A new version of the Phantom and advanced unmanned ground vehicle was among the latest innovative defense products to be put on show by Ukraine at IDEX-2017, the world’s biggest arms exhibition, which was held on Feb.19-23 in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates
Designed to be a miniature tactical armored carrier, the Phantom can be controlled remotely and perform various tactical missions, ranging from providing supporting fire to infantry during combat, surveillance, transporting ammunition, and evacuating injured personnel from the battlefield.
“The Phantom is a response to the challenges of the technological age, (which) the creation of entirely new types of armaments: unmanned, multi-functional machines capable of performing tasks that are currently only performed by soldiers, and which endanger their lives,” Ukrainian state defense industry holding company UkrOboronProm, which presented the Ukrainian innovation at the exhibition, said on its web site.
Acting as a carrier, the Phantom can evacuate two wounded soldiers from the battlefield at a time. The vehicle can be armed with a KT-12.7 millimeter machine gun with a laser sighting system, thermal scope, as well as the 130 millimeter Barrier anti-tank guided missile system. The system has an onboard camera linked to a high-resolution digital monitor for the operator, and is remotely operated by two pilots – a gunner and a driver – via a protected radio channel with a range of up to 10 kilometers, the Phantom can engage both hostile infantry and light and heavy armored vehicles in all weather, day and night, at distances of up to 5,000 meters.
The Phantom personnel carrier was included in the list of top five novelties of IDEX-2017 (UkrOboronProm)
New helicopter
Another new Ukrainian development at the exhibition was the new KT112 Combat light assault helicopter, designed by the Vertical development bureau in Kyiv for production at Ukrinmash, a company affiliated to UkrOboronProm. With its Austrian-made Rotax-914 engine, it can accelerate to a speed of up to 200 kilometers per hour, with takeoff weights of up to 1,000 kilograms. This light aircraft, weighing only 570 kilograms, can be operated by a single pilot, and has a service ceiling of 4,000 meters.
The Combat’s weapons load can include the Barrier V anti-tank guided missile complex with advanced laser targeting system, or a similar unit, as well as the Kalashnikov PKT machine gun for suppressing hostile infantry fire. Also, according to an Ukroboronprom press release published on Feb. 24, the Combat, when equipped with the Igla or Strela-2 missile systems, can also be used in air-to-air engagements.
A new version of KT-112 helicopter is geared up with precise laser-guided missiles and machine guns (UkrOboronProm)
Old favorites
Ukraine also presented other armored vehicles previously proposed for both export and service with the nation’s armed forces and National Guard. These included the BTR-4 armored personnel carrier, previously supplied by UkrOboronProm to Indonesia for trials in late January. The latest generation of full-sized Ukrainian manned APCs, the BTR-4 can be used for transporting and evacuating personnel from the battlefield in any weather and environmental conditions, including after nuclear, chemical and biological weapons use. Modified and improved in accordance with the recommendations of Ukrainian veterans of the war in the Donbas, the BTR-4s presented at IDEX-2017 have been now endorsed by Ukrainian combat servicemen undergoing rehabilitation in the United Emirates, UkrOboronProm said on Feb. 25.
The Ukrainian stand in Abu Dhabi also presented the Dozor-B and Bars-8 armored cars, designed by Lviv Armor Plant and the Bohdan Group in Cherkasy. Conforming to NATO’s STANAG 4569 defense level 3, Dozor cars can protect personnel from standard 7.62 mm armor piercing bullets and shrapnel from 150 mm shells.
Dozor-B armored combat cars have been successfully validated as conforming to NATO standards of crew defense (Picasa 3.0)
Another Ukrainian presentation at IDEX-2017 was the Taipan remote control weapons station, designed in 2016 by UkrOboronProm affiliate UkrSpetsTechnoExport. With its stabilizing system, the turret provides accurate and precise targeting no matter how the vehicle it is attached to is moving. The Taipan turret can be attached to a range of combat vehicles, but it can be also remotely operated as a separate firing unit based on ground fortifications. If not connected to mains power or a vehicle power generator, it can operate on its own battery power for up to three hours.
With its digital automatic targeting system, the Taipan can perform automatic targeting, taking into account weather conditions, projectile and weapon type, distance and speed. The station is armed with a double-barrel 23-millimeter cannon, and can be modified to carry 7.62-millimeter or 12.7-millimeter machine guns, or a 30-millimeter mortar.
The Taipan turret can be operated remotely as a separate stationary combat unit – for protecting of fortifications or checkpoints
Older Ukrainian systems on show at the exhibition included the Korsar and Stugna-P anti-tank guided missile systems, the Kvitnyk guided artillery projectile, and the Anser, Patriot R2 and Leleka-100 drone complexes.
New mission
Following UkrOboronProm’s participation at IDEX-2017, the Ukrainian state-run defense concern said it would open a new trade mission in Abu Dhabi.
“(The mission) will provide the opportunity to cooperate with the top companies in this field, saving time and funds,” a company’s press statement from Feb. 27 reads. “Opening the office will bring UkrOboronProm’s companies closer to their clients worldwide, reduce transport costs, increase currency income, and accelerate the taking of decisions about crucial contracts.”
“The biggest world’s companies have been invited to the (mission’s) opening ceremony, and have expressed interest in intensifying cooperation in many of Ukraine’s defense industries, including aviation, artillery, armored vehicles, radio surveillance systems, and others.”
Around 1,200 defense industry companies from 57 countries participated in IDEX-2017, which was sponsored by the Emirate’s president, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in association with the UAE Armed Forces General Staff Headquarters.
