BMP-1 Fighting Vehicle
The Bronevaya Maschina Piekhota (BMP-1, Russian for "infantry fighting vehicle.") was first built in the early 1960s and seen in public in November 1967 at a Red Square parade. It was called the M-1967 and BMP by NATO before its correct designation was known. The BMP represented an important shift from the concept of an armored personnel carrier to an armored infantry combat vehicle, combining high mobility, effective anti-tank weapons, and armored protection for carrying troops. The BMP is significantly smaller than Western APCs and has considerably greater firepower.
The BMP-1 was innovative in that it allowed the infantry being carried to fire their personal weapons from within the vehicle while remaining protected by armor. To do this firing ports and vision devices were provided for each infantry soldier. Thus the BMP was the first Infantry Combat Vehicle or Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) (although it could be argued that the German Army did it first in WW II). The BMP-1 carrys a crew of three to eight. The BMP replaced the BTR-50P and complements the BTR-60PB in first-line motorized rifle units. The BTR is not infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), it is an armored personnel carrier (APC). The term APC, when used to differentiate from an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, is really just an armored box. The American M113 APC has only ever been a battle field taxi, used primarily for delivering infantry to the forward edge of the combat area, than going back for another load. It should be emphasized that the Soviets replaced the PT-76 with the BMP in front line divisions.
The development of the vehicle began in the early 1960s in a special design bureau of the Chelyabinsk plant under the leadership of designer Pavel Isakov. They wanted to create a light, mobile and floating vehicle. Three options were proposed: wheeled and tracked, wheeled and tracked. Each had its pros and cons. But they settled on the tracked option. The infantry fighting vehicle received a fundamentally new track design: the moving parts did not overlap each other, as on tanks, which increased the service life of the metal and rubber seals to eight thousand kilometers. The BMP-1 Armored Personnel Carrier Model 1970 is the primary production variant. It is an amphibious vehicle designed to accompany tanks in an assault and beyond the objective. The main armament is an M2A28 73MM gun with a Sagger missile mounted on top. Developed by the Soviet Union for use on the front lines, the BMP-1 was designed to protect combatants from nuclear radiation, chemical and biological weapons, and conventional rounds.
Weighing over 14 tons, the BMP-1 features rolled steel armor that is 33 millimeters thick. It is armed with a 73mm semi-automatic gun and a 7.62mm machine gun. It is also equipped with a single Sagger missile mounted above the gun barrel. The combination of armament and weapons allows the BMP-1 to both carry its eight passengers safely to their destination and provide additional close support.
The post-war period of armored vehicle development was characterized by the creation of new types of military tracked vehicles designed to solve specific tasks on the battlefield, different from the tasks assigned to tanks. In the 1960s, at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant named after V.I. Lenin, in GSKB-2, under the leadership of chief designer P.P. Isakov, the development of a new combat tracked vehicle was started, designed to increase the mobility and protection of infantry operating on the battlefield with the support of tanks. This was the world's first example of a vehicle that ensured the action of infantry without leaving it on the battlefield, or supported the actions of infantry that had left the vehicle. Thus, a new category of military equipment appeared in the USSR - a combat armored amphibious tracked vehicle designed to transport personnel to the front line, increase their mobility, armament and protection on the battlefield and joint actions with tanks in combat. This vehicle, designated "Infantry Fighting Vehicle - 1 (BMP-1)", was adopted by the Soviet Army by the Order of the USSR Minister of Defense on June 2, 1966. It was first shown to the general public at the troop parade on Red Square in Moscow in 1967. The highly maneuverable and fast BMP-1, which combines firepower, high mobility and good protection, entered service with motorized rifle units, significantly increasing their offensive power, and laid the foundation for a family of similar vehicles. It sharply increased the maneuverability and firepower of infantry in combat, especially in combating armored enemy targets, the protection of personnel from small arms fire and the damaging effects of weapons of mass destruction, as well as the ability of troops to overcome water obstacles. The Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant (from 1967 to 1979), and the Rubtsovsk Machine-Building Plant were engaged in the production of the BMP-1 and its chassis. From 1969 to 1973, an improved version of the BMP-1, the Object 765Sp2, weighing 13 tons, was in serial production, and from 1973 to 1983, an improved version of the BMP-1 (Object 765Sp3) with a combat weight of 13.2 tons was produced. In total, more than 20,000 BMP-1 and vehicles based on it were produced from 1966 to 1983. The exceptionally successful design of the BMP-1 contributed to the emergence of 9 main modifications and several modernizations of the basic model on its basis. More than 20,000 BMP-1 units were produced [some surces reporting twice that number], with some exported to more than a dozen Soviet proxy states. Production of the BMP-1 began during the Vietnam War, but it was not until the Yom Kippur War in 1973 that the system was tested in live combat. Both Egyptian and Syrian armed forces used the BMP-1. Immediately following that war, it was decided that a revision to the BMP-1 was necessary to make it more effective in a rapidly changing battlefield. This led to the development of the BMP-2. The Soviet Army produced a BMP-3 model, a heavily upgraded variant, in 1987.
