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Understanding the Automobile

GAZ-3937 Vodnik

1995 To 2006

Type	Infantry Mobility Vehicle
Place of origin	Russia
Specifications
Weight	6,500 kg
Length	4.5 m
Width	2.8 m
Height	1.9 m
Crew	2 (+9 passengers)

Armor	none
Main armament	1* 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun
Secondary armament	1* 7.62mm PKT machine gun
Engine	diesel 175 hp (130 kW)
Power/weight	26 hp/1000kg
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	800 km
Speed	120 km/h

GAZ Vodnik, Russian: Водник, (Automotive number GAZ-3937 and its modified version GAZ-39371) is a Russian high-mobility multipurpose military vehicle manufactured by GAZ. It is a heavy modification of civil GAZ-2330 "Tigr". Its name comes from the Russian "водник" – a person employed in water transport, or can have a meaning of some object related to water.

Description

It is amphibious, and is propelled by its wheels in the water. It has a water-displacing hermetic hull which provides improved fording performance and a 4x4-type chassis with independent suspension and a centralized system of tire-pressure control. The ground clearance is 475 mm. The standard undercarriage with a cab can be fitted with a number of different modules with various number of passenger seats and cargo compartments, seating up to 10 people. It is powered by a 175 hp (130 kW) diesel engine giving a top speed of 112 km/h (4 to 5 km/h when swimming).

The car is built on a modular scheme. Welded body includes two removable modules. Front module consists of a power department and management, divided sealed bulkhead.

The rear multi-module due to the quick release coupling can be replaced in the field. In other words, a single chassis can perform several functions, depending on the installed modules:

transportation of people;
freight handling and processing equipment in remote areas;
transportation of residential units and other utilities modules;
perform the functions of technological machines fuel and energy complex (tankers, containers, etc.).

The vehicle has a switchable front wheel drive, independent torsion bar suspension, central tire inflation system, power steering, powerful system for heating and air conditioning.

Armament

The Vodnik is fitted with the same BPU-1 turret, designed in late 1970s, as the BTR-80 on the top of the vehicle towards the rear. The turret is fitted with the 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine gun and 7.62 mm PKT coaxial light machine gun. The main gun is not stabilized (neither in the BTR-80 nor the BTR-80A), so accurate fire on the move is limited (only at low speeds), and the rotation mechanism is manually operated. In some cases, it is fitted with a BPPU turret with a 30-mm 2A72 and a PKT. The gunner sits in a roof mounted chair located above the flat floor behind the driver/commander and two passengers, and before the passenger bench. The gunner's station is basic, but uncharacteristically uncramped for a Soviet armored vehicle. The gunner is equipped with both 1PZ-9 (daytime) and TPN-3 or TPN-3-42 "Kristall" (night) sights. There are six 902V "Tucha" 81 mm smoke grenade launchers mounted of the rear of the turret.

History

Distant ancestor of GAZ-3937 "Vodnyk" is floating car under the symbol NAMI-0281, the design of which was begun in 1985. But this car had a completely different layout . Compartment of the power unit was located in the rear of the vehicle and cargo compartment housed the middle. This solution is possible to maintain a trim afloat almost regardless of the load. Modern GAZ-3937 is not retained almost nothing from its predecessor. NAMI-0281 itself has some resemblance to the BRDM.

Versions

Vodnyk is available in two versions.

GAZ-3937 - the driver and passenger sit one behind the other on the left side of the vehicle and to their right is the power plant.
GAZ-39371 - nose pushed forward for the wheel arches. And the driving compartment seats three: a driver and a passenger - one after the other as before, and the second passenger - the right of the driver.