As part of the state defense order in 2019, AutoKrAZ manufactured and supplied the Ukrainian Defense Ministry of Ukraine various models of special-purpose KRAZ vehicles with wheel arrangement 4?4, 6?6, as well as a new advanced line of armored vehicles. In addition to automotive equipment Kremenchug specialists developed and manufactured trailers and semi-trailers.
Since 2014 the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard and State Border Service units has received several hundreds of off-road trucks KrAZ-5233 (4?4) and KrAZ-6322 (6?6), which are recognized by the militaries all over the world as performers of the most difficult tasks.
Multipurpose off-road vehicles are designed to deliver personnel of military units, towing artillery systems up to 155 mm caliber, cargo and special trailers in any relief and weather conditions.
Mobile bathing and laundry complex built by PJSC Kryukovsky Railway Car Building Works on KRAZ-63221 truck chassis and trailer produced by AutoKrAZ PJSC is in demand by VSU (Ukrainian Armed Forces).
Meantime, apart from the widely known models produced by the Kremenchug Automobile Plant, a whole range of modern military equipment was developed and manufactured by AutoKrAZ PJSC in close cooperation with the Ukrainian enterprises Aerotekhnika, Iskra, Progress and others
We all saw the deplorable plight of military equipment which was available in our army in 2014.
By that time, AutoKrAZ had developed together with its partners for the UN mission new armored truck KrAZ-Shrek, created on the basis of the two-axle all-terrain vehicle KrAZ-5233HE. AutoKrAZ has offered this trucks to Ukrainian militaries in order to strengthen the combat power of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. KrAZ-Shrek is an armored vehicle of high cross-country capability of MPV (Mine Protected Vehicle) class with a V-shaped bottom. Armoring level of the truck corresponds to STANAG 4569 level 2 ballistic protection.
At the same time, the KrAZ-Shrek-M was manufactured — an armored vehicle of MPV (Mine Protected Vehicle) class with a V-shaped bottom, also based on KrAZ-5233HE all-terrain chassis vehicle with 4?4 wheel arrangement. It is intended for the investigation of dangerous areas, the search and defuze explosive devices. The truck is equipped with a crane for demining with special equipment, which is remotely controlled from the cab.
In our opinion, the truck is necessary for our Armed Forces in the Joint Forces Operation area. Armored KrAZ-Shrek vehicle provides protection against hitting small arms, grenade fragments, and detonation of mines and corresponds to STANAG 4569 level 2 ballistic protection.
Nowdays KrAZ-Shrek and KrAZ-Shrek-M trucks are in demand by militaries and peacekeepers from different countries of the world, but unfortunately not in Ukraine.
The KrAZ-Cougar multipurpose armored car (according to the customer’s requirements cars with diesel and petrol engines were supplied), designed for various tactical operations, was developed and put into service in 2014. Armored body and glass of the car provide protection for the crew according to CEN Level BR6. 10 units of KrAZ-Cougar armored cars were handed over to representatives of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in November 2014.
The first difficult months of the military conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014 fell to the share of KrAZ-Cougar. Together with KrAZ-Spartan they became front-line cars and were often used for other purposes then being designated for because other special equipment was not available in military units.
Two new Ukrainian armored vehicles created by AutoKrAZ in partnership with the Canadian Emirates company Streit Group, debuted at once in Abu Dhabi (UAE) at the International Defense Exhibition IDEX-2015. That were a three-axle KrAZ-Fiona armored vehicle based on KrAZ-6322 (6?6) all-terrain cross-road chassis truck, as well as the four-axle KrAZ-Uragan (Hurricane) armored vehicle built on the new KrAZ-7634HE (8?8) chassis vehicle with a cabin-before-engine design.
On the eve of 2015 AutoKrAZ PJSC handed over KrAZ-Spartan armored vehicle to the State Research and Development Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine at the company’s test and proving ground. It was the first KrAZ-Spartan armored car manufactured by the plant, which was solemnly handed over by the General Director of AutoKrAZ PJSC Roman Chernyak to the Deputy Chief of the State Research and Development Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Konstantin Dubonos.
