Today when the subject comes up of the Russian Army’s combat equipment, one thinks of Russia’s major armaments. But Russian forces have at their disposal equally impressive vehicles and combat engineering equipment, without which it would be either very difficult or impossible to accomplish combat objectives.
During hostilities, military units sometimes have to move along rugged terrain. Fighting vehicles need to be supported by combat engineer vehicles when traversing rutty roads, deep ditches, minefields and artificial obstacles.
These vehicles not only take part in offensive operations, but they also set up minefields, build anti-tank ditches and concrete obstacles during defensive measures. Armored combat engineer vehicles directly supporting military units can transport inside their compartments combat engineers to areas of operation. As a rule, these vehicles are equipped with machine guns and rocket launchers, and their engines are sufficiently powerful to accommodate bulldozer blades or mine-clearing tank attachments.
BMR-3M
The BMR-3M armored mine-clearing vehicle can conduct reconnaissance missions and remove minefields. It defuses various types of mines and allows other vehicles to follow in its wake.
IMR-3M
The IMR-3M obstacle-clearing vehicle builds and prepares routes for troop columns in forests, over rubble in city districts, on rugged terrain and fulfills other missions that facilitate troop movements. The vehicle can also operate in radioactive areas.
BREM-1M
The BREM-1M armored repair-evacuation vehicle is designed to tow malfunctioning tanks, including under enemy fire. In addition, it can assist crews performing tank repairs and maintenance on the battlefield.
Unlike other military equipment, combat engineer vehicles can prove useful in peacetime. These vehicles help civilians during emergency situations.
For example, the obstacle removal vehicle can operate effectively in conditions of a nuclear conflict. Its armor reduces radiation levels many times over, and the cabin has ventilation unit that filters air. The crew can operate its tools without leaving the cabin and becoming exposed to contaminated environment. This is why these vehicles played an important role during clean-up operations after the Chernobyl disaster. They removed rubble and were activated in assembling the reactor’s protective dome.
In May 2010, visitors to the Victory Day parade were able to watch a BREM-1 operate in central Moscow. A SU-100 self-propelled gun fell off a tank semi-trailer after the parade and overturned. The BREM-1’s winch was used to right the gun. First, the gun was placed on its side, then on its tracks and later sent to a repair facility.
Combat mine-clearing vehicles play an important role after hostilities. They remove unexploded ammunition, including bombs dropped from the air, artillery shells, hand-grenades and even cartridges, making war-torn areas safer for civilians so that they can be eventually repopulated.
Svetlana Alikina
Sergei Zhukov
Yelena Kostomarova
Natalia Vetrova
Ignat Petrov
Maxim Kuteinikov
Pavel Karaulov
Yelena Kontuzova-Vantula
Pavel Shorokh
This project was prepared using materials provided by Uralvagonzavod Corporation
