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BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Report : Chems
Many people
don't see the Russians, formarly the
USSR as been technolgical pinoers but
they'd be very wrong. They had the first
manned space flight and the first space
station, but one of there lesser known
acheviments was the modern Infantry Fighting
Vehicle. The first BMP made by the Russians
was the BMP-1 IFV which appeared in the
60s. Never before had a APC had such
fighting capabilities.
The BMP
had a massive fire power with a 73mm
cannon and Malutka anit tank missles.
This capabiltiy allowed it to engage
any tanks of the time. The BMP could
carry 8 soilders in the rear whos outwards
facing seats and holes in the side meant
that they could fire there personal weapons
as well. It had two large rear doors
and 4 hatches which allowed rapid and
safe troop deployment. The profile of
the BMP was low which meant it was a
harder target that the large main battle
tanks. Its off road cabilities were good
to with the ability of water crossings
with out perperation of the vehicle.
The slanted front armour meant that it
could withstand small calibure gun shots
as well. Never before had an APC been
seen with this type and range of features
and seat the bench mark for the rest
of the APC produced by the western world.
The Russians
knew they were on to a winning forumla
and made sure they could upgrade it,
a new 30mm automatic cannon and new 9M113
anti-armor missile and more armour, but
the decreased carrying capacity from
8 to 7. More changes were made still
and the way the troops disimbarking was
changed making it safer, also more shooting
holes were created. Also a 7.62mm machine
gun and 2 9M133 Kornet launchers were
mounted in the turret which meant that
the turret was now manless. 2 PKT machine
guns were mounted on the front and could
be operated by the troops the BMP was
carrying. This new configuration was
the BMP-3. In 1982 new turrets replaced
the older versions, this new turret had
2A70 100mm thin-walled, threaded cannon
and 2A72 30mm automatic cannon and a
laser range finder. A modern 2K23 fire
control system is installed which has
a ballistic compter and 1K12-2 gun sight
which included infra red capabilities.
TKN-3s stabalized gun sights were installed
wide spread which were cheaper than the
better TKN-4s. The BMP-3 had a lower
track pressure and was equiped with a
propellor which allowed it better speed
on water and manovability than the track
driven water borne tanks.
The BMP-3
was the Russians cutting edge techonolgy
and was meant for a large scale hi tec
war with NATO and on the break up of
the Soviet Union many BMP-3s were put
into long term storage because of the
increased price after the USSR broke
up. The BMP-3 would have never seen combat
because it was not used in Chechen campagin
because it was not deemed a high tec
conflict for its use. The BMP-3 widy
exported to the Arabs UAE, Kuwait, Cyprus,
the Greeks, South Korea, Sri Lanka Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
The BMP-3
has yet again seen many upgrades and
new roles made for it but the main vehicle
remains. It is on of the most heavily
armoured APCs in the world but it has
its floors. The rear engine, poor engine
air filter for desert use and weak catapillar
wheels as well as troubles with the auto
loader. The BMP-3 certainly is an attractive
alternative for rich countries which
want to possess a modern army. However
nothing indicates that it will be as
popular as BMP-1 or 2.
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