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The preliminary tests of the Boomerang platform, a wheeled armored personnel carrier and infantry fighting vehicle were completed, TASS reported on December 3rd.
According to Alexander Krasovitsky, director general of “Military-Industrial Company” (VPK LLC), tests of the unified wheeled combat platform Boomerang confirmed the requirements set out in the specifications.
According to him, in accordance with the schedule for the development work on the Boomerang platform, the “Military-Industrial Company” LLC, together with the Main Armored Directorate and research organizations of the Russian Ministry of Defense, “completed preliminary tests of prototypes.”
“At the production facilities of VPK LLC, the assembly of new prototypes began in the framework of the Boomerang development center for the performance of state tests. To date, the Zavod Korpus JSC, which is a subsidiary of VPK LLC, has made preparations for the production of armored platforms of a modified design”, Krasovitsky said, adding that almost 800 units of new technological equipment were created.
In addition, in the Nizhny Novgorod Military Engineering Center (part of VPK LLC), a ready-made new armored chassis is already located, on the basis of which a full-size mock-up of a combat vehicle for ballistic tests and mine resistance tests will be assembled.
Krasovitsky noted that all the work done and preparation for production will allow, after the completion of state tests, to start mass production of the Boomerang unified wheeled combat platforms in any quantities required by the Armed Forces.
“Boomerang” is a new unified wheeled platform, on the basis of which the K-16 armored personnel carrier and the K-17 wheeled infantry fighting vehicle are created. The difference is only in the installed combat modules. Moreover, the K-17 also has a multichannel missile anti-tank complex with four anti-tank guided missiles which allows the BMP to fight with several tanks at once.
According to TASS, the family of these machines exceeds all serial products in its class in mobility, security, firepower and command handling.
he new Boomerang armored personnel carrier (VPK-7829) is set to replace the BTR-82/A, a heavily modernized variant of the 1980s-designed BTR-80, which features improved armor, a new engine, night vision and advanced communications systems.
Vehicles of the “Boomerang” family can reach speeds of more than 100 km/h on the highway and at least 50 km/h on the roads. For comparison: the BTR-82A – 80 and 40 km / h, respectively.
According to open sources, the combat weight of the machine is more than 20 tons, it is armed with a 30-mm cannon and Kornet anti-tank missiles, has a spacious compartment for infantrymen and is floating.
At the beginning of 2016, Alexander Krasovitsky, general director of the Military-Industrial Company which developed the new APCs, announced the start of testing of the Boomerang. Mass production of the Boomerang vehicles was scheduled to begin in 2017, and large-scale deliveries to the armed forces – in 2019.
Krasovitsky said that, as is the case with the Armata and the Kurganets, the manufacturing enterprises are actively looking for foreign buyers and partners for the refinement of their products. He noted that his company is ready to supply the Boomerang for export as soon as it receives permission from the government. There were delays due to undisclosed reasons, but it appears that the Boomerang unified wheeled combat platform is in its final stages of development.
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Unlike the US wheeled combat APC’s, the Russian APC does NOT have the high profile akin to an armoured American yellow school bus :)
Damn looks good, much more western loooking then typical Soviet/Russian look like BTR’s or BMP’s. Spacious and comfortable for soldiers and modern and fully equipped for drivers…
As long as its tough and easy to fix, thats all that matters. No tracks to shovel off is good!
Im sitting on frozen tracks right now, not good waiting for a torch lol!