Local conflicts of past decades have been influencing the vision of future light army vehicles as all-wheel drive cars with considerable power reserve (not less than 25 hp/t), independent suspension, and large wheel radius. Militaries want light military-issue vehicles to be developed from existing prototypes, have interchangeable blocks and assemblies, and possess excellent field reparability. Another factor worth reckoning with is the current tendency of increasing firepower and armour protection of army vehicles: apart from machineguns and light missile systems, they have by now come to carry small calibre artillery mounts, mortars, and grenade launching systems.

The GAZ-39371 Vodnik meets all these emerging requirements for a mobile multifunctional vehicle, and puts a new spin on the light army truck concept. Unlike existing vehicles in its class, it possesses several unique qualities:

• capability of carrying heavy machine-guns and light artillery systems

• modular design turns the chassis into a universal platform for combat and utility vehicles; configuration can be field-changed

• watertight hull allows river crossing by 1.2 m depth

The GAZ 39371 Vodnik multipurpose army vehicle is designated for personnel transportation, road and off-road patrolling, convoy escort missions, reconnaissance operations, and other military purposes.

Owing to its modular design the vehicle can be used as the platform for a number of special combat and utility configurations, and can be fitted with various armament variants - from light firearms to a 120 mm mortar. In the transport configuration, the Vodnik is capable of carrying up to ten fully equipped infantrymen.

This was developed in 1995 and first seen in 1996 and is essentially the GAZ-3937 fitted with the complete one-person turret of the BTR-80 (8 × 8) APC armed with one 14.5 KPVT and one 7.62 mm PKT machine guns and a bank of six 81 mm smoke grenade launchers at the rear. In addition to its crew of three it can carry seven infantrymen. This turret is also fitted to the GAZ-39371 described below.

In this version the driver is seated on the left in his own cab with the fighting compartment at the rear with side and roof hatches and doors in the hull rear. The roof has a distinct chamfer to its sides.

This has seats for the commander, driver and radio operator and also features full size doors at the front for the driver and commander that open to the front. This can be fitted with various turrets including a one person turret armed with a 14.5 mm KPVT and 7.62 mm PKT machine gun or the same turret as fitted to the BTR-80A (8 × 8) APC armed with a 30 mm cannon and 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.

This has been also recently referred to as the GAZ-39371-221 and is currently being marketed powered by a turbocharged liquid cooled diesel developing 128.7 kW (175 hp) and the following mission modules:

1. rear module carrying the14.5 mm/7.62 mm MG turret

2. rear troop carrying module

3. rear module carrying ATGW

4. rear module for ambulance role

5. rear module for technical assistance