Joint venture to supply Ukrainian APCs to Myanmar army.

Ukrspecexport, Ukraine’s military import/export agency, has signed a joint venture agreement with Myanmar (formerly Burma) for the construction of an armoured vehicle assembly plant, Burma News International reports.

Ukrainian-made BTR-4E (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Ukrainian side has already begun delivery of equipment including special machines to build the factory. Ukraine’s delivery to Myanmar includes a production line to assemble the BTR-4U wheeled 8×8 armoured personnel carrier, 2S1U self-propelled howitzer based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, according to people familiar with the talks. The new plant is due to start production in the second half of 2020, according to the report.

The BTR-4E (similar to BTR-4U) is the export version of the BTR-4, an 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier (APC) designed by the Ukrainian Company Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau. This the latest generation of wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) manufactured by the Ukrainian defense industry. This is a new development of 8x8 armoured vehicle which is not based to Russian technology of wheeled combat vehicle as the BTR-80 family. The BTR-4E APC is designed to be used as personnel carrier vehicle for infantry units or as a wheeled infantry fighting vehicle with weapon station to provide fire support. It can be operated under various climatic conditions from a temperature range of -40° to +55°C. In July 2012, Ukrainian Defense Ministry has announced the delivery of first BTR-4E APC for its armed forces. The BTR-4E is already in mass production and is in service with Ukraine, and Iraq.

The MT-LB is a multipurpose tracked armored vehicle which was designed in Ukraine in the early 1960s. In the Russian army, more than 80 variants are in service. In Ukraine and Russia, many defense companies have developed several new modernized or upgraded variants. The MT-LB can also tow a trailer or weapon up to 6,500 kg or carry equipment up to 2,000 kg. A total of 11 soldiers can be carried inside the vehicle.