According to the Kazakhstan Ministry of Industry, trial tests of the Kazakhstan’s Barys 8x8 armoured vehicle fitted with a turret armed with a 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon and a PKT 7.62mm machine gun have begun including day and night firing in winter conditions.

Barys 8x8 armoured vehicle during winter trial tests in Kazakhstan (Picture source Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering)

The first field tests of the Barys 8x8 armoured in winter conditions was started in November 2017 to evaluate all the main components of the vehicle.

The Barys 8x8 armoured is fitted with an unmanned turret manufactured by Kazakhstan’s ASELS in collaboration with the Turkish company Aselsan, armed with one 30 mm 2А42 automatic gun and 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun.

The Barys was unveiled by the Company "Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering" and South African Company Paramount Group in June 2016 during KADEX, the defense exhibition in Kazakhstan. The Barys is the Kazakh name of the Mbombe 8 which is the latest variant of wheeled combat armoured vehicle from the Mbombe military vehicles family designed and developed by Paramount Group.

The Barys offers ballistic STANAG 4569 Level 3 which provides protection against firing of small arms 7.62×51mm AP (WC core) at 30 meters with 930 m/s and mine protection Level 4b STANAG 4569 that provides protection 10 kg of TNT under any wheel or track location and under the center of floor vehicle.

The Barys can carry a total of 11 military personnel including commander, driver and gunner. The vehicle has a total weight of 19,000 kg.