Skif APC is actually the first domestically manufactured tracked armored vehicle made considering combat experience against an adversary like russia. This experience formed both new requirements and needs of Ukrainian Defense Forces specifically in tracked armored vehicles of various purposes.
Very impressive!
I recommend throwing a soft recoil 105mm artillery howitizer on it, but that is just me.
This is in testing, not that it isn’t awesome.
Ukrainian company UkrArmoTech has begun factory testing of a prototype of a new tracked armored personnel carrier called Skif.
Also
Skif APC prototype hull is manufactured from aluminum. This is the first experience of domestic companies in using such armor material for creating combat platforms. However, it’s not certain that aluminum will be used for manufacturing serial vehicles. There’s high probability that considering export restrictions at armor aluminum manufacturers, UkrArmoTech will also develop a steel armor APC version.
This may affect updating requirements for running gear and cause certain changes in vehicle hull design. All decisions will be made considering the entire data array collected during aluminum Skif factory testing.
Factory testing goal of Skif tracked APC prototype is practical verification of new platform concept maturity, its driving qualities, mobility. Maximum permissible loads will be applied. Dynamic testing of all main units will be conducted.
And
Main components: engine, transmission, suspension elements, transfer case, tracks UkrArmoTech company plans to ensure through imports. According to preliminary calculations, up to 60% of tracked vehicle components will be imported initially.
Subsequently transition to independent production of separate components and assemblies to expand own competencies and capabilities.
I mean it is inspired by the M113, it makes sense that they would build them in aluminum if the material is available.
The M113 was the first aluminum hull combat vehicle to be put into mass production. Much lighter than earlier similar vehicles, its aluminum armor was designed to be thick enough to protect the crew and passengers against small arms fire, but light enough that the vehicle was air transportable and moderately amphibious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M113_armored_personnel_carrier
The big reason the M113 was designed to be made out of aluminum was for airlift capability, it makes sense to demonstrate the capacity to build an airlift capable M113 inspired traditional tracked APC in aluminum for eventual export interest even if the main production for Ukraine is done in a heavier Steel. The reasoning is obvious to me, Ukraine needs tracked APCs, if they are airliftable great, if they are lighter with less ground pressure great, if they are lighter so more anti-mine armor can be strapped on great, if they are more capable of amphibious operation because they are light fantastic… but ultimately more than any of that Ukraine needs APCs in large numbers for day to day operations on the front.
Ukraine also features quite a bit of littoral territory and designing a tracked APC in a very lightweight aluminum is a smart longterm decision as it is way harder to design an APC to be lighter and try to shoehorn amphibious capability into it than it is to prove the design in a lightweight metal and then build a cheaper metal version to scale up production alongside the aluminum version.