China has handed over to the Russian military the first batch of Shaanxi Baoji Tiger 4×4 armored vehicles.
Despite claiming not to supply Russia with weapons for use in the invasion of Ukraine, China has handed over to the Russian military the first batch of Shaanxi Baoji Tiger 4×4 armored vehicles. Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region, confirmed this. The new vehicle is a Tigr 4×4 armored personnel carrier developed by the Chinese defense Company Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles Manufacturing.
Kadyrov confirmed that these armored vehicles will be used in Ukraine, where Chechen fighters are fighting. This is proof that the Russian military industry cannot supply enough armored vehicles for the Russian army and its allies, and that China is indeed supplying weapons to Russia, contrary to its claims.
Shaanxi Baoji Tiger 4×4 was unveiled at the Eurosatory 2012 Defence Exhibitio held in Paris in June 2012. The 4×4 armored personnel carrier is aimed at the international market. The Tiger uses a 4×4 cross-country truck chassis which provides high mobility in all-terrain conditions. The crew of 2, the commander and driver, and can carry 9 fully equipped infantrymen. The vehicle has already undergone extensive off-road tests, and has shown great mobility on all terrains and in all-weather conditions.
The Tiger can be adapted for various roles, such as APC, patrol, police vehicle, ambulance, command post and weapons carrier. The vehicle provides effective protection against the 7.62-mm machine gun. There is one rotating cupola hatch equipped with a machine gun at the front of the troop compartment.
Tiger is equipped with a Cummins ISDE200-30 Diesel engine 200 hp, for a maximum road speed of up to 115 km/h, an operating range of about 500 to 600 km. As tested, the Tiger is able to climb a 60% slope, 40% side slope fully-loaded, cross a water depth of 0.8 m without preparation and 1.2 m with preparation. It has a 350mm minimal ground clearance, and could climb a 35 cm vertical obstacle, and 70 cm trench. The vehicle weighs about 6.5 tons, the length is 5.36 m, the width is 2.32 m, and the height is 2.30 m.
Regarding weapons, depending on the requirements of the customer, the central cupola can received a large variety of armament. The base version is open, with a pintle-mounted standard 7,62 mm mounting; The standard is an open top circular turret fitted with a two-pieces armored hatch opening on the sides which can receive an addition shield. Outside 7.62mm machine gun, the pintle can also received 12.7mm machine guns, or the standard 30mm automatic grenade launcher.
Besides China, Baoji Tiger has been exported to Bahamas, Bolivia, Somalia and Tajikistan.
