Russia To Develop Unmanned Combat Module-Equipped Armoured Vehicle For Paratroopers

Russia is developing an armoured vehicle for its paratroopers that will be mounted on the chassis of the Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun and equipped with the Epokha unmanned combat module.

The module was initially designed for advanced infantry fighting vehicles mounted on the latest Bumerang, Kurganets-25 and Armata combat platforms. The module’s armament includes the 30mm 2A42 gun, the 7.62mm machine-gun and the Kornet anti-tank missile system.

"We tried to mount the combat module from the Kurganets platform on the chassis of the BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicle but it turned out that although this module is lighter than the standard BMD-4M module, it is larger by its dimensions and spans over the crew hatches. That is why, an option has been worked out to place the new module on the Sprut chassis. This option poses no problems and this can be done on the Sprut chassis very quickly," a source in the defense industry was quoted as saying by TASS on Thursday.

TASS sources earlier reported about the plans to mount Kornet anti-tank missile systems on BMD-4M vehicles. Currently, modernized BMD-2M airborne assault vehicles with the new Bereg module armed with the Kornet anti-tank missile system are undergoing trials.