BMP-3 with Cactus dynamic protection complex (EDZ)
Russia completed a contract for the modernization of part of the fleet of infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3 of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), work was completed by early 2016 bt the Kurganmashzavod (part of Concern "Tractor Plants").
Although Explosive Reactive Armor is available for the BMP-3, operators will likely not use it in environments / situations where there will be extensive use of dismounted infantry in the area in order to prevent injuring soldiers in the vicinity of the vehicle. In R & D, "Karkas" was called "Cactus". There are no other differences. This DZ based on EDZ 4S24 provides increased protection of thinly armored projections from single-block cumulative ammunition.
In addition to protection against monoblock shaped charges, the complex successfully protects against B-32 armor-piercing bullets, 23-mm BZT shells and 30-mm armor-piercing shells. The inertness of explosives in 4S24 is chosen in such a way that the blocks do not detonate when hit by BZT bullets, shells up to 30 mm, large-caliber OFS fragments and various incendiary mixtures up to napalm.
In the old days, the troops that followed tanks were put in armored vehicles or trucks for transport. However, these vehicles tend to be weak on both firepower and defense, and once entering the WWII period, there were increased opportunity for them to be directly involved in combat.
So to act against this problem, they required a machine with increased firepower and heavier armor, yet able to carry a decent amount of troops...... and came up with this. This BMP-3 was a machine developed in the late stages of the Cold War, a machine that had been designed focusing on firepower. It has a low velocity 2A70 100 mm rifled gun for the main armament, with a 30mm gun also equipped as sub, and the main gun has a laser guidance to enable firing of Anti-tank Missiles as well, a very ferocious machine, at any rate.
By the beginning of the 21st century, various "tank" KDZs had long been in service in Russia. This is both "Contact" and "Contact-V", in 2006 "Relic" went into the series. Was there a question about equipping DZ light armored vehicles? Undoubtedly. But it was impossible to simply take and rearrange the developed blocks on the BMP. The very composition of the armor, and most importantly its thickness, did not allow this. With the joint detonation of the EDZ with the PTS, the armor of the armored object received serious damage, and the superimposed shock waves inflicted an almost “open” shell shock to the crew and landing force. Other elements of explosives and a different principle of countering cumulative ammunitionn were needed. This element was the EDZ 4S24. It contains two times less explosives, providing the same level of anti-cumulative protection as 4S20 KDZ "Contact". To prevent destruction of the lightly armored hull, dynamic protection elements are located in a container between layers of foamed polymer material, which ensures smooth braking of metal plates scattered by detonation, which destroy the armor of light armored vehicles. But the plates at the same time continue to fulfill their main purpose - they “cut” the cumulative jet, reducing its penetrating ability. This solution turned out to be effective in another issue - when a certain KDZ block is initiated, its “neighbors” do not detonate, as happened in the Kontakt KDZ. In the developed KDZ for light armored vehicles, it was possible to ensure not the transfer of detonation between the elements of dynamic protection, but most importantly, protection against slippage of the leading part of the cumulative jet. The layout of the EDZ in the block for lightly armored vehicles will be clear. They are placed exactly at the maximum possible effective angle for the destruction of the cumulative jet. According to the theory of the effectiveness of countering the DZ to the action of a shaped charge, the cumulative jet receives the greatest destruction when it meets the EPD at an angle of 68–70 degrees. It is at this angle of "meeting" that the armor penetration of the "intruder" drops by 75%. All this was akin to a revolution in the protection of light armored vehicles. And this miracle was developed in the early 2000s. And even adopted in 2006. In the Research Institute of Steel, on the basis of the 4S24 element, the following KDZs were designed:
- "Frame" and "Frame-2" for the BMP-3,
- "Berezhok" for the BMP-2,
- "Typhon" for the BTR-90.
As the concern added, the complex provides protection against single-block grenades and ATGMs from any direction of fire. In addition, the elements 4C20 and 4C24 are interchangeable due to the same size and weight. Earlier, the Kalashnikov Concern reported that a new generation dynamic protection complex for the BMP-3 based on dynamic protection elements (EDZ) 4S24 increases the protection of thin-armored projections from single-block cumulative ammunition, single-block RPGs, B-32 armor-piercing bullets, armor-piercing incendiary tracers of caliber 23 mm and armor-piercing shells of 30 mm caliber. The complex was developed by JSC "NII Steel".
The new dynamic protection complex (EDZ) for the BMP-3 completely eliminates the detonation of neighboring units when a grenade or anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) hits it, and also has a longer service life compared to previously proposed options. "It is fundamentally different from the 4S20 previously offered on the market. Its properties ensure that neighboring blocks do not detonate when a grenade or ATGM hits it. Previously, the defeat of one block of dynamic protection led to the failure of several neighboring ones, which increased the area of the unprotected area of the armor. <.. .> It was possible to raise the warranty period of storage of the EDS by one and a half times. The 4C20 element had to be replaced after 10 years, the EDS 4C24 - after 15 years," Kalashnikov said. As the concern added, the complex provides protection against single-block grenades and ATGMs from any direction of fire. In addition, the elements 4C20 and 4C24 are interchangeable due to the same size and weight.
In September 2022 the Kalashnikov company disclosed the characteristics of a new-generation reactive armor for BMP-3 designed by the Steel Institute. The new system is based on EDZ 4S24 reactive armor elements and weighs 4.2 tons. It increases the protection of thin armor against monobloc cumulative shells, grenades, armor-piercing bullets B-32, 23 mm armor-piercing incendiary tracers, and 30 mm armor-piercing projectiles. The armor covers 62 percent of BMP-3 hull, 36 percent of the front and 70 percent of the turret. The protection operates at temperatures of minus 50 to plus 55 degrees.
The reactive armor is fit for any armored vehicle, including T-72B3 and T-80BVM tanks. It was reported that a prospective evacuation vehicle developed from Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle would be protected with 4S24 reactive armor elements.
The BMP-3 [BMP = Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhota - Infantry Fighting Vehicle], which represents a totally different design concept from BMP-1/2, is a light tank that can hold a squad of infantry. It has a 100mm main gun that fires HE to destroy buildings, can fire long-range ATGMs, a 30mm auto-cannon and a medium machine gun as a single unit in the turret. The innovative BMP-3 armament suite has been subjected to criticism in the Russian military.
The BMP-3 is one of the most heavily armed infantry combat vehicles in service, fitted with several different weapon systems capable of ranging out to 5.2km. It carries a 3 man crew plus 7 infantrymen, and is capable of firing all weapons on the move with no loss of effectiveness. This makes it crucial asset for the threat. While most variants will have a 30mm auto cannon, reports indicate that a variant with a 100mm rifled gun may be in production.
The performance obtained from the 500 horsepower engine powering this 20.6 ton vehicle compares favorably to the American Bradley, which has an engine of similar power. The BMP-3, first seen in public during a parade in Moscow in 1990, was built by Kurganmashzavod, developer and manufacturer of the BMP-2 infantry combat vehicle.
KBP and Kurganmashzavod upgraded the vehicle with a new engines and turret with a new ATGM system 9K116-3 Basnya. The upgraded vehicle is called the BMP-3M and the new Bakhcha-U turret which includes a new automatic fire control system with ballistic computer, new SOZH gunner's sight with laser rangefinder and an ATGM guidance channel, thermal imager, TKN-AI commander's vision device with laser illuminator and new ammunition loading system for ATGM.
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