A combination of effective antitank firepower, high mobility, and adequate protection made the BMP a formidable addition to the inventory of Soviet motorized rifle units. Designed to suit the demands of high-speed offensive in a nuclear war, it carries a 73mm, 2A20 gun with maximum rounds of 40 and maximum range of over 7,000 ft. Its 73-mm main gun fires a rocket-assisted, fin- stabilized HEAT projectile with an effective range of 800 meters medium (capable of successfully engaging tanks at ranges up to 1,300 meters) and is equipped with an automatic loader. The main armament of the BMP1 is unusual, in that it fires the same ammunition as the RPG-7 infantry rocket propelled grenade launcher. A launching rail for the AT-3 Sagger antitank guided missile is located above the gun for longer range antitank capability (up to 3,000 meters).
The BMP is a fully armored amphibious infantry combat vehicle (AICV). Its low silhouette hull has a sharp sloping front with a conspicuously ridged surface. A centrally located, extremely flat, truncated cone turret mounts a 73-mm smoothbore gun and a 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun. A launching rail for SAGGER missiles is attached above the gun. The 290 hp, water-cooled, 6- cylinder diesel engine is located at the right front, while the driver's hatch is at the left front, directly in front of the commander's hatch which mounts an IR searchlight. The gunner's hatch is on the left side of the low turret roof. To the rear of the turret there are four large hatches in the roof of the troop compartment, as well as two large exit doors in the rear. There are four firing ports in each side of the troop compartment and one in the left rear door. The suspension has six unevenly spaced road wheels of the PT-76 type, with three track support rollers and a front drive sprocket.
The BMP is amphibious, propelled through water by its tracks rather than using the waterjet propulsion of the PT-76, and has the range and speed necessary to keep up with the fast-moving tanks it normally follows in offensive formations.
The BMP has a three-man crew, including the vehicle commander, who becomes the squad leader when the infantry passengers dismount through the rear exit doors. However, vision blocks and firing ports in the sides and rear of the troop compartment allow the infantrymen to fire assault rifles (AKM or AK-74) and light machine guns (PKM or RPK-74) from inside the vehicle on the move. The troops also carry the RPG-7 or RPG-16 AT grenade launcher and the SA-7/ GRAIL or SA-14 SAM, either of which can be fired by a passenger standing in a rear hatch. When buttoned up, crew and passengers have NBC protection in the pressurized and filtered hull, which allows them to operate regardless of the outside environment.
The BMP is equipped with an infrared searchlight, periscopes, and sights for night operations and has a capability to make its own smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust manifold.
Due to the low cost to upgrade the systems built into the BMP-1, it remains in service in large quantities around the world. Operators include China, India, Iran, Iraq and Vietnam. Most recently, the BMP-1 has been used in the Syrian Civil War. BMP-1s are also active in Afghanistan and have been deployed in limited numbers against the Taliban.The BMP found increasing usage in a reconnaissance role. The firepower of its 73-mm main gun made it an ideal vehicle for conducting raids, for reconnaissance when a meeting engagement is expected, or as a basic scout vehicle which can carry sophistacated equipment. In a meeting engagement, BMP equipped units could play a primary role both by timely detecti6n of the enemy and by preventing enemy deployment. Taking advantage of the great maneuverability, heavier armor protection and sufficient firepower, BMP units were considered to be particularly effective.
