Ukrainian "Humvee": Defense Ministry codifies "Desna" armored vehicle. PHOTO
Low silhouette, moderate weight, ideal proportions, and exceptional off-road capability: the Ministry of Defense has codified and approved the UAT.DESNA multipurpose armored vehicle for use in the Armed Forces.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the ministry's press service.
It is intended for the rapid movement of infantry and cargo outside the zone of direct contact with the enemy.
The UAT.DESNA armored vehicle was manufactured at a Ukrainian enterprise. It belongs to the medium class of multipurpose armored vehicles, like the American HMMWV.
Ukrainian engineers drew on the design solutions of the American Humvee and the real combat experience of Ukrainian troops. UAT.DESNA has specific features because it was built to meet the tough requirements of modern war.
Technical specifications of UAT.DESNA
The Desna armored vehicle has its own chassis, designed specifically for military missions in difficult conditions.
The body is 5.35 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and only 2 meters high, no higher than most civilian SUVs.
These dimensions are optimal for ensuring high cross-country capability, stability during sharp maneuvers, and low visibility in field conditions.
UAT.DESNA can ford water obstacles up to 70 centimeters deep and accelerate to 110 km/h. The cabin accommodates a driver and four infantrymen. With a gross weight of only 8.3 tonnes, the maximum payload reaches 1.5 tonnes.
Advantages of the Ukrainian Desna armored vehicle
The UAT.DESNA armored vehicle was created to fill the niche between light unprotected pickup trucks and heavy full-fledged MRAP-class armored vehicles. Desna has its own advantages:
- a "military" design, not a converted civilian pickup truck;
- an optimal balance of protection and mobility;
- a modular body architecture;
- high ergonomics and a high-performance chassis;
- an automatic transmission;
- economic feasibility.
The Desna vehicle combines many years of engineering experience by designers of multipurpose armored vehicles with the unique Ukrainian realities of operating vehicles in wartime conditions.
How the Desna vehicle strengthens Ukraine's MRAP fleet
Ukraine's Desna fills the niche of medium multipurpose armored vehicles. The Armed Forces of Ukraine's arsenal of wheeled vehicles is fully covered, from light off-road pickup trucks and small lightly armored off-road vehicles to heavy special MRAP-class armored vehicles, which are not inferior to armored personnel carriers in terms of protection and firepower.
It should be noted that in 2025, the Armed Forces of Ukraine received 25% more special armored vehicles compared with 2024. Most of these vehicles were built according to the MRAP design, meaning with reinforced protection against mines and ambushes. Such vehicles have a V-shaped hull bottom to disperse blast energy, special shock-absorbing seats, and consist of a monolithic armored capsule and external blast-absorbing units: wheels, chassis, and engine.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine codified and approved the domestically produced MAC OWL Sova armored vehicle for use. It became the safest Ukrainian MRAP with the highest level of mine protection.