The first “smart” domestic special-purpose vehicle was created on the basis of the KrAZ-Spartan army armored vehicle. The project, which was innovative for the country, was implemented thanks to the close cooperation of AutoKrAZ PJSC and Infocom Ltd engineering company from Zaporozhye. A remote-controlled KrAZ-Spartan vehicle was ready to join the ranks of Ukrainian military equipment. All the commissioning and testing of the KrAZ unmanned vehicle project was completed in 2016.
The main purpose of creating this vehicle was to help the military in a combat zone to minimize risks and save the lives of personnel when performing various tactical tasks. Unmanned KrAZ vehicles would have coped perfectly with the transport of ammunition, food, fuel, and medicines to the battle zone and wounded personnel transportation from this zone.
Modern refuellers on the basis of the KrAZ-63221 all-terrain chassis were manufactured by specialists of the state-owned enterprise “45 Experimental Mechanical Plant” (Vinnitsa) in February 2016 for the needs of the Ukrainian militaries. The corresponding special order was developed by the Central Department for fuel and lubricants supply. Developers and manufacturers of special equipment has noted that the choice of the powerful KrAZ-63221 chassis as a base for the installation of 12-cub. m. tanks was not accidental. The extraordinary strength of the KRAZ vehicles’ frame in combination with tires, which provide the vehicle with excellent cross-country ability in off-road conditions, became the decisive factors.
Not the last argument in favor of the KrAZ army chassis was its traditional conventional design.
It should be noted that the KrAZ-63221 chassis is one of the most popular with the engineering enterprises of the KrAZ brand both in Ukraine and abroad. The special equipment installed at its base is widely used not only by the militaries, but also by gas and oil industry workers.
In August 2016 AutoKrAZ PJSC has produced in close cooperation with the Kryukovsky Railway Car Building Works another special vehicle for the militaries — the trench-digging machine PZM-3 on the KrAZ-5233HE chassis. The equipment is designated for digging trenches and ditches in soils of various categories, as well as for filling in excavations and clearing sites. The base of the vehicle was all-terrain 4?4 wheel drive armored chassis truck KrAZ-5233HE of modified design. Special-purpose chassis truck has an armored cabin, engine compartment and fuel tank according to the technical requirements.
In October of 2016 the KrAZ heavy armored all-terrain vehicle family was replenished with a new atypical model of the 4?4 wheel arrangement. KrAZ-Halk joined the Hurricane, Shrek and Fiona, which has a different design from the representatives of this line. A new armored truck was created on the basis of the KrAZ-5233HE off-road vehicle. Its design difference from its fellow 4?4 KrAZ-Shrek is in the absence of a frame. All units of the truck are fixed directly to the armored body. Its gross weight decreased to 16 tons (comparing to 18 T of KrAZ-Shrek), the height of the whole product and the height of entrance doors also decreased noticeably. This improved significantly the ergonomics and performance of the vehicle. The bottom of the armored hull has a V-shaped design, in case of an explosion it dissipates the force of impact from an explosion directed at the crew. The ballistic protection of an armored truck corresponds to STANAG 4569 level 2.
According to the research plan for 2016 AutoKrAZ together with partners has created for the land forces of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine a command and staff vehicle (KSHM) designed to install functional equipment and ensure the vital activity of the personnel of the management machines.
A special object is essentially a working compartment for personnel, in which (both in the cabin and in the compartment) functional equipment is placed.
Another new product of AutoKrAZ PJSC has supplemented the line of its armored vehicles in 2017 when a special vehicle KrAZ-6322 PM-V (heavy-duty pyrotechnic machine) equipped with an armored cabin and a crane was developed by order of the State Emergencies Service. Such mine-clearing machines with the most modern equipment are very relevant in the eastern region of the country to clean the land of Donbass from the deadly explosive devices, which are in sufficient quantities in the fields, forests and settlements.
For the first time in Ukraine, a new modification of the BM 9P140 “Hurricane”, which is the result of the joint work of the state enterprise “Shepetovsky repair plant” and PJSC “AutoKrAZ” was presented on the KrAZ-63221 automobile chassis during the exhibition “Arms and Security-2018”. The machine has improved technical specifications both firing and maneuverability. The product has new design changes that are aimed to improve the combat effectiveness of the machine.
