Ukrainian airborne troops talk Bushmaster vehicles in the new interview with ArmyInform. First thing they highlighted was the level of protection these armored carriers have, especially against fragmentation:
"When the war broke out, we did not have transport with such a level of anti-fragmentation protection, whereas this vehicle resists the fragments very well," says paratrooper Volodymyr.
Read more: Australia Gives 30 More Bushmaster Armored Vehicles and Sends Instructors to Train Ukrainian Soldiers
The servicemen recalled several times when this vehicle saved their lives. In particular, once a 82mm mortar mine exploded near the Bushmaster’s wheel – the wheel was torn in pieces but the vehicle endured and reached the destination.
Another example: a 122mm "Grad" rocket hit the ground 15 meters away from the vehicle. As result, only wheels got damaged once again, but the hull remained unharmed.
There were also times when Bushmaster resisted two hits by an RPG and rolled over two mines – the crew was concussed but remained alive because the bottom was robust enough to endure the blast.
In conclusion, the soldier believes the Australian Bushmaster is the best vehicle for carrying personnel for the following reasons: strong armor, conditioning with a heater option and large crew capacity.
Separately, he outlined some advantages of the combat module on this vehicle, namely good aim and thermal imaging. However, his particular vehicle was lacking an M2 Browning 12.7mm machine gun, instead there were a 7.62mm gun and an Mk19 grenade launcher installed.
As a reminder, the Bushmaster was designed by Australian ADI company and is actively delivered to the Armed Forces of Australia. The Asutralian army currently has more than 1,000 vehicles of this type in service.
At least 60 Bushmasters were already delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of military assistance from Australia, and another 30 units were committed by the Australian government just recently.
A few words about the vehicle’s specifications: weight 15.4 tons, payload up to 4 tons, crew composition –a driver, a gunner and up to 8 troops of the landing force. The armor withstands 5.56-mm and 7.62-mm bullets and detonation of explosives up to 9.5 kg in TNT equivalent. With a Caterpillar engine with a capacity of 300 hp, it can accelerate up to 100 km/h on a highway.
Read more: Australian 'Bushmaster' Armored Carriers Save Ukrainian Paratroopers on the Frontline
