ShieldAfrica 2019: Belarus Caiman 4x4 armored for Gendarmerie and Special Forces of Côte d'Ivoire.

Defense Industry of Belarus presents its Caiman 4x4 armored vehicle at ShieldAfrica 2019, the International Defense and Security exhibition in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The vehicle is now in service with Gendarmerie and the Special Forces of Côte d’Ivoire.

Belarus Caiman 4x4 armored vehicle of the Gendarmerie of Côte d'Ivoire at ShieldAfrica 2019, International Defense and Security Exhibition in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. January 23, 2019. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Belarus sold 10 vehicles to Côte d'Ivoire, including 3 for the Gendarmerie and 7 for the Special Forces.

The Caiman is a new vehicle fully designed and manufactured in Belarus and according to the manufacturer, the Caiman is not based to the Soviet-made BRDM-2, but was completely developed by the engineers of Belarus offering a new generation of 4x4 armored vehicle.

The Caiman was showed for the first time in July 2015, during a visit of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to the factory which has design and developed the new vehicle.

The design of the Caiman seems very similar to the German Fennek, 4x4 reconnaissance vehicle. The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle with excellent vision to his front via three large bulletproof windows.

Belarus Caiman 4x4 armored vehicle of the Special Forces of Côte d'Ivoire at ShieldAfrica 2019, International Defense and Security Exhibition in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. January 23, 2019. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Caiman is motorized with a new Diesel engine mounted at the rear of the vehicle and uses an independent torsion bar suspension. It can run at a maximum road speed of 110 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 1,000 km. The vehicle is fully amphibious propelled in the water at a maximum speed of 8 km/h thanks to the use of two propellers, mounted at the rear of the chassis, one on each side.

The caiman has a total weight of 7 tons and can carries six military personnel. The roof of the vehicle can be fitted with a ring mount weapon station which can be armed with PKS 7.62mm machine gun, NSV 12.7mmm heavy machine gun or an AGS 30mm automatic grenade launcher. There is also three smoke grenade launchers and storage basket mounted on each side of the hull.