МАЗ: История и производство тяжелой техники и ракетных комплексов

Belarusian state owned automotive manufacturer
Apartment buildings, shops, medical clinics, cinemas etc. were built in close proximity to the MAZ plant, providing plant workers with local (though limited) necessities. On many of the construction sites, German prisoners of war were working together with Belarusian construction workers. It manufactures heavy duty trucks, buses, trolleybuses, road tractors and semi trailers for semi trailer trucks, and cranes. MAZ was, and possibly is, the world's largest manufacturer of TELs (Transporter Erector Launchers) for many of the world's mobile ballistic missiles, from the MAZ 543 used to carry and launch the Scud B through to the Topol M's 8 axle TEL. In 2020, it was said that the MAZ was the primary supplier for the chassis of such Russian army vehicles as the launchers for the Iskander M and the S 400 because the domestic Russian products are of comparatively low quality.

In 1997, together with MAN, a joint Belarusian German company JSC MAZ MAN, was set up, which by 1998 had established full scale production of heavy vehicles, using the F90 MAN cabs introduced 1986 and replaced in 1994. While production of tractors for international trade with 4x2 and 6x4 chassis layouts was a stated goal, development of exhaust gas regulations within the EU turned this into illusion.

MAZ 535/MAZ 537 The MAZ 535 and the heavier version MAZ 537 were developed in the early 1960s and built to transport rockets and tanks of various types. MAZ 543/MAZ 7310 The MAZ 543 was also designed for the transport of medium and long range missiles and has the same specifications as the MAZ 537. The MAZ 543 is best known as mobile missile launch pad of Scud missiles. In 1976, the MAZ 7310 was released. It is similar to the MAZ 543 but without the special equipment. In addition, there are various modifications of the vehicle, such as the MAZ 547 as a mobile launch pad for SS 20 missiles or the MAZ 7917 as a launch pad of Topol intercontinental missile. MAZ 547/MAZ 7916 The MAZ 547 is a six axle version of the MAZ 543 and was used for the RSD 10 Pioneer IRBM. The MAZ 7916, an improved version, was released in 1980. MAZ 7904 The MAZ 7904 is the largest wheeled vehicle that was ever designed for military purposes in the USSR. The prototype was designed in 1982 as a support vehicle for intercontinental ballistic missiles, but never went into production. The vehicle was found in 2007 in a hangar at Baikonur, but was scrapped in 2010 due to severe corrosion. MAZ 7906/MAZ 7907 The MAZ 7906 was an eight axle, 16 wheel Transporter erector launcher intended to transport the Tselina 2 missile, a projected road mobile variant of the RT 23 Molodets. In 1985, the 12 axle MAZ 7907 was developed, also intended for the Tselina 2. Two prototypes were produced, but despite successful factory trials, no production followed. At least one seems to have been used after the collapse of the USSR for transportation of bridge parts and ships. One unit is stored at the Minsk Wheel Tractor plant awaiting restoration. МАZ 7912/MAZ 7917 The MAZ 7912 is a seven axle, 14 wheel TEL for the Topol missile. In 1984, the MAZ 7917 was released, lengthened and had crew cabins similar to the MAZ 7916.