Ukraine unveils new Inguar-4 6x6 armored recovery vehicle to rescue NATO assets on battlefield.

Ukraine has unveiled the Inguar-4, a new domestically built 6x6 armored recovery vehicle designed to extract damaged armored vehicles weighing up to 30 tons from contested battlefield zones, as demonstrated during testing released by Inguar Defence on May 11, 2026. The vehicle directly addresses one of Ukraine’s growing wartime vulnerabilities by improving the recovery speed of NATO-supplied and locally produced armored fleets before artillery or drone strikes can destroy repairable assets.

The Inguar-4 combines a purpose-built military chassis, modular repair-friendly construction, and armored survivability systems tailored for high-intensity combat operations rather than civilian vehicle conversion. Its recovery configuration can support diverse fleets including M113s, MaxxPros, Kirpis, Roshel Senators, and Inguar-3 vehicles, reinforcing Ukraine’s broader push toward self-sustaining armored ecosystems focused on battlefield recovery, force regeneration, and long-term defense industrial independence.

Related topic: Ukraine may have lost its sole Swedish Bgbv 90 armored recovery vehicle in a Russian drone strike

The Inguar-4 6x6 armored recovery vehicle can evacuate multiple armored vehicle types currently operated by Ukrainian forces, including the M113, Inguar-3, Kozak, Novator, Roshel Senator, MaxxPro, Kirpi, BAT UMG, and Gyurza. (Picture source: Inguar Defence)

On May 11, 2026, the Ukrainian company Inguar Defence unveiled the Inguar-4, a domestically developed 6x6 armored vehicle configured initially as an armored recovery and repair vehicle (ARRV) for vehicles weighing up to 30 tons. Field testing showed the vehicle towing an Inguar-3 through a rear-mounted hydraulic recovery assembly. The Inguar-4 ARV emerged as Ukrainian forces expanded mixed armored fleets composed of domestic, U.S., Canadian, and Turkish vehicles after 2022, creating growing demand for compatible armored recovery assets. Company CEO Artem Yushchuk linked the program directly to shortages in battlefield evacuation capacity and increasing operational use of the Inguar-3 family.

The Inguar-4 also reflects a broader Ukrainian transition away from Ford F-series, Dodge Ram, Toyota, and MAN-based wartime armored conversions toward purpose-built military chassis optimized for survivability, mobility, modularity, and repairability. The Inguar-4 chassis is derived from the Inguar-3 but incorporates a third axle and independent suspension on all axles to improve payload distribution, towing stability, and off-road mobility under heavy loads. The vehicle uses a frame-based construction instead of a monocoque hull, allowing mine-damaged structural sections to be repaired or replaced without rebuilding the entire armored body.

The driveline integrates a central tire inflation system (CTIS) together with front, rear, and inter-axle differential locks for degraded terrain operations. Unlike earlier Ukrainian armored vehicles assembled on civilian donor chassis, the Inguar-4 was engineered specifically for combat loads and modular integration of heavy recovery systems, cranes, electronic warfare modules, and future mission equipment. The separation of the crew compartment, chassis, and rear mission module also simplifies maintenance and post-damage reconstruction. The first operational configuration of the Inguar-4 is an armored recovery and repair vehicle (ARRV) equipped with a hydraulic extraction and towing system capable of lifting immobilized armored vehicles from damaged terrain, obstacles, or cratered road sections.

The recovery package was developed primarily to support expanding numbers of Inguar-3 vehicles entering Ukrainian service, although the operational requirement broadened as mixed armored fleets increased after 2022. Delayed evacuation of damaged vehicles frequently results in additional artillery or drone strikes before recovery teams can access them, transforming repairable vehicles into total losses. The Inguar-4, therefore, addresses not only tactical towing requirements but also sustainment and force regeneration capacity by shortening evacuation timelines in contested sectors. 

According to Inguar Defence, the ARRV configuration can recover multiple armored vehicle types currently used by Ukrainian forces, including the M113, Kozak, Novator, Roshel Senator, MaxxPro, Kirpi, BAT UMG, Gyurza, and Inguar-3 families. These vehicles differ substantially in axle geometry, suspension layout, and combat weight, complicating recovery standardization. The tracked M113 generally operates in the 12 to 15 ton range, depending on armor configuration, while MaxxPro and Kirpi variants commonly exceed 16 to 18 tons combat-loaded.

The Inguar-4's recovery system incorporates adaptable towing hardware and attachment points intended to support multiple recovery geometries across heterogeneous fleets. Domestic compatibility reduces dependence on imported armored recovery vehicles, which require separate maintenance ecosystems and foreign sustainment chains. Inguar Defence indicated that nearly 60% of the chassis and suspension architecture has already been localized within Ukraine through internal production and domestic subcontracting.

The tubular frame is produced using laser-cut steel tubing assembled on dedicated welding fixtures, while localized components include subframes, steering assemblies, upper and lower control arms, springs, hydraulic systems, fuel systems, pneumatic systems, exhaust systems, radiators, intercoolers, and armored glazing integration. Engines, transmissions, transfer cases, and selected electronics remain imported because Ukraine lacks large-scale heavy drivetrain manufacturing infrastructure.

According to company figures, gearbox production alone requires multi-million-dollar precision metalworking systems currently unavailable at scale inside Ukraine. Future vehicle programs are expected to incorporate domestically produced reduction gear systems and fully localized suspension assemblies. The protection layout combines armored steel, Armox steel, air-gap spacing, and 16 mm aluminum layers, with total armor thickness reaching 30 mm in selected sections. The broader Inguar-3 family is already associated with STANAG 4569 Level 3 protection standards.

Internal survivability measures include blast-protected seating, independent fire suppression systems for the engine and crew compartments, heated ballistic glazing, non-flammable interior materials, and replacement of plastic piping with metal piping to reduce post-impact ignition risks. The electrical architecture uses electronically managed power-distribution modules and resettable automatic circuit systems instead of conventional automotive fuse layouts. These engineering priorities emerged from battlefield observations showing that civilian-derived armored vehicles frequently suffered catastrophic internal fires after FPV drone strikes because of combustible automotive-grade materials and polymer-heavy interiors. 

Serially produced Inguar-3 4x4 vehicles are currently delivered at nearly $430,000 per unit, while the baseline Inguar-4 6x6 chassis without specialized rear mission equipment is expected to cost nearly $500,000. Recovery-equipped configurations integrating cranes, hydraulic extraction systems, and towing assemblies exceed that figure because of additional mission equipment and structural reinforcement requirements. Imported engines and transmissions account for nearly €60,000 per vehicle, while other major cost drivers include armored materials, suspension assemblies, armored glazing, blast-protected seating, fire suppression systems, and electronic power management equipment.

Inguar Defence compared these figures with NATO-market armored vehicles frequently exceeding €600,000 in comparable categories. Beyond the ARRV role, the Inguar-4 chassis is intended to support future weapon carriers, tractors, and other specialized variants. Moreover, a potential cooperation with a Norwegian company on counter-UAS systems based on the Inguar-3 architecture reflects broader Ukrainian efforts to establish vertically integrated armored vehicle ecosystems combining domestic production, repair, sustainment, and battlefield support functions.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.