Belarus is exporting its locally-designed Caiman armored vehicle to an undisclosed African customer.

Speaking to TASS Russian News Agency, a source in Belarus' State Military-Industrial Committee said that deliveries of the Caiman armored vehicle to an African country have already begun. Army Recognition quoted the source as saying, "Belarus is now delivering the Caiman ARV to an African state. We have good prospects there." ARV is short for armored reconnaissance vehicle.

Neither the source nor the vehicle's developer, 140 Repair Plant, indicated who the customer for the vehicle is. Additional details, such as the number ordered, the delivery time frame, and the cost of the contract, are similarly unavailable. Armored vehicles are in particular demand across Africa, as militaries and security forces respond to the threat of armed, non-state actors. Vast amounts of remote territory necessitate the ability to conduct rapid response operations.

The CEO of 140 Repair Plant, Alexander Churyakov, did confirm that the vehicle is in serial production, stating, "We have launched the manufacturing of our own vehicles. In particular, we are producing the Caiman ARV under several contracts."

First unveiled in 2015, Caiman is a locally-designed armored vehicle that weighs about 7,000kg and can reach speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour on ideal road conditions. It has a range of 1,000 kilometers. For weapons, the Caiman vehicle can support a remote combat weapons station. Belarus is believed to have begun putting the vehicle into service with its military since May 2017.

Source: Army Recognition
Associated URL: https://www.armyrecognition.com/july_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/belarus_will_delivered_local-made_caiman_4x4_armored_to_african_country.html