Defense Ministry approves Desna armored vehicle for use by Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Ministry of Defense has standardized and approved the UAT.DESNA multipurpose armored vehicle for use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is designed to rapidly transport infantry and cargo outside the zone of direct contact with the enemy. This is stated in a press release from the Ministry of Defense.
It is noted that the UAT.DESNA armored vehicle was manufactured at a Ukrainian facility. It belongs to the medium class of multipurpose armored vehicles—similar to the American HMMWV.
It is noted that Ukrainian engineers drew on the design solutions of the American “HMMWV” and the real combat experience of Ukrainian military personnel. The UAT.DESNA has unique features because it was built to meet the rigorous demands of modern warfare.
Technical Specifications of the UAT.DESNA
The Desna armored vehicle has its own chassis, designed specifically for military missions in challenging conditions.
The body is 5.35 m long, 2.7 m wide, and just 2 m high—no taller than most civilian SUVs.
These dimensions are optimal for ensuring high cross-country capability, stability during sharp maneuvers, and low visibility in the field.
The UAT.DESNA can ford water up to 70 cm deep and reach speeds of up to 110 km/h. The cabin accommodates the driver and four infantrymen. With a gross vehicle weight of just 8.3 metric tons, the maximum payload capacity is 1.5 metric tons.
Advantages of the Ukrainian Desna armored vehicle
The UAT.DESNA armored vehicle was created to fill the gap between light, unprotected pickup trucks and heavy, full-fledged MRAP-class armored vehicles. The Desna has its own advantages:
- a “military” design, rather than a converted civilian pickup truck;
- an optimal balance of protection and mobility;
- modular body architecture;
- high ergonomics and a high-performance chassis;
- an automatic transmission;
- cost-effectiveness.
The “Desna” vehicle combines the long-standing engineering experience of designers of multipurpose armored vehicles with the unique Ukrainian realities of operating vehicles in wartime conditions.
How the Desna strengthens Ukraine’s MRAP fleet?
The Ministry of Defense stated that the Ukrainian Desna fills the niche of medium-sized multipurpose armored vehicles. The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ arsenal of wheeled vehicles is fully stocked—ranging from light off-road pickup trucks and small, lightly armored off-road vehicles – to heavy specialized MRAP-class armored vehicles, which are on par with armored personnel carriers in terms of protection and firepower.
As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, the Ministry of Defense, together with the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is implementing a program to ensure a guaranteed monthly supply of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to military units.