Ukraine has officially unveiled the Pegas, a domestically developed tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), at the MSPO 2026 international defense exhibition in Poland. This vehicle represents a potential milestone as Ukraine’s first locally designed IFV to enter serial production.
The Pegas was showcased by the Ukrainian Defense Industry, the state-owned defense conglomerate responsible for the country’s military innovations. Developed by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau, the same firm that produced Ukraine’s T-84 main battle tanks, the Pegas aims to enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
NATO-Standard Protection
According to specifications revealed at the exhibition, the Pegas features frontal armor designed to meet Level 6 of NATO’s STANAG 4569 protection standard, while the rest of the hull is rated at Level 4. This design allows the vehicle’s front to withstand 30mm ammunition, with other sections capable of resisting 14.5mm armor-piercing rounds.
Moreover, the Pegas can be equipped with additional armor for enhanced protection against threats such as the RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launcher. The vehicle is also expected to incorporate electronic warfare (EW) systems to counter drone threats.
Armament and Capabilities
The proposed armament of the Pegas includes a 30mm automatic cannon, a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun, two anti-tank guided missiles, and a 30mm automatic grenade launcher, all mounted in a remote combat module. While the model presented resembles Ukraine’s BM-7 Parus, the production version may utilize a different module called Topaz.
With dimensions of 8 meters in length, 3.2 meters in width, and 3.3 meters in height, the Pegas has a combat weight of 35 metric tons. It is designed to achieve a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph) and has an operational range of 500 kilometers (310 miles). Developers have indicated that the vehicle can operate at altitudes of up to 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) and highlighted its cross-country mobility.
In comparison to other vehicles, the Pegas is larger and heavier than Poland’s Borsuk IFV and is comparable in weight to an unloaded German KF41 Lynx. However, details regarding troop capacity, engine specifications, and the current stage of prototype testing remain undisclosed.
While the Pegas has not yet entered serial production, its development signifies a crucial step in Ukraine’s efforts to produce domestically developed military vehicles, following several previous projects that remained at the prototype stage.