At the time of its appearance, the BMP-1 was a very successful and progressive model. However, later, as it was used and used in combat, various shortcomings and problems emerged that required correction. The vehicle received its baptism of fire in the fourth Arab-Israeli war. It was used in Angola against South African troops and in Afghanistan. In the latter case, it was not always successful. The disadvantages were so fatal that after the use of the BMP-1 in Afghanistan, Soviet soldiers began to decipher the BMP abbreviation as nothing other than "Battle Grave of Infantry." In addition, over the decades, serial BMP-1s have become morally and physically obsolete, although they remain in service. There are several major complaints about the BMP-1. The standard armament has always been considered the "sore spot" of the BMP-1. By the early 1960s, the military did not have a clear idea of how to use the then-new type of combat equipment. It was assumed that in the event of a third world war, the "units" would break through to the English Channel together with tanks, maneuvering between craters from nuclear explosions and "crushing" heavy NATO armor along the way. For this purpose, they were equipped with a smoothbore gun firing cumulative grenades, and a "Malyutka" guided missile was "bolted" on top. This vehicle is wider, heavier and more stable than the wheeled BTR. When firing, it hardly swings, due to which the automatic cannon behaves more stably. The accuracy, precision and sighting range have noticeably increased. Another important advantage of the BMP over the BTR is that it is tracked, has better cross-country ability and can go in a tank column. The weapons system has been criticized for a long time. The 73-mm 2A28 Grom cannon has specific characteristics and no longer meets most fire missions. From a technical point of view, the Grom can only be called a full-fledged anti-tank gun with a stretch. In essence, it is a shortened version of the SPG-9 mounted grenade launcher, suitable for destroying enemy armored vehicles only at close range (800-900 meters), which is still necessary to get close to the enemy. For comparison: a sub-caliber projectile fired from the cannon of an American M60 tank (in service with NATO in the 1960s) will pierce the 16-mm armor of the "unit" at a range of up to 2.5 kilometers like parchment. The gun mount has limited vertical aiming angles, which at one time became a serious problem. The standard fire control systems cannot be called modern either, and they further limit combat effectiveness. The conditions in Afghanistan did not allow for firing at targets on high ground, and the thin armor of the roof was penetrated even by machine gun fire. Because of limited capability to depress the main gun, the BMP is unable to engage tanks and APCs from good hull-down positions, and so is very vulnerable to enemy fire when it exposes itself to engage targets.
The low rate of fire (up to six rounds per minute), manual reloading and lack of stabilization make the Grom ineffective against infantry - in a fast-paced contact battle, the crew does not have much time to aim. Due to the small elevation angle (only 15 degrees), the gun is useless in urban areas and mountainous terrain - where you need to work "on the top". During the war in Afghanistan, Soviet soldiers tried to strengthen the armament of the BMP-1 by crudely welding AGS-17 mounted grenade launchers on top. This helped only partially, so the new BMP-2 with a rapid-fire "thirty" and a vertical aiming angle of 75 degrees was met with undisguised delight in the troops. Although the turret can traverse 360 degrees, the main gun and coaxial machine gun must be elevated to clear the IR searchlight on the commander's cupola, creating a dead space for both weapons between 10:00 and 11:00 o'clock. This limitation could be a serious problem during an engagement since an automatic cutoff on the electrically operated turret halts movement until the gun is elevated.An entire motorized rifle squad, consisting of nine people, sat in this tin can, awaiting their, most often unenviable fate. Moreover, this manpower in such a position does not represent any combat value, since it is extremely difficult to conduct a full-fledged battle through the narrow loopholes of the BMP. And this is despite the fact that the aluminum body of the vehicle was not designed to fight mines at all. As a result, any land mine that the track could run over became a death sentence for all 12 inhabitants of this box (including the crew). The military men, of course, quickly figured out what was going on. And they moved from the troop compartment straight to the armor of the BMP. Thanks to this "maneuver", a kind of "safety cushion" was created, when the body of the vehicle itself, in the event of its explosion, covered the bodies of the soldiers sitting on top of it. However, this forced decision was almost more bloody. Imagine - a mass of absolutely unprotected fighters sitting on the roofs of their armored vehicles and being in this capacity an ideal target for any enemy machine gunner lurking in ambush. If at first it seems that an effective solution for reinforcing BMP-1 armor as thin as paper, which makes its way from a large-caliber machine-gun fire, would be the installation of a DZ on any BMP-1 or BMP-2, then in fact the opposite effect is obtained. Tests conducted in the USSR showed that the detonation of the DZ Kontakt-1 splits the thin armor of the BMP-1 and can cause severe injuries to those inside the car. Because of the extreme vulnerability demonstrated by the BMP in the 1973 Middle East war, there has been extensive debate in the Soviet Army as to how this vehicle should be used in battle. The BMP has relatively thin armor (maximum thickness 19 mm in the hull, 23 mm in the turret) which provides protection against .50 caliber armor-piercing rounds only over the 60° frontal arc, and the vehicle is extremely vulnerable to ATGM and tank fire. The frontal projection is protected only from small-caliber projectiles, and the all-round protection can withstand bullets of no more than 7.62 mm. Anti-tank weapons are guaranteed to penetrate the armor from all angles. In addition, the vehicle is threatened by mines and explosive devices. Due to the compactness of the vehicle, critical areas such as the engine compartment and ammunition storage area (on the right side), fuel cells (in the rear doors), and the troop compartment are located in such a manner that penetration anywhere on the vehicle normally will result in a mobility, firepower, or personnel kill.