The new model, which was not yet available in the product line of the Kremenchug Automobile Plant, is a KrAZ-6510TE all-wheel drive (6?6) fifth-wheel tractor truck manufactured in 2018 in accordance with the technical requirements of the customer. The main differences from the serial models of KrAZ tractor trucks are the forward control cabin with a sleeping birth, 460 hp engine, automatic gearbox, hydraulic driven winch and 3,5-inch fifth-wheel with three degrees of freedom.
According to R&D plan the Kremenchug Automobile Plant manufactured new tank trucks with capacity 5 and 9 cub. m on the chassis of KrAZ-5233NE and KrAZ-6322 all-terrain vehicles in May 2018.
ATsP-5 (5233) and ATsP-9 (6322) are intended for transportation and short-term storage of potable water in the field conditions. All-wheel drive vehicles KrAZ-5233HE and KrAZ-6322 are the best off-road so it is not difficult for tank trucks to deliver potable water to any destination in any road and extreme conditions that often arise in military units and on the front lines.
The latest developments — the unique Ukrainian 155-mm self-propelled howitzer “Bogdana” and the automated multiple rocket launcher system “Verba” on the KrAZ-63221 chassis were shown on August 24, 2018 during the parade dedicated to the Independence Day of Ukraine.
In August 2018 the AutoKrAZ has produced new military refrigerator truck based on the KrAZ-5401N2 chassis (4?2). The truck is intended for the delivery of fresh, chilled and frozen products for the needs of food supply units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
BM-21 UM Berest — a new combat vehicle based on KrAZ chassis can replace BM-21 Grad, which is in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. State enterprise Shepetovskiy Repair Plant has carried out a deep modernization of the 122-mm multiple rocket launcher system, and Ukroboronprom has chosen the Ukrainian perspective model of the new promising generation of KrAZ trucks with forward-control cabin as the base for it.
The all-wheel drive KrAZ-5401HE chassis (4?4), on which Berest is installed, is one of the recent developments of AutoKrAZ PJSC of a promising bonnetless direction. It is equipped with a double-row 4-door cabin, which allows to conveniently accommodate the crew and all the necessary fire control equipment.
In 2019 the counter-battery radar 1L220UK developed by the SE SPC Iskra, which is part of the Ukroboronprom state concern, successfully completed the field stage of state tests. The counter-battery radar includes all-wheel drive fifth-wheel tractor truck KrAZ-6446 and semitrailer H251H2 manufactured by AutoKrAZ PJSC.
At first days of the new 2019 year “AutoKrAZ” has shipped to the Armed Forces of Ukraine a new KrAZ-7634HE all-wheel drive chassis truck with the 8?8 wheel arrangement.
Self-propelled chassis with payload capacity of 27 tons is designed for the installation of heavy special equipment. It differs from its predecessors by more powerful 460 hp engine, and automatic transmission.
On the basis of new chassis the Scientific and Production Enterprise “Aerotekhnika-MLT” has created a ground-based mobile radar station VHF AMBER-1800 (BURSHTYN-1800), which is designed to automatically detect air objects, determine their current coordinates and issue radar information to the consumer.
In 2019 Ukraine mastered the production of its own anti-ship cruise missile complex “Neptune”, designed to control and protect maritime borders. The mobile missile system RK-360MC is designed to destroy enemy surface and ground targets at a distance of up to 300 km. The USPU-360 unified launcher is based on the 8?8 all-wheel drive chassis — KrAZ-7634HE.
Cooperation for the development and production of RK “Neptun” has involved together with “AutoKrAZ” also the State Design Bureau “Luch”, “Orizon-Navigation”, “Impulse”, “Vizar”, Central Design Bureau “Arsenal” of the National Space Agency of Ukraine, leading private defense companies “Telecard-device”, “Ukrinmash”, “Ukrainian armor”, “Motor Sich”. By the way, all the support and accompanying vehicles of the new complex are based on the Ukrainian chassis trucks of AutoKrAZ PJSC production.
