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Russia’s Blue Bird search and rescue vehicles for spacemen undergo upgrades

These are three PEM-1 and PEM-2 trucks and the special screw-propelled vehicle, equipped with the evacuation crane, according to the Central Military District's press service

Blue Bird search and rescue amphibious off-road vehicles Donat Sorokin/TASS

Blue Bird search and rescue amphibious off-road vehicles

© Donat Sorokin/TASS

MOSCOW, July 3. /TASS/. The Blue Bird search and rescue amphibious off-road vehicles, used for recovery of landing spacemen, underwent upgrades in the Moscow Region, the Central Military District's press service announced Friday.

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"Three PEM-1 and PEM-2 trucks and the special screw-propelled vehicle, equipped with the evacuation crane, underwent upgrades. In particular, engines and transmission, as well as the interior, were upgraded," says Yevgeniy Solntsev, head of the Central Military District’s 14th Air and Air Defense Army’s search and rescue service.

According to Solntsev, the screw-propelled vehicle underwent additional inspection by the Russian technical watchdog.

Three more vehicles currently undergo overhaul in the Chelyabinsk Region, he added.

Over the last 20 years, personnel and vehicles of the Central Military District conducted about 80 search and rescue raids during landing of the Soyuz landing vehicles and 78 search and rescue support missions during Soyuz launches. The crews of the vehicles evacuated over 200 cosmonauts.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

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