The BMP can maintain its top speed (70 km/h) for only short periods of time because of the high amount of vibration and the possibility of transmission failure. Due to the complicated loading mechanism and the lack of stabilization, it is not possible to accurately fire the 73-mm gun or the coaxial machine gun while on the move over rough terrain. The BMP must be stationary when firing and tracking the SAGGER ATGM. The SAGGER is difficult to reload and cannot be reloaded at all under NBC conditions. The land navigation system must be zeroed every 30 minutes.
The habitable volumes include an eight-person troop compartment with disembarkation through the rear doors or roof hatches. In general, they meet the requirements, but there are complaints about ergonomics. In addition, the seats of the old design, which do not absorb the energy of the explosion, are forced to be used. The chassis of the BMP-1 generally meets the requirements. In the AM project, its general architecture and most of the parts are preserved. At the same time, new torsion bars with increased energy capacity are used. Such modification should improve cross-country ability on different terrains. Despite its venerable age, the chassis of this vehicle is recognized by specialists as successful and reliable. The BMP-1 was created on a special base with a frontal arrangement of the power compartment, located on the right and the control compartment on the left, in the middle part - the fighting compartment with a single-man turret with a circular rotation. In the rear part of the vehicle there is a troop compartment. The welded box-section hull is equipped with side niches above the tracks. In the upper frontal part there is a large hatch, closed by a folding ribbed armor plate made of aluminum alloy, with an additional protective element - a wave-reflecting shield lying on the upper frontal plate. The hull and turret of the BMP-1 are welded from rolled steel armor plates with a thickness of 6 to 26 mm with a large slope of the frontal plates in order to increase ricochet. They can withstand shell fragments from field artillery, armor-piercing bullets from small arms and large-caliber 12.7 mm machine guns at all firing ranges, in addition, the frontal armor is not penetrated by shells from the 20 mm Oerlikon automatic cannon (formerly HS-820) at ranges greater than 100 meters. An anti-radiation liner was used to counteract the penetrating radiation of a nuclear explosion. Light alloy screens are attached to the outside of the side walls of the hull, covering the upper branches of the tracks. When moving on water, they create a hydrodynamic tunnel that helps generate propulsion. The control compartment has entrance hatches and workplaces for the driver and commander, as well as their viewing devices for daytime and nighttime work. In poor visibility conditions, an active night vision device is installed for the driver instead of the TNPO-170 middle periscope. The vehicle commander's seat is located behind the driver's seat. The vehicle commander's hatch cover, mounted on bearings, rotates in a circle. It is equipped with a universal TKN-3 observation device, paired with an infrared searchlight, and two periscopes. The central part of the vehicle is equipped with a conical cast turret with a rolled armour steel roof welded to it, which together with the under-turret space forms the fighting compartment. A seat is mounted on the suspended rotating platform of the turret, and the gunner-operator hatch is in the roof of the turret. The troop compartment, designed to accommodate a motorised rifle squad of eight soldiers with full gear, and occupying the rear part of the hull, is divided by the main fuel tank and battery containers into two sections, each of which has space for four motorised riflemen. The motorised riflemen's workplaces are equipped with seats that can be installed in a "marching" and "combat" position - six paratroopers sit three in a row, back to back. For boarding and disembarking troops, there are four hatches in the roof of the compartment, and in the rear - two large hollow doors with fuel tanks built into them. The BMP-1's firepower was increased by equipping it with embrasures covered with armored covers and observation devices, allowing the troops to use weapons without leaving the vehicle, on the move and from short stops. For this purpose, the BMP-1's troop compartment was equipped with eight periscopic heated observation devices and embrasures with ball mounts for two light machine guns and six automatic weapons, with the soldier sitting at the left door also able to fire and cover the vehicle from the rear. The gunners' embrasures were equipped with fans for extracting powder gases. The BMP-1's main armament consisted of a 73-mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore gun and a 7.62-mm PKT tank machine gun paired with it. The 2A28 gun was designed to fire at tanks and other armored targets, as well as to suppress manpower and fire weapons located in light shelters at ranges of up to 1,300 m. The gun fired PG-15V active-reactive anti-tank rounds with a cumulative warhead. Since 1973, OG-15V fragmentation grenades have also been included in the ammunition