MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. Russia has started to promote the export of armored vehicles based on the latest Bumerang combat platform, with their sales estimated at about $1 billion, the press office of Russia’s state arms seller Rosoboronexport reported on Thursday.

"Rosoboronexport (part of Rostec) has started to promote the latest Bumerang standardized combat platform developed and produced by the Military Industrial Company on foreign markets," the press office said in a statement.

As Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev said, countries of Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the CIS have already displayed their interest in the Bumerang combat vehicle.

"We estimate the export of this platform at about $1 billion in the foreseeable future," the press office quoted the Rosoboronexport chief as saying.

The Bumerang combat platform has been developed on order from Russia’s Defense Ministry. As its unique advantage, the platform can be used as the basis to build the widest range of vehicles with various weapons and equipment, Rosoboronexport stressed.

"The Boomerang 8x8 amphibious combat vehicle provides the capability to handle a wide range of combat missions and even peacetime tasks: when repelling aggression of a potential adversary, defending the state’s borders and fighting terrorist groups, as well as assisting the population in case of natural disasters and calamities," the statement says.

The Bumerang combat platform features a new layout scheme: the driving compartment is located at the front left, with the engine compartment at the front right, the fighting compartment in the middle, and the troop compartment at the rear of the vehicle. The Bumerang can accommodate up to 11 personnel. The troops enter and leave the vehicle via roof hatches and the rear door or ramp, Rosoboronexport said.

Bumerang’s armament

Depending on the functional purpose and the tasks, weapon stations can be mounted on the combat platform. These can be remote-controlled and manned combat modules with the machine-gun, cannon or combined armament: a 30mm automatic cannon and a 7.62mm coaxial machine-gun, a 30mm automatic grenade launcher and two launchers with two anti-tank guided missiles on each, as well as a 12.7mm Kord machine-gun (in its version for the armored personnel carrier), Rosoboronexport specified.

In order to provide for accurate fire, a modern digital fire control system includes a two-plane weapon stabilizer, a multi-channel electro-optical sighting system with a built-in laser rangefinder and automated gunner’s and commander’s workstations with a multi-function display and an integrated ballistic computer, the arms exporter said.

"Depending on the armament installed, the combat vehicle, based on the chassis of a universal wheeled combat platform, can effectively engage various enemy targets (manpower, gun emplacements, armored and soft-skinned targets, including low-speed air targets) from a halt, on the move and afloat in any weather, day or night," the statement says.

The combat vehicle can easily negotiate various obstacles, attain a speed of over 100 km/h on the highway and has a cruising range of at least 800 km, Rosoboronexport said.

"The Russian vehicle is most favorably distinguished from its foreign counterparts by its amphibious properties, which make it possible to negotiate water obstacles even in Sea State 3. Moreover, it develops a speed of at least 10 km/h on water, having endurance on water of up to 12 hours," the statement says.

The vehicle’s survival on the battlefield is enhanced by disruptive camouflage painting, an aerosol or smoke screen system, fire protection systems, and an NBC (nuclear, biological chemical) protection system. Special systems and technical solutions ensure the survival of the combat crew when the vehicle hits a mine, Rosoboronexport said.