Universal chassis "Breeze" and "Mosquito" (Belarus)
The Minsk enterprise “Minotor-Service” has been engaged in servicing and updating various military equipment since the beginning of the nineties. Over time, the company's specialists began to develop their own projects of various equipment. To date, several variants of tracked and combat vehicles have been presented. The exhibition "Army-2016" has become a platform for the display of the next new products. Using existing experience and some new ideas, engineers from the Republic of Belarus not so long ago created two versions of the universal chassis with different characteristics.
Chassis "Breeze"
The purpose of the project with the code "Breeze" was to create a promising tracked chassis suitable for use as the basis for various military equipment, primarily for special purposes. On the basis of "Breeze" it is proposed to build vehicles with various radio-electronic equipment, such as radar stations or EW stations, air defense reconnaissance vehicles, command and staff equipment, sanitary, repair, etc. samples. In accordance with similar requirements regarding the possibility of the widest possible use, the new chassis has received a number of characteristic features of the design.
Using the existing experience, Minotor-Service formed the overall look of the two new chassis. It is noteworthy that, with the exception of some important features, the Breeze and Mosquito armored vehicles have significant similarities. The differences are related to some features of the hull, power plant and chassis. Because of this, the appearance of the two samples is very similar, although some of its features allow us to immediately distinguish promising technology.
There is reason to believe that the new project used not only existing ideas, but also aggregates borrowed from some previous projects. So, a few years ago, Belarusian engineers proposed the Moskit multi-purpose chassis, which was the development of the existing 3T platform. The design of the undercarriage and the overall layout of the hull allow us to speak about the continuity of old and new projects of the Minotor-Service company.
The Breeze chassis has an armored hull that protects the crew and payload from small-arms bullets. weapons and artillery shell fragments. Exact booking indicators such as sheet thickness or caliber of the retained bullet are not indicated. Probably, circular protection against rifle weapons is provided. Measures aimed at reducing damage from explosive devices, apparently, were not taken, as evidenced by the shape of the lower part of the body.
The body of the machine "Breeze" received a frontal part of a characteristic shape formed by several large armor plates. The upper unit of the forehead consists of three sheets located at an angle to the vertical. In this case, the narrow zygomatic sheets are mounted with a slope outward. The lower part of the forehead also has in its composition three sheets, however, it is placed at a smaller angle to the vertical. The hull received vertical sides and stern leaf. The roof of the presented sample consists of two parts. The front is a horizontal sheet, and in the stern there is a small superstructure with a straight central sheet and heaped side.
The layout of the hull is standard for modern special-purpose armored vehicles. The front of the booked volume is given for the placement of the engine and transmission. A part of transmission units is also placed in the stern and is connected with the main power unit using appropriate means located above the bottom. Behind the engine compartment is habitable volume. In the front part are placed crew jobs. Other hull volumes are given for the placement of the payload in the form of various electronic or other special equipment, as well as the workplaces serving its calculation.
It is proposed to equip the Breeze chassis with a six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine that develops power up to the 300 hp. at 2600 rpm. Two transmission options are proposed. The first involves the use of an automatic hydromechanical gearbox with six forward and one reverse gears, the second - a mechanical one with 8 forward speeds and 2 reverse. Regardless of the type of gearbox, the transmission should include a two-line, stepless, hydrostatic-drive steering mechanism in the additional branch. For maintenance of the power plant in the front hull sheet provides a large hatch. Intake devices for air supply to the power plant are located on the zygomatic sheets and sides of the body forehead.
The chassis of the armored vehicle has seven pairs of road wheels with individual torsion bar suspension, reinforced with additional shock absorbers. For the correct distribution of the mass of the machine on the chassis units, increased intervals between the first three pairs of rollers are used. Couples from the third to the seventh are located relatively tightly and close to each other. In front of the hull are guide wheels, leading in the stern. Several supporting rollers are used. The metal caterpillar "Breeze" is built on the basis of a parallel rubber metal joint. The upper branch of the caterpillar and some of the other units is covered with rubber side screens. For greater convenience of the crew in front of the screen there is a reinforced hole used as a step.
