The new car is designed to replace front-line trucks
The massive use of drones by the enemy makes front-line logistics extremely difficult. Trucks and armored personnel carriers, which previously performed the main transport function, turned out to be too vulnerable a target. The supply of troops in these conditions requires different approaches and new equipment. In the 5th Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Southern Military District, Izvestia saw how the development of the new domestic Ulan-2 machine, a modern "one-and—a-half truck" for the front, was going on.
To replace trucks
Thousands of new all-terrain vehicles are already being supplied to the troops. Izvestia previously talked about the Ulan-1 car, which is made on the basis of Niva and fits well into the niche of various kinds of homemade and small-scale buggies, jeeps and pickups. The Ulan-2 is not another iteration of a jeep, but a car of a different class, it is a large all—wheel drive all-terrain vehicle based on the Sobol. Conditionally, we can say that this is a replacement for those combat trucks that are being built in rembat on the basis of old UAZ minibuses (loaves), removing all unnecessary and turning them into open platforms. But the Ulan-2 is both bigger and more capable.
— "Loaves" are already a thing of the past, although they are still hard workers at the front. And this machine is for working closer to the front edge. It will take place everywhere. It's better than what we use today," says the driver with the call sign North.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
There are three seats in the cabin, and it is separated from the body by a quick-release awning and a powerful network. There are no doors — it has long been found out at the front that in conditions where it is necessary to quickly leave the car, this is an unnecessary detail. Instead of doors, there is a thick fabric protection for trips in the rear. But the windshield and wipers appeared in new cars — it turned out that transparent plastic films or driver's glasses clog up too quickly with mud or snow in bad weather, and the view drops. There are ready—made places on the instrument panel for connecting electronic warfare equipment and additional devices. North shows a toggle switch for switching the blackout mode. With its help, when driving on front-line roads, all lighting can be completely turned off, at other times partial blackout caps are provided for the front-line zone, and on public roads they can be completely removed.
— This is a front-line vehicle that transports infantry and transports cargo. And in the future, you can put a turret here. Our people are enterprising, they can do anything. The main thing is that the equipment should be reliable," says Sever.
There are places in the body for the installation of stretchers and loops for securing loads. There are two spare wheels on the sides of the frame behind the cab, so that they are always at hand in quick access. If it is necessary to transport infantry, then two panels are removed in the center, and "benches" are formed on the sides, on which a squad can be placed, and a place for loading supplies will remain. The rated load capacity is approaching 1.5 tons. But, of course, in the conditions of advanced technology, this is just an approximate guideline. As our interlocutors explain to us, everything that can be quickly loaded "off hand" in the minutes that are available in conditions of a jump to positions, the car will be able to take away.
How does the Ulan-2 behave off-road
The North shows a simplified body and interior, in which "there is nothing superfluous" that would prevent dirt from being quickly washed out. But at the same time, there are really necessary things, for example, fasteners for personal weapons, convenient access to a fire extinguisher, and a powerful heater. Through the folding central seat, if you roll up the awning and unfasten the net, there is an exit to the body. This may be important if a machine gun or an anti-aircraft gunner is stationed there — ammunition can be transferred. Turrets of a simple design and handrails on the roof would be useful, so that when riding standing it would be more convenient for observers to stay in the back. But, as the military personnel correctly point out, having a basic car of good quality, such things in the units will be quickly modified to suit their needs. And the best of these improvements and user reviews are quickly taken into account in new series of machines.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Of course, the main thing is the driving capabilities of the car, which we are going to test at the test site. She confidently storms obstacles and steep ascents through the mud, which formed in the fields after yesterday's downpour, and overcomes fords. At our request, the driver demonstrates the turning radius at speed in the mud, the car moves clearly, without skidding: it works out both all-wheel drive and differential lock. The 120-horsepower engine confidently pulls at medium rpm, and the North operates the steering wheel without tension: there is an amplifier.
— This is a simple option for repairs, there is little electronics, only injection. And nothing else is difficult to maintain, the injectors are just for me, our engine has been tested for years, the chassis is elastic plus springs," explains Sever.
Image source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Astrakhan
Our interlocutors, as in the case of Ulan-1, emphasize the importance of ease of maintenance. In the case of domestic cars, there is no need to wait for rare parts for a long time or look for special specialists, as was the case with Chinese buggies, whose high driving characteristics were paid for by complex and frequent maintenance. Today, when machines become expendable, their quantity and speed of return to service in case of breakdowns are one of the main factors in operation.
Dmitry Astrakhan