loadout. Rounds are fed using a semi-automatic electromechanical loading mechanism consisting of a conveyor with a drive and a shot feed mechanism. The gun can fire at a rate of 8-10 rounds per minute, the effective firing range is 1,300 m. The vertical firing angle of the main armament is from -4 ° to +30 °. The anti-tank system consisting of a guided missile with a 9M14M Malyutka shaped-charge warhead and a launcher including a launch bracket, a guide, and 9S428 control equipment is designed to destroy armored targets at ranges from 500 to 3,000 m. For this purpose, a bracket for a retractable 9M14M ATGM launcher with manual wire control is mounted on the gun barrel and armor mask. The ammunition load of the 73-mm gun is 40 rounds, 4 anti-tank missiles for the 9M14M ATGM, and 2,000 rounds for the 7.62 mm machine gun. A combined non-illuminated sight is used to prepare for aimed fire from the turret's gun and machine gun armament and to guide the ATGM to the target, allowing observation and aiming at night without unmasking the vehicle with an illuminator. In addition, the vehicle was equipped with an RPG-7 hand-held grenade launcher with grenades or a Strela-2 MANPADS, which could be used through open hatches in the roof of the troop compartment. The BMP-1 communication equipment includes the R-123M VHF radio (for external communications) and the R-124 tank intercom for five subscribers (for internal communications). The BMP-1 powertrain compartment is located in the right front of the hull. It contains the following: a UTD-20 multi-fuel, six-cylinder, liquid-cooled V-shaped diesel engine with a capacity of 300 hp; main clutch; gearbox with two planetary turning mechanisms combined into a common block; oil tank with heating boiler; cooling system unit with air cleaner; fuel system components; compressor; water pump and other equipment. The BMP-1 engine was started with compressed air or with an electric starter. The BMP-1 engine was protected from water ingress while crossing water obstacles by a well-placed retractable air intake pipe and automatic valves that prevented water from entering the engine from the air cleaner and through the exhaust manifolds. Water that had entered the hull while moving afloat was removed using three water-pumping pumps. Their high performance ensured that the vehicle remained buoyant even if small holes appeared in the hull. The mechanical transmission with a hydraulic servo drive, main clutch, and mechanical two-shaft five-speed gearbox were combined into one unit with the engine. The power transmission was controlled by mechanical drives that acted on the hydraulic elements and hydraulic servo mechanisms. The BMP-1 was turned by rotating the steering wheel. The suspension was torsion with hydraulic shock absorbers. The tracked mover (fine-tired track with rubber-metal hinges) with front-mounted drive wheels and pin engagement had 6 support and 3 supporting rollers on each side. Individual torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers on the first and sixth suspension units. In addition to its main function, the gearbox housing acts as an oil tank for the lubrication and control system. A number of control system mechanisms are mounted on the upper surface of the gearbox, including gear shift drives. In the event of damage to the hydraulic system, many of its functions are duplicated by an emergency pneumatic system. Turning, uniform linear movement and braking are provided by two planetary turning mechanisms. These devices are based on a planetary gear and a group of clutches and brakes that control their operation. Such a unit allows turning with two set radii (the first is about 9 m, the second is equal to the distance between the axles of the BMP-1 tracks). Mechanical band brakes are used for braking and reliable stopping of the vehicle (for example, on a slope). The chassis of the vehicle includes twelve independently suspended support rollers. The elastic elements of the suspension are torsion shafts. Due to the transverse subsidence of the torsion bars, the suspension of the right side is slightly shifted forward in relation to the left. The support rollers with rubber bands are mounted on balance beams. Telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers interact with the balance beams of the first and last suspensions. The suspension design clearly shows the desire of the BMP creators to reduce the weight of the vehicle and at the same time increase the buoyancy force when moving on water. The balance beams have an internal cavity along almost their entire length. At the same time, the cavities of some balance beams are plugged with wooden plugs in order to form hermetic air chambers. The design of the support roller is also interesting. It is welded from two thin-walled stamped sections, a hub and a ring with a rubber bandage. Thus, a hermetic air chamber of a fairly large volume is obtained inside the roller. The presence of such a number of voids significantly increases the buoyancy force on the water and at the same time provides the required rigidity of the roller disk when moving on land. The guide wheels and track tensioning mechanisms are located in the rear of the hull. The track tension