Lacking experience in creating modern military equipment with high performance, many countries are forced to buy foreign products. If you have your own production or the possibility of its deployment, it becomes possible to purchase a license for the construction of foreign technology. This is the approach that the Kazakh army plans to use in the planned rearmament. In the near future, the Kazakh armed forces will have to receive new equipment of several types, including the Arlan armored vehicles.
In recent years, wishing to re-equip the army, the official Astana has signed several contracts with the Paramount Group (South Africa). The foreign company has extensive experience in creating modern armored vehicles, and also offers potential buyers several combat vehicles for various purposes. The projects of Paramount Group managed to interest the military of Kazakhstan, which resulted in the emergence of agreements on the creation of a joint venture with the subsequent deployment of production of several types of equipment. In the near future, it is planned to start assembling three samples of armored vehicles for various purposes.
One of the first Arlan armored cars assembled in Kazakhstan. Photo Vpk.name
One of the foreign models that managed to interest the customer in the person of Kazakhstan was the Marauder armored car. This armored car was created by the Paramount Group in the middle of the last decade and soon entered the series. In the future, this development became the subject of several contracts for the construction and delivery of finished equipment. In total, foreign customers received several hundred armored cars. Kazakhstan became one of the buyers of such equipment. An updated version of the armored vehicle was created especially for the Kazakh army, modified in accordance with the climatic characteristics of the customer country. Now Kazakhstan intends to independently assemble the required equipment.
Several years ago, the Paramount Group and Kazakhstan Engineering signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering, where it was proposed to launch the production of equipment under license. The plant was put into operation in December last year. To date, the company has assembled a number of new types of equipment. So far, the plant is forced to use a large number of foreign-made components, but in the future it is planned to significantly increase the degree of localization. The possibility of expanding production with the creation of new equipment or the release of licensed machines for export to third countries was also mentioned.
Marauder armored cars. Photo Paramountgroup.com
One of the types of products of the new plant was the armored car "Arlan" ("Wolf"), which is a modified Marauder car from Paramount Group. In accordance with the wishes of the customer, the development company slightly changed the original design, which made it possible to adapt the equipment in accordance with the expected operating conditions in Kazakhstan. At the same time, the general features of the car remained unchanged. A number of such armored cars have already been produced in South Africa by order of Kazakhstan. Now the production of equipment will be carried out by Kazakhstan independently.
The Marauder / Arlan armored car is a multipurpose protected vehicle capable of solving various transport and combat missions. Both in its original form and in the form modified for Kazakhstan, the armored car is capable of transporting soldiers with weapons or cargo, ensuring the combat work of units. In addition, there is the possibility of patrolling specified areas, escorting convoys in order to protect them from ambushes, etc. Also, the developer offered several specialized versions of the armored car.
At the request of the customer, an armored medical or command-staff vehicle, as well as a self-propelled anti-tank missile system or an infantry fire support combat vehicle, can be manufactured. A prototype of a special police car was built and shown, intended for use in urban areas in the suppression of riots. All such modifications use the same armored car, which receives a different set of special equipment.
Special police version of the car. Photo Paramountgroup.com
According to the Paramount Group, the Marauder armored car is built on the basis of an armored hull and does not have a frame required to install one or another equipment. Power plant, transmission elements, chassis, etc. attached directly to the carrier armored hull. This allowed, to a certain extent, to reduce the size and weight of the machine. In addition, it became possible to maximize protection.
The presented hull has spaced armor and corresponds to level 3 of the STANAG 4569 standard. This means that the armored car is able to protect the crew from 7.62 mm armor-piercing rifle bullets, as well as from explosive devices with an 8 kg charge under the wheel or bottom. Moreover, the body is said to withstand 12.7mm bullets without an armor-piercing core. The grilles of the engine compartment are of a weaker design and can only withstand 7.62 mm automatic bullets. The possibility of equipping the armored car with additional booking modules is declared, with the help of which the level of protection is brought to the required level.
Dashboard and steering wheel. Photo Paramountgroup.com
The body of the armored car "Arlan" has a hood layout and is divided into two main compartments. The smaller front compartment is designed to accommodate the engine and some transmission elements. Other volumes of the hull are given for the placement of the crew and troops or cargo. On the sides of the hull, outside of it, several casings are placed to accommodate some devices and boxes for property. This makes it possible to transport the required loads, as well as to make reasonable use of the internal volumes of the protected hull.
The front engine compartment of the hull is covered with armor plates with grilles for supplying air to the radiator. The characteristic shape of the frontal part of the hull, formed by several details, gives the armored car a recognizable appearance. The upper engine compartment cover is angled to the horizontal. It also has ventilation holes. The bottom of the engine compartment is covered with a V-shaped bottom, used to protect against undermining mines. The bottom of the habitable compartment has a similar design.
