Equipped with bulletproof tires, Russian infantry more confident

Lenta newspaper reported on September 20 that the Russian Ministry of Defense will equip military vehicles with rubber tires that can withstand bullets and mines at close range.

The NU402 tire produced by the Kama Science and Technology Development Center can allow soldiers to continue driving when their tires are hit by bullets.

It will be equipped on military trucks carrying Kornet-E anti-tank mobile missiles and Tiger armored fighting vehicles, a Defense Ministry official told Lenta.

“Currently, the new bulletproof tire is in the initial testing stage and will enter combat testing later this year,” he added.

Tire NU402

According to Lenta, if the Russian Ministry of Defense successfully certifies Kama's new product, all types of armored fighting vehicles, especially the Tiger series, will be equipped with this special tire.

The “armor” layer made of special material protects the NU402 tire, which has a much more complex structure than today's standard tires.

It can withstand explosive devices containing 400g of TNT or machine gun shots and mortar fragments. After that, the combat vehicle can leave the danger zone at a speed of 50 km/h.

Similar technology is currently being developed at the French company Hutchinson. The company is supplying bulletproof tires to the armed forces of developed countries, however, the durability and endurance are inferior to NU402.

''NU402 enables the vehicle to continue moving even if the entire tire is completely burned, in which case the last point of contact with the road surface is a metal core that can help the vehicle leave the danger zone.'' Mr. Oleg Zheltonozhko - Director of the Kama Science Center revealed.

According to experts, using NU402 tires can help Russian infantry gain an advantage on the modern battlefield.

Also related to the ambition to manufacture bulletproof tires for military vehicles, in 2005, the world's leading tire company Michelin of the US researched the idea of ​​airless tires with the Tweel tire product.

These tires are constructed with polyurethane spokes that connect the wheel hub to a rubber rim. These flexible spokes can deform to absorb force like a traditional pneumatic tire.

Michelin tested Tweel on an Audi A4 passenger car and found it had five times more grip than a regular tire and was more fuel efficient.

US military tests also showed that the ability to avoid mine explosions was higher than that of conventional tires, and that their durability was also higher.

Tweel Airless Tires

However, Tweel airless tires still have many limitations, causing the vehicle to vibrate and make more noise than traditional pneumatic tires when running at high speeds. In addition, this type of tire generates a lot of heat when traveling long distances, reducing the tire's lifespan.

Most recently, Bridgestone introduced the airless tire at the Tokyo Auto Show in Japan. The tire consists of three parts: the rim, the plastic spokes, and the outer rubber contact layer. Because it does not use compressed air, it will not deflate.

Although still in the concept stage, the US military's airless tire has been successfully tested on a small military vehicle.

According to Datviet