is changed mechanically from inside the troop compartment. The BMP-1 uses steel fine-link tracks with rubber-metal hinges. Each track has two steel pins, the ends of which are connected by locks at adjacent tracks. This method is widespread and is used in the designs of modern tanks and other tracked combat vehicles. Guide ridges are welded to the ends of each track. The upper branch of each track is covered with a screen and rests on three support rollers. The BMP-1 was an amphibious vehicle, the movement of which afloat was carried out due to the reaction of the water flow directed by the lower branches of the rewinding tracks. The vehicle did not have a water jet, therefore, to increase the speed afloat, special grates were installed on the rear fenders, above the tracks, redirecting the flow of water from the tracks not upward, but backward. And in front of the tracks, the shape of the hull directed the flow downward, which raised the nose of the vehicle above the water. Turns were performed by changing the rewinding speed of one of the tracks. Before the vehicle entered the water, a wave-deflecting shield and an air intake pipe for supplying air to the engine, located behind the turret, were raised by pneumatic drives in the front part of the hull. A special TNPO-350B periscope was installed for the driver-mechanic's view. The maximum speed afloat reached 7 km/h. The BMP-1 overcomes water obstacles by swimming. Movement on water is ensured by rewinding the tracks. The upper branches of the tracks are covered with screens that form hydrodynamic tunnels. Accelerated by the tracks rewinding in them, the water flows hit the protection of the drive wheels, thus forcing the vehicle to move. At the same time, the lugs of the lower branches of the tracks play the role of blades. On water, the BMP-1 develops a speed of about 7 km/h. Turns are performed by changing the rewinding speed of one of the tracks, the turning radius is quite large. Before the vehicle enters the water, the wave-deflecting shield located in the front part of the hull and the air intake pipe for supplying air to the engine, located behind the turret, are raised by pneumatic drives. To provide the driver with good visibility - the wave-deflecting shield blocks the view in front of the vehicle - a special TNPO-350B periscope is installed. To ensure the required tightness of the hull, the landing soldiers activate the closing mechanism, which presses the aft doors into their sockets. The BMP-1 is equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system, a filter-ventilation unit and a heating system for the habitable compartments. During production, the BMP-1 was continuously improved. From 1969 to 1973, the improved BMP-1 (Object 765Sp2) with a combat weight of 13.0 tons was in production. From 1973 to 1979, an improved version of the BMP-1 (Object 765Sp3) with a combat weight of 13.2 tons was produced; a fragmentation round was introduced into the ammunition of the gun of this vehicle. Due to the presence in many armies of the world of a significant number of infantry fighting vehicles produced in the 70-80s, at present, work is being carried out on their modernization on a wide front. A very promising option for improving the armament of the BMP-1 has been proposed by the Tula Instrument-Making Design Bureau. In accordance with this proposal, it is envisaged to equip the BMP-1 with a single-seat combat module "Kliver" with a missile-gun armament complex and an automated fire control system. The low gun depression angle is due to the low turret and the design of the front part of the hull, and the elevation angle is comparable to that of other combat vehicles with a similar purpose or armament. For example, the Swedish CV 90 has a gun elevation angle of +35°. The same is true for the British Scorpion light tank. The ammunition consists of 40 rockets. When the projectile leaves the gun barrel, the jet engine is turned on, accelerating it to a speed of 700 m/s. At such a low flight speed, the projectile is very sensitive to gusts of wind. The gun is loaded automatically using an automatic loader when the barrel is set to an angle of +3?30'. The magazine with ammunition is located along the circumference of the turret ring (the projectiles are in a vertical position). This solution allowed one person - the gunner, who is located to the left of the gun - to aim the gun at the target and fire. As an additional armament, the BMP-1 is equipped with a launcher for 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided missiles. The guide is located in front of the turret (above the gun) and is mechanically connected to it. Through a special hatch, the gunner from inside the turret manually installs the ATGM on the launch rail. Preparing the launcher for firing takes about 50 seconds. In flight, the missile is guided by a wire trailing behind it, which is connected to the control panel. The gunner adjusts the ATGM flight using a handle resembling a computer joystick. The ATGM control panel is usually stored under the gunner's seat. Due to the lack of appropriate observation and aiming devices, ATGM firing is only possible during daylight hours. In addition to the obvious advantages (immunity