Airborne combat vehicles are light armored vehicles designed for parachute landing. They appeared in