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Military conflicts recent decades, the center of combat clashes in which moved mostly to urban areas, made adjustments to the development trends of armored vehicles. In addition, the rapid development of anti-tank weapons and the appearance in the arsenal of the armies of many countries of large-caliber snipers, or as they are called in the West "antimaterial gun", which can be translated as rifles against equipment. In this regard, the designers of armored vehicles took up the development of armored vehicles designed to equip motorized infantry (motorized rifle) units with a higher level of protection, approximately the same as a tank. The most rational way to create such combat vehicles for infantry was the conversion of outdated tank models into armored personnel carriers. By a strange coincidence (and perhaps quite naturally), the most common model of the tank, which served as the basis for the creation of heavy armored personnel carriers, was the Soviet T-55. In this issue, we offer readers information about the transformation of the T-55 into an infantry vehicle, as well as talk about some other types of heavy armored personnel carriers.
RUSSIA. HEAVY ARMORED TRANSPORTER BTR-T
Creation
To ensure a higher level of protection for infantrymen of motorized rifle units operating in conjunction with tanks, in Russia, on the basis of the chassis of the T-55 tank, the Omsk Design Bureau of Transport Engineering (KBTM) developed a prototype of a new heavy armored personnel carrier, designated BTR-T (heavy armored personnel carrier). It was first demonstrated at the VTTV-97 arms exhibition in Omsk in 1997.
The construction of the heavy armored personnel carrier BTR-T was carried out at the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant (Omsktransmash).
As conceived by the designers, a large number of T-55 tanks available in Russia, which can be converted into BTR-T, would ensure that the army is equipped with relatively inexpensive and highly protected infantry fighting vehicles. According to some sources, the export value of the BTR-T is 600 thousand USD, respectively, the conversion of the T-55 tank into the BTR-T is much cheaper.
Design
The new heavy armored personnel carrier BTR-T is based on the chassis of the T-55 tank, from which the turret was removed and the hull was built up to provide additional space for the crew and troops in front of the vehicle and the engine compartment stored in the rear of the vehicle.
The crew of the car consists of two people. The driver is in front of the same place and the commander-gunner is in the tower. The troop compartment can carry five fully equipped infantrymen.
For landing and landing, there are hatches in the roof: in front on the right and behind the tower. Since the roof of the habitable compartment is higher than the roof of the hull, two more hatches were made in the rear of the cabin. The covers of these hatches open upwards and have built-in prism blocks for observation. For the same purpose, the troop compartment is also equipped with periscope instruments.
The heavy armored personnel carrier BTR-T has a combat weight of 38.5 tons (compared to 36 tons of a standard T-55 tank). Considering that the body of the BTR-T has a mass of 27 tons, it becomes clear that the bulk of the mass of the BTR-T, which increased by more than 10 tons, went to strengthen the armor protection of the vehicle.
Frontal armor parts and sides are equipped with the latest generation dynamic protection package "Contact-5", which provides a high level of protection not only from HEAT, but also from armor-piercing sub-caliber ammunition. A similar DZ is used on modern Russian tanks T-80U and T-90S.
In addition, on the BTR-T, the bottom of the hull was reinforced to increase the survivability of the vehicle when it was detonated by anti-tank mines. This is ensured by the additional reservation of the bottom, which is welded to it with an interval, forming an air gap between the additional armor and the bottom itself, which significantly reduces the impact of the blast wave during a mine explosion.
In order to compensate for the increased mass and maintain mobility at the same level, not lower than it was on the T-55 tank, a more powerful V-46-6 engine was installed on the vehicle, developing 780 hp. The transmission of the car has also been improved.
A low-profile turret is installed in front of the hull, on which elements of the weapons complex are mounted.
The armament complex on the BTR-T may have a different composition, because. it is made in the form of various modules that can be installed on the machine depending on its purpose or customer requirements.
Armament options for installation on the BTR-T
The following options for armament of the BTR-T are provided:
1. 30-mm automatic gun 2A42 and two launchers ATGM "Competition";
2. 30-mm automatic gun 2A42 and 30-mm automatic grenade launcher AG-17;
3. Two double-barreled 30-mm machine guns 2A38;
4. 12.7-mm machine gun NSVT-12.7 "Utes" (or "Kord") and two launchers ATGM "Competition";
5. 12.7-mm machine gun NSVT-12.7 "Utes" (or "Kord") and 30-mm automatic grenade launcher AG-17.
In addition, in addition to using weapons of Russian design and production as part of modules with an armament complex, they can also be equipped with samples of Western-made weapons.
Like many combat armored vehicles Russian-made, the BTR-T has thermal smoke equipment for setting smoke screens by injecting fuel into the exhaust tract. In addition, there are four blocks (three launchers each) for launching smoke or aerosol grenades. Statement of smoke (aerosol) screens from these blocks is carried out in front of the machine.
The main performance characteristics of the heavy BTR-T:
Combat weight, t - 38,5
Crew + landing, people - 2+5
Maximum speed, km/h - 50
Engine
- brand- B-46-6
- power, h.p. - 780
Armament (option):
- basic- 30 mm automatic gun 2A42
- additional- 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun
- PU ATGM "Konkurs-M"
Ammunition, (shots):
- for 30 mm gun 2A42 - 200
- for PKT machine gun - 2000
- for anti-tank systems - 3
Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs and ATGMs
JORDAN. HEAVY APC AB14 TEMSAH
"Temsah", armed with a 20-mm cannon and a 4-container ATGM launcher
If another two decades ago, the construction and even modernization of armored vehicles was the fate of only a small number of states with a high level of industry, then in recent times there is an increase in the number of manufacturers of such equipment. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has recently joined their number. For nearly ten recent years The Jordanian company KADDB (King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau) presents its developments in the field of armored vehicles at international arms exhibitions.
With regard to tanks, KADDB was engaged in their modernization, but in relation to heavy combat vehicles for infantry, she was able to present a new development. However, this is understandable, heavy armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles were born in the Middle East, however, for the first time they appeared on the other side of the Jordan. Due to certain circumstances Arab countries do not adopt the Israeli experience and do not invite specialists from this country. In addition, there are no Soviet-built tanks in Jordan. With the participation of the Mechanology Design Bureau (MDB) from South Africa, the American General Dynamics Land Systems and the Jordanian CLS, a highly protected infantry fighting vehicle AB14 Temsah was created. It was designed on the basis of the Centurion tank chassis. However, it had to be fairly re-arranged, so we can say that "Temsah" is already a purely Jordanian brainchild.
Layout
Layout new car made with a front-mounted power plant. In other words, the hull of the Centurion tank was turned 180 degrees. In the power plant of the machine, an American diesel engine AVDS 1790 with a power of 950 hp was used, which is also used in the modernization of M60A1 tanks in Jordan. The transmission is automatic CD 1000, has two forward and one reverse gears. BTR suspension hydropneumatic balancing. The dynamic stroke of the roller is +350 and -100 mm.
Temsah interior
The armor of the vehicle has been significantly enhanced compared to the base chassis of the Centurion tank. It provides protection for the crew and troops inside the vehicle, not only from fire small arms, but also from artillery ammunition. The hull design provides for the installation of dynamic protection, which will make the heavy armored personnel carrier more tenacious in the conditions of exposure to fire from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers. True, it is not reported whose developments formed the basis of the proposed dynamic protection. In addition, the developers believe that the front location of the power plant increases the survivability of the crew of the vehicle on the battlefield during shelling in frontal projections. The body of the armored personnel carrier has a relatively small height, just over two meters, which also, in the opinion of the creators of the vehicle, increases its survivability on the battlefield. Hull add-ons - towers with various types of weapons systems - are uninhabited and controlled remotely from the vehicle body.
Recently, KADDB presented another sample of the Temsah heavy armored personnel carrier that does not have any weapon system at all. On the roof of the car body, a small superstructure is made, which has relatively large armored glass on all sides, providing good review from the car. If necessary, these glasses are closed with armored shields, which have slots for observation.
