[Military Sub-Plane] By Friedrich Lau
With the escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, we can see the fierce scene of various soviet armored vehicles fighting in the vast Ukrainian plains, including various types of tracked infantry fighting vehicles. Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) are designed to be somewhere between tanks and specialized armored personnel carriers (APCs). Like armored personnel carriers, it can carry infantry into combat, but unlike armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles are equipped with certain armor protection and main weapons such as artillery and grenade launchers, which make infantry fighting vehicles, although less powerful than tanks, but more mobile, and can provide necessary support and protection for infantry.
-
Russian BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle on the outskirts of Mariupol
The use of infantry fighting vehicles by the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries dates back to the late 1960s, and it is worth mentioning that nato had not yet widely accepted this new design that would be widely used in the future when the Warsaw Pact countries put infantry fighting vehicles into use. This article will take you to take a look at those classic Soviet infantry fighting vehicles of that year.
One .BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle
The BMP-1, the first infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the Soviet Union, was first publicly displayed in a military parade in 1967, but did not begin mass production until 1970. The vehicle was equipped with a 73mm2A28 smoothbore gun, an AT-3 anti-tank missile launcher, and a 7.62mm PFT machine gun. The sides of the vehicle are equipped with firing ports that can be used by the soldiers in the vehicle, so that they can aim at the target and return fire while driving. The BMP-1's crew consisted of a pilot and a gunner, and the interior of the vehicle could accommodate an additional 9 soldiers, who could quickly get out of the vehicle and enter the battle through the rear hatch or roof hatch upon arrival at their destination.
Two. BMD-1 paratrooper fighting vehicle
In 1969, the BMD-1 began to replace the BMP-1 with a large number of troops, the vehicle's firepower configuration was similar to that of the BMP-1, and an additional 2 machine guns were added to carry 5 soldiers, but due to the lack of rear hatches, it could only enter and exit through the roof. This infantry fighting vehicle is characterized by direct airdrop to the theater by aircraft, and at first, during the delivery, the crew members and vehicles were parachuted separately, but in the 1970s, the Soviet army began to airdrop directly with people and vehicles.
Three. BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle
Entering service in 1980, the BMP-2 is similar to the BMP-1, but has better armor protection, nuclear, chemical and biological protection, and amphibious combat capabilities. The vehicle was equipped with a 30mm2A42 automatic gun, a rocket launcher and a PKT machine gun, and the large elevation angle of the automatic gun gave the vehicle the ability to strike low-altitude helicopters. However, due to the increase in the size of the turret, the space inside the car was even narrower, and the vehicle could only carry 7 soldiers.
Four. BMD-2 paratrooper fighting vehicle
The BMD-2 was designed for the prototype in 1985 and went into production four years later. Like the BMD-1, it can be directly airdropped to the theater of operations, and has nuclear, biological and chemical protection capabilities and amphibious combat capabilities. Compared to the BMD-1, the BMD-2 removed a machine gun and was equipped with a 30mm 2A42 automatic gun that could fire soft targets on the ground and low-altitude units, while being fitted with a detachable missile launcher.
Five. BMD-3 paratrooper fighting vehicle
The BMD-3 entered service in the late 1980s and was used by airborne units and naval infantry. The BMD-3 adjusted the seat position of the crew, with 2 soldiers on either side of the driver at the front of the hull and the remaining 3 soldiers in the battle room near the turret, improving the survivability of the members on the battlefield, in addition, the BMD-3 also added a grenade launcher, which can be removed by soldiers when they get off the vehicle like the on-board machine gun.
Six. BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle
Born at the end of the Cold War and entering service with the Soviets in 1990, the world situation had begun to change. The BMP-3 was equipped with a 2A70 type 100mm rifled gun, a 2A72 type 30mm automatic gun and three 7.62mm PKT machine guns, and the firepower was further enhanced, of which the main gun elevation angle could reach 60 °, which further increased the firing range and could also strike high-altitude targets. In addition, the BMP-3 still retains some of the characteristics of its predecessors, including nuclear, biological and chemical protection capabilities and amphibious combat capabilities.
Seven. BMP-23 infantry fighting vehicle
The Bulgarian BMP-23 was an improvement on the MT-LB armored personnel carrier and was equipped with a 23mm automatic gun, a missile launcher and a 7.62mm PKT machine gun, which could carry up to 8 infantrymen in combat. At the same time, it has amphibious combat capabilities.
Eight. MLI-84
The Romanian-equipped MLI-84 was similar in design to the BMP-1, but with a heavier body and a larger volume. In addition to being equipped with the same weapons as the BMP-1, it is also equipped with a 12.7 mm DShKM anti-aircraft machine gun, which can carry 9 soldiers at a time.