ABC-79M

The ABC-79M (4x4) (Romanian: amfibiu blindat pentru cercetare) armoured personnel carrier has been developed in Romania and uses some automotive components of the TAB-77 (8 × 8) armoured personnel carrier. Although previously known as TABC-79 (transportorul blindat pentru cercetare), it is now known as the ABC-79M.[1]

ABC-79M
TABC-79 in Afghanistan
Typereconnaissance vehicle armoured personnel carrier
Place of originRomania
Specifications
Mass9,27 tonnes
Length5,64 m
Width2,80 m
Height2,34 m
Crew3+4
Main
armament
1 × 14,5mm KPVT Machine gun
500 rounds
Secondary
armament
1 × 7,62mm PKT Machine gun
2000 rounds
EngineDiesel Type 798.05N2
Suspension4×4
Operational
range
700 km
Maximum speed 80 km/h

Summary

The ABC-79M is a simplified version of the earlier TAB-77 8x8 armored personal carrier, which was itself a Romanian version of the BTR-70. Both vehicles share several common components.

The ABC-79M is fully amphibious, and is equipped with a single water-jet for propulsion. Other equipment includes infra-red night-vision equipment, winch with 50m of cable and capacity of 5,500 kilograms, and central tire pressure regulation. It is also equipped with an engine preheater, to allow the engine to start in severe cold.

It is equipped for nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare and features a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition as primary armament. This is supplemented by a lighter 7.62mm machine gun with 2000 rounds of ammunition on board. Both weapons are located in a small one-man turret which is identical to turret of the TAB 77 and the earlier TAB 71M

Production is now complete, and the vehicle is no longer available for foreign or domestic sale. It is in use only with second line units of the Romanian military, and there have been no export orders other than a single vehicle purchased by Israel in 1994. No Israeli order followed the trials.[2]

Variants

Variants include:

  • TABC-79 in Bosnia during the Operation Joint Endeavor.
  • TABC-79 at the Land Forces Day 2007 military demonstration.
  • MEDEVAC version of the TABC-79 in Afghanistan.
  • TABC-79AR mortar carrier during a military exercise.

Sources
  1. ROMARM website Archived November 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. www.military-today.com
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