Jordanian heavy armored personnel carrier "Temsah" with a superstructure (driver's turret) and without weapons
The crew of the armored personnel carrier "Temsah" consists of two people: a driver and a commander, who is also the operator of the weapons complex. The troop compartment of the infantry fighting vehicle is designed to accommodate 10 infantrymen in full gear. It should be noted that it is quite spacious and has a length of 3350 mm, a width of 1770 mm and a height of 1455 mm.
Loopholes for firing from personal weapons in the car are not equipped. However, to monitor the terrain by landing, television cameras can be installed, and inside the troop compartment 4 liquid crystal television monitors. The infantrymen in the car are located along the sides, with their backs to them. For landing and disembarking, the machine is equipped with a folding ramp in the stern with a mechanical drive. There are also hatches in the rear of the roof of the troop compartment. Their number, depending on the version of the machine, can be different - from one to six.
Inside the car, under the landing seats, there are stowage boxes for dry rations and water for all people in the car. According to the developers, water and food supplies provide the machine with the ability to operate autonomously for 48 hours.
Options
The armament of the machine may be different. So far, two options for arming the Temsah armored personnel carrier have been demonstrated: in one, a large-caliber machine gun installed in a remote-controlled turret module and two INGWE ATGM launchers, made in South Africa, were used as part of the weapons complex. In another version - with an automatic 20-mm cannon, a machine gun coaxial with it and 4 INGWE ATGM launchers, also installed in a remote-controlled tower module.
Armament "Temsah" is stabilized in two planes. The rate of fire of the automatic cannon is 200 rounds per minute, its ammunition load is 300 rounds, of which only 150 are ready for use. The rest are stowed in the vehicle and need to be loaded after the ammo belt on the turret is used up. The aiming range of the cannon is 2000 m. The cannon can be fired with single shots or bursts.
"Temsah", armed with a 20-mm automatic cannon and a dual-container ATGM launcher (ZT-35 "Ingwe") in the turret
The 7.62 mm M240 machine gun coaxial with a cannon is a tank version of the famous Belgian FN MAG. Sighting range - 1200 m, ammunition 2600 rounds, of which only 600 are ready for use. The remaining 2000 pieces. stacked in stowage inside the troop compartment of the vehicle. The ATGM ammunition load is 4 missiles - only those that are in the launchers. INGWE ATGM firing range from 500 to 5000 m.
To set up smoke screens, smoke grenade launchers are mounted on the tower module.
Guidance of weapons is carried out remotely from the body of the machine. Observation of the battlefield and aiming is carried out on a liquid crystal television monitor installed at the workplace of the vehicle commander. The elevation angles of the weapon range from -8 to +40 degrees, which, in my opinion, is not quite sufficient, since the machine is designed to operate in urban and mountainous terrain, which is more than enough in Jordan.
There are options for using the Temsah armored personnel carrier chassis as a tracked armored medical vehicle, command post, as well as for the base for self-propelled guns and mortars.
BTR "Temsah" as a platform for armament
As standard, the machine is equipped with collective protection systems, air conditioning and a fire system.
The main performance characteristics of the heavy armored personnel carrier "Temsah":
Combat weight, t - 49,5
Crew + landing, people - 2+10
Dimensions, mm:
- length - 7962
- width - 3766
- height on the roof of the hull - 2080
- ground clearance - 500
Engine
- brand- AVDS 1790
- power, h.p. - 950
Specific power, hp/t - 19,2 - 4
Armament (option):
- basic- 20 mm automatic cannon
- additional- 7.62 mm M240 machine gun
- guided weapons complex- PU ATGM INGWE
Ammunition, (shots):
- for 20 mm gun - 150+150
- for M240 machine gun - 600+2000
- for anti-tank systems - 4
Fuel reserve, l - 950
Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs
ISRAEL. HEAVY ARMORED CARRIER "ACHZARIT"
Creation
Israel is considered a pioneer in the creation of heavy armored personnel carriers. The experience of the war in Lebanon in 1982 prompted Israeli engineers to do this, most of the battles of which were fought in urban areas. If the American-made M60A1 tanks in service with the Israel Defense Forces (SDF) were to some extent protected from fire from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers by the first used dynamic protection (DZ), then the American M113 armored personnel carriers became easy prey for Arab grenade launchers. Israeli Merkava Mk1 tanks were not equipped with dynamic protection. It was believed that the level of protection and survivability on the battlefield of this machine is already quite high. But in vain. The Merkavas burned from the fire of grenade launchers, like all other tanks. But still, armored personnel carriers and the infantry sitting in them got the most.
Having studied the experience of that war, the SDI leadership developed a tactical and technical assignment for the development of a heavy armored personnel carrier, which later received the name "Achzarit". In accordance with them, it was supposed to be a highly protected vehicle capable of operating in local conditions together with the main Merkava tanks. The idea of creating such a machine was prompted by the successful use in urban conditions as a means of delivering infantry to the battlefield of the Puma engineering barrier vehicle, made on the chassis of the Centurion main tank.
Israeli heavy tracked armored personnel carrier "Akhzarit" Mk1 created on the basis of the T-55 tank
The development of heavy armored personnel carriers in Israel initially included the use of a variety of chassis, including the chassis of the Merkava and Centurion tanks. The first prototypes of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier were built in 1987. Subsequently, the option of creating a vehicle on the chassis of the T-55 tank was worked out, which went to the Israeli army in large numbers as trophies during the Arab-Israeli wars and then for several years were restored for SDI.
Armored personnel carrier "Ahzarit" Mk1 with an additional commander's cupola
Tests of prototypes of Achzarit machines based on the T-55 showed some advantages over the previously tested options, and especially the lower cost of the machine. Their adoption by the Israel Defense Forces as a heavy armored personnel carrier and the beginning of their serial production took place in 1988. The production of heavy armored personnel carriers "Achzarit" was carried out in the workshops of the SDI and at the Military Factory located in Tel Ashomer, not far from Tel Aviv.
According to various estimates, there are currently approximately 400-500 such vehicles in the Israeli armed forces.
Heavy armored personnel carrier "Ahzarit" Mk1 overcomes the descent
Machine structure
When the T-55 tank is rebuilt into a heavy armored personnel carrier, its chassis is completely disassembled and then restored, but with some modifications. The turret of the tank is dismantled and an additional superstructure is cooked on the body of the vehicle in the place of the habitable compartment, which forms the control compartment and the troop compartment. The engine compartment is located at the rear of the car, but instead of the standard engine and transmission, a power plant from the Israeli company NIMDA is installed in it, which has slightly smaller dimensions and a more powerful engine.
An additional armor developed in Israel is installed on the body of the vehicle, which, according to the developers, provides this vehicle with the best protection among all available vehicles of this type in the world.
The habitable compartment of the vehicle can accommodate up to 10 people, including a crew of three: the commander of the vehicle, the driver and the gunner. The driver's seat remained at the front left. Above it there is a separate hatch, the lid of which opens to the left. In front of the hatch are four periscopic daytime vision devices, one of which in the center can be replaced by a passive night vision device for night driving.
The commander of the vehicle is located to the right of the driver and has a rotating periscopic daylight observation device mounted on the roof of the vehicle and a square hatch, the lid of which opens back. On the right in front of the vehicle is the gunner of the machine gun mount, which controls the RAFAEL Overhead Weapon Station with the 7.62 mm M240 machine gun mounted on it. The machine gun has stabilization in two planes and is guided by remote control from inside the machine. The sighting complex of the installation is equipped with day and night thermal imaging sights.
In addition to the remote-controlled machine gun mount on the Achzarit armored personnel carrier, there are also three additional 7.62-mm machine guns mounted on pivot mounts: one on the hatch of the vehicle commander and two in the rear of the troop compartment of the vehicle. To fire from these machine guns, it is necessary to open the manhole covers and lean out of them.
Seven infantrymen are located in the rear of the habitable compartment of the vehicle: three on a solid bench seat on the left side, three on individual folding seats on the right and one in the center at the rear of the troop compartment.
