A rare sighting of an ultra-rare Russian combat
vehicle was recently reported in the Donbas region of Ukraine.
The 50-ton class armored mine-clearance combat vehicle, known as the BMR-3MA Vepr,
or "Wild Boar," is not just an ordinary upgrade of its predecessors. In fact,
it boasts innovative features and capabilities that provide a qualitative
breakthrough for the engineering of armored vehicles as a whole.
Its advanced protection technology, which includes explosive reactive armor and anti-mine protection,
is admittedly similar to that of the T-90 tank,
ensuring maximum protection for the crew and units even when working under enemy fire.
However, the Boar also has the added capability of clearing rugged or continuous paths in
the terrain, making it an invaluable asset in challenging combat situations.
The sighting confirms the Wild Boar's reputation as a highly
effective and sought-after military vehicle…
A Competitive Edge
During the Afghanistan War, the Russian Armed Forces were unable
to ignore the significant damage caused by minefields.
They thus set out to develop a specialized vehicle that could create safe paths for their own forces.
Such was the genesis of the BMR-3 family of mine-clearing heavy vehicles, with the
latest addition being the BMR-3MA Vepr, or "Wild Boar," a heavily armored mine-clearance vehicle
designed by the Uralvagonzavod corporation. However, the vehicle took the spotlight more
recently when it was unexpectedly sighted in the easternmost part of Ukraine in early 2023.
The BMR-3MA Vepr was explicitly designed to clear minefields in support of heavily
armored units in conflict zones, based on the proven chassis of the T-90A Main Battle Tank,
but boasting an enhanced mine protection design. Such protection ensures the safety
of the crew when undermining up to 7.5 kilograms of TNT under its belly.
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with advanced features such as Nuclear, Bacteriological, and
Chemical or NBC protection, ballistic protection, and the KMT-7 system for tread mine clearing.
Its four-stroke multi-fuel diesel engine produces 840 horsepower,
allowing it to easily overcome minefields at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.
The BMR-3MA Vepr is operated by a two-man crew with additional
capacity for three engineers and features a 5-ton payload in the cargo compartment.
With the ability to create paths and lanes in anti-tank minefields,
the Boar is an impressive feat of engineering.
The crew cabin is equipped with hatches, viewing instruments, and an anti-aircraft machine gun,
with dynamic protection Kontakt-1 installed on the front of the hull and wheelhouse.
As a powerful and versatile vehicle, the Boar provides the Russian Armed
Forces with a competitive edge in modern warfare. And given its state-of-the-art
features and robust design, it's no wonder it has been causing a buzz.
Enhancements
The Boar is not unlike other demining vehicles and tanks. It is around 7
meters in length and 3.8 meters in width, with a height of 2.93 meters,
while its combat weight is about 50 to 51 tons, reasonably similar to that of standardized tanks.
Although Vepr was built on the chassis of the T-90A tank, it has been significantly modified
to meet the current requirements. For instance, the same armored corps of the tank is used,
but it has been revised to enhance the vehicle's protection for its new role.
The armored wheelhouse replaces the tower, and the internal compartments have been rearranged
to place the habitable compartment where the former combat compartment used to be.
Additionally, the frontal combined armor of the tank corps is enhanced by overlay units of
dynamic protection, and the central habitable compartment receives a kind of armor capsule.
Moreover, the BMR-3MA Vepr's 2-horsepower diesel engine uses planetary gearboxes for transmission,
while the undercarriage is made up of six road wheels with torsion bar suspension on each side.
For self-defense, the vehicle has various means, including an NSVT or "Kord" machine gun on the
roof of the cabin and smoke grenade launchers on the sides of the habitable compartment.
Additional firepower comes from an automatic machine AKS-74U with
ammunition, hand grenades, and a pair of portable anti-aircraft missile systems.
Furthermore, the BMR-3MA is designed to work with a wide range of built-in
and mounted equipment., and it has its own broadband jamming station intended
to suppress the radio channels controlling explosive devices.
The vehicle also has fasteners for the installation of compatible trawls located on
the front, while at the stern, there is a platform for storing and transporting trawl spare parts.
Finally, a crane with manual drives and a carrying capacity of 2.5 tons
can be used for field repairs of trawls and other operations.
All-Terrain
As the newest armored demining vehicle, BMR-3MA showcases a curious feature:
the use of approaches previously applied to create other special machines. In fact, all demining
devices of the BMR-3 family were based on various tank chassis, and with the evolution of the line,
different base designs were used, refining and improving special equipment in the process.
While the BMR-3MA used the T-90's chassis,
its predecessors, the BMR-3 and 3M, were based on the T-72A and T-72S, respectively.
However, the latest iteration marks the peak of technological progress.
With a primary mission to explore minefields and create safe passages for people and vehicles,
the Vepr is equipped with trawls and other devices
that can clear the terrain of various types of mines.
The KMT-7 mine sweeping set, composed of rollers and rakes, is installed at the front of the
vehicle, allowing it to deactivate and eliminate antipersonnel and anti-tank mines at a speed of
up to 12 kilometers per hour. This impressive technology enables the vehicle to create a safe
path almost four meters wide while protecting the crew and units, even under enemy fire.
The BMR-3MA can carry a crew of two people, a driver, and a commander,
with places for three sappers. Remarkably, the sapper assault force can dismount and
independently engage in the disposal of detected explosive devices, giving them
the flexibility to deal with any situation that may arise. Beyond safety, the vehicle is designed
with the crew’s comfort in mind, allowing them to work for extended periods of time.
And like the T-90 tank, the Boar can perform under any circumstances,
from clearing a minefield to exploring rugged terrain.
Robotization
In November of 2018, the Russian Ministry of Defense made an exciting announcement about the
delivery of a new fleet of armored vehicles to the ground forces. However, what was more interesting
was a promising similar-purpose robotic complex based on the BMR-3MA armored clearance vehicle.
Named "Breakthrough-1," this innovative project equips the engineering machine with a set of
automated and remote control tools. The best part is that the control system uses a noise-free
radio channel, allowing for the operation of the equipment under challenging conditions.
With this new development, the Vepr armored mine clearance vehicle can now operate both
under the driver's control and as part of a robotic complex. This flexibility gives
engineering troops an obvious advantage in the field, and the unmanned configuration allows
the crew and sappers to leave the vehicle and take shelter, making it even safer for them.
The Boar is genuinely a game changer that increases the potential of
engineering units of the engineering forces,
providing a forecast of what the latest advancements in warfare will bring…
Thanks for tuning in to our video! Make sure to join the Dark Footage community
by hitting the subscribe button and exploring our Dark Documentaries
channels for captivating insights into modern military history. And don't forget
to click the bell icon so you never miss out on our latest releases. Stay tuned!