Ukrainian Army has received into service several armoured mine clearance tanks based on T-64A chassis. 

During a working visit to Zhytomyr region, President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko took part in the solemn ceremony of transferring modernized and repaired weapons and military equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Head of State handed over certificates for military equipment and weapons.

The ceremony occurred on 21 December at airfield of the Ozerne Air Base.

During the ceremony also were transferred newest heavy armoured mine clearance vehicles based at second-generation T-64A main battle tank (MBT) chassis.

The former deputy chief of Engineer Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrey Kulchitsky said that new mine clearance tanks were developed at the SE “Kharkiv Armored Plant”.

“The new vehicles are a heavy armoured mine clearance vehicles that can meet the technical and tactical needs of modern-day armed forces,” Andrey Kulchitsky added.

The new vehicles boast the characteristics of an MBT and an engineering vehicle. Enhanced effectiveness and functionality of the tank enable the combat engineers to demolish obstacles in combat, including minefield breaching.

Using a heavy-duty KMT-7 mechanical mine clearing device, the new mine clearance vehicle would can lanes through minefields, assuring the mobility of friendly troops. The passage in the minefield is created as a result of pressure applied to mine detonators by the roller sections, followed by the unearthing of undetonated mines and their pushing off the path by the plow. This results in a lane which enables other vehicles to traverse a minefield safely.

It is also equipped with an integrated mine protection system and the crew compartment features a heating and cooling system.

New Ukrainian heavy armoured mine clearance vehicles are low-cost decision but will offer major improvements in capabilities compared with Soviet-era BMR-2 and Russian-made BMR-3 vehicles.