Another new product on the basis of KrAZ that has completed the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2019 became mobile truck mounted crane KTA-25 on the KrAZ-63221 chassis. Crane installations on the KrAZ chassis have a number of advantages: high load capacity of the automobile chassis, high cross-country capability and stability, cost effectiveness, simplicity and reliability, and high payload.
Nowdays KrAZ offers its customers 25-, 32-ton and 40-ton truck cranes on the basis of its chassis of various wheel arrangement and layout solutions. Among the favorites among consumers and machine factories are the KrAZ-65053, KrAZ-6322/63221 chassis. Recently, the KrAZ-6511 forward control cabin chassis, one of the promising models of the enterprise, was added to them, which was fitted with 40-ton crane equipment according to customer requirements.
Special vehicles with excavator equipment were also manufactured for the military customers. For example, universal excavator machine UDS-114 on the basis of all-wheel drive all-terrain chassis KrAZ-6322 (6?6) with a lifting capacity of 20.6 tons with special superstructure — multi-purpose landscaping machine UDS-114 (by CSM, Slovakia).
Since 2014, due to the termination of cooperation with the Russian Federation, AutoKrAZ has shifted to suppliers from other countries, and follows the course of import substitution. The volume of engine supplies that KrAZ ordered before from the Russian Federation on a monthly basis, today was easily compensated by the company Weichai Power.
The Kremenchug Automobile Plant does not buy in the Russian Federation not only engines, but also steel, electrical equipment, forgings, rubber products, bearings and much more.
In particular, KrAZ purchases electrical equipment in Poland, Belarus, bearings — in Poland, Turkey, India, hardware products have been mastered in Krivoy Rog, sheet steel — in Poland, the Czech Republic, and China is working on, Zaporizhstal “blocks” the supply of the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant. And it is not a complete list of equivalent replacement of Russian by alternative suppliers.
Information about how the KrAZ military vehicles help to preserve the integrity of the Ukrainian border, saves the lives of our defenders, arrives to AutoKrAZ daily. And whatever the detractors say in the direction of the Ukrainian technology, lobbying the interests of imported vehicles, life and real events from the front line give them their objective answer: KrAZ vehicles are in good service — they transport personnel, ammunition, special equipment and many other goods, deliver food for inhabitants, protect by their armor on the line of fire.
We are also proud that in five years there has not been a single report about the tragic death of Ukrainian soldiers who were in an KrAZ armored vehicle. But during exacerbations on the front line, there were messages in official reports of the State Border Service and the National Guard of Ukraine, in the news of domestic media: “Cougar saved the life of the border guard”, “During the evacuation of the wounded, "Cougar" saved the lives of the military again” “Armored Cougar border guards hit a mine, but saved the life of a wounded soldier”, “Armored Cougar saved the lives of fighters, withstood 72 hits.” Even more of them — in the stories of fighters from the front line, eyewitnesses and those who survived, thanks to the reliable protection of KrAZ.
The Ukrainian manufacturer — the AutoKrAZ is responding to wishes and considers proposals of the militaries. The company has taken into account the experience of vehicles application ATO (JFO) area and it is planned further development of the KrAZ special equipment military line in order to speed up the restoration of peace in the country, to make it easier for the Ukrainian military to fulfill their duties and save lives.
It is noted in military units that the number of new vehicles received by the Armed Forces of Ukraine is not enough, it is necessary to continue the technical re-equipment of military units and divisions.
AutoKrAZ is ready now to provide the military units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with the necessary modern domestic equipment in full volume. AutoKrAZ can supply all-terrain vehicles with 4?4 and 6?6 wheel drive, armored vehicles, as well as various military special equipment manufactured on KrAZ chassis base. Nowdays production capacity and skilled personnel potential allow us to ensure the fulfillment of any order in any volume for various sectors of the Ukrainian economy. At a time when the Ukrainian economy is suffering from the aggression of the Russian Federation, it is strange that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are replenished with imported MAZ trucks (under the brand name “Bogdan”). AutoKrAZ is ready to replace imports with good-quality, efficient, reliable domestic equipment, the plant is open to new orders and is fully ready to fulfill them.