Own crew of the universal chassis of the Belarusian development consists of two people. The driver and the commander should be located in front of the habitable compartment in their workplaces. For access to their seats, the crew is invited to use the hatches in the roof. Observation of the road and the environment can only be carried out using periscopic viewing devices. Each workplace is equipped with three such devices placed near the hatch. Also, the driver is encouraged to use rear-view mirrors. They are attached pivotally and fixed in position with special locks. If necessary, the mirror can be rotated in the direction of the central part of the body and stacked on it.
On the outer surfaces of the car body, mounts are provided for the transportation of various property and equipment. In the front and center of the sides it is proposed to install locks and hooks for transportation of towing cables. There is also a set of fasteners for entrenching tools. Depending on the chassis configuration and tasks of a special machine built on its base, other necessary devices and units can be mounted on the outer surface of the case.
The Breeze chassis length is 6,515 m, width 2,4 m, height without special equipment - 2,45 m. Clearance - 390 mm. The gross weight of the machine must reach 15 t. At the same time, the power density may exceed 20 hp. per ton of weight. Declared the ability to move on the highway at speeds up to 70 km / h. Having a fuel onboard 280 l, the chassis is able to travel up to 400 km. The chassis allows you to climb a wall with a height of 0,5 m and cross the moat with a width of 1,6 m. The maximum lift angle is 35 °, and the roll is up to 25 °. A sealed case is used, thanks to which the machine can overcome water obstacles by swimming. With the aid of rewinding, the tracks develop speeds up to 3-5 km / h.
"Breeze" at the site. Photo Rusarmyexpo.ru/
The project "Breeze" implies the use of a tracked chassis with an armored hull as a basis for specialized equipment. For the installation of a particular equipment is proposed to use the internal volume of the case. Also part of the units can be installed on the outer surface of the machine. Inside the armored hull, a compartment with a length of 2,51 m, a width of 2,375 m and a height of 1,515 m is given to accommodate the equipment. The dimensions of external devices are actually limited only by the size and carrying capacity of the chassis.
According to the developer, the universal chassis "Breeze" can be used in the construction of self-propelled radar stations, electronic warfare machines, air defense intelligence systems, command and staff or ambulances, as well as technical assistance complexes. The characteristics of the perspective sample are similar to those of the common MT-LBu chassis, which makes it possible to use it as an equivalent substitute for older types of equipment. In this case, as expected, there may be some advantage in running and other characteristics.
Some modifications of equipment based on the "Breeze" may require changes in the composition of the power units. Modern radioelectronic equipment can be distinguished by sufficiently high energy consumption, because of which it needs additional funds as part of the electrical systems of the carrier. To solve such problems, the new chassis can be equipped with an autonomous diesel generator set with a capacity of up to 18,7 kW.
In the course of the recent Army-2016 military-technical salon, the Minotor-Service company showed a prototype of a promising universal chassis. To demonstrate the capabilities of the new machine, the exhibition sample received some additional equipment. On the stern of the machine, a telescopic antenna mast device was installed, which can be used as part of any complex of radio-electronic means. In a different configuration of the chassis can receive any other equipment, including antenna systems.
Chassis "Mosquito"
The Army-2016 saloon also demonstrated the versatile Mosquito chassis. Despite the general name, the shown machine is seriously different from the previously submitted samples of the same name. Thus, in the course of the development of previous projects of promising armored vehicles, the company-developer changed the design of the hull and refined some other design features. There is reason to believe that the purpose of all these changes was to maximize the unification of several new models of armored vehicles. This assumption is supported by the design of the hull and some other features of the Breeze and Mosquito projects.
"Mosquito" at the exhibition. Photo Missiles2go.ru
The Mosquito chassis looks and looks like a Breeze armored vehicle, but it has some differences. First of all, it is necessary to note smaller dimensions and full weight. Due to the difference in these characteristics, the customer gets the opportunity to purchase a universal chassis that best meets the existing technical requirements. Both chassis can be used as the basis for specialized samples of military equipment. In addition, the "Mosquito" can be a base for combat vehicles with one or another weapon of various classes and types.
According to the design and layout of the case, the Mosquito is similar to the Breeze described above. A similar body with a faceted frontal part and a hatch of the engine compartment in the upper central plate is used. The only serious difference between the frontal aggregate is a wave deflector, in the transport position lying on the upper front sheet. The location of the lighting equipment and air intake grilles remains unchanged. The habitable compartment, located in the central and aft parts of the hull, is given for crew seats and special equipment. As in the case of the "Breeze", on the "Mosquito" provides aft superstructure of the roof, increasing the amount of equipment.
