Russian MoD expands Taifun-VDV 4×4 MRAP roles

Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to receive two new specialised vehicles on the chassis of the K-4386 Taifun-VDV 4×4 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle, an MoD spokesperson told Janes .

A man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) operator variant and a recovery variant of the Taifun-VDV are being tested, the spokesperson said

The tests of the MTR-K recovery vehicle are in progress. In 2020 the MoD will begin receiving and fielding the platform, the spokesperson said. The MTR-K has been fitted with navigation, radiological, and chemical reconnaissance devices, and carries an Orlan-3 unmanned aerial vehicle with a video camera.

The MTR-K recovery vehicle could be fielded in 2020. (Russian MoD)

The platform will be operated to bring maintenance teams closer to damage vehicles, evaluate technical issues, and provide some incremental repair works that do not require large involvement of personnel and assets, said the spokesperson. The basic Taifun-VDV weighs 11,000 kg, and the MTR-K has a payload capacity of 3,000 kg, a top speed of 100 km/h, and a range of 800 km. It is armed with a 6P49 Kord 12.7 mm heavy machine gun in a protected mount.

The Taifun-PVO MANPADS operator vehicle is also currently passing through factory tests. “Two vehicles are now being tested in Southern Russia. Once the trials are completed, the acquisition issue will be considered,” the MoD representative said.

The Taifun-PVO has no launching unit and is a transport vehicle designed to carry two or three MANPADS – it is designed for the operators of the Igla, Igla-S, and Verba MANPADS. The vehicle’s maneuvering performance and armament suite identical to that of the MTR-K.