Bumerang

The Bumerang (Boomerang) is a wheeled armored personnel carrier being developed for the Russian Army.

History
In the early 1990s, the BTR-90 was developed as a replacement for the BTR-80 in the Russian Army. It had a more powerful armament, greater protection, better mobility, and more internal space than its predecessor. However, the BTR-90 was not accepted into service due to funding issues. Purchases of the BTR-80 stopped in 2010 and the improved BTR-82 was obtained as a stop-gap measure. In mid-2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued a requirement for a modular wheeled family of armored vehicles instead of buying the BTR-90. Development of a new wheeled APC is being done alongside the new Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle.

In November 2011, media reports said the new project had been approved. On 21 February 2012, Colonel General Alexander Postnikov said that the Russian Army would be taking the first deliveries of the Bumerang prototype in 2013. Large-scale deliveries are to begin in 2015. At least 2,000 Bumerang vehicles are to replace the BTR-80 and BTR-82/A in Russian service.

Design
Voyenno-Promyshlennaya Kompaniya, the company making the Bumerang, claims it “will be nothing like any of the modern APCs.” Many details about its design have not been released, but it is known that the vehicle will be amphibious and be able to negotiate and overcome water obstacles using two waterjets. In a departure with the previous BTR series of vehicles, the engine will be located in the front instead of the rear. Engine location was a significant drawback of BTR vehicles, where soldiers had to exit the vehicles through cramped side doors, which put them directly in the line of enemy fire. The Bumerang has rear doors and roof hatches for troop entry and exit. It will likely have a crew of three consisting of the driver, gunner, and commander and hold seven troops. Armament will be a remote weapon system fitted with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun or a 30 mm cannon. Protection will come from ceramic armor and technologies to prevent shell splinters. Like BTRs, the Bumerang will be an 8x8 wheeled vehicle, and will be equipped with a 500 hp turbocharged diesel engine. Several components and subsystems will be interchangeable between the Bumerang APC and Kurganets-25 IFV, and both vehicles will be powered by the same engine.

Variants
The Bumerang is referred to as "a combat wheeled vehicle" because it will serve several different roles, similar to American Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. Other vehicle platform variations will fulfill different roles in addition to armored transport, including as an armored ambulance, command post vehicle, reconnaissance vehicle, anti-tank missile carrier, air defense missile launcher, fire support vehicle, and mortar carrier. Further versions could include a light tank and a self-propelled gun.