Tigr-M: An multipurpose all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle

The Tigr-M is a multipurpose all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle designed and produced in Russia. It is intended to transport personnel and cargo, tow trailer systems, and mounting weapons and military equipment while ensuring the required level of bullet (mine) protection.

Introduction

Tigr-M (English: Tiger) became known as Russia’s armored car. Tigr is a multipurpose all-terrain vehicle designed for the armed forces and riot police for patrol missions and counter-terrorism operations. Tigr-M has 6mm thick armor to protect its crew from bullets and land mines. It can be equipped with a machine gun or a grenade launcher.

The vehicle was presented in 2010, during the 2010 Interpolitex exhibition by the Military Industrial Company. It was based on the previous version of GAZ’s Tigr vehicles. Tigr vehicle was first shown at the IDEX exhibition in 2001. Pilot production started in 2004 with 96 vehicles. The Russian Army officially adopted the GAZ-2975 into service at the end of 2006. The vehicle was then officially manufactured in 2007.

The Tigr vehicles combine the characteristics of an all-terrain vehicle and a speed maneuverable car. They use an independent torsion bar suspension, which makes it possible to attain the highest possible speed when driving on rough terrain while maintaining a high comfort ride for the crew and onboard troops.

Design

The Tigr-M vehicles are fitted with a diesel engine and manual 5-speed transmission with the possibility and power to tow a 2.5-ton trailer. All parts, including diesel engines, are produced in Russia. The vehicle has an armored hull welded from steel sheets, fastened to the frame in ten points via rubber pads. All the windows and doors in the hull are provided with bulletproof glasses.

The bulletproof windshield glasses are fitted with wipers, while the other bulletproof glasses are equipped with opening mechanisms that ensure the opening outward and upward with fixed positions. The Tigr-M’s design has incorporated numerous improvements to enhance its operating characteristics, reliability, ergonomics, bullet and mine protection.

With its large interior volume, combined with high load-carrying capacity, protection, and cross-country performance, the Tigr-M vehicle can be used as a platform for mounting a wide range of weapon systems, reconnaissance, communications, electronic warfare, and other equipment.

The vehicle’s standard equipment includes a central tire inflation system allowing the driver to adjust the tire pressure on the move, depending on the road conditions, an electric winch with a pulling force of 4,000 kg, and a filtration unit.

The armored hull of the multipurpose and special purpose vehicles provides all-around protection for the crew, main components, and assemblies against 7.62mm PS bullets fired from the AKM assault rifle and 5.45mm PS bullets fired from the AK-74 assault rifle, which approximately corresponds to STANAG 4569 Protection Level 1.

Special design solutions provide personnel protection (while maintaining high survivability and mobility) when 0.6 kg of explosive explodes under a wheel and/or under the vehicle bottom). There is a 594x594mm hatch covering the central part of the AMN-233114’s hull roof.

Technical systems and remote-controlled weapon stations differentiate by the user’s needs. It can be equipped with different setups for various purposes. There are storage spaces for a radio set and an IED jammer.

Variants

There are two variants of the Tigr-M armored vehicle in the basic version: ASN-233115 and AMN-233114. The difference between the ASN-233115 and the AMN-233114 are as follows: reduced number of seats (6), a traversing platform mounted on the vehicle’s roof for mounting weapons, and special stowages in the vehicle for weapons, ammunition, and weapon accessories.

A few years ago, Tigr-M got a modernized version designated especially for reconnaissance and patrol purposes.
Currently, the Tigr-M is mass-produced and supplied to the Russian Army, including the new Arbalet-DM remote control weapons station composed of 12.7mm Kord or 7.62mm PKTM machine guns.

Tigr-M SpN

The Tigr-M SpN is an upgraded Tigr 4×4 armored vehicle with increased protection. It was solely designed for reconnaissance and patrol purposes and for protecting convoys and supporting army units. The upgrade is based on combat experience gained during operations in Syria and designated the ASN 233115 Tigr-M SpN.

The modernized Tigr features a new diesel engine, a new armored hood, an air filter installation, an increase in the number of rear passenger seats (from eight to nine), and the replacement of the bicuspid rear hatch with a large square hatch. In addition, the vehicle is equipped with automatically regulated tire pressure, an automatic fire suppression system, a starting preheater, and a self-recovery winch.

The main armament includes the 7.62mm Pecheneg and 12.7mm Cord machine guns and the 30mm Plamya (Flame) automatically mounted grenade launcher.

NIMR

The Nimr (Arabic for tiger) is a scaled-down Tigr, designed specifically for the harsh desert climates found in the Middle East. The project was initially started by Emirates Defense Technology (EDT) in the UAE, but it was finished by the engineers from the Industrial Computer Technologies engineering firm (a subsidiary of GAZ).

They were then subcontracted to complete the detailed engineering and prototyping of the first Nimr 1 prototype. Further developments of the Nimr prototype and the complete development of the first generation Nimr vehicles were carried out in the UAE by the Bin Jabr Group.

Conflicts

Syrian War

Since 2015, Tigr vehicles are used by the Syrian Army in a fight with opposition and extremist groups.

War in Ukraine

During the war in Ukraine, there were a lot of Tigr-M armored vehicles involved at the beginning of an invasion.

Main characteristics