At PARTNER 2025 in Belgrade, Yugoimport showcased the Lazar III M 8×8 infantry fighting vehicle equipped with a new remotely operated 30 mm turret. The upgrade is aimed at strengthening direct-fire support, improving day/night observation, and boosting crew survivability while preserving the vehicle’s high road speed and obstacle-crossing capabilities.
The platform features a steel hull with modular ballistic protection and an optional spall liner. Its underfloor is built with dual-level anti-mine protection to mitigate blast effects from beneath the hull and better protect crews operating on primary and secondary roads.
The mounted 32V01 remote turret carries a 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm 6P7K coaxial machine gun. The primary weapon is supported by a TV sight, a thermal channel and a laser rangefinder, enabling target acquisition and engagement in reduced-visibility conditions. Stated effective ranges are about 4 km for the 30 mm and 1.5 km for the coaxial 7.62 mm. Ammunition loadouts combine high-explosive and armor-piercing tracer rounds for the cannon, and roughly 1,000 rounds for the coaxial gun.
Mobility figures place the Lazar III M near the top of contemporary 8×8 performers: maximum speed of 110 km/h, 60 percent gradient capability and 30 percent side slope. The vehicle negotiates a 0.55‑meter vertical obstacle, crosses a 2‑meter trench, and fords up to 1.6 meters of water without preparation. An 11.5‑meter turning radius facilitates maneuvering in urban and confined environments.
The vehicle’s modular armor scheme allows tailoring protection levels to the mission — lighter kits for strategic mobility or additional packages when threat levels rise. The spall liner lowers the risk of interior fragmentation from non‑penetrating impacts, while the dual‑level mine floor is intended to absorb and deflect blast energy from buried or remotely triggered explosive threats.
Tactically, the gun and sensor suite provide a detectable engagement advantage at medium ranges. Daylight and thermal sights support identification in dusk, fog or dusty conditions, and the laser rangefinder supplies reliable distance data for fire control. The turret’s elevation arc and full traverse help engage elevated or depressed targets in urban and uneven terrain. With its mix of HE and AP tracer ammunition, the 30 mm can engage everything from entrenched infantry to lightly armored vehicles, offering suppressive fire when observation and line‑of‑sight permit.
Designed to be compatible with forces seeking controlled operating costs and simplified logistics, the Lazar III M’s turret ring diameter and limited turret mass ease integration and upkeep across mixed fleets. As many armies increasingly rely on wheeled 8×8 platforms with remotely operated medium-caliber turrets, the Lazar III M fits that trend — combining adaptable protection, night/day sensors and a practical 30 mm armament for a range of internal security, mixed‑threat deployments and medium‑brigade roles.