Aft door with a ramp for the exit of infantrymen
The driver, commander and gunner of a machine gun mount each have their own hatch. The commander's hatch cover can be opened halfway for observation. Behind the hatches of the crew members of the vehicle there are two additional hatches: one in the center of the troop compartment and the other slightly to the left and behind.
The standard V-55 diesel engine and manual transmission were removed and a NIMDA power plant was installed. This unusual and extremely compact power plant made it possible to make an exit for the landing force at the stern of the vehicle on the right side, which is closed by an armored hinged door using a hydraulic drive. Its lower part leans down and serves as a ladder, and top part opens up. The aft exit for the landing was made without changing the configuration of the vehicle hull. In addition, infantry can board and disembark through hatches in the roof of the habitable compartment.
The power plant combines various units, the main of which are identical to those used on the upgraded version in Israel Soviet tank T-55, which received the name "Samovar" there, as well as on the American 155-mm self-propelled guns M109. Both of these types of vehicles are used in large numbers in the Israel Defense Forces.
The power plant of the Achzarit Mk1 armored personnel carrier, supplied by the Israeli company NIMDA, consists of an American two-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine Detroit Diesel 8V-71 TTA, developing an HP 650 power. The engine is mounted across the body of the machine and connected to an Allison XTG-411-4 hydrodynamic automatic transmission, also made in the USA.
Air intake by the engine is carried out either through the fighting compartment or through the engine-transmission compartment. In both cases, air enters initially through a pre-filter with a dust ejection fan, and then through a paper air cleaner, similar to those found on automobiles.
interior
The undercarriage of the T-55 tank, consisting of five road wheels, a drive wheel at the rear and a guide wheel at the front on each side, was also modernized. The suspension units of the road wheels are equipped with new torsion shafts, which made it possible to increase the dynamic movement of the roller, and the first and last suspension units are equipped with hydraulic stops manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries, which are also used on Merkava tanks. This suspension upgrade provides the vehicle with better mobility over rough terrain and allows it to operate in conjunction with the main tanks.
The combat weight of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier has increased to 44 tons compared to 36 tons for the T-55 tanks. As already mentioned, the T-55 turret is dismantled when it is converted into the Achzarit armored personnel carrier. The main difference in mass between the mass of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier, which has 44 tons and the mass of the T-55 hull of 27 tons, is explained by the installation of additional armor protection to increase the survivability of the vehicle on the battlefield. The total height on the roof of the hull is approximately 2 m, and the width of the machine is 3.64 m.
On both sides of the hull in front of it, six CL-303Q smoke grenade launchers manufactured by Israel Military Industries are installed. Such grenade launchers were originally installed on Israeli tanks Centurion, M48 / M60 and Merkava. They can shoot different types grenades in the direction of the car.
The standard equipment of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier includes the Spectronix fire detection and extinguishing system, a collective protection system against weapons of mass destruction and thermal smoke equipment for setting up smoke screens using the principle of fuel injection into the engine exhaust manifold located on the left side of the hull.
Currently, the SDI is armed with a variant of the heavy armored personnel carrier "Achzarit" Mk2. This machine has a new power plant, also supplied by the Israeli company NIMDA. It includes an American Detroit Diesel 8V-92 TA diesel engine developing 850 hp, connected to an American Allison XTG-411-5 automatic transmission. Such a power plant provides the machine with higher power density and better acceleration characteristics. To date, the Achzarit Mk2 model is so far the last example of this heavy armored personnel carrier.
Israeli heavy armored personnel carrier "Ahzarit" Mk2
In addition, on the basis of the heavy armored personnel carrier "Achzarit", a variant of the command and control vehicle was created, which differs from the standard armored personnel carrier in the absence of machine guns on the roof of the vehicle and the equipment with additional radio stations to perform specialized control functions.
The main performance characteristics of the heavy armored personnel carrier Achzarit:
Combat weight, t - 44
Crew + landing, people - 3+7
Maximum speed, km/h - 50
Engine
- brand- "Detroit Diesel" 8V-92 TA
- power, h.p. - 850
Armament:
- basic- 7.62 mm machine gun M240 with remote control
- additional- two 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns
Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs
INDIA. HEAVY ARMORED CARRIER TBHA
Heavy Indian APC TBHA
In India, which also has a large number of Soviet-built T-55 tanks, they also decided to turn to the experience of creating heavy armored personnel carriers. Not without the influence of Israel, they also took the good old T-55 tank, removed the turret, welded a "salon" of multilayer thick armor onto the body, and you're done. This is how the Indian heavy armored personnel carrier TBHA - T-55 Based Heavy APC (APC - armored personnel carrier - armored personnel carrier in our opinion) turned out.
The spacious "salon" of the car can accommodate up to 11 people (together with two crew members - a driver and a commander, he is also a machine gun gunner). I must say, the “salon” is comfortably equipped, you can stand upright, inside it is trimmed with carpet.
To monitor the surrounding area, the commander uses the sighting system of a remotely controlled machine-gun installation, which is located on the roof of the vehicle. The image from the combined sight is displayed on a liquid crystal screen. The installation is equipped with a 12.7-mm machine gun, type NSVT-12.7 "Utes", stabilized in two planes, which allows for aimed fire from a machine gun on the move. According to the developers, "the interior armor is able to withstand the hit of an RPG-7 grenade from all sides," which looks very doubtful. True, the developers of the RPG-7 say something different: “Today, there is no sample of armored vehicles whose armor has not been pierced by the RPG-7 grenade.”
The transmission and engine of the T-55 tank was replaced by an Israeli NIMDA power plant, just like the Israelis did on the Achzarit Mk2 armored personnel carrier. It is slightly more compact than the previous one, it combines the American 850-horsepower Detroit Diesel 8V-92 diesel engine and the Allison XTG-411-5 automatic transmission. Such is the Israeli assembly of American components. The new power plant made it possible to make an exit for the transported infantrymen at the stern of the vehicle. Its armored door, when opened, also serves as a ladder for ease of getting into and out of the car.
Naturally, TBHA is equipped with systems for collective protection against weapons of mass destruction, fire fighting, air conditioning and smoke screening. At the request of the customer, additional weapons systems, surveillance, etc. can be installed on it.
The disadvantage of this variant of a heavy armored personnel carrier is the impossibility of firing from a personal assault weapon located inside the vehicle and the presence of only one machine gun. So only two people will be in business - the driver and the commander, the rest will simply ride along the indicated route as passengers.
The main performance characteristics of the heavy armored personnel carrier TBHA:
Combat weight, t- about 45
Crew + landing, people - 2+9
Maximum speed, km/h - 50
Engine
- brand- Detroit Diesel 8V-92 TA
- power, h.p. - 850
Armament- 12.7-mm machine gun NSVT-12.7 "Rock" with remote control
Sighting system- combined with optical and thermal imaging channels, with remote control
Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs
Thus, there is a global trend of using obsolete types of tanks (mainly Centurion and T-55) for further service as heavy armored personnel carriers. At the same time, such armored personnel carriers are much lower in cost of new combat vehicles, which allows many armies to have a sufficient number of such armored personnel carriers. The main purpose of heavy armored personnel carriers is the transportation and fire support of infantry units during independent or joint operations with tank units in special conditions (combat in a mountainous wooded area, in a city, etc.). Powerful booking of heavy armored personnel carriers makes it possible to reduce the losses of both personnel and the vehicles themselves from the fire of large-caliber rifles and machine guns, small-caliber automatic guns, as well as from mine explosions.
America loves Ukrainian gunsmiths. Many years ago, during the time of President Yushchenko, the United States financed the purchase of half a thousand BTR-4s manufactured by Malyshev Design Bureau for Iraq. The funny thing about the deal was that at the time of the conclusion of the contract, such an armored personnel carrier simply did not exist. However, the Americans did not act disinterestedly - scandals with hundreds of millions of bribes and kickbacks have been thundering for two years already.
BTR-4 on the territory of the plantThe first acquaintance with the Iraqis.
