The special armored ambulance

Equipped with modern features

Captain Bui Duc Nho, Assistant to the Military Automotive Department - Institute of Military Mechanical Engineering, stated that the design and modification of the BTR-152 wheeled armored troop carrier into an armored ambulance was based on tactical and technical requirements proposed by Military Hospital 175, the Military Medical Department, and the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department.

Since receiving instructions and approval from the Ministry of National Defence , the Institute and the General Department of Engineering have held four workshops to determine the plan and quickly implement research, design calculations, and renovation.

Previously, the military had also researched and searched for an equivalent vehicle from Germany, but the import price was quite high. Therefore, the Z-153 Institute and Factory (General Department of Engineering) was assigned the task of modifying the vehicle.

In December 2017, the Institute received the BTR-152 vehicle and immediately began the renovation process. The vehicle had to be completed within three months to be ready for the UN inspection team.

The BTR-152 armored personnel carrier was converted into an armored ambulance . (Photo: Provided by the Director of the Military Mechanical Engineering Institute)

According to Captain Nho, this troop carrier has never been used since it received aid from the Soviet Union in 1979. This is the first time the Institute has converted an armored troop carrier into an armored ambulance for an important mission, so the reliability and safety coefficients must be high.

The institute carried out a complete overhaul, retaining only the chassis and bulletproof armor. The armor on the roof was modified and supplemented, capable of withstanding standard 7.62 mm infantry rounds. The entire undercarriage, axles, and tires were replaced with original parts from Russia. The mechanically driven steering system was converted to a hydraulic power steering system; additional leaf springs were installed to increase the load-bearing capacity of the suspension system; rearview mirrors, front turn signals, and rear signal lights were also installed.

Additionally, the gasoline engines were replaced with diesel engines at the request of the UN, as the force in South Sudan only supplied diesel. The vehicles are limited to a speed of 65 km/h.

According to Major Nguyen Thanh Cong, Deputy Director and Deputy Secretary of Field Hospital 2.1, Field Hospital 2.1 has an air and ground ambulance team, divided into two groups: the air ambulance team consists of 6 officers and soldiers (divided into two groups of 6 people each); the ground ambulance team has 4 officers and soldiers. Armored ambulances are responsible for transporting the injured from the scene to Field Hospital 2.1 or transferring patients from Field Hospital 2.1 to higher-level hospitals. Providing emergency medical care in the field in South Sudan is not only difficult but also poses many dangers to the officers and soldiers.

This was also the first time the Institute successfully tested and installed an air conditioning system in an armored vehicle. Armored vehicle air conditioning is different from that of conventional vehicles. Because temperatures in South Sudan during the dry season can reach 55 degrees Celsius, and it's very dusty, using a conventional vehicle air conditioning system would be impossible.

The institute collaborated with Z-153 to create a model with a volume equivalent to the vehicle and a refrigeration system placed in a paint drying chamber at 60-65 degrees Celsius for testing. The results showed that the refrigeration system performed well and was very effective. The vehicle was tested for thousands of kilometers, and the system worked very well.

Furthermore, this is the first time Vietnam has used thermal imaging camera technology on military vehicles. Because South Sudan is very dusty, especially during the dry season when the dust is so thick that vehicles 10 meters apart may not be able to see each other, thermal imaging cameras will be very helpful.

The standard windshield on the vehicle is also replaced with bulletproof glass. Above it are two armor plates that will be pulled down after the bulletproof glass is hit by the first volley of bullets. The vehicle's operation will be further assisted by cameras.

Regarding emergency equipment on the ambulance, it meets the standards for air and road ambulances. The ambulance has a two-tiered stretcher for two patients lying down, and at least two patients sitting; two portable stretchers for emergency care in cases of multiple injuries; a portable suction machine, a patient monitor for cardioversion, a portable ventilator, an electric syringe pump, etc.

Moving towards mass production.

Colonel Tran Huu Ly, Director of the Military Mechanical Engineering Institute - who led this project, stated that the successful results of this improvement project have enabled Vietnam to proactively supply its own armored ambulance vehicles, significantly saving on procurement costs. The improved BTR-152 armored ambulance has increased reliability, technical and tactical capabilities, and superior performance in overcoming obstacles and navigating slippery terrain.

In 2019, the Ministry of Defense plans to replace Field Hospital 2.1 with Field Hospital 2.2, along with other equipment, and possibly to add an armored ambulance to the 2.2 Field Hospital's inventory.

Furthermore, building on this success, the military could develop a program to mass-produce BTR-152 armored ambulances, or vehicles with similar capabilities, equipping military hospitals and clinics of military regions and corps for use in riot control or wartime situations.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chiec-xe-thiet-giap-cuu-thuong-dac-biet-185794332.htm