Russian armored personnel carriers: development history, specifications and new technologies

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:42

To transport soldiers and the command of motorized rifle, infantry, motorized infantry and airborne units, as well as all the necessary materiel, for combat missions, special armored vehicles are needed. In the military, such vehicles are known as armored personnel carriers. Mostly they are called abbreviated - armored personnel carriers. Judging by the reviews, many are interested in how many armored personnel carriers are in Russia and which ones? The creation of armored personnel carriers began in Soviet times. Compared to modern Russian armored personnel carriers, their characteristics are much worse. Nevertheless, some armored personnel carriers are used in the Russian army to this day. You will learn about the history of creation and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carriers of the USSR and Russia from this article.

Object 141

According to military experts, by the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet army was armed with the most advanced heavy and medium tanks in the world. To support armoredunits needed foot soldiers. And for their delivery to the battlefield, armored light vehicles with increased cross-country ability were needed. Already in the post-war period, namely in 1947, the experimental design bureau of the Gorky Automobile Plant began to design a light wheeled armored personnel carrier "Object No. 141". At the same time, in Moscow, OKB engineers headed by Kravtsov A. F. created a tracked armored personnel carrier. The work took two years. For the manufacture of the undercarriage, Soviet designers used the T-70 tank chassis. Liquid-cooled two-stroke four-cylinder engine with 140 hp. taken from YaAZ-204B. The transmission was also borrowed from this machine. With fuel tanks designed for 220 liters, the cruising range was 170 km. The control department housed the combat crew, which was represented by a driver and radio operator gunner.

The last one fired from a 7.62 mm SG-43 machine gun. The ammunition load contained 1,000 rounds of ammunition in four ribbons and F-1 grenades (12 pcs.). Also at his disposal was a radio station 10 RT-12. There were 16 fighters in the airborne squad. The armored personnel carrier had a steel hull made of stitched 13 mm armor plates. The sheet thickness at the bottom was 3 mm. The armored personnel carrier could also be used to transport goods weighing up to 2 tons. After successfully passing tests in April 1949, the armored personnel carrier was adopted by the USSR army as the BTR-40.

Manufactured by employees of the GAZ plant them. Molotov. Serial production lasteduntil 1960. This model was not in service with Russia. The armored personnel carrier served as the basis for several subsequent modifications. A total of 8,500 vehicles were assembled.

About modifications

The following modifications were designed on the basis of the armored personnel carrier:

• BTR-40A. Unlike its counterpart, this armored personnel carrier was equipped with two coaxial 14.5 mm Vladimirov heavy machine guns. Cartridges in the amount of 1200 pieces were contained in 24 tapes. The combat crew is supplemented by two loaders. Entered service in 1951
• BTR-40V. The model was created in 1956. Unlike the previous versions, in this APC, special tubes were brought to the wheels, through which air was pumped. The armored personnel carrier had a ventilation system, thanks to which the crew was not affected by chemical and bacteriological weapons.
• BTR-40B. This is an open-top armored personnel carrier. In the event of a car hit, its crew could quickly evacuate. However, he was not protected from attacks from above. The technique was used in 1956 during the suppression of the rebellion in Hungary.

In the future, Soviet gunsmiths continued work on the creation of armored personnel carriers. Many are interested in what armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles are in Russia. More on this later.

BTR-80

According to experts, the Russian army has 1,500 armored personnel carriers of this model. The BTR-80 has been serially produced since 1984. The management crew consists of 3 people, the combat crew consists of 7. These armored personnel carriers of Russia move at a speed of 80 km / h. Power reserve - 600 km. Technique with steel rolledarmor. It is equipped with a 14.5 mm Vladimirov heavy machine gun and a 7.62 mm PKT paired with it. An engine from KamAZ 7403 with a power of 260 hp was built into the car. These armored personnel carriers in Russia since 1991 are the main ones. The latest modifications are characterized by enhanced weapons, in connection with which military experts classify these vehicles as infantry fighting vehicles. Russian designers based on the Soviet-style BTR-80 created the following options:

• BTR-80A. In the Russian army armored personnel carrier since 1994. Tower with carriage layout. The Vladimirov machine gun has been replaced by a 30mm 2A72 automatic cannon.
• BTR-80S. This model is designed for the National Guard. Fires a 14.5mm KPVT machine gun.
• BTR-80M. Unlike previous models, it has an increased hull length and bullet resistance. An engine from YaMZ-238 with a capacity of 240 horsepower was installed on the armored personnel carrier.