Information about the power plant lighter chassis is not yet available. Perhaps the use of standardized units, simplifying the production of technology. In addition, we can not exclude the use of two transmission options based on different types of gearboxes. The chassis of the two new models is also unified. The only significant difference in tracked propulsion is the number of road wheels: there are six of them on the Mosquito on each side. Increased gaps between the front pairs of rollers saved. It is noteworthy that the rubber side screens of the light chassis consist of four sections, whereas on the "Breeze" constructions of five are used.
The universal chassis "Mosquito" differs from another recently presented sample with smaller dimensions, which is due to the reduced length of the body. This is also associated with a reduced number of road wheels. The length of the "Mosquito" is equal to 5,98 m, width - 2,4 m, height - 2,15 m. The clearance corresponds to the parameters of another machine - 390 mm. The total mass of the armored vehicle is declared at the level of 12,4 t. According to the developer, the chassis can reach speeds of up to 70 km / h on the highway. 280-l fuel tanks are able to provide a power reserve of 400 km. Water barriers are proposed to overcome by swimming. By rewinding the tracks, the speed is no more than 5 km / h.
An interesting difference in the Mosquito chassis from the larger and heavier Briza, reflected in the information materials on two projects, is the possibility of using it as a basis for combat vehicles. At its base, fire support, tactical reconnaissance, patrol, anti-aircraft defense systems or anti-tank missile carriers can be built. Interestingly, the previous models of equipment from Minotor-Service, called the “Mosquito”, also had the opportunity to install weapons and use in various roles. Due to this, the potential customer gets the opportunity to choose the appropriate role for promising technology from a larger number of proposed options.
Anti-tank missile system based on the Mosquito chassis. Photo Rusarmyexpo.ru
As evidence of the promising chassis capabilities, photographic materials showing special equipment at its base have already been demonstrated. So, has already been published snapshot self-propelled anti-tank complex. In this modification, the chassis "Mosquito" gets a lifting launcher in the stern of the hull. With the help of built-in drives, it is proposed to lift the installation along with the roof section, after which the system operator can find and attack the target using guided missile weapons.
Allegations about the possibility of turning the "Mosquito" into a fighting machine of one type or another in the future may lead to the use of various combat modules with machine-gun, cannon or rocket weapons. It is likely that the specific composition of such equipment will be determined in accordance with the requirements of the customer.
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To date, the Belarusian company Minotor-Service has developed several projects of promising tracked vehicles, suitable for use for various purposes. There are projects for the modernization of relatively old models, and in addition, new types of technology are being proposed. Among other things, over the past few years, Belarusian specialists have been developing universal chassis. Some variants of such equipment have already been presented, including those equipped with equipment for solving specific problems. Now the list of such developments is replenished with two new projects.
The universal chassis Breeze and Mosquito presented at the recent Army-2016 forum are of particular interest. This technique is offered as the basis for various special machines needed by different units of different types of troops. The advantage of this technique can be considered characteristics at the level of already existing samples of old models. As a result, it becomes possible to replace the existing equipment with new analogues with similar parameters.
It should also be noted some of the shortcomings of new projects. Unified armored corps of promising vehicles have anti-bullet protection, which may not be sufficient to solve some problems. In particular, this can seriously limit the potential of technology in a direct collision with the enemy. In addition, the lack may be the lack of mine protection, used in all modern projects of armored vehicles. Such problems of protective equipment can seriously limit the scope of the technique, making it impossible to use it at the forefront.
A few weeks ago, the Breeze and Mosquito chassis were shown for the first time to a wide range of specialists, military personnel and the public. For obvious reasons, the commercial prospects of this technology may still be the subject of controversy. The real results of the recent demonstration will be known later when the first contracts for the supply of production equipment with this or that special equipment should appear. Nevertheless, for the time being it is impossible to rule out another development of an event in which two interesting samples will remain exhibition exhibits without real practical prospects. Some of the previous developments of the Minotor-Service company reached mass production and adoption, while others still did not interest the customer. What will be the fate of the chassis "Breeze" and "Mosquito" - will be known later.
On the materials of the sites:
http://minotor-service.by/
https://portal.rusarmyexpo.ru/
http://belvpo.com
https://missiles2go.ru/
http://invasion-odessa.livejournal.com/
Information