Russian Land Force to Receive Newest RKhM-8 CBRN Vehicle

The Ministry of Defence announced this month that the Russian Land Force is to receive the newest model of the RKhM-8 CBRN Reconnaissance Vehicle this year. 

"The Land Force is set to receive more than 1,500 combat vehicles … including the modern RKhM-6 and RKhM-8 CBRN vehicles," the MoD's press department said.

The RKhM-8 is the latest Russian CBRN vehicle and is based on the chassis of the AMN-233114 Tigr-M 4x4 armoured utility vehicle. The vehicle is said to be integrated with an automated command-and-control (C2) system. A spokeperson for the MOD said "The vehicle transfers gathered information via the C2 system and radio link to command posts."

The spokesman also said that the vehicle detects gamma radiation sources and radiation directions, and identifies toxic agents in the air, on the field, and on military vehicles. The RKhM-8 is capable of express identification of biologically pathogenic agents. It would transport other chemically, and radiologically contaminated samples to specialised laboratories, said the spokesperson, noting that the vehicle has been fitted with an automatic meteorological sensor.