In the past few weeks, President of Belarus A. Lukashenko has made a number of statements regarding the development of the armed forces. According to the Belarusian leader, it is necessary to update and modernize the army, including with the help of new weapons and equipment. The army of the future should not be too large, but well equipped and very powerful. In this case, the armed forces will be able to effectively carry out the tasks assigned to them. A. Lukashenko in the near future intends to "stir up" the 140th repair plant in Borisov, which is engaged in the restoration and modernization of various armored vehicles of the ground forces. The Belarusian president urged the company to take up new projects: “Stop painting and sanding the hulls and change something. We need to move to a new stage."
A. Lukashenko noted that some private enterprises in Belarus are already creating their own projects of modern armored vehicles. Large old factories, in turn, are "resting on their laurels" and are in no hurry to develop new weapons and equipment. At the same time, the head of state noted that the new equipment should be created by Belarusian enterprises.
It is likely that the statements of the President of Belarus will be followed by appropriate decisions and decrees. The Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus really need to update the fleet of armored vehicles. All armored vehicles operated by the ground forces were built even before the collapse of the Soviet Union, which accordingly affects their capabilities and resource. The Belarusian industry has made some attempts to create new types of armored vehicles to replace obsolete vehicles, but none of these projects has yet reached mass production.
For example, several years ago the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant (MZKT) presented a project for a promising armored wheeled platform MZKT-590100 Umka. On the basis of a single chassis, created taking into account the latest trends in the field of armored vehicles, it was proposed to build vehicles of various types. According to reports, the Umka project came to a halt before the construction of prototypes began. It is quite possible that one of the consequences of A. Lukashenko's latest statements will be the resumption of work on the MZKT-590100 vehicle, as a result of which the Belarusian army will be able to renew its fleet of armored vehicles.
The Umka project was launched in 2008. The development of a family of promising wheeled armored vehicles was carried out by the MZKT on an initiative basis. It was proposed to develop a universal four-axle chassis, on the basis of which various types of equipment could be created: an armored personnel carrier, an ambulance, a command-staff vehicle, an ACS or a "wheeled tank". In creating various equipment for the armed forces, the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant has extensive experience, which was supposed to be used in a new project. At the same time, however, the developers of the MZKT-590100 project decided to abandon the tried and tested solutions. In the Umka project, it was proposed to use new ideas and technical solutions.
Advanced technical solutions were to be applied in almost all elements of the new project. So, instead of a mechanical transmission, it was proposed to use an electric one with a separate electric motor on each wheel. In the design of the armored hull, it was necessary to use the latest materials, including composites. Finally, the composition of the onboard electronics was supposed to allow the crew to monitor the situation on the battlefield and keep in touch with other vehicles.
As follows from the available data, the MZKT-590100 combat vehicle was supposed to be built in accordance with the latest trends in the field of armored vehicles. In front of the armored hull of the 14-ton vehicle, it was proposed to place a 490 hp diesel engine. and an electric generator. It was proposed to connect a separate electric motor to each of the eight wheels. To rotate the wheels, it was supposed to use an asynchronous motor or a permanent magnet motor. The specific type of electric motors had to be determined by a special study.
According to the calculations of the Belarusian designers, the "Umka" combat vehicle could have quite high characteristics. The maximum speed on the highway was estimated at 130 km / h, on a dirt road of a satisfactory condition - 55 km / h. The power reserve was determined at the level of 1000 kilometers. In the aft part of the hull, a promising armored vehicle was supposed to have two water-jet propellers with an electric drive. The maximum speed on the water was estimated at 12 km / h.
There is no information about the design of the hull and the level of protection provided. Probably, the body of the MZKT-590100 armored vehicle had to withstand the hit of small arms bullets, including large-caliber ones. In addition, the possibility of using hinged additional booking modules cannot be ruled out.
A diesel engine and an electric generator were to be located in the front part of the body of the Umka machine, as well as the workplaces of the driver and commander. Behind them, a place was provided for the installation of a turret with the necessary weapons. The stern of the hull was taken under the troop compartment (in the version of an armored personnel carrier) or under the placement of the necessary payload. To board the soldiers or load cargo in the stern sheet, the car had to have a large door. In addition, roof hatches were provided.
To monitor the situation, the crew of a promising armored vehicle had to have a complex of various optoelectronic and radar equipment. At the first stages of the project, electronic equipment and weapons were supposed to be purchased from foreign manufacturers.
On the basis of the Umka chassis, it was proposed to develop several vehicles for various purposes. For motorized rifle units, wheeled armored personnel carriers and an infantry fighting vehicle were offered. From the published materials it follows that an armored personnel carrier based on the MZKT-590100 was supposed to carry two remote-controlled towers with machine-gun armament, which would increase the size of the troop compartment. BMP "Umka" was supposed to have many times greater firepower. It was proposed to install a combat module with an automatic cannon and machine gun, as well as anti-tank guided missiles. In addition, the new chassis could become the basis for a promising self-propelled artillery installation. For this, it was proposed to equip it with a turret with a gun of up to 120 mm caliber and a coaxial machine gun.
Also offered two options for auxiliary equipment. The armored medical vehicle was supposed to be a modified version of an armored personnel carrier with the appropriate equipment. A promising armored recovery vehicle, as conceived by the creators, was supposed to carry a crane instead of a tower. It was proposed to place the equipment necessary for repairs inside the building.
It was expected that the Umka project would allow not only to renew the fleet of equipment of the armed forces, but also to attract a number of Belarusian defense enterprises to active work. In 2010, specialists from the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant completed a study of the latest foreign armored vehicles of the same class as their promising development. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of various systems proposed for use in the Umka project were identified. Having formed the general appearance of a promising wheeled platform, MZKT held negotiations with several Belarusian enterprises that could take part in the project.
The enterprises found a common language, but no further work was carried out. The continuation of research and development work on an initiative basis was not possible, which is why the MZKT sent a corresponding request to the State Military-Industrial Committee (GVPK). Unfortunately, the proposal to create a family of wheeled armored vehicles based on a single platform did not interest the Ministry of Defense and the GVPK. Due to the lack of funding and interest from a potential customer, the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant was forced to curtail all work on the MZKT-590100 Umka project.
The termination of work on the Umka wheeled platform project, among other things, led to the fact that the Belarusian military still have to use Soviet-made equipment. The defense industry of Belarus is able to carry out timely repairs and some types of modernization of existing equipment, but its resource is not unlimited. Every year the need for new armored vehicles is felt more and more, and the absence of any projects in this area only complicates the situation. Time will show what the consequences of the latest statements by A. Lukashenko will be. It is quite possible that in the foreseeable future Belarusian enterprises will start developing new equipment for the army. There is a certain probability that new types of equipment will be created taking into account any ideas laid down in the MZKT-590100 "Umka" project.
