Breaking news
Russia could supply 400 BMR-3M mine clearing armoured vehicles to Iraqi Armed Forces 11007151.
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Defence & Security News - Russia / Iraq
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| Russia could supply 400 BMR-3M mine clearing armoured vehicles to Iraqi Armed Forces. | |||
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Russia is set to supply the Iraqi army with approximately 400 advanced mine clearing vehicles. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has inked a 'secret' contract with Russia to equip the Iraqi army with the demining vehicles, the agency quotes a senior Iraqi official as saying without releasing his name.
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 Russian-made BMR-3M mine clearing tracked armoured vehicle |
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"The mine clearing armored vehicles will be used in military operations against the IS Takfiri terrorists in Northern and Western Iraq upon arrival in the country," the source apparently said, adding that the costs for purchasing the vehicles will be paid by the Iraqi government later.
The vehicle was developed on the basis of the T-90 MBT (main battle tank); it was built to collect intelligence, overcome obstacles and perform mine clearance. It clears passages of a width approximately equal to the inter-wheel clearance of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. Attached to the front of the vehicle are two arms, each with solid steel wheels that rely on their weight to detonate mines while driving over them; this doesn't damage the tanks due to their thickness, allowing the vehicle to continue along its path with other tanks such as the T-90 following it. The agency stressed that earlier in May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had already said that Moscow is ready to send more weapons and ammunition to Bagdad to help the crisis-hit country overcome the Takfiri terrorist groups, particularly the IS. According to the Russian media, Russia has already supplied fighting equipment to Iraq: Russian Mi28 anti-armor attack helicopter, multirole Mi-35 attack helicopters, the Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets, TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems, Pantsir air defense systems, Dzhigit support launching units, artillery and other ammunition. |
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The BMR-3M is mine clearing tracked armoured vehicle based ona modified chassis of the T-72 MBTT (Main Battle Tank) or the the T-90 MBT.
The standard turret armed with the 125mm cannon is removed and replaced by a fully enclosed raised superstructure for the crew. Each side of the chassis and the crew compartment are fitted with explosive reactive armour. Mounted at the front of the vehicle is the KMT-7 mine clearing roller system fitted with an electromagnetic device to activate anti-tank mines fitted with a magnetic fuze. In addition to the mine-clearing equipment, the BMR-3M is also equipped with a multiple frequency-band jammer which prevents detonation of radio-controlled munitions. The vehicle is armed with one 12.7 mm NSVT heavy machine gun mounted on the top of the crew compartment. |
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