Armored Cars: GammaTech Komondor

The Komondor could be another exemplar for Eastern European armored cars and a boon for Hungary’s defense sector. A tall order for a vehicle with no brand that’s manufactured by an obscure company. With mine-resistant trucks at their peak several models have emerged in recent years from the unlikeliest countries, albeit with dim prospects in an already glutted market.

The RDO 3221 Komondor was developed in 2010 by a Hungarian NBC and emergency equipment manufacturer called Respirator. Three years later the Komondor was displayed at an armored vehicles exhibition but generated little buzz. It’s now 2015 and the most extensive assessment of the Komondor’s capabilities is from Totalcar Magazine, which often caters to the motoring crowd. (Fun fact: It’s named after Hungary’s iconic breed of sheep dogs.)

The Komondor is now in the product catalogue of Gamma Technical Corporation, also a manufacturer of NBC and emergency equipment. The circumstances surrounding the Komondor’s origins and marketing remain mysterious, leaving its specifications vague.

As an MRAP, however, the Komondor should weigh between 10 and 15 tons. A combination of runflat tires, an independent suspension system, a reinforced V-shaped monocoque hull, and armor plating should earn the Komondor its MRAP stripes.

According to a stray promotional video, the Komondor runs on a turbo diesel engine with either 250 or 300 horsepower. Top speed is 90 to 105 kilometers per hour and probable maximum range on a full tank is 600 km.The diagram below also proves the Komondor can charge into battle armed with a remote control machine gun–that’s a 12.7mm NSV.

But how well-protected is it? The modicum of protection for any troop carrier is armor that’s resistant to at least 7.62mm machine gun fire. But one writer (from Totalcar) claims the Komondor is resistant to 12.7mm or .50 caliber machine gun fire. According to a rare product brochure for the Komondor, however, its basic armor is indeed STANAG III, which is adequate against light machine gun rounds.

Should greater protection be needed, the Komondor can support an add-on module for the passenger compartment.

A curious feature of the Komondor is it was tailored to function superbly as an intelligence and detection platform. This is because the interior can support multiple subsystems, including CBRNe detectors for chemical agents and radiation.

The Komondor was meant to be a family of vehicles. The original 4×4 can perform twelve different roles, from an ambulance to an anti-riot vehicle. As a transport, a larger 6×6 variant of the Komondor could have space for 12 passengers who walk up a step ladder and enter through a swing door. Other variants include a smaller 4×4 patrol vehicle and a pickup with interchangeable modules. The Komondor lacks firing ports but external storage containers as well as trenching tools are mounted on its chassis.

The Komondor doesn’t seem to have any customers yet and even Hungary’s own armed forces settled on surplus US Army MRAPs instead.