Japan's unarmoured solution: Morooka vehicles aid Ukraine
Despite the distance, limited interests in Ukraine, and complicated export regulations, Japan has donated around a hundred vehicles of various types, along with a significant amount of humanitarian aid and protective equipment. Included in this group were Morooka PC-065B tracked vehicles. Let's introduce what they are.
In Ukraine, one of Japan's Morooka PC-065B tracked vehicles has been spotted. Although these vehicles are unarmoured, they play a vital role. Due to their relatively small size and tracked traction, they can deliver up to three tonnes of cargo virtually anywhere.
Drones closely monitor the roads in Ukraine's frontline sector, and off-road areas in autumn and spring can turn, one might say, into a giant swamp known as rasputitsa, capable of immobilizing even tanks.
Meanwhile, logistics for the fighting soldiers must be delivered, and the consumption of, for example, ammunition by a single mortar howitzer can encompass hundreds of shells daily. Delivering such a volume is very difficult, and here the lightweight Morooka PC-065B rover is invaluable. Similarly, the transport of materials for the construction of field fortifications is essential.
Morooka PC-065B - the Japanese rover that goes everywhere
The Morooka PC-065B multifunctional transport vehicles were introduced into service with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in the 1990s and can carry loads of up to three tonnes. They are unarmoured, weigh 5 tonnes (approximately 11,000 pounds), and are equipped with a crane capable of lifting 3 tonnes (about 6,600 pounds), significantly aiding in constructing field fortifications.
The vehicle's rubber tracks provide very good traction. It is powered by a four-cylinder Komatsu S6D95L-1 diesel engine with a displacement of 4.9 litres (approximately 299 cubic inches). The vehicle can climb slopes at an angle of 30 degrees and overcome obstacles up to 1 metre (3 feet) high.
The Morooka PC-065B joins hundreds of similar vehicles in Ukraine. Similar examples include the M113AS4 delivered from Australia, the Swedish BV-206 or BVS-10, and the Norwegian NM199.
