February 19, 2017, opening of the 13th International defence exhibition and conference IDEX 2017 took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the United Arab Emirates. A vast number of manufacturers and customers of military equipment and weapons visited the exhibition.
The most significant event for VOLAT was acquaintance with His Highness Mohammed Bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The VOLAT stand aroused much interest of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed al Nahyan. Specially for His Highness the General Director of VOLAT Igor L. Letov and the President of Al Badie Trading Establishment (VOLAT’s agent in the UAE) Mohammed Jouan Rashed Al Badie Al Dhaheri held a presentation of the enterprise’s achievements in manufacturing of machines and showed the exhibited vehicles.
At IDEX 2017 VOLAT presented the all-wheel-drive truck tractor MZKT-741351(8х8) for a wide audience for the first time. This special study for the UAE is an evolution of the truck tractor MZKT-74135. Radically changed in exterior the novelty is equipped with Caterpillar C18 812 h.p. engine, ALLISON M6620 AR automatic transmission with electronic control and hydraulic double-drum winch. Heavy equipment transporter MZKT-741351 coupled with semitrailer MZKT-999421 and trailer MZKT-837211 can carry 136 t of payload (2 MBT weighting up to 65 t or three 20-foot containers). Heavy equipment transporter MZKT-741351 had successfully passed the tests in Belarus, after that it had been sent to the UAE for undergoing the final stages of trials.
The other remarkable VOLAT exhibits were the tactical vehicles MZKT-600103 (6x6) and MZKT-600203 (8x8) with Allison 4500SP automatic transmission and Caterpillar C13 engine. They had participated and passed the UAE Armed Forces Summer Trials 2016 in the UAE. These tactical vehicles had covered a long distance on various types of road surface and in difficult areas of sand dunes for showing their maneuverability and steerability. Successful undergoing tests had confirmed that MZKT-6001 SERIES is an ideal option for accommodation and transportation of expensive sensitive equipment in severe conditions.
IDEX 2017 is invariably one of the most important international exhibitions of military equipment and weapons. It attracts a huge number of visitors and it is intended to establish and strengthen partnerships.
