Center of analysis of world arms trade (CAWAT), 9th of August, 2018. As became known, Cote d’Ivoire became the first buyer of lightly armored vehicle “Caiman” with wheel formula 4[4, designed by JSC “140 Repair plant” (city of Borisov, Belarus).
According to the Jane’s Defence Weekly, three armored vehicles of Belarusian production in black gendarmerie coloring were represented on military parade, which was held on 7th of August 2018 in Abidjan dedicated to the Independence day of Cote d’Ivoire.
Earlier, in May 2017, it was announced about adoption of armored vehicle “Caiman” in the Armed Forces of Belarus. In January, 2018 Chairman of State military defense-industrial committee of Belarus Oleg Dvigalev reported about beginning of export supplies of armored vehicles “Caiman” to the one of unnamed states of Africa.
Armored vehicle designed for providing of reconnaissance-diawerion operations, accompany of military columns and patrolling. Weight of vehicle – 7 tones. Armored vehicle “Caiman” is designed for transportation of 6 persons.
Engine D-245.30E2 produced by “Minsk’s motor plant” with power 170 horse powers allows to develop the maximal speed 100 km per hour on highway. The power reserve for driving on the highway is 1000 km. The machine without preparation is able to overcome water obstacles by swimming at a speed of 8 km/h.
As a weapon, 7.62 mm machine gun, 30 mm AGS-17 grenade launcher, the “Adunok” combat module of the Belarusian design with 12.7-mm machine-gun NSV «Utes» can be used. The armor on the sides and stern, according to statements, provides ballistic protection that meets the requirements of STANAG-4569 Level.1, and in the frontal projection — Level.2. The cooling system allows the machine to be operated at ambient temperature up to +50 degrees of Celcium. Modern instruments and sensors of the Belarusian production allow to control the parameters of all systems of engine operation.
Originally, a number of experts stated that «Caiman» is a modernized version of the Soviet BRDM-2, but the chief designer of the 140 repair plant, Olga Petrova, denied this information. According to her statement to the agency BelTA in May 2017, the armored vehicle was developed at the 140th plant from “scratch” and most of its components are produced in the Republic of Belarus.
