MAZ-7907 (Russian: МАЗ-7907) is a Soviet army 24X24 transporter erector launcher prototype for the SS-24 ICBM designed and developed by the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) in Belarus.[1][2]

MAZ-7907 on Belarusian post stamp
MAZ-7907 on MZKT open day 2019

On August 9, 1983, the Soviet government issued a decree on the establishment of the RT-23 Molodets ICBM. The projected road-mobile RT-23 system was named "Celina-2" and received the industrial index 15P162.[3]

The first of two prototypes was assembled at MAZ in March 1985. The chassis had to be capable of transporting an RT-23 missile with a launch weight of 104.5 tons, a length of 22.6 m and a diameter of 2.4 m in a launch tube, and the launch support equipment.

The RT-23 was deployed as both a silo-based and rail-mobile missile, but the road-mobile version was cancelled.

At least one of the prototypes seems to have been used after the collapse of the USSR for transportation of bridge parts and ships.[4] Their fate is unclear. The split chassis can be seen on Google Maps images in 2020,[5] which appears to show the location of the picture on the right dated 2019. A complete chassis appears on Google Maps near the location of the previously referenced image in 2024.[6] An image posted on google maps at the Minsk Automobile Plant in 2016 shows a fully assembled chassis sitting in the parking lot.[7] It is unclear if this is the same chassis as the one shown in the picture on the right.

The length of the vehicle is 28.1 m; the width 4.1 m and height 4.4 m. Two 1250 hp Klimov GTD-1250TFM gas turbine engines (from the T-80 tank)[8] power an electric generator that sends power via turbine-electric transmission to 30 kW electric traction motors located at each one of the 24 wheels.[9][2][1][10][4] Independent hydropneumatic suspension is used for each wheel.[11]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b John Pike. "Further Reading". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  2. ^ a b "THE GIANT ON THE "VIRGIN LAND"". www.mzkt.by.
  3. ^ "Tselina-2 ICBM". www.astronautix.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Unknown".[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Google Maps".
  6. ^ "53°51'27.0"N 27°40'22.5"E · 53.857500, 27.672917". 53°51'27.0"N 27°40'22.5"E · 53.857500, 27.672917. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  7. ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  8. ^ "JSC "Klimov" - GTD-1250". Klimov.ru. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  9. ^ "MAZ 7907 (Concept vehicles) - Trucksplanet". www.trucksplanet.com.
  10. ^ Mihnea Radu (2015-03-25). "MAZ-7907, the 24-Wheeled Soviet Truck Designed to Carry 100 Ton Nuclear Rockets". autoevolution. Retrieved 2019-11-15.
  11. ^ "MAZ 7907 (Concept vehicles)". Trucksplanet. Retrieved 2019-11-15.