Kharkov designers did the impossible and in the shortest possible time embodied their achievements in metal. Pilot production quickly began to rivet the BTR-4 and send them to Iraq. But the miracle did not happen - the project that was not run in and not finished was constantly "buggy", the units did not dock, the gun did not at all want to shoot where it was supposed to. One small consolation - the gun block was not made in Kharkov.
In the photo - a loss-making product of the Kitezhgrad Magotechnics Plant (just kidding).
But the truth is unprofitable -
paid fines, forfeits and bribes ate the profits. One consolation - there was something to pay salaries from.
BTR-4, produced at the State Enterprise "Plant named after V.A. Malyshev, entered the top ten in the world, according to the information and analytical portal Inpress.ua. The local press is delighted - "Ukrainian weapons and military equipment enjoy an excellent reputation due to their reliability and simplicity."
And all because the BTR-4 entered the top ten armored personnel carriers in the world according to Army Technology. This was reported in the press service of the State Corporation "Ukrspetsexport". According to the report, the BTR-4 entered the top ten in terms of protection, firepower and mobility.
In addition to him, the top ten included the Finnish Patria, the German Boxer, the Swiss Piranha V, the Austrian Pandur II, the Russian BTR-82A, the American Stryker, the Turkish ARMA and AV8, the Singaporean Terrex (developed by the Irish company Timoney).
One involuntarily recalls the message in the press of the Great Concordia about the loss of his racer in an amateur race with an earthly university: "Our racer turned out to be worthy of his great ancestors and showed an excellent result for the first time, taking second place. His earthly rival was able to come penultimate."
Not a single word of lies. An excellent description of the competition with the participation of two parties.
So it is with the Ukrainian BTR-4. While the press is coming out drooling ship "Sea Pacifica" carrying 42 Ukrainian BTR-4s rejected by Iraq, is heading back to Odessa. This was announced by the representative of the Odessa carrier company Varamar, managing director of the company Alexander Varvarenko. Prior to this, Kharkov armored personnel carriers, which left the port of Odessa in March of this year, were arrested in India along with the ship. It all started with the fact that on April 26 a dry cargo ship moored off the coast of Iraq, but it was never allowed into the port and Ukrainian armored personnel carriers refused to unload.
“In the Odessa port, the cars were received by a commission, which included representatives of Iraq. But in Iraq, unloading did not begin. The pretext was defects in the hull. Long days of negotiations resulted in three months of downtime in the Persian Gulf. The ship was never unloaded, and it went to the shores of India to unload a batch of Ukrainian metal,” said Oleksandr Varvarenko. He forgot to clarify that the contract had already expired, and the Ukrainian side never met the delivery schedule. I also forgot about the previously paid fines.
Then claims to the company were made by the Indians, for whom the goods, about 70 thousand tons of metal, were late by almost three months.
“Ukrainian military cargo has become a hostage. The Indian court arrested the ship, they demanded a 500 thousand dollar penalty from us. The metal supplier told us to resolve issues, but how can we do this? We were delayed only because the issue with armored personnel carriers was being resolved, ”Varvarenko said.
According to the Vesti publication, Varamar still had to cover the damage, and the Ukrainian company Ukrspetsexport owed it about 700 thousand dollars, the carrier intends to demand compensation for this amount in court.
As for the armored personnel carriers themselves, they should arrive in Odessa in early January: now the ship has entered the Red Sea and is heading towards the Suez Canal.
REFERENCE: The contract between Ukrspetsexport and Iraq was signed back in 2008. Then the deal was called the largest in the history of independent Ukraine (except for armored personnel carriers, it was supposed to produce tanks and aircraft for a total of $ 2.4 billion). The lion's share of the contract was designed for the Kharkov Malyshev plant - 450 BTR-4 units. Only 100 pieces were shipped to the customer.
Well, for the very corrosive ones - the magazine did not conduct any competitions and evaluations. Especially - according to the specified characteristics. He just listed some of the finest armored personnel carriers in service today." Without comparing them and not positioning them as the best or worst /Modern APCs such as Patria AMV, Boxer and Piranha V offer enhanced protection, enabling safer infantry deployment in high-threat areas. Army-technology.com lists some of the best armored personnel carriers operated today, based on protection and mobility/.
Below are some examples of the enthusiasm of the local press and bureaucrats:As Inpress.ua previously reported, the positive indicators of the final performance of the enterprises of the State Concern "Ukroboronprom" testify to the effectiveness of its work, including in international markets. This was stated by First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Policy Sergei Kaltsev.
According to the results of work for the nine months of 2013, the enterprises that are part of the State Corporation "Ukroboronprom" showed an increase in the volume of manufactured products (industrial production) by 35% compared to the same period in 2012.
The Ukrainian military-industrial complex is undergoing rapid development. Many foreign countries are interested in samples of Ukrainian military-defense equipment. Also, our state actively presents its achievements at international exhibitions and cooperates with many countries in the development of new types of military equipment.
Thus, the domestic military industry cooperates most closely with Thailand, to which the Kharkov plant plans to send a series of tanks. At the training ground in Chuguev (Kharkiv region), fire and sea trials of five Oplots are being carried out. Already for the new year combat vehicles will be sent to their new homeland, but for now, 32 Thai military personnel are being trained at the Morozov Design Bureau, who will have to work at home with new equipment for them.
In general, Ukrainian manufacturers of military equipment liked working in the Asian market. Having armed Thailand with armored personnel carriers, domestic enterprises will supply combat aircraft missiles to India. SJSHC "Artem" provided the delivery of the first batch of aviation guided missiles to India medium range air-to-air class, manufactured by order of the local Ministry of Defense.
In addition, the state concern "Ukroboronprom" and the Czech ALTA outlined plans for cooperation in the program of technical re-equipment of the enterprises of the state concern.
Due to the fact that large-scale armed unrest is taking place in the world, Ukraine has the opportunity to increase the share of its military exports. The unstable Middle East finds a profitable partner in our country. Soviet weapons familiar to the Arabs are cheaper than Western counterparts, of high quality and therefore the most in demand.
On the whole, Russia, the countries of Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. This was stated by the Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Committee on national security and defense Anatoly Kinakh.
Thus, Ukraine will be able to provide both its army and the world market with new models of weapons and military equipment. This opinion was expressed by the Deputy Head of the Defense Economics and Security Department of the Ministry economic development and Trade Yulia Malyshenko.
Unloading an armored personnel carrier BTR-4 in Iraq, spring 2012 (c) UkrMil.blogspot.com via militaryphotos.net
REFERENCE. Ukraine won the contract for the supply of 49 Oplot tanks to Thailand at the end of 2009, even under Yushchenko. Since then, only it has been reported that the unprecedented victory of the tank builders of Kharkov. Over the past 4 years, Thailand has not received a single tank. Just as the plant producing tanks does not receive real profit. All dividends are collected by officials who happily tell how good things are.
BTR-4 - armored personnel carrier developed by the state enterprise "Kharkov Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering named after Morozov". The BTR-4 was adopted by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and is mass-produced at the State Enterprise "Plant named after V.A. Malysheva. State Enterprise "Zhytomyr Armored Plant", which is part of the State Corporation "Ukroboronprom", is engaged in the development of the production of a new combat module on the BTR-4.
Production of the BTR-4 commenced in 2008 with limited deliveries to the Ukrainian Army. The vehicles are being operated by the armies of Ukraine and Iraq. Image courtesy of Vladimir Malakhov.
Armored personnel carriers (APCs) have taken an important role in military operations from World War I to the present day. Information resource Army-Technology.com has listed some of the best armored personnel carriers in service today, based on protection, firepower, mobility. Armored personnel carriers such as the Patria AMV, Boxer and Piranha V have enhanced protection, which allows for safer landing of infantry in the combat area.
Patria AMV
Patria AMV (Armored Modular Vehicle, armored modular vehicle) is a modern 8 × 8 armored vehicle made in Finland. The vehicle was introduced to the market in 2004 and to date, about 1400 vehicles have been ordered by the armed forces of Finland, Croatia, Poland, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden and the UAE.
