MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/. Platforma-O, a family of domestically produced highly-mobile heavy tractor trucks to replace Belarusian-made ones, has entered service with the Russian armed forces, a defense industry source told TASS on Thursday.

"Upon the state commission’s recommendation, based on the successful completion of state trials, the Platforma-O family of highly-mobile modular chassis and tractors has entered service with the Russian armed forces," the source said.

The newest Platforma-O family of heavy wheeled tractors was designed by JSC Kamaz and produced by JSC Remdizel Plant for various heavy weaponry, including the Topol-M and Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles.

As part of the first batch, the Russian military is to receive five versions of the vehicle, namely, 8x8, 12x12 and 16x16 heavy transporters with payload capacities of 25 t, 50 t, and 85 t, respectively, an 8x8 semi-trailer with a towing capacity of 165 t, and an 8x8 ballast tractor with a towing capacity of 400 t.

The 12x12 and 16x16 tractors will be used as transporter erector launchers, while other vehicles will carry various support systems. A defense source earlier told TASS that the Russian military would fully switch to the new chassis within ten or fifteen years.

Until recently, the Russian military heavily relied on the wheeled tractors produced by the Minsk Wheel Tractors Plant (MZKT Volat). The RVSN widely uses the MZKT-79221 16x16 heavy tractor, while the Iskander-M (NATO reporting name: SS-26 Stone) tactical missile system and the Bastion (SSC-5 Stooge) and Bal (SSC-6 Sennight) mobile coastal defense missile systems are mounted on the MZKT-7930-family 8x8 transporters.