In the last days of last autumn, Ukrainian specialists were testing a new combat vehicle. According to Ukrainian media reports, a few days ago, regular tests of prototypes of the Kozak armored car took place at the Novi Petrivtsi training ground. This time, the prototypes passed the track at the range, and then one of them was fired upon from various types of small arms. In the near future, it is planned to resolve the issue of building and supplying the troops to the first serial batch of new armored cars.
It should be noted that the Kozak armored car is not a novelty for specialists and amateurs of military equipment. The first version of this project was developed in the Kiev NPO Praktika back in 2009. At the same time, discussions began on the prospects for such a technique. Despite the available positive qualities, the Kozak armored cars never left the stage of testing prototypes. Over the past few years, NPO Praktika has developed several versions of a promising armored car, differing from each other in the composition of the equipment used. The main differences between the proposed machines were in the type of chassis used.
According to some reports, at the end of November, a variant of an armored car, built on the basis of a modified chassis of the GAZ-66 army truck, entered the test site. In addition to this car, the basis for "Kozak" could be an Italian-made Iveco Daily 4x4 car. Ukrainian officials and the press claim that the Kozak armored vehicles, tested on November 30, were developed in Ukraine in collaboration with Italian specialists. Details of this collaboration are unknown. Probably, the participation of the Iveco company consisted in the supply of engines and some other units.
Of particular interest are the processes that have taken place around the Kozak project in the past few months. Until the fall of this year, both built prototypes were in storage and had no noticeable prospects. On September 19, the cars were shown to the Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk. Then it was decided that the equipment based on the Italian chassis was too expensive and did not suit the Ukrainian military. The impetus for the resumption of work can be considered the exhibition "Defense and Security-2014", which took place in Kiev at the end of September. It was after this event that the work resumed again and ended with recent tests.
The Kozak armored car is intended for the transportation of personnel and small loads, as well as for their protection from small arms bullets and fragments of explosive devices. At the same time, however, this development of Ukrainian designers is not positioned as an armored car of the MRAP class and does not have the characteristic features of such a technique. Like many other armored vehicles of recent times, "Kozak" is a basic truck chassis, on which, after some modifications, an armored body is installed to accommodate people and cargo.
Earlier it was reported that the Kozak armored car should be equipped with a diesel engine with a capacity of about 170-180 hp. The prototypes used Italian-made Iveco motors. Probably the prototype tested a few days ago has the same power plant. Such an engine should provide an armored vehicle with a maximum speed on the highway of at least 100 km / h. Some sources claim that the experienced "Kozak" developed a speed of up to 120 km / h.
During the tests and improvements, certain changes were made to the design of the experienced Kozak armored cars. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that the main characteristics of the machines before and after revision are approximately at the same level. The combat weight of the early prototypes reached 5.5 tons. The length of the car is a little less than 5.5 m, the width is 1.95 m, the height on the roof is 2.3 m.
Structurally, the Kozak armored car is a bonnet car with a front engine. The front part of the hull is the hood and protects the engine, while the middle and rear are given over to accommodate the crew and troops. The body of the machine is proposed to be welded from armor plates of different thicknesses, located at different angles to each other. It was argued that the armor for the experimental vehicles of the new model was purchased from Sweden. The armored car is equipped with armored glass of Ukrainian production.
Ukrainian media have published several photographs of the prototype Kozak vehicle, taken after the test shelling. It is alleged that the armored car was fired at from a distance of 50 meters from various small arms: machine guns of calibers 5, 45 and 7, 62 mm, a machine gun and an SVD rifle were used. The type of ammunition used was not named. The photographs show traces of several dozen hits on one of the sides of the armored car. Bullets hit both metal and bulletproof glass.
Cracked, but not scattered bulletproof glass allows us to say that even the weakest element of the vehicle's protection is capable of fulfilling its task. Nevertheless, a close examination of the available photographs leaves a lot of questions. So, on the metal there are characteristic chips of paint with light and dark circles inside - traces of bullets. Their shape and the absence of noticeable damage to the armor may indicate that non-armor-piercing bullets without a core were used for the test fire.
Another interesting result of the shelling is the holes in the frame of one of the bulletproof glasses. While the side of the car remained intact, two bullet holes appeared in the frame. This can be explained by the use of only two cartridges with armor-piercing bullets, which coincidentally hit the same part, or the softer material of the glass frames. The second version looks much more believable and adds an important ambiguous detail to the appearance of the Kozak armored car.
The results of a recent test shelling show that the latest version of the Kozak armored car can actually protect the crew from enemy small arms. However, the tests were carried out with such specific features that it is not possible to accurately determine the characteristics of the armor. Thus, we can only say that the crew of the armored car is protected, at least, from automatic and rifle bullets without an armor-piercing core.
At the end of November, at the training ground near Kiev, two prototypes of the Kozak armored car were shown, differing from each other in the design of the aft part of the armored hull. One of them has windows in the back of the case, the other does not. In addition, the hulls of both machines differ in length and layout. So, a car without windows in the sides has four side doors (two for the driver and commander, two for the rear seats), as well as a large cargo volume and swing doors in the stern sheet. This option can carry up to five crew members and some cargo.
The second version of the armored car is actually an "armored bus". It also has five seats in the front of the hull, and eight more seats are installed in the stern. These seats are located along the axis of the vehicle, the fighters must sit facing the sides. For embarkation and disembarkation, a lower aft door-ramp. In the sides of the troop compartment, there are three windows with bulletproof glass, equipped with embrasures with dampers. There are two more small glasses in the stern sheet on the sides of the ramp. It is noteworthy that the used location of the landing sites ensures the convenience of firing from personal weapons through the embrasures, but makes it difficult to board and disembark through a relatively narrow doorway.
A hatch is provided in the roof of the hull, in front of which small arms can be installed. In this case, the armored car "Kozak" becomes the carrier of a machine gun or automatic grenade launcher. In addition, in all windows, with the exception of the frontal and front side windows, there are embrasures for firing from personal weapons.
Based on the results of the latest tests, the specialists of NPO Praktika, together with representatives of the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies, have compiled a list of necessary improvements that should be made in the near future. A meeting is scheduled for December 3 to discuss the construction of a test serial batch of new armored cars and their subsequent testing in the "anti-terrorist operation" zone. It is planned to adopt and order Kozak armored cars in four versions, differing from each other in the composition of weapons, armor, etc.
According to the latest data, the production of one "Kozak" on the modified GAZ-66 chassis will cost the customer about 1 million hryvnia. A similar car based on the Iveco chassis will cost almost twice as much. Apparently, the Ukrainian generals will decide to buy a less expensive version of the armored car, however, even in this case, the massive equipping of the army or the National Guard with such equipment will result in very large expenses, which may not be within the budget.
Despite the long duration of work on its creation, the Kozak armored car still has both positive and negative features. With, in general, good driving characteristics and body capacity, it has an incomprehensible level of crew protection, which, as shown by photos from recent tests, may not be too high.
Nevertheless, even in this case, the military will not abandon the "Kozakov" due to the difficult situation with the armored vehicles. Over the past months, Ukrainian soldiers and officers have had to use improvised armored vehicles. Basically, these are civilian vehicles of various types, on which, in artisanal and factory conditions, armor in the form of metal sheets or other improvised protection is hung. Against the background of such "armored vehicles" a full-fledged Kozak armored car, even if it has specific characteristics, looks at least good. At least he is really capable of protecting the fighters from bullets and shrapnel.
However, the further fate of the Kozak project directly depends on the financial capabilities of Ukraine. The country is experiencing serious economic problems, which is why it cannot massively purchase expensive armored vehicles. Thus, it is quite possible that the result of all the promises and loud statements will be the transfer of two prototypes already built to the troops, and the serial production of new armored cars will not begin. It is unlikely that the population and militia of Donbass will be upset if the army and the National Guard do not receive real armored vehicles, and not handicraft converted trucks.
