Lazar 3 8x8 armored APC enters in service with Serbian army.

The Lazar 3 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle is now in service with the Serbian armed forces. On December 20, 2018, Serbian Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Milan Mojsilović visited members of the Serbian Armed Forces who are in charge for the use and maintenance of the new Lazar 3.

New Lazar 3 in APC Armored Personnel Carrier version of the Serbian army. (Picture source Serbian MoD)

Serbian Chief of General Staff pointed out that it was a final phase of the training of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces in the use of the new fighting vehicle Lazar 3.

According to the Assistant Director of Jugoimport SDPR JP Aleksandar Lijaković, "The Lazar 3, after this demonstration and training of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces, has been officialy introduced in the Serbian Armed Forces".

The Lazar 3 is not only a new vehicle, but it's a new concept in the field of combat armored vehicle. This is an 8x8 armoured fighting vehicle manufactured under the criteria of the leading vehicles of western production, which encompasses a rather modern approach to armoured protection, movability, fire power and capability for long-lasting combat in conflicts of different intensity, antiterrorist fight, anti-guerrilla fight, peacekeeping operations, and in classical conflicts of medium intensity, added Aleksandar Lijaković.

The Lazar 3 is the latest generation of 8x8 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) in the Lazar vehicle family designed and manufactured by the State Company Yugoimport. The LAZAR 3 was unveiled in February 2017 during the defense exhibition IDEX 2017 which was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The Lazar 3 is available in APC and IFV configuration, it uses the same chassis but equipped with different type of weapon station. The APC version is fitted with a remotely operated weapon station armed with a 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine gun, while the IFV version has a one-man turret armed with an M86 automatic 30mm cannon with double-feed mechanism coupled to one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

The layout of the Lazar 3 IFV is very similar to Lazar 2, with driver and commander position located in the front left side of the hull with the engine at the right side. The vehicle can carried a total of 12 military personnel including commander, driver, gunner and 9 soldiers.

The Lazar 3 has a ballistic protection Level 3 STANAG 4569 against firing of small arms 7.62×51mm caliber AP (Amor-Piercing) at 30 meters and anti-mine protection levels 3a and 3b STANAG 4569, mine explosion pressure activated under any wheel or track location (Level 3a), mine explosion under center (Level 3b).