to interference, simplicity of the "vehicle-projectile" communication units), the wired method of guiding anti-tank rockets to the target has no less significant disadvantages: limited range and speed of the projectile, delayed reaction of the projectile to the control signal, the impossibility of installing a new ATGM on the launcher, guide until the first one reaches the target. Apart from the listed shortcomings, the BMP-1 anti-tank guided missiles even then had an impressive effective firing range of 3,000 m. The BMP-1's ammunition load includes five 9M14 Malyutka ATGMs: one on the launch rail, two in the turret and two in the hull. For aiming and observing the terrain in front of the vehicle, the gunner has at his disposal a universal device with day and night channels TPN-22M1. It is supplemented by four periscopes. At night, the device provides observation at a distance of up to 900 m. Range measurement is carried out using an optical rangefinder, the action of which is based on an assessment of the height of the observed target. The sight base (the basis of the rangefinder scale) is a target 2.7 m high. In the rear of the hull there is a troop compartment designed to transport an infantry squad of eight soldiers with full gear. The main fuel tank is installed along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, which also serves as a backrest for soldiers sitting back to back. Six paratroopers, occupying seats at the front of the vehicle, can fire their personal weapons through rifle nests provided for this purpose. The soldier sitting at the left door also has a rifle nest and can cover the vehicle from the rear with his fire. The last paratrooper sits at the right door and has only a periscope for observing the terrain at his disposal. He is the senior paratrooper and maintains communication with the BMP commander. The BMP-1 is equipped with a multi-fuel, six-cylinder, V-shaped, liquid-cooled diesel engine UTD-20, developing a power of 221 kW at 2,600 rpm. With a combat weight of about 13 tons, it provides a specific power of about 17.0 kW/t and ensures high mobility of the BMP-1. The method of forced air cooling of the power compartment and radiator is originally solved. The factor that ensures air circulation is the ejector, which is part of the exhaust system. The exhaust gases, mixed with the air that has passed through the power compartment, are thrown out through the grille, which is located on the roof of the hull on the right side, in front of the tower. This solution also made it possible to reduce the temperature of the exhaust gases. The engine is one block with a gearbox and two planetary turning mechanisms. The entire power unit is attached at three points, which facilitates its dismantling and replacement. The mechanical two-shaft five-speed gearbox is separated from the engine by a multi-disk main clutch. Due to the design of the power transmission, tracked drive and good suspension, the maximum speed of the BMP-1 on the highway reached 65 km/h, on a dry dirt road - 40-45 km/h,The cruising range on the highway was 550-600 km. Low specific ground pressure gave it increased cross-country ability in swampy and snowy areas. The Greek Ground Forces received the BMP-1P with a twin 23-mm ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft mount mounted in place of the turret four years ago. The "economical" modernization was carried out by the 308th Army Plant. After the reunification of Germany, Greece received about 500 towed anti-aircraft guns and 350 obsolete BMPs from the army of the former GDR. "By crossing" them, the Greeks received a universal combat vehicle capable of fighting lightly armored ground and low-flying air targets. Similar home-made modifications, albeit on a more modest scale, were practiced in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. On 07 June 2022, military expert Alexei Khlopotov commented to Izvestia on the conditions that Greece set for the transfer of about 100 BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. That day, it became known that the BMP-1s would be sent to Ukraine after Germany delivered its Marder IFVs to Greece, which it had promised in exchange for these armored vehicles. "The BMP-1s that Greece has are practically no different from the Soviet ones. These vehicles are not new. The Greeks have slightly modified them, or rather, adapted them for themselves. It is difficult to call this a modernization. For example, they changed the armament - they installed different machine guns. The technical condition of these vehicles, I think, is not bad," Khlopotov said. But, according to the expert, these infantry fighting vehicles are poorly suited to the realities of today. "On the other hand, for Ukraine it is better than nothing. It is necessary to take into account that Kyiv knows how to service the BMP-1, knows these vehicles from all sides, it has the appropriate spare parts. If Ukraine received German Marder BMPs, they would have more problems. It would be necessary to master the maintenance system and purchase the necessary fuels and lubricants. In addition, completely different weapons with specific ammunition are installed there," he said. In early June 2022, it became