the highest level of protection, weights around 25-ton. The vehicle has a modular protection design.


In its base configuration it is protected from small arms of 7.62 mm armored piercing balls from any distance. Besides, one of the additional protection sets can be installed in field conditions. The first one is for urban conditions. It is a bar armor to protect from hand grenade launchers and additional mine protection. For use in open space – it is an additional ballistic protection from ammunition up to 30 mm in caliber.

Propulsion


Various engines can be installed in the vehicle. In standard the BTR-4 can used the Ukrainian made 3TD two-stroke engine, with a maximum power of 500 hp. A 600 hp is also available. The BTR-4 can be powered by either 3TD 2-stroke diesel or DEUTZ 4-stroke diesel engines both developing 500-hp (or 600-hp). During amphibious operations it is powered by waterjets.

Accessories

The basic vehicle is fitted with a NBC protection system. The BTR-4 is fully amphibious, and he is propelled in the water with two propellers mounted to the back side of the hull. The driver is equipped with a day/night vision system.

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