Russian Army fields latest artillery fire direction vehicles

[Zarvan]

The PRP-4A Argus artillery fire direction vehicle can detect and recognise moving tank-sized threats up to 12 km away. Source: Dmitry Fediushko

The Russian Army is replacing its legacy artillery fire direction vehicles with the new PRP-4A Argus platform, Jane’s has learnt.

“The artillery men of the Central Military District [TsVO] and Southern Military District [YuVO] are mastering the vehicles,” a military source told Jane’s .

The PRP-4A is based on the tracked BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle with a combat weight of 13.8 tonnes. It is operated by a four-person crew, comprising the commander, a radar operator, a topographical surveyor, and driver.

The vehicle is fitted with a radar station, periscopic laser rangefinder, range-gated imaging system and range-finding thermal imager.

The vehicle can detect a moving tank-sized target and an individual soldier at distances of up to 12 km and 7 km respectively using the radar. The periscopic laser rangefinder can recognise up to three tank-type targets at distances of up to 10 km. The PRP-4A can recognise large stationary targets, such as buildings, at a distance of 25 km.

“The vehicle can detect a concealed, stationary tank-type target with its engine shut down at a distance of [over 2 km],” the source said.

The PRP-4A’s circular error probability does not exceed 20 m with the use of the optical-electronic subsystems and 40 m with the use of the radar, the source added, noting that it can come into action within two minutes of coming to a halt.

The vehicle is armed with a Kalashnikov PKTM 7.62 mm machine gun and four smoke dischargers.

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