Patria received orders for 1400 armored modular vehicles from seven countries
The Patria AMV carries three crew members and up to 10 infantry. The hull protects the crew from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and shaped charges such as "impact core" (EFP). The front projection of the hull offers ballistic protection against 30mm projectiles (APFSDS-T). The vehicle can also withstand shellless mine explosions up to 10 kg.
The armored personnel carrier (APC) of the Patria AMV version is equipped with a PML 127 OWS module with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The car has top speed over 100 km/h and a power reserve of 800 km.
Boxer-APC
The Boxer version of the APC is one of the best armored personnel carriers in the world produced by ARTEC, a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall. First of all, the Boxer armored personnel carrier is supplied to the German army. It can carry 11 people, including three crew members and eight infantrymen.
The body of the vehicle is integrated with spaced and sloping armor plates to protect against mines, improvised explosive devices and ballistic threats. It protects the crew from anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, from fragments of bombs and artillery shells, and also offers all-round ballistic protection against weapons up to 14.5 mm at an encounter angle of up to 30 degrees.
Boxer APC is one of the best armored personnel carriers in the world.
The FLW 200 remote control station has a 12.7mm heavy machine gun or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. The vehicle is also integrated for use with IDZ (Infantry of the Future) technology being developed by the German Army. The Boxer armored personnel carrier has a maximum speed of 103 km/h and a cruising range of up to 1050 km.
Piranha V
this is the latest model in the Piranha family - a multi-purpose wheeled armored vehicle manufactured by MOWAG (now known as General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag). The Piranha V armored personnel carrier accommodates 13 people in a well-protected armored hull that protects against the effects of mines, improvised explosive devices and EFP threats. The vehicle can be equipped with an active protection system and additional armor, offering various levels of protection with more than 95% all-round coverage.
The Piranha V is the fifth generation of the multipurpose wheeled armored vehicle in the Piranha family from General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag.
The armored personnel carrier can be armed with various modular systems, ranging from remotely controlled light modules to small arms, heavy cannon-armed systems such as the 30mm LANCE turret. The armored personnel carrier combines an MTU diesel engine and efficient driving systems (FEDS), which give it a maximum speed of 100 km / h and a range of 550 km.
Pandur II 8×8
The Pandur II 8x8 APC is an improved version of the Pandur 6x6. It is a wheeled armored personnel carrier manufactured by General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr. The vehicle is currently in service with the Czech Army and the Portuguese Armed Forces.
Pandur II 8 × 8 armored personnel carrier is in service with the Czech army and the Portuguese armed forces
The Pandur II APC offers space for 14 troops, including crew, and can be fitted with modular armor to protect against ballistic threats, mines, improvised explosive devices and hand grenade launchers (RPGs).
The SP30 turret on the Pandur II is armed with the 30mm Mk 30-2 Mauser cannon, while the vehicles used by the Czech Army are equipped with a pod equipped with the 30mm Mk44 Bushmaster II. Additional armament includes a 7.62 mm machine gun and 76 mm smoke grenade launchers. The car has a top speed of 105 km/h and a range of 700 km.
ARMA 8×8 APC
The ARMA 8×8 Modular Wheeled Armored Vehicle was unveiled in Turkey by Otokar Otomotiv Savunma Sanayi at the International Defense Industry Fair (IDF) 2013. The ARMA base serves as a modular platform for various configurations to perform various missions.
The internal layout of the ARMA armored personnel carrier is designed to accommodate the driver, commander and ten servicemen. The armored hull provides a high degree of protection against kinetic energy (KE) cores, mines, RPGs, EFPs and improvised explosive devices.
ARMA 8×8 from Otokar is a new generation of wheeled APCs offering mobility, modularity and protection.
The ARMA version of the APC is equipped with a remote pod with 7.62mm/12.7mm machine guns or an open dome turret with a 20mm cannon or a Mizrak-30 remote controlled turret (30mm cannon + 7.62mm machine gun, anti-tank guided missiles L-UMTAS long range.These missiles are laser-guided). The six-cylinder diesel engine provides a top speed of 105 km/h and is capable of moving the car for a range of 700 km.
BTR-82A
The BTR-82A, an improved version of the BTR-80 family of vehicles, is an 8x8 armored personnel carrier manufactured by the Russian Military Industrial Company for use by the armies of Russia and Kazakhstan.
BTR-82A equipped with a 30 mm 2A72 cannon and a 7.62 mm PKMT machine gun
Production of the BTR-82A began in September 2013. The first vehicles are expected to be delivered to the Russian army in 2015. The vehicle can carry three crew members and seven fighters and offers more advanced protection compared to the BTR-80. Additional armor slots for the BTR-82A help protect the crew from mines and improvised explosive devices.
Features of the armored personnel carrier - a reinforced floor with several layers of armor. It is equipped with a 30 mm 2A72 dual-powered cannon and a 7.62 mm PKMT machine gun. Turbodiesel engine KAMAZ 740 with a power of 300 hp allows you to reach a maximum speed on the highway of 100 km / h and provides a cruising range of 600 km.
AV8 8×8 APC
The AV8 armored personnel carrier is produced by Deftech in collaboration with the FNSS and was shown in 2012. The vehicle was developed for the Malaysian Armed Forces based on the FNSS Pars 8×8 APC. Armored personnel carriers, which are in operation with the Turkish army.
The vehicle has the capacity to accommodate 13 troops and is fitted with a composite of aluminum and steel armor. It also has additional armor articulated to the frontal projection as well as both sides of the hull.
AV8 APC can reach a top speed of 100 km/h
The AV8 vehicle is fitted with a two-man Denel LTC30 turret with a 30mm GI-30 cannon and an FN Herstal MAG 58M co-axial (coaxial) 7.62mm machine gun. It is powered by a turbocharged Deutz diesel engine and can reach a top speed of 100 km/h and has a range of 700 km.
Terrex 8×8 APC
The Terrex 8×8 armored personnel carrier is manufactured by ST Kinetics and is in service with the Singapore Armed Forces. The vehicle offers greater mobility and increased survivability for 13 troops. It has a built-in central tire inflation system that allows you to automatically change tire pressure for various territories during movement.
Terrex 8x8 APC can carry 13 troops
The armored personnel carrier is equipped with active and passive layers of armor and can also be protected from improvised explosive devices and mines. It contains a twin-weapon remote control system that includes a 40mm automatic grenade launcher and a 7.62mm machine gun, or two 0.5" (12.7mm) heavy machine guns.
The car is powered by a six-cylinder, four-stroke Caterpillar C-9 turbodiesel engine that generates 450 hp. Its power allows the car to gain the necessary strength to reach a maximum speed of 105 km / h and travel up to 600 km.
BTR-4 8×8
BTR-4 - armored personnel carrier 8×8 manufactured by Kharkiv design office engineering them. Morozov (Ukraine). The vehicles are in service with the armies of Iraq and Ukraine and are designed to transfer motorized rifle units and provide fire support in combat operations.
BTR-4 was introduced in 2006, production started in 2008. It can carry three crew members and seven paratroopers and can hold its own against automatic small-caliber guns. It can work in any climatic conditions day and night.
Production of the BTR-4 was started in 2008.
The armored personnel carrier is equipped with a 30 mm automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun, and also has a 30 mm grenade launcher and anti-tank systems. It is powered by a 3TD diesel engine with a capacity of 500 horsepower, allowing it to reach a top speed of 110 km/h with a cruising range of 690 km.
Stryker ICV
The main armored personnel carrier (ICV), manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems for the US Army. The ICV entered service in 2002 and is available in eight variants. It can carry two crew members and nine fighters.
The Stryker ICV entered service with the US Army in 2002.
Hardened steel housing provides basic protection. The vehicle also has slot cells and can be equipped with various hull survivability kits. It is equipped with a remote module with a 50 caliber machine gun or an MK 19 grenade launcher + smoke grenade launchers for direct fire protection. Powered by a 350 hp Caterpillar JP-8 diesel engine, the car can reach a top speed of 96.5 km/h and has a maximum range of 530 km.
