The Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau has unveiled a modernized version of the BTR-4E Bucephalus armored personnel carrier at the MSPO exhibition in Poland. Footage showcasing the updated combat vehicle was highlighted by the military Telegram channel Turned on War.
The upgraded armored vehicle is fitted with a BM-11 Topaz combat module, incorporating a ZTM-1-01 automatic cannon, which is a copy of the Soviet 2A72 design, alongside a KT-7.62N machine gun copied from the Kalashnikov machine gun. Engineers also modified the rear troop ramp and redesigned the vehicle slat armor screens. To defend against aerial threats, an onboard electronic warfare complex was integrated to jam hostile drone systems.
Armored vehicle design and weapon systems
The BTR-4 Bucephalus is an eight-wheeled, all-wheel-drive armored personnel carrier designed in Ukraine as a flexible modular platform for troop transport, fire support, and battlefield reconnaissance. First presented in 2009 in its baseline four-axle configuration, the vehicle features a layout with the engine compartment located in the center of the hull, allowing infantry soldiers to exit safely through rear doors. Slat armor screens provide passive protection by disrupting shaped-charge warheads from anti-tank weapons before they strike the primary armor. The addition of electronic warfare counter-drone equipment reflects the growing necessity of jamming radio frequencies used by small strike drones on modern battlefields.
The MSPO International Defence Industry Exhibition, hosted annually in Kielce, Poland, is one of Europe's largest defense trade fairs, providing a platform for international manufacturers to display land forces equipment, combat vehicles, and military technology.
Production contracts and operational status
Details of the vehicle modifications first emerged in June, when it was reported that the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau had modernized the Bucephalus following the start of the special military operation. However, the manufacturer previously reported that new BTR-4E units are not currently needed by Ukraine. The production facility is completing the final batch of vehicles under previous orders, and no new contracts have been signed with the Kharkiv design bureau. Based in Kharkiv, KMDB historically serves as a primary state designer of armored combat vehicles for the Ukrainian military.
