The TABC-79 (4 × 4) armoured personnel carrier has been developed in Romania and uses some automotive components of the TAB-77 (8 × 8) armoured personnel carrier (covered in detail in a separate entry and no longer manufactured or marketed). The TABC-79 was originally designed and built by RATMIL but this company is now called ROMARM.

Although classed as an armoured personnel carrier, its correct Romanian designation is the TABC-79 reconnaissance armoured personnel carrier. Production of the TABC-79 was completed some years ago and it is no longer marketed by ROMARM.

It has a hull of all-welded steel construction that provides protection from small arms fire of up to 20 mm in calibre as well as shell splinters.

The commander and driver are seated at the front of the vehicle, with the driver on the left and the vehicle commander on the right, both having a single-piece hatch cover that opens forward and four PF2 day periscopes for observation to the front and sides, while the commander has an AON1 infra-red searchlight that is mounted on the vehicle's roof and can be operated from inside. To the immediate front of the commander and driver is a windscreen that can quickly be covered by an armoured shutter when in a combat area.

The one-man manually operated turret is in the centre of the roof and is the same as that installed on the TAB-71M (8 × 8) and TAB-77 (8 × 8) armoured personnel carriers as well as the full tracked MLVM Mountaineers Combat Vehicle. This turret is armed with one 14.5 mm KPVT machine gun and one coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. Turret traverse and weapon elevation is manual.

The diesel engine compartment is located at the rear of the TABC-79 in the centre, with the air inlet and outlet louvres in the roof and the exhaust pipe at the left rear. There is a single door in either side at the rear that opens outwards, with the right door having firing port.

There is also a hull entry door in either side of the hull, as well as a single roof hatch to the right of the engine compartment.

The TABC-79 is provided with firing ports and periscopes with the latter including turntable-mounted roof periscopes.

The TABC-79 is fully amphibious, being propelled in the water by a single water-jet situated in the rear of the hull. Before entering the water the bilge pumps are switched on and the trim vane is hydraulically erected by the driver from his seat. When travelling on land this is stowed retracted on the glacis plate.

Standard equipment includes an automatic fire detection and suppression system, a front-mounted winch with 50 m of cable and a capacity of 5,500 kg, an NBC system, infra-red night vision equipment, a central tyre-pressure regulation system that allows the driver to adjust the tyre pressure from his seat while the vehicle is in motion, and an engine preheater.

More recently the vehicle has been referred to by Romanian sources as the ABC-79M 4 × 4 armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It is understood that there has been no recent production of this family of vehicles.

According to the United Nations, Israel took delivery of one TABC-79 in 1994, probably for trials purposes.

• TAB-C recce

• AM 425 APC

• TAB-79A POMA artillery observation post carrier

• TAB-79AR mortar carrier

• TAB RCH-84

• TCG-80

• Self-propelled SAM system