Continuing the Discovery Channel Top 10 list, I would like to draw your attention to another funny selection. This time, the attention of the experts was "Armored Personal Carriers" - a general designation for all types of armored vehicles designed to transport personnel. The review included both light armored personnel carriers weighing 5 tons and heavy infantry fighting vehicles. Despite the seeming absurdity, this is quite logical - all this equipment, tracked or wheeled, regardless of its size, performs the same task - transporting people and goods in military conflicts, protecting them with its armor. For example, there are no strict differences between, for example, an armored personnel carrier or an infantry fighting vehicle. The only thing that distinguished them in theory was that the infantry fighting vehicle was able to support the infantry in battle, when the armored personnel carrier only delivered them to the battlefield. With the disappearance of a clearly defined front line, and this is exactly what is observed in all local conflicts of the last quarter of the twentieth century, an armored personnel carrier and an infantry fighting vehicle now perform the same functions. Modern armored vehicles, regardless of their mass, often carry the same weapons, and serve as a platform for the creation of specialized military equipment - from command post and ambulances, to self-propelled howitzers and reactive systems salvo fire.
Unlike the controversial and controversial rating "10 best tanks according to the Military Channel, the rating of “10 best armored vehicles”, in my opinion, is very adequate and generally correct: it contains really worthy vehicles. It would be useful to add that you should not take such ratings seriously - after all, this is an infotainment program. That's why, dear readers, I recommend that you pay attention not so much to the places in the ranking as to the cars themselves. For example, I myself, not being an expert in the field of armored vehicles, did not suspect the existence of many of them. And yet, in this review there is a serious conclusion - the review shows the most promising directions development of armored vehicles, the right decisions and mistakes of designers. After all, if the landing party prefers to move ON the armor, and not UNDER the armor, then something is really wrong with the armored vehicles.
The criteria for comparison, as always, will be technical excellence, innovative solutions for creating this sample, manufacturability and mass production, and of course, the main judge is the experience of combat use.
Well, that's probably all I wanted to add from myself, this is the end of the prelude, let's move on to the rating. There are many worthy cars in the world, but exactly 10 fit into the top ten.
10th place - Marder
Bundeswehr infantry fighting vehicle, combat weight - 33 tons. Year of adoption - 1970. Crew - 3 people + 7 landing people.
It was created as a response to the Soviet BMP-1. The armament complex includes a 20 mm Rheinmetall-202 automatic cannon and an ATGM Milan. Speed (up to 75 km / h on the highway), excellent security, German quality - what else is needed for a good BMP? The overall picture is slightly spoiled by the lack of Marder combat experience- with the exception of episodic participation in operations on the territory of Afghanistan, this armored vehicle almost never left the German autobahns.
In total, the Germans assembled 2,700 of their miracle infantry fighting vehicles, including a self-propelled air defense system based on them. A good car in every way. Tenth place.
9th place - M1114
American armored car. As you might have guessed from the pictures, this is the legendary Humvee with a set of armor. By the mid-90s, from the experience of the combat use of the M998 chassis, it became clear that the army needed a light armored personnel carrier based on it, having anti-fragmentation armor and, most importantly, resistant mine protection. M1114 possessed all these qualities, combining mobility, security and firepower with a gross weight of less than 5 tons. The set of detachable weapons for the M1114 includes everything from light machine guns on the roof, to remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine gun mounts, MANPADS and anti-tank missile systems.
From here you should make a short digression to the Humvee (aka the M998 HMMWV chassis). Adopted by the United States in 1981 as a "highly mobile multi-purpose wheeled vehicle," the Humvee has become one of the symbols of the American army, lit up in all conflicts of the past 30 years. According to General Motors, 200,000 of all Humvee variants have been produced to date. One of the most important properties of this half-Group-half-jeep was the versatility of the design. Here are just some of the cars based on it:
M998 - cargo open car,
M998 Avenger - variant with anti-aircraft missile system"Stinger"
M966 - armored jeep with TOW anti-tank system,
M1097 - two-seater pickup,
M997 - ambulance jeep with a four-seater cabin,
M1026 - variant with a fully enclosed four-seat body and winch,
M1035 - ambulance version with four-door cab,
M1114 - light armored personnel carrier, one of the most massive versions of the Humvee
The designers of General Motors were able to find the optimal balance between the carrying capacity, which allows it to perform all the functions of a universal army vehicle, mount a variety of weapons and armor protection, and, at the same time, did not unnecessarily overweight the car, while maintaining the dimensions of a large jeep. "Humvee" has become the standard in its class. Now army SUVs in all countries of the world borrow its technical solutions, layout and appearance.
A priori, military equipment cannot be successful in the civilian market in conditions of free competition. This axiom always proves the justification for exorbitant military spending: “If you don’t want to feed your own army, you will feed someone else’s,” etc. in the same spirit. In the case of the Hammer, we see the opposite - a stylish army vehicle, retaining the main components (including a 6 liter engine, transmission, suspension), became a successful commercial project - in 1992, its civilian version of the Hummer H1 went into production with minimal cosmetic changes, further developing into the iconic Hummer H2 luxury SUV with a luxury interior and automatic transmission.
The armored army version of the Humvee M1114 fought a lot around the world, often came under fire, burned, exploded, got stuck in the mud, but nevertheless, saved the lives of the soldiers sitting inside. What is required of a real military equipment.
8th place - The Universal Carrier
British multi-purpose armored personnel carrier-tractor - the main assistant to the British soldier. A plain-looking car with a crew of 5 people famously moved at speeds up to 50 km / h across the battlefields of the Second World War. The Universal Carrier fought on all fronts: from Europe and Eastern Front to the Sahara and the jungles of Indonesia. Later he managed to take part in the war on the Korean Peninsula and ended his career gloriously in the 1960s.
With a mass of only 4 tons, The Universal Carrier had decent cross-country ability and was protected by 10 mm armor. The armament of the linear armored personnel carriers included a 14 mm anti-tank rifle and / or a 7.7 mm Bren machine gun. In addition to the basic version, the troops received the Wasp flamethrower and self-propelled guns with a 40 mm gun created on its platform.
In total, over the years of mass production from 1934 to 1960. in the UK, USA, Australia and Canada, 113,000 of these small but so useful machines were produced.
7th place - Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251
A formidable war machine that crushed the countries of Europe, the sands of North Africa and the icy expanses of Russia with its wheels and caterpillars.
The SdKfz 251 half-tracked armored personnel carrier fully corresponded to the Blitzkrieg strategy - a fast, roomy and well-protected vehicle with high cross-country ability. Crew - 2 people + 10 people landing, speed on the highway 50 km / h, wheeled-caterpillar mover, circular armor up to 15 mm thick. Like any German technology, the armored personnel carrier was equipped with a huge variety of options and equipment to perform any task. The German engineering genius was at full strength, here's a look at the scale: SdKfz 251 was equipped with a variety of surveillance and communication devices, cranes and winches, radio stations of all types and frequencies, assault bridges, sets of removable armor and a variety of weapons, among which there was even such exotic as jet multiple launch rocket systems Wurframen 40 caliber 280 mm.
A great many specialized vehicles were created on the SdKfz 251 platform: in addition to the basic model, ambulances and command and staff vehicles, surveillance and communications vehicles, mobile telephone exchanges, artillery spotter posts, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with automatic 20 mm guns MG 151/20, flamethrower vehicles were produced , mobile firing points with 37 mm and 75 mm anti-tank guns, engineer equipment ...
Among these structures were indeed unique samples armored vehicles, such as Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen - a noise direction finder for determining the position of enemy artillery positions out of sight or Infrarotscheinwerfer - a self-propelled infrared searchlight for illuminating the night sights of Panther tanks.
From myself I can add the following: lovers of revelations and followers of Vladimir Rezun's work, meticulously counting the number of German armored vehicles, somehow always forget to include 15,000 SdKfz 251 armored personnel carriers produced by the German industry in their lists, although these armored vehicles surpassed many tanks of that period in their capabilities .
By the way, the SdKfz 251 armored personnel carrier was so good that it was produced in Czechoslovakia until 1962.
