19:50, 03 May 2012 | GMT +6

Ukraine, Kazakhstan sign $150 mln armored vehicle deal

KIEV. May 3. KAZINFORM Ukraine and Kazakhstan are to jointly produce the Ukrainian BTR-4 armored personnel carrier in a $150-million deal signed on Thursday at the Kadex 2012 defense exhibition in Astana, Ukroboronprom General Director Dmitry Peregudov said.

Kiev and Astana signed an initial agreement on joint cooperation on armored vehicle overhaul at the end of 2011, RIA Novosti reports.

"Today we've moved to a new level - production of the most modern Ukrainian designed product, the BTR-4. In all, a hundred machines will be built," he said. "The first ten will be built this year, and the remaining 90 next year. The overall value of the deal is $150 million," he said

Ukraine will guarantee delivery of technology and systems for joint production, and also personnel training, said Kazakhstan Engineering's President Bolat Smagulov.

"We're interested in the development of joint projects, in particular large caliber guns, navigation systems and other defense items," he said.

The eight-wheel BTR-4 was developed in the early 2000s and is quite different in layout to the Soviet-era BTR-80 and BTR-90 designs. The vehicle is designed to carry eight troops into battle and provide fire support to them in extreme hot and cold weather conditions. It can be armed with a 30-mm cannon, anti-tank missiles and machine-guns.