The habitable compartment of the hull has a layout traditional for this technique. In its front part there are places for the driver and commander, the rest of the volume is given to the troop compartment. To observe the surrounding space, the crew can use a set of windows, which include armored glass. In the version for Kazakhstan, the Marauder / Arlan armored car has one or two windshields (in the second case, a central pillar separating individual glasses is used), complex-shaped windows in the side doors, two windows in the stern of the sides, as well as a window in the aft door. According to the manufacturer, the glazing of the armored car in terms of the level of protection corresponds to the body as a whole.
Aft part of the vehicle with a door for the landing. Photo Rusautomobile.ru
The original Marauder design was based on a variety of engines to meet specific requirements. In the case of the Arlan armored car, a power plant based on a turbocharged engine of the American company Cummins with a capacity of 300 hp was chosen. The engine is mated to an Allison 3000SP automatic transmission that distributes torque to all drive wheels. The existing power plant should provide road travel at speeds up to 120 km / h. The power reserve is 700 km. Also, the armored car will be able to wade water bodies up to 0.9 m deep, climb slopes with a steepness of 60% or move with a roll of up to 35%, cross trenches 0.85 m wide and climb a wall 0.5 m high. Equipped with a winch with a pulling force of 8 tons.
In front of the roof of the habitable compartment there is a place for installing a combat module. The design of the armored vehicle allows the use of existing and future remote-controlled combat modules carrying machine guns of various types, including large-caliber ones. Armored cars "Arlan" of Kazakh production should receive combat modules with a heavy machine gun NSVT. The module has optoelectronic equipment, mechanical drives and a remote control system. Control is carried out using a remote control installed in the cab.
"Arlan" at the "Army-2016" exhibition. Photo Vikond65.livejournal.com
The own crew of the armored car consists of only two people: the driver and the commander-gunner. They are located in front of the crew compartment and are responsible for the management of all fixed assets. In the aft troop compartment of the armored car, there are eight landing seats located at the sides of the hull. For additional protection against explosions, chairs are used that absorb part of the explosion energy. The driver and commander can get into their seats using the "car" side doors. The trooper is invited to use the door that opens to the side. For the convenience of dismounting and boarding, there are steps or small ladders under the doors.
The Republic of South Africa, where the Marauder armored car was developed, and Kazakhstan, where it is planned to operate such equipment, are distinguished by the characteristic features of the climate, which impose special requirements on the equipment. For this reason, both in the original and in the modified version, the machine is equipped with a 14 kW air conditioner. Heat exchangers and fans of this device are located in the aft part of the side boxes-casings. With the help of an air conditioner, the crew and the troopers can work in comfortable conditions at outdoor temperatures up to + 45 ° C.
The composition of the electronic equipment of the armored car is selected in accordance with the requirements of the customer. It is proposed to equip the machine with communication and control systems of the required type. During the construction of equipment of specialized modifications, such as a command and staff vehicle, additional devices of the corresponding models must be installed inside and outside the hull.
Off-road armored car. Still from video from Tengri News
In its basic configuration, the Arlan vehicle has a length of 6, 44 m, a width of 2, 66 m, and a roof height of 2, 745 m. The curb weight, depending on the configuration, equipment, weapons, etc., can vary from 11 to 13.5 tons. Together with a payload of up to 4 tons, the combat weight of an armored car can reach 17 tons.
Since the end of last year, Marauder / Arlan armored vehicles have been assembled in Kazakhstan and delivered to the customer in the person of the army. In the near future, the Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering plant should master the production of some other samples of armored vehicles of foreign design. In the meantime, the army receives only vehicles of the same type.
New armored cars are handed over to the armed forces, and from time to time are shown at exhibitions of weapons and military equipment. At the moment, the last platforms for showing "Arlan" were the KADEX-2016 and "Army-2016" exhibitions in Astana and Kubinka, respectively. In addition, some photographs from the manufacturer's workshops were published. Interestingly, over the past time, the industry of Kazakhstan has managed to master the manufacture of several versions of an armored car, differing from each other in the design of various elements.
Monitor of the commander-operator of weapons. Still from video from Tengri News
Earlier it was reported that in the future the joint venture "Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering" may master the production of armored cars Marauder / "Arlan" in the interests of third countries. In early summer, representatives of the Kazakh defense industry mentioned that the new type of armored vehicles had already attracted the attention of several foreign armies. In this regard, within the next five years, it is planned to start producing "Arlans" not only for ourselves, but also for foreign customers. The countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States are considered as the first foreign buyers of new technology. Also, unnamed countries of the Middle East managed to show their interest in armored cars.
Despite the limited production capabilities and the absence of its own school for the design of armored vehicles, Kazakhstan needs new models of combat vehicles of various classes. Several years ago, a solution to the existing problem was found, which consisted in cooperation with a company from far abroad. To date, the joint work of specialists from Kazakhstan and the Republic of South Africa has led to the fact that the army received a number of licensed armored cars. According to existing plans, deliveries of Arlan vehicles will continue in the future. In addition, over the next few years, the industry will have to master the licensed assembly of some other samples of modern armored vehicles.
