MZKT


MZKT is a manufacturer of heavy off-road vehicles, especially military trucks, based in Minsk, in Belarus; it was formerly a division of MAZ. MZKT civilian trucks are branded VOLAT. MZKT specializes in the production of on-road and off-road heavy-duty vehicles and trailers for them, as well as special wheeled chassis for installation of various equipment for enterprises and transport organizations of the construction, oil and gas and engineering industries.

Organisation

In 1954, MZKT, the Minsk Wheeled Tractor Plant, was founded to develop artillery tractors; it then developed a series of heavy weapons transporters for the military of the USSR, including heavy offroad trucks such as the MAZ-537 and MAZ-7310. It was a division of Minsk Automobile Plant. The name in Russian is "Минский завод колёсных тягачей"; this is abbreviated MZKT in English. In 1991, MZKT was spun off into a separate company; its former parent, MAZ, continues to make a broader range of heavy vehicles.
In 1992, military orders slowed, and MZKT attempted to adapt its products to civilian uses, such as mining trucks and crane carriers.

Products

Many post-independence MZKT trucks continued to use a MAZ cab which resembled the Iveco Turbostar cab; starting in 2010 these were replaced with cabs, which are also used by Yarovit trucks.

Military vehicles

MZKT-6922

, used with Tor and other surface-to-air missile systems.

MZKT-79221

The MZKT-7930 "Astrolog" is carrying the Iskander ballistic missiles, and the Pantsir-S1 air defense system, and radars for the S-300 missile system.

MZKT-74135/74295

8x8 tank transporter

MZKT-490100

MZKT-490100 armored vehicle used with four ready-to-launch Shershen ATGMs or with the Groza-S jamming system.

WS2400

Some trucks made by Wanshan Special Vehicle, in China, are based on MZKT designs; the WS2400 is based on the MAZ-543.

Civilian vehicles