6th place - M1126 "Stryker"
The youngest recruit in the US Army. The Stryker family of wheeled fighting vehicles was created specifically for low-intensity conflicts and "colonial wars", when the use of heavy armored vehicles, Abrams tanks or Bradley infantry fighting vehicles is redundant, and light brigade combat teams are not effective enough. fighting on the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan confirmed the correctness of this decision.
The basic version of the M1126 became the first wheeled armored vehicle of this class in the US Army. Due to the exceptional smoothness of the ride, the armored personnel carrier received the nickname "Shadow" (Shadow) in the troops. When creating the M1126, special emphasis was placed on increasing the protective properties of the machine. Steel spaced armor is supplemented with mounted armor modules of the MEXAS type weighing 1700 kg. This type of armor contains a ceramic layer glued to a layer of high strength Kevlar fibers. The purpose of the alumina ceramic layer is to break the projectile and distribute the kinetic energy over a larger base area. In terms of resistance, MEXAS, with the same mass as steel armor, surpasses it twice. Much attention was paid to mine protection - the double bottom of the car, depreciation, additional booking of the most vulnerabilities- all this, according to American designers, should reduce the likelihood of hitting the crew of an armored vehicle.
The armored personnel carrier is equipped with a high-tech weapon system, which includes a remotely controlled installation with a .50 caliber machine gun and a 40 mm Mark-19 automatic grenade launcher with an ammunition load of 448 grenades. The detection and target designation module includes a night sight and a laser rangefinder.
An 18-ton armored personnel carrier can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h on the highway, and the 8x8 wheel arrangement and tire pressure reduction system provide sufficient cross-country ability. A serious drawback for machines of this type is that the Stryker cannot swim.
The Styker family, in addition to the armored personnel carrier, includes
combat reconnaissance and patrol vehicle M1127, fire support vehicle M1128 with a 105 mm cannon, 120 mm self-propelled mortar M1129, KShM M1130, artillery correction post M1131, engineering vehicle M1132, armored medical evacuator M1133, self-propelled anti-tank missile system M1134 with ATGM "TOU- 2", and the M1135 radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance vehicle.
The Strykers have been serving in Iraq since 2003.
5th place - אכזרית (Achzarit)
Heavy tracked armored personnel carrier of the Israel Defense Forces. It is the most protected armored vehicle of this class in the world.
The 200 mm armor of the Soviet tank (you won't believe it, but the Achzarit are captured Syrian T-54s and T-55s with their turrets removed) was reinforced with applied perforated steel sheets with carbon fibers, and a set of dynamic protection was installed on top. The total weight of the additional booking was 17 tons, which, combined with the low silhouette of the vehicle, made it possible to provide an exceptionally high level of armored personnel carrier protection.
On the way to the border
The Soviet engine was replaced by a more compact 8-cylinder General Motors diesel engine, which made it possible to equip a corridor along the starboard side of the tank leading from the troop compartment to the aft armored door. When tilting the aft ramp, part of the roof is lifted hydraulically, making it easier to dismount the troops. In addition, the partially open aft door is used as a loophole.
Achzarit is equipped with a Rafael OWS (Overhead Weapon Station) remotely controlled machine gun mount. Three 7.62-mm machine guns are used as additional weapons: one - on the pivot installation of the commander's hatch and two - on the rear hatches.
As a result, the 44-ton monster is an excellent tool for fighting in urban areas, where an RPG grenade launcher can be in the opening of each window. Achzarit is not afraid of point-blank fire from all the means in service with Hezbollah and Hamas militants, reliably covering 10 crew members with its armor.
In fairness, it should be noted that the most protected armored personnel carrier in the world is still the Namer (weight more than 50 tons) on the chassis of the Merkava tank, only a symbolic number of Namers was produced - 60 units, unlike Achzarit, in which 500 T-54/55 tanks were converted.
4th place - BMP-1
The armored infantry vehicle (that's exactly what, according to American experts) significantly increased the offensive power of motorized rifle units. The ingenious concept of the BMP-1 was to increase the mobility and security of the infantry, acting in conjunction with the tanks. The car was demonstrated to the world community during the parade on Red Square in 1967.
The body of the BMP-1 was welded from armor plates with a thickness of 15 ... 20 mm, according to calculations, this was enough to provide all-round protection against bullets fired from a hand-held rifle, and at heading angles protection was provided even from small-caliber guns.
The 13-ton combat vehicle developed up to 65 km / h on the highway and up to 7 km / h afloat (even the track rollers were made hollow to increase buoyancy). Inside were placed 3 crew members and 8 paratroopers. The armament complex consisted of a 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore grenade launcher, a PKT machine gun and a 9M14M Malyutka anti-tank missile system. Separate loopholes were equipped for the paratroopers sitting inside. All this, in theory, turned the BMP-1 into universal machine new generation.
Alas, everything turned out to be more complicated. The Americans severely criticized the decisions of the Soviet designers, especially the design of the rear doors of the troop compartment (really, very dubious): “Probably this is thick armor that reliably protects the crew of the vehicle? Not! Those are fuel tanks!” With the defeat of the machine, this arrangement turned the BMP into a fire trap.
Based on the results of the battles in the Middle East and Afghanistan, it quickly became clear that the designers had saved on armor in vain - the BMP was confidently hit by the DShK machine gun. Low protection against mines, small arms and grenade launchers has led to the fact that soldiers prefer to move around sitting on the armor, not daring to go down into the fighting compartment of the vehicle. The shortcomings of the weapons also made themselves felt - in the highlands, the Thunder turned out to be useless due to the low elevation angle.
Those same tanks in the aft hatches
Soviet designers made an attempt to correct errors in the next generation car. The new BMP-2 received an automatic 30 mm cannon with an elevation angle of 85 degrees. The next model, the BMP-3, despite the loud calls of the military to increase security, was the apotheosis of absurdity: having almost tank weapons, it still has "cardboard" armor.
And yet it is worth paying tribute to the Soviet designers. The infantry fighting vehicle has become a fundamentally new class of armored vehicles. Despite its innovativeness, the BMP-1 has gone through more than a dozen military conflicts around the world. In addition, it was cheap and massive: a total of 20,000 machines of this type were produced.
3rd place - MCV-80 "Warrior"
British infantry fighting vehicle. There is more to her name than just "Warrior". Combat weight - 25 tons. Highway speed - 75 km / h. The armored body of the MCV-80 is welded from rolled sheets of aluminum-magnesium-zinc alloy and protects against 14.5-mm bullets and fragments of 155-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells, and the bottom - from 9 kg of anti-tank mines. The sides and chassis are covered with rubber anti-cumulative screens. The armored hull of the "Warrior" has an internal lining that protects the crew from armor fragments, which is also soundproofing. The space between the backs of the troop seats and the sides of the hull is used for stowage of spare parts and equipment of infantrymen, which creates additional protection for the troop compartment. Outside, the armor is reinforced with reactive armor. Armament: 30 mm L21A1 "Rarden" automatic cannon, coaxial machine gun, 94 mm LAW-80 grenade launcher. The crew of the car is 3 people. Landing - 7 people.
The British command had high hopes for its promising BMP. And the "Warrior" did not disappoint its creators - of the 300 vehicles that took part in the "Desert Storm" not one was lost in battle. A noteworthy incident occurred in El-Amar (Iraq) on May 1, 2004: 14 RPG grenades hit the Warrior patrol. The heavily damaged car managed to fight back and under its own power got out of the fire, saving the lives of the fighters inside it (the entire crew was burned and injured). BMP commander Johnson Gideon Biharry was awarded the Victoria Cross.
In 2011, the UK government allocated 1.6 billion pounds for the modernization of the MCV-80 under the WCSP program. In particular, it is reported that the BMP will receive new complex weapons with a 40 mm automatic gun.
Here is such an MCV-80 "Warrior" - a machine that soldiers trust.
2nd place - M2 "Bradley"
American infantry fighting vehicle. Combat weight - 30 tons. Speed - 65 km / h on the highway, 7 km / h afloat. Crew - 3 people. Landing - 6 people.
