Vietnam has showcased its first national armored personnel carrier XTC-03, which has already entered polygon trials. The new 8×8 wheeled combat vehicle incorporates a number of solutions previously used on the Russian BTR-90, including a combat module with a 30-mm automatic cannon.

Vietnamese engineers are developing the XTC-03 as an independent project to create modern armored vehicles. The first finished prototype was presented in spring, and the vehicle is currently undergoing tests of its driving performance and weapon systems.

The main feature of the armored personnel carrier is its combat compartment, designed based on solutions used in the BMP-2. It includes a 30-mm automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. A similar weapon scheme was also used on the Russian heavy wheeled armored personnel carrier BTR-90, which received such a turret in the late 1990s.

However, the XTC-03 differs from the Russian model with an updated turret design and a modern observation system. The vehicle received new multi-channel sights for the commander and gunner-operator, as well as elements of an optoelectronic protection system.

The protective equipment includes laser irradiation detection sensors. These allow for the detection of enemy rangefinders and guidance systems, after which the armored personnel carrier can use smoke dischargers to create an aerosol screen and reduce the threat of being hit by high-precision weapons.

The layout of the troop compartment of the XTC-03 also continues the traditions of the Soviet school of armored vehicle design. The three-person crew is located in the front of the vehicle, while eight dismounts are in the rear compartment, exiting the armored personnel carrier through rear hatches.