KAMAZ Typhoon debuted in 2011. What is this technique with such a strange name? The history of these cars began in Soviet times - in the early eighties of the last century, when the Ministry of Defense ordered the military-industrial complex to develop armored vehicles capable of carrying large loads for special forces. Monsters of the Soviet automobile industry, such as KAMAZ, MAZ, and the Urals, fell into this program. According to the requirements of customers, armored cars were supposed to have unified interchangeable units, but the collapse of the country destroyed the project. However, the developments acquired at that time came in handy in 2010, when it was decided to create an armored car for the landing units. The first serious attempt to take a step in this direction was KAMAZ Typhoon.
This model attracts attention with a special non-standard body, the shape of which resembles a hex nut. The bottom of the car is made in the form of the letter V. KAMAZ “Typhoon” is equipped with composite ceramic armor, which, in combination with the original shape of the bottom, can withstand explosions with a capacity of up to 8 kg of TNT equivalent.
Currently, several platforms are being developed that will serve as the basis for creating a whole line of models. These will be military vehicles for various purposes, with a variety of equipment and equipment.
The KAMAZ Typhoon armored car is planned to be manufactured with a hull and modular body, as well as with a central location of the power unit. The seven-liter engine in combination with a turbocharger has a capacity of 450 liters. sec., while the fuel consumption is 35 liters of diesel per hundred kilometers. The motor is paired with a six-speed gearbox and, in combination with the independent suspension of each of the six driving wheels, gives the KAMAZ-63968 Typhoon all-terrain vehicle that has no analogues in the world. The ability to regulate the tire auto-inflation system directly from the driver’s cab helps not only when the wheels are damaged, but also when overcoming difficult areas.
The main criterion for evaluating the KAMAZ Typhoon car was the protection of this unique vehicle. The developers clad it in ceramic armor (ceramics are much lighter than a similar armored steel), which is able to withstand bullets fired from a heavy machine gun from a distance of 200 meters. The driver's cabin is equipped with bulletproof glass (the weight of such glass is 300 kg / m 2 ), which are also able to protect against shots from the said weapons.
"Typhoons" is planned to be produced in auxiliary versions, namely as fire engines, mine sweepers, sapper "search engines", pontoon trucks, tow trucks. Combat options are used for the operational deployment of special forces. In addition, modifications are envisaged for the armored car designed for the transport of anti-aircraft missile systems and artillery systems.
According to the designers, there are practically no serial units and elements in the KAMAZ Typhoon car, everything was developed from scratch. I would like to hope that the most successful solutions will be applied in civil engineering.