At the "Drone Expo - 2026" exhibition in Kazan, a UAZ with composite armor that hardens directly from sunlight was shown for the first time, a TASS correspondent reports. The car looks like a regular "Bukhanka", but the body is impregnated with a material that works on the principle of military body armor on curved surfaces.
A representative of NPO "Fotopolimer" explained the technology simply: the same protection that is sewn into the fabric of body armor, only placed in a UV-curable prepreg. Under ultraviolet or sunlight, the resin polymerizes and takes any shape - whether it's a van or a hood. No welding, heavy plates, or fasteners.
The AO "TsNIITochMash" Institute confirmed: the armor coating withstands 7.62 mm caliber bullets (Br5 class) and fragments (C2). Climatic tests were passed in the range from minus 50 to plus 50 degrees, moisture protection was checked by full immersion under water. In essence, the "Bukhanka" turns into a light armored vehicle that can be equipped with protection directly in the field without a factory armor studio.