The first of 123 GAZ-3344-20 ‘Aleut’ articulated all-terrain vehicle (ATV) from the Zavolzhsky Tracked Tractor Plant (ZZGT) was delivered to the Russian Ground Troops stationed in the north of the country in May 2019, with deliveries expected to continue throughout 2020. The decision to propose these vehicles to the Russian military was made following the series of Arctic expeditions, including the stand-alone trip from Tiksi to the Kotelny Island (Novosibirsk Islands). The expedition ended in February 2017.
The GAZ-3344-20 is designe to be operated in difficult road and climate conditions and used for carrying people and goods over rough terrain outside of public roads and towing trailers as well as for various transportation needs. The GAZ-3344-20 is designed for transportation of personnel, cargo and equipment in severe road and climatic conditions. The crawler can be operated and kept outside of a garage at the ambient temperature of +40 to -50 C°, and in various road & climate conditions, on everything including off-roads, and is capable of overpassing water obstacles.
The vehicle has a YaMZ-53402-10 diesel engine, which provides 240hp and generates 784 Nm of torque in the rpm range of 1,400–1,700. It has a top speed of 60 km/h and a range of 800 km. The payload of the front module is 500 kg, while for the rear module it is 2 tonnes, meaning that the rear module can be configured to carry up to 15 additional personnel for a vehicle total of 20. Both modules are heated and the rear module can be reconfigured for mission specific roles.
The GAZ-3344-20 weight is 11 tons, cargo capacity of the first section is 750 kg, the second one is 2,250 kg, it may accommodate 12 persons. The compartments are built from welded steel and the torsion bar suspension units are incorporated into the hulls to reduce hull-drag when travelling through snow or water. The engine is in the front module to the rear of the crew cab, which can accommodate five personnel including the driver. It is also fully amphibious without any preparation and has a maximum speed in the water of 3.8 km/h.
