Command of the US Army National Guard has found a way out of the situation with the lack of “present” Soviet tanks and armored personnel carriers, designed to make the National Guard under the doctrine more realistic. According to Defence Blog, Representatives of the National Guard signed an agreement with the Hollywood company Westefx, specialized in special effects.
In order to make the exercises of the National Guard more realistic and due to the lack of real Soviet / Russian T-72 tanks, professionals from Hollywood “Russian tanks” decided to make up wheeled Humvees. With a special set of visual modifications, company specialists turn an army armored car into a Soviet main tank T-72.
According to Major Aaron Ammerman, these new kits are the first of their kind and they “provide a much more realistic target signature for the military, who will encounter them during the exercises”.
According to the blog, the weight of each set of modifications is approx. 1 700 pounds (more 770 kilograms). With it, you can turn a Humvee car not only into a tank, but also in APCs, to be “look and act like T-72 and BTR-90”. Special gas system included, which simulates firing from the main gun and machine gun. Besides, this system allows you to put a smoke screen.
The command of the US National Guard considers, that the use of such machines will make the exercises not only more realistic, but also much cheaper., since the use of real tanks is much more expensive, than using a Humvee with a camouflage kit.
Installed camouflage kit is not disposable, and a converted machine can repeatedly participate in various exercises while maintaining a certain technical condition. Already installed 12 ready-made kits for specially prepared Humvee vehicles. Yet 48 cars are planned to be made up for tanks and armored personnel carriers within three years.
