Russia's state-owned tech company Rostec has revealed on its Instagram the newest addition to the country's military — an armoured tractor fit for clearing minefields. Production of the vehicle is scheduled to start in 2019.
According to Rostec, the minesweeping tractor is way more manoeuverable and more durable than regular tanks equipped with a mine plough while, at the same time, being cheaper to produce.
The fact that it's less expensive, doesn't mean decreased protective capbilities. The engineers at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Factory designed their mine removal vehicle to withstand a blast from the explosive device if the tractor runs into one, even if the device is more powerful than a regular mine.
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The tractor will be operated by human personnel, unlike the planned modification of the T-90MC battle tank. Russia's Uralvagonzavod is considering turning the vehicle into an unmanned one, noting that the tank's systems have evolved so much that the T-90 is only one step from making a human crew an unnecessary addition.