All automotive plants in Russia, along with civilian vehicles, produce equipment commissioned by the Ministry of Defense. Gorky Automobile Plant was no exception. Its designers developed the GAZ-3937 Vodnik, which in many respects surpasses the well-known all-terrain vehicle Hummer of the US Army and, unlike it, is floating.
History of creation
The first Vodnik was shown to the general public in 1994 at the Rescue Means-94 exhibition as a multi-purpose all-terrain vehicle (civilian version) under the number GAZ-3907.
At the end of the eighties of the last century, the Ministry of Defense issued tactical and technical requirements for the Vodnik project, which was to replace a wheeled armored reconnaissance and sabotage vehicle.
But the project was frozen when the first two prototypes had already passed sea trials. Only in 1998 the technical documentation for this car was approved, and it was adopted for service in 2007.
Several cars participated in the hostilities in the Chechen Republic. In total, by the end of 2007, two hundred and fifty combat vehicles were produced, fifty by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation laid down for conservation of long-term storage.
Car design
Vodnik is a modular car. It is mainly based on the units and components of serial-assembled vehicles, so the technological preparation for its serial production does not require large expenditures, nor money, nor time.
The basis of the design is a modular assembly scheme. It allows you to quickly change various modules, including in the field.
Two removable modules of the welded supporting body have different functions. The front also includes two parts separated by a sealed partition: a control compartment for the crew and a power compartment with an engine. For GAZ-3937 it is double. Moreover, the commander’s place is located behind the driver; roof hatches are intended for landing and disembarkation. GAZ-39371 “Vodnik” also provides a place for a radio operator with a hatch for boarding and disembarking, which is located behind the driver. The commander in this module sits next to the driver, for them the doors are made in the module.
The rear module is a compartment for transporting people, various loads or installing special equipment.
Specifications
The machines of the Vodnik family use units and assemblies that have been tested in real conditions on previous armored vehicles. The chassis with high reliability provides a combination of increased cross-country ability and smoothness. The displacement hull allows you to overcome water obstacles by fording and water, using the wheels as a mover, however, at a low speed, up to 5 km / h. The combination of the characteristics of a maneuverable high-speed car and an all-terrain vehicle allows in combat conditions to transfer military units over long distances and without preparation to engage in battle.
A powerful diesel engine, or a five-cylinder atmospheric Toyota brand, or a four-cylinder turbocharged from Daimler Chrysler, depending on the modification, allows you to reach speeds from 112 to 130 km / h on the highway and overcome climbs up to 35 degrees.
Pneumatic tires, the pressure of which is regulated from the driver’s cab, independent torsion bar suspension, ground clearance of 500 mm and a large wheel diameter allow the GAZ-3937 to develop high speeds even under conditions of complete impassability.
To protect personnel, reservations are made in several versions, including with additional reservation.
Plug-in modules
The task for which the GAZ-3937 Vodnik was created is to transport primarily the crew in areas with poor traffic. Therefore, in the basic configuration, the rear module is designed to carry eight people. The seats, thanks to the special design, can be installed back to back or face to face. Six doors, two on the back and sides, which rise up and are held in the open position by gas shock absorbers, allow loading and unloading personnel in a short time.
In total, the GAZ-3937 can be equipped with twenty-six combat and economic replaceable modules. That is, on a single chassis a special army vehicle, combat vehicles with various types of weapons, service vehicles: with residential blocks or with stations of the fuel and energy complex or cargo platforms can be equipped.
Design flaws
Despite some successful technical solutions and high performance, Vodnik did not receive distribution in the troops.
Firstly, a sealed partition between the compartments prevents, if necessary, from replacing from place to place. In battle, the commander cannot replace the retired shooter without leaving the car.
In addition, the exhaust gases go under the bottom of the car to increase stealth. But even without that, the loud sound of the exhaust, since there is no exhaust pipe, is significantly amplified, reflected from the road surface and falling on a flat bottom. The noise in the compartments is such that it is impossible to use the radio installed on board.
The modularity of the GAZ-3937 did not allow the design to be fully floating to overcome water barriers.
And most importantly, the flat faces of the bottom and sides greatly reduce the survivability of the GAZ-39371 Vodnik (photo above). The bottom fully accepts the shock wave from mines and landmines, and the sides completely eliminate the ricochet when hit from the flank.
Civil option
In the difficult economic conditions of the beginning of the present century, the Arzamas Engineering Plant together with AOZT Polaks (Odessa) began production of civilian variants GAZ-39371 Vodnik for individual orders. The civilian all-terrain vehicle is equipped with a four-cylinder diesel engine Caterpillar-3114 and a capacity of 148 liters. with., although by order you can install a more powerful engine up to 275 liters. from.
The design company "Kushirtsa" has developed a finish for the rear module in several versions. The sound insulation of the cabin has been improved , heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, an intercom and an audio system have been installed in it.
GAZ-39371 Vodnik weighs a little more than six tons, its maximum speed on a good road is 100 km / h, at one gas station it can cover a thousand kilometers.
At the request of the buyer, the gearbox can be either mechanical or automatic, with three gearshift options, including Tiptronic. You can also install a water pumping device, an electric winch with a force of more than five tons and two mechanical water cannons, allowing the water to reach speeds of up to 12 km / h.
Such a car finds its buyer. After all, for him the flaws of the GAZ-39371 as a combat vehicle do not matter, most importantly for private individuals - increased cross-country ability.