Armored personnel carrier 82

These armored personnel carriers of Russia have been in service with the country since 2013. According to experts, the Soviet BTR-80 served as the basis for their creation. Design work on modernization has been carried out since 2009 by employees of the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant (AMZ).

In 2010, state tests took place. The car was equipped with an 8-cylinder 4-stroke V-shaped diesel engine from KamAZ-740. The power of the power unit is 300 hp. The armored personnel carrier can use a 14.5 mm KPVT machine gun or a 30 mm 2A72 rapid-fire cannon. Second optionmainly used in one of the modifications, namely the BTR-82A.

Main gun - coaxial with PKTM 7, 62 mm. In addition to the BTR-82A, several more modifications were created:

• BTR-82A1 or BTR-88. The armored personnel carrier has a remotely controlled combat module developed at the Burevestnik Central Research Institute. The target is hit with a 30mm automatic cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun.
• BTR-87. Machine with a completely new armored hull. Equipment is produced for export.

BTR-90 "Rostok"

This model is a wheeled floating armored vehicle. The equipment was designed at the Gorky Automobile Plant. An armored personnel carrier is being assembled at the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant. The general public could see this armored personnel carrier in 1994

State tests were completed in 2004. "Rostok" is equipped with an automatic 30-mm gun 2A42, from which 500 shots can be fired. There is also an AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher (ammunition is represented by 400 rounds), a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun (2 thousand ammunition) and Konkurs-M anti-tank systems. From the latter, the crew can fire 4 anti-tank guided missiles. The armored personnel carrier works well at night due to the presence of a combined sight: night BPKZ-42 and day 1P-13. Russian designers created two modifications:

• BTR-90 "Berezhok". Unlike its analogue, in this version, the AGS-17 and Konkurs-M are replaced by an AGS-30 automatic grenade launcher and an anti-tankcomplex "Kornet" with a thermal imager and a fire control system. For this armored vehicle, the Berezhok fighting compartment is provided.
• BTR-90M. An armored personnel carrier with a combat compartment "Bakhcha-U", which is equipped with a 100 mm 2A70 cannon, a 2A72 30 mm gun, a PKTM 7.62 mm machine gun and an Arkan 9M117M1 anti-tank system. Instead, it can also stand "Agona" 9K117.

According to military experts, armored personnel carriers are prototypes. Production run limited to 14 machines.

BMP-1

Is a Soviet tracked infantry fighting vehicle. Developed by engineers of the main special design bureau No. 2 (GKSB-2) in the city of Chelyabinsk at the Tractor Plant named after. Lenin. In service since 1966. Serial production lasted until 1983. The crew consists of 3 and 8 people. BMP with bulletproof armor, equipped with a 73 mm 2A28 smoothbore gun, a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun and a 9M14M Malyutka launcher. 40 shots can be fired from a cannon, 2,000 from a machine gun, and 4 from PU. With a multi-fuel 6-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled diesel engine, the BMP reaches speeds of up to 65 km/h on the highway.

On the basis of the BMP-1, several modifications have been created that are in service with Russia:

• BP-1M. It is produced by the Russian engineering company Muromteplovoz. The infantry fighting vehicle is armed with a 30 mm 2A42 cannon, PKTM and Konkurs ATGMs.
• BMP-1AM "Basurmanin". Technique 2018release. The designers equipped it with remote-controlled combat models used in the BTR-82A.
• BMP-1P. The machine has a powerful launcher "Fagot" 9K111.
• BMP-1PG. An additional automatic grenade launcher "Flame" AGS-17 is provided.

The total number of all modifications in service with Russia is approximately 500 units.

