The Russian Arctic Army Group is taking a new ride out for a spin Vityaz, a floating off-roader. The designers claim there are no obstacles their vehicle can't take. And the military proved it. The off-roaders traveled thousands of kilometers and cut across multiple rivers and lakes. Alexey Agrov reports.
The white off-roader has bears drawn on its side and a machine gun on the roof. The unique so-called "swamp-walkers" are designed to transport military personnel in harsh arctic weather conditions. Right now, they are being tested.
Alexander Zuyev, test driver: "The vehicle's new but proved reliable. The terrain crossing capacity's good. It never acts up. Sometimes you feel like you can go anywhere and do anything. There's no obstacle it can't take".
There's no obstacle this swamp-walker can't take. Test engineer Timofey Sukhorukov knows it for sure. He says the vehicle easily starts even at -60. He covered almost 2,000 kilometers in this off-roader across the arctic glaciers. The test drive lasted for more than a month.
Timofey Sukhorukov, chief test engineer: "I like this car. I've been working on it for more than 30 years. I'm proud of it. We can do it!"
No vehicle in the world rivals terrain crossing capacity of Vityaz. Swamp-walkers can overcome any obstacle, be it a lake, a river, or a sea. The swimming speed is approximately 5 kmph.
The corporation Uralvagonzavod in Bashkiria is currently producing several classes of off-roaders with lift capacity from 3 to 30 tons. The development is always in progress. Engineers are trying to enhance every characteristic from design to mobility. All the parts are produced in Russia. The arctic-class vehicles must meet strict requirements.
Alexander Ilyin, chief engineer of Vityaz: "It's designed to carry an air defense system and has a lift capacity of 30 tons. It's called "Pantsir SA". The control module is in the driver compartment. The commander and gun spotter sit together with the crew. The vehicle is adapted for arctic exploitation".
The company produces civilian vehicles along with the military ones. They are primarily designed for gas and oil industry. The company has already fulfilled the government order for 2017 ahead of schedule. The arctic materiel has already been assigned to the Russian Arctic Army Group and successfully protects our borders beyond the polar circle.
Alexey Agrov, Sergey Shelebin, and Zekhir Abzalov for Vesti from Bashkiria.