known that the Greek authorities intend to supply Kiev with BMP-1 . The combat vehicles were manufactured 40-50 years ago in the USSR and are not used by the Greek Armed Forces. The obsolete equipment may be used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as they still have spare parts from Soviet times. In return, Athens intends to receive modern military equipment from Germany, which is three to four generations ahead of what the country has in its arsenal. Romania was entrusted with the licensed production of Soviet IFVs in the early 1980s. When the license expired, Bucharest began to think about an IFV of its own design and gave birth to the MLI-84, practically an analogue of the "one". In 2005, the Romanian army received a modernized MLI-84M, in which only the hull remained from the Soviet vehicle. They put a new engine, transmission, sighting equipment and seats for the landing force in it. The icing on the cake is the Israeli KBA combat module with a Swiss 25-mm automatic cannon OWS-25. China traditionally did not bother with a license and in the early 1990s launched serial production of its "own" ZBD-86 IFV, copied from the Soviet "one" from the track to the screw. At first, these vehicles were armed with a Chinese copy of the "Thunder", and then, after modernization, in addition to the "A" index, they received a rapid-fire 30-mm cannon, copied from the Russian 2A72. BMP-1, despite all its many shortcomings, may still be an important element of the civil war in Syria. Upgrading through the installation of anti-aircraft guns and lattice screens turns them into effective fire support vehicles. It depended on the readiness of the Syrian Arab army and the National Defense Forces to implement such modifications, and such a decision will have a great impact on the future of the BMP-1 in Syria. One modification was noticed in the city of Deir ez-Zor, where this vehicle was captured by national defense forces. The turret of the BMP-1 was removed and an 23-mm anti-aircraft gun ZNU-23 was installed in its place, with additional protection from a metal grid. The machine also has been enhanced protection by installing a combination of lattice screens and metal sheets along the sides and the tower. The back of the BMP-1, where the fuel tanks are located, has also been reinforced with lattice screens. Upgrading complete sandbags on the front armor sheet. First, the Syrian version of the Soviet BMP-1 conversion retained the idea of a "safety cushion", in the form of the body of the machine itself, which eliminates lethal consequences for the landing force inside. It is simply not there. Secondly. The presence of personnel outside the hull - on top of the BMP, in this Syrian version, is no longer equivalent to openly posing under enemy fire. In this case, people are protected by a fairly large superstructure, equipped with, at a minimum, bulletproof and anti-fragmentation armor. Thirdly, this "combat compartment" built onto the BMP opens up very broad possibilities for its use. It can be simply a relatively protected space for transporting the same infantry. And a place for installing large-caliber small arms, the firing sector and, consequently, the combat effectiveness of which will be incomparably higher than the practically blind fire from the standard landing loopholes of the BPM-1. In addition, this fighting compartment can be equipped according to the multi-purpose principle. And used alternately as a mobile mortar platform, as a carrier of the most modern anti-tank missile launchers, which cannot be used directly from the BMP-1, equipped with the ancient ATGM "Malyutka", or as a place for installing small artillery - something like a multi-barrel aircraft cannon, creating a literal wall of fire and sweeping away all living things in its path. At the same time, the former troop compartment becomes a place for storing replacement sets of weapons and ammunition for them. Fourthly. And, perhaps, most importantly, this design was, first of all, a product of a real war, waged in the most unfavorable, difficult conditions. Its main advantage is its maximum cheapness and ease of manufacture. This allows doing without a complex and very vulnerable industrial and technological base in wartime, setting up the production of such products in almost any sufficiently spacious barn right in the front line, or whatever will be there instead. Ukraine operates BWP-1 infantry fighting vehicles supplied by Poland, which are a licensed copy of the Soviet BMP-1. The outdated BMPs will not be able to compensate for the losses of Ukrainian armored vehicles, writes Defence24 in July 2022. Ukraine has received more than 100 BMP-1s. “However, their number, transferred, among others, by Poland, the Czech Republic or Greece, is not enough to cover the losses suffered by the Ukrainians, not to mention their combat value (low), compared to the modernized Russian BMP-1AMs,” the publication writes. It is noted that the BWP-1 remains the main infantry fighting vehicle of the Polish military. Some of the vehicles will be modernized. This will increase the capabilities of the troops before the Polish IFV Borsuk begins to operate.|
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