Bumerang (K-16 / K-17)

Russia's new-generation 8x8 armored vehicle family, comprising the K-16 personnel carrier and K-17 infantry fighting vehicle.

Reference reviewed 30 September 2026.

Overview

Bumerang is the wheeled armored vehicle family developed by Russia's Military Industrial Company, VPK. Its two principal configurations have different weapons: K-16 is an armored personnel carrier with a 12.7 mm weapon module; K-17 is an infantry fighting vehicle with a 30 mm cannon, coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and Kornet missiles, according to the program description accompanying Mikhail Osyko's 2021 trial announcement. TASS.

VPK spokesman Sergei Suvorov described a front engine, rear troop access and accommodation for three crew plus eight dismounts in 2018. The layout is a departure from the older BTR family. VPK subsequently enlarged the hull after preliminary trials to improve buoyancy and troop accommodation. Suvorov interview; Hull revision.

Public evidence establishes prototypes and sustained testing activity. It does not establish regular accepted serial procurement or independently verified combat use through September 2026. In a September 2025 article, Russia's senior armored-vehicle official Alexander Shestakov still described development of Bumerang, Armata and Kurganets as continuing. This entry therefore retains development status. Shestakov's article; Dated report of that article.

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