On April 5, 2021, Kiev-based Arey Engineering Group revealed the concept of a heavy tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) called BMPW Babylon. According to the published information, the research and development work of the BMPW Babylon is carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and it is to be the first combat vehicle in the Ukrainian land forces, "built according to NATO standards".
BMPW Babilon is to be equipped with a hybrid drive system consisting of the German Deutz TCD 16.0 V8 diesel engine with 768 HP (568 kW) electric motors with a total power equivalent of up to 701 HP (500 kW), thanks to which the total output power will be 1469 HP ( 1080 kW). Thanks to this, it could work in three modes: combustion, electric or mixed with the support of power generators. The vehicle will be able to overcome water obstacles with a maximum depth of 5 m The vehicle will be equipped with unified digital control systems, consisting of the vehicle control system, the turret fire control system and the fire control system of the remotely controlled weapons module, connected to the collection panels, an inspection system and three automated workstations.
It will also receive new armor with the possibility of an additional increase in its protection level to a level not lower than 6 according to STANAG 4569A. According to the manufacturer, during the tests of the frontal hull armor, it withstood the fire of 30 mm ammunition from a distance of 200 m and 125 mm tank, HEAT and sub-caliber ammunition from a distance of 500 m. The chassis will be built in two variants: based on the elements of the T-64 and T-84 tanks.
The combat weight of the vehicle will not exceed 36 tons, the crew is to consist of three soldiers (commander, driver and gunner), and the landing force - eight soldiers. They will have anatomically shaped explosion-proof seats with five-point seat belts, air conditioning and a filter system. BMPW Babilon will be equipped with an unmanned turret system, armed with a 30-mm ZTM-2 automatic cannon (equivalent to the Russian 2A42), as well as a 7.62-mm coupled PKT machine gun, a remote-controlled weapon module with a 12.7-mm rifle machine gun NSW, 40-mm machine grenade launcher UAG-40 and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) Barrier (launcher hidden inside the turret). The turret will also laser radiation sensors along with smoke and aerosol grenade launchers, which creates an active vehicle protection system of the soft-kill class.
