Samara, Volga Region, September 6 (AVN) - Russian Chief-of-Staff Anatoly Kvashnin ordered on Wednesday to modernise small light-armoured prime movers that are in the inventory of the Russian Armed Forces.
Kvashnin made a decision on the matter after visiting the 27th motorised rifle division stationed in the Totsky garrison, Samarta region. A motorised rifle regiment of the division is armed with the prime movers that have distinguished themselves in combat operations in Chechnya.
"The vehicle needs more powerful armament," Kvashnin said. At present it is armed with the PKT machine-gun that does not allow to provide comprehensive support to motorised riflemen's activities in combat. It is not accidentally that federal servicemen in Chechnya used to install the AGS-17 Plamya automatic heavy grenade launcher or a coupled air defence system on the vehicle's armour.
A spokesman for the Volga-Ural military district headquarters told the Military News Agency that the first 24 prime movers would be modernised already next year. They will be fitted with a turret with a 30mm cannot and additional armour on the bottom. Besides, their friction clutches will be replaced by hydro-mechanical transmission. A total of 400 vehicles will undergo modernisation at the army's tank repairing plants.