Multi-layered armor made of steel and aluminum with a thickness of 50 mm provides all-round protection against small-caliber artillery shells. The hinged dynamic protection system serves as a reliable barrier to RPG rocket-propelled grenades. The case has a Kevlar lining on the inside, which prevents the formation of fragments. On the latest modifications, 30 mm steel screens are additionally mounted on the sides.
Armament: 25 mm automatic gun M242 "Bushmaster" with a computerized fire control system, ATGM "TOW" and 6 machine guns M231 FPW. The equipment of the armored vehicle includes such excesses as the TACNAV tactical navigation system, the ELRF laser rangefinder, the infrared system passive protection from ATGMs and a food rations heater MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat).
At the time of its appearance, in 1981, the US military doubted the combat qualities of the new BMP. But in 1991, during Desert Storm, all doubts were dispelled: the Bradleys, using shells with depleted uranium cores, destroyed more Iraqi tanks than the main battle tanks M1 Abrams. And only 1 BMP was lost from enemy fire.
The well-deserved combat vehicle has become one of the most massive infantry fighting vehicles in the world - a total of 7000 M2 Bradleys were produced. On its basis, the M3 combat reconnaissance vehicle, the M6 self-propelled air defense system and the launcher for the MLRS and tactical missiles M270 MLRS are also produced.
1st place - M113
M113 Lithuanian Armed Forces on parade in Kaunas
Floating tracked vehicle weighing 11 tons. All-round protection is provided by 40 mm aluminum armor. Excellent capacity - 2 crew members and 11 paratroopers. Standard armament - heavy machine gun M2. Fast (speed on the highway - up to 64 km / h), passable and easy to maintain, the car has become the most famous armored personnel carrier in the world. 85000 М113 of all modifications were in service with 50 countries of the world. The M113 went through all the conflicts from the Vietnam War, to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and, as of today, is still in production and is the main armored personnel carrier of the US Army.
In addition to the armored personnel carrier, the M113 existed in the form of a command and control vehicle, self-propelled 107 mm mortar, anti-aircraft self-propelled unit(they were armed with everything from the six-barreled Vulkan to the Chapperell air defense system), a repair and recovery vehicle, an ambulance, a tank destroyer with TOW ATGMs, a radiation and chemical reconnaissance vehicle, and launcher MLRS.
Some are used exclusively for defense, others for attacking actions and suppressing enemy fire. One thing is for sure: there are war machines of the world that surprise with their armor, speed and capabilities, including destructive ones. Let's talk about the most interesting and well-known models, consider their key features, capabilities in a combat conflict, and much more. We will pay special attention to equipment for transporting personnel, as it is very interesting.
Some general information
As noted above, we will mostly talk about equipment for transporting infantry, for example, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. In fact, they practically do not differ from each other. The key difference between the BMP is that such equipment is capable of supporting allied infantry on the battlefield, while the armored personnel carrier is only able to transport it to its destination. But at present, all these machines are used for the same purpose. The Marder tank, for example, is a fairly well-known vehicle of the Bundeswehr. The equipment weighs about 33 tons. It was adopted back in 1970 and is still among the top ten infantry fighting vehicles to this day. Serves for transportation of infantry (7 people). The crew of the BMP consists of three people. This is, of course, a worthy German car, however, it did not participate in hostilities.
The best combat vehicles in the world: M1114
This one is from America. Seeing it in the photo, you can immediately guess that this is the same legendary Humvee. Around 1990, a decision was made to replace the M998 chassis, which was not effective enough in a military conflict. At the same time, the developers were tasked with improving speed, anti-fragmentation and anti-mine armor and keeping within the weight of 5 tons. All this has been achieved. Among other things, impressive firepower was added. In particular, the detachable armament consists of anti-tank missile systems, remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine guns, as well as light machine guns on the roof.
Today, the Humvee is the symbol of the US Army, as this armored mobile wheeled vehicle has been used in all conflicts for 30 years. According to some reports, about 200,000 different modifications of the Humvee have now been manufactured. Of course, this armored vehicle was very often shelled, broke down, caught fire, stalled and exploded, but the survival rate of the crew was quite high.
Universal Carrier and Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251
The first tank comes from Britain. He, in fact, is an armored personnel carrier-tractor. The Universal Carrier is rather unsightly, however, with a crew of 5 people, the car moved at a speed of 50 km / h and had a fairly good cross-country ability. During the Second World War, it was used on almost all fronts. Vehicle weight - 4 tons with 10 mm armor. From 1934 to 1960, about 110,000 of these machines were manufactured, after which they were discontinued.
Quite famous is a half-tracked armored personnel carrier called SdKfz 251. This is a very fast, roomy and fairly protected vehicle. Most likely, that is why the Germans fell in love with her. The crew consisted of only two people, while 10 landing people could fit in the back. Protected personnel armor plate 15 mm thick. During the years of World War II, the SdKfz 251 went through quite a few modifications. Various surveillance and communication devices were installed, as well as weapons such as a multiple rocket launcher system.
world: Achzarit and BMP-1
Achzarit is Israel's heavy equipment, which is used exclusively for defensive purposes. It is currently the most secure armored vehicle of its kind. "In the forehead" is a 200 mm thick armor plate, which has been improved with dynamic protection and carbon fibers. All this added 17 tons of weight to the armored personnel carrier, but significantly increased the chances of personnel to survive. Achzarit is ideal for combat operations in urban environments. This is due to thick armor plates. The car is not afraid of shots from grenade launchers even at close range, to say nothing of shrapnel damage.
BMP - armored has armor plates 15-20 mm thick, which allows you to protect personnel from small arms, fragments, as well as small-caliber shells. The speed on the highway is about 75 km / h, and afloat - 7 km / h. Although this machine is in the TOP of the best, it has a lot of drawbacks. In particular, due to getting into the fuel tanks, the BMP turned into a fire trap; besides this, the armor can be pierced from For this simple reason, soldiers prefer to ride on the armor, and not behind it.
Leopard 2A7 and Abrams
These are the only tanks that have passed 10 out of 12 tests in simulated tank battles. "Leopard" is a full-fledged warrior who can storm and defend himself in the conditions of the city and open areas. Equipped with a 122 mm cannon, it has armor "in the forehead" of the 1300 mm turret, which makes it completely invulnerable. The weight of the Leopard is 67 tons, but even so it shows good dynamics and accelerates to 75 km / h. This model can even be found in the magazine publishing house"DeAgostini". The combat vehicles of the world, collected in the editions of this popular magazine, undoubtedly deserve attention. "
Abrams" and "Leopard" repeat each other. The only key difference is that the Abrams has 1,000 mm of frontal armor, which is also quite a lot.
T-90 - one of the best
The Russian-made T-90 tank also deserves attention. It is equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore gun that can fire armor-piercing, sub-caliber, cumulative, high-explosive and anti-tank missiles. A 12.7 mm machine gun is mounted on the roof, capable of firing up to 900 rounds per minute, which can fire at air targets. A 7.62 mm machine gun with a range of up to 2 km is also provided. In general, this is an excellent tank, for which a separate collection is reserved. The combat vehicles of the world presented in this article are real. But some of them have long been in museums, while others are actively involved in conflicts around the world.
Briefly about "M2 Bradley"
This American infantry fighting vehicle has earned many awards and wide recognition for its protection. Indeed, quite a lot of attention is paid here to the survival of the crew (dynamic protection, multilayer armor 50 mm thick and much more). There are also excellent weapons here, allowing personnel conduct aimed fire at the enemy. We can say that today these are the most massive models. Combat vehicles of the world of this type are still being manufactured today. About 7,000 copies have already been released.
Conclusion
So we reviewed with you the most rated and famous combat vehicles. Among them, as you can see, there are tanks, which simply cannot be ignored. There is no doubt that there is a large number of techniques worthy of attention, but it will take a lot of time to describe all of them. In any case, France, Great Britain, India, Russia, and so on have worthy models. But we have considered the most commonly used or those that were previously exploited. All equipment is mobile and provides good protection for the crew and troops. In addition, engineers are constantly trying to improve weapons, which allows you to support allies during a military conflict.
