Uraltransmash ready to upgrade Russian GMZ-3 Granilnik tracked minelayers.

Russia’s JSC Ural Transport Machine-Building Plant (Uraltransmash, a subsidiary of Rostec’s concern Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) is ready to upgrade the GMZ-3 Granilnik (Rocking Tool) heavy tracked minelayers of the Russian Armed Forces, the press department of UVZ told TASS on June 5.
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GMZ-3 Granilnik (Rocking Tool) minelayer (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin)

"Being the developer of the GMZ-3, Uraltransmash may be involved in the development of a new-generation tracked minelayer under the Ministry of Defense’s [MoD’s] technical terms of reference. The variants of the Granilnik’s further modernization are now being considered," said a spokesperson for Uraltransmash. "If the MoD issues a request for the modernization of the GMZ-3 and the replacement of its communications subsystems and foreign-made components with Russian units, the enterprise will be ready to conduct these works," said the spokesperson.

The Granilnik’s tracked chassis shares some common components with those of 2S3M Akatsiya (Acacia) 152 mm self-propelled howitzer and 2S4 Tyulpan (Tulip) 203 mm self-propelled mortar, which was produced by Uraltransmash.

In the early 2000s, Uraltransmash and JSC Omsktransmash (a subsidiary of UVZ) developed the GMZ-K Kleshch (Acarid) tracked minelayer under an MoD’s order. The GMZ-K is designed for the rapid laying of cassette-loaded anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. The GMZ-3K heavy tracked minelayer was adopted in 1984. The system is a unique engineer vehicle of the Russian military as it is capable of transporting more than 200 landmines and laying a 1-2 km buried/surface single-row minefield of 12-kg mines.

The GMZ-3K weighs 28.5 tons and is manned by a three-man crew.

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