We didn’t have to wait long. A few minutes later, KamAZ-63968, aka Typhoon-K, drove to the site in person. The angular shapes of this armored vehicle at first made it possible to suspect a "shushpanzer" in it - this is how various kinds of home-made armored vehicles are called on military-historical resources. But no, we have a modern, skillful, technological and, it seems, a rather expensive car.
Comfort zone
Typhoon-K is full of modern technologies and provides servicemen with a high level of comfort. You won't have to freeze in the cold or suffocate in the heat: there are both heaters and air conditioning on board.
In conditions of modern conflicts, when there is no continuous front line and the tactics of sabotage and ambushes are widely used, danger lies in wait anywhere. The personnel on the march must be protected seriously. Some time ago, our army tried to strengthen the protection of conventional "Urals", which traditionally transported soldiers. But it turned out that these cars do not "pull" the reservation. And in 2010, the decision was made to develop completely new car platforms. Already at the anniversary Victory Day parade last year, a Typhoon-K rolled across Red Square.
Such vehicles are a novelty for us, but in other countries armored vehicles of the MRAP type have existed for a relatively long time. MRAP is an English abbreviation for mine protection, anti-ambush. Actually, that says it all. Typhoon-K is a two-piece structure, delivered on a three-axle chassis (formula 6 x 6), consisting of a driver's cabin and a functional module for the transported personnel (landing force). The vehicle has a circular bulletproof armor (a combination of ceramic and steel armor), allowing at least to withstand shots of armor-piercing bullets of 7.62 mm caliber. The machine will not be fatally damaged by a mine exploding under the bottom with TNT equivalent of up to 6 kg - mine protection is formed by a V-shaped bottom, special wheels with explosion-proof inserts and the design of the seats, which compensates for the effect of overloads on the spine during an explosion from below. The design of the wheels is such that in the event of a break, the wheel retains its functionality and you can drive it for another fifty kilometers at a speed of 50 km / h.
and can accelerate to 105-110 km / h, which is facilitated by the 450-horsepower KAMAZ-740.35-450 turbodiesel. The only thing that caused slight discomfort while driving was the need to steer: the car was slightly sideways - perhaps this was due to uneven inflation of the tires.
Well, let's try to get into the cockpit. It is located high - you will have to climb a special ladder. The door is so heavy that it is pneumatically opened and closed. When the door is closed, it is necessary to additionally move the red latch handle forward. Standard "KAMAZ" instruments in the cockpit are adjacent to LCD displays. Progress is evident! While in the cab, the driver has ample opportunities to control the equipment. For example, it can set the tire inflation modes. Or - thanks to the adjustable hydropneumatic suspension - change the ground clearance within plus or minus 200 mm. Another trick: any of the wheels can be lifted off the ground and raised. It is convenient for changing rubber without any jack; in addition, such a function can be useful in combat conditions if the wheel is badly damaged. The box is automatic, and certain design problems were associated with this. The fact is that, as all owners of cars with automatic transmission know, it is highly discouraged to tow such cars, let alone start them "from a pusher". Due to an abnormal lubrication regime, an expensive unit can be screwed up. And what about combat conditions? Call a tow truck for a 24-ton car? The designers had to think and still find a solution. "Typhoon-K" can be hooked up to a tractor or tank and calmly, without damage to the box, tow or start.
Well, turn on Drive mode and let's go. We turn around on the site - the turning radius of the almost nine-meter colossus is relatively small, and this is due to the fact that two front axles are involved in taxiing. True, when turning the steering wheel you have to turn pretty much, you immediately feel that this is not a passenger car. The visibility in the cockpit, as in almost all military equipment, leaves much to be desired. True, large side mirrors help a lot, and in addition, the displays can display images from cameras that are installed on board and cover a 360-degree panorama. The 13 cm thick frontal armored glass transmits 70% of the rays, which creates a feeling of light tint. We roll out onto an asphalt road and go somewhere further, deep into the landfill. Asphalt gives way to broken concrete. There is a pothole in a pothole, and it cannot be said that they are not noticeable in the cockpit, but you still feel comfortable enough. We find another small area, again easily turn around and go back. Well, what then? Car - he is a car. While rolling along the road, there is not even a feeling that you are driving a heavy car, comparable in weight to a loaded wagon. This sensation comes only when braking, when, emitting a characteristic puff, the pneumatic brake is activated. In general, acquaintance with the Typhoon-K turned out to be extremely interesting, it remains only to regret that it was not possible to compare the car with the KamAZ-63969 (this is an experimental modification of the Typhoon-K with increased protection and with the possibility of installing a remotely controlled machine gun), and also with "Typhoon-U" (a bonded armored car of the MRAP type in the version of the Ural Automobile Plant). Let's hope this is all ahead.