BMP-2

A tracked infantry fighting vehicle was created as the Object 675. It differs from the BMP-1 in that it has a larger turret and a different weapon system. The commander and gunner-operator sit in the management department. Shooting is carried out from a 30-mm 2A42 cannon, which is made at a machine-building plant in Tula. There is also one PKT caliber 7.62 mm and ATGM 9K113 or 9K111. Transports infantry fighting vehicles up to 7 fighters. Equipment with rolled steel homogeneous (bulletproof and anti-projectile) armor. The power of the power unit is 300 hp. Develops a speed of 65 km / h. Ammunition of a rifled small-caliber automatic gun consists of armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation shells (500 pieces). Russian designers based on the BMP-2 designed the following more advanced options:

• BPM-2 "Flame". Shooting is carried out from an automatic grenade launcher AG-17 "Flame", in the ammunition load of which is 250 charges.
• BMP-2K. The machine is equipped with an additional shortwave radio station.
• BMP-2D. Technique with reinforced armor. In this regard, it has become unsuitable for overcoming water barriers.
• BMP-2 "Bakhcha-U". Model 2000 release. The machine lands up to 5 soldiers. Forit provides for the Bakhcha-U combat module, developed by Russian designers. Used as Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (BMR).
• BMP-2M. It differs from the previous analogue by the presence of the Berezhok combat module, an additional panoramic sight and a modified location of the AGS-17. Shooting is carried out from four Kornet ATGM launchers.

The Russian Armed Forces are armed with 3,000 of these machines.

BMP-3

It is listed as Object 688M. Created by engineers of the Kurgan Special Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering. Produced at OAO Kurganmashzavod. In service since 1987. There are three people in the management department, the airborne squad is supplemented with two places. Thus, the BMP-3 transports 9 fighters. The crew is protected by rolled aluminum spaced armor with steel screens. Vehicle speed increased to 70 km/h. Based on the infantry fighting vehicle, the following modifications were developed:

• BMP-3K. The command vehicle has navigation equipment, two radio stations, a receiver and an autonomous generator. The intended purpose is to maintain contact with various units and military formations.
• BMP-3F. It is a combat vehicle of the Marines. Highly buoyant.

"Boomerang". About the history of creation

Despite the fact that today the armored personnel carrier No. 82 is used as the main one in Russia (the photo of the armored personnel carrier is presented in the article), according to experts, it is already quite outdated. In this regard, the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation need a modern armored personnel carrier. He must be completelya new car, and not another modernization of the Soviet armored personnel carrier. The public saw the new armored personnel carrier of Russia "Boomerang" in 2018 at the Victory Parade. Russian developers plan to use this model as a unified platform, which in the future will become the basis for creating new types of armored vehicles.

The Russian armored personnel carrier "Boomerang" in the technical documentation was originally listed as "Sleeve". During the design work, the designers took advantage of the developments of the BTR-90 "Rostok". Both cars were rejected by the Russian military. Due to the fact that they wanted to equip the middle part in the “Gully” hull with a power plant, a weapon module and a dynamic protection system, as in the No. 82 armored personnel carrier, it became very crowded in the new armored vehicles. In addition, further modernization was excluded. Therefore, these innovations had to be abandoned. Soon, all the developments on these projects were introduced into the new Boomerang armored personnel carrier of Russia.

Description

The main drawback of the BTR-80 was the weak level of protection, especially against land mines and mines. Therefore, the fighters had to ride not in the cabin, but on the roof. It was with the aim of creating a more protected armored personnel carrier that they began to design a new Russian armored personnel carrier. It was not possible to improve Soviet-made equipment, since it already had a completely exhausted modernization resource.

In "Boomerang" the hull has a new shape, layout and armor, for the manufacture of which modern materials are used. Due to the reinforced armor, the equipment weighs 20 tons. The designers assume that further modifications will have a mass of at least 25 tons. The bow of the machine has become a place for the power compartment. Feed is the most protected part of the armored personnel carrier. Machine with multilayer armor, which includes ceramics. Unlike gemogenic, this type of armor is better. It is mainly used in tanks.

Judging by the opinions of experts, "Boomerang" can withstand the hit of a cumulative ammunition. An anti-tank grenade, small-caliber artillery and a heavy machine gun will not be able to penetrate an armored personnel carrier. In this sample, the wheel formula is 8x8. The rear part of the hull is equipped with jet engines, thanks to which the armored personnel carrier will overcome water obstacles. Firing will be carried out from a 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannon, a PKT machine gun and a Kornet anti-tank missile corps. These weapons are concentrated in one remote-controlled combat module. In the ammunition of the main gun up to 500 ammunition. Shooting can be carried out by both the commander and the gunner.

Further plans

The Russian designers are going to use the Boomerang armored personnel carrier base to create a mobile anti-tank complex, an infantry fighting vehicle, a wheeled tank and other types of special vehicles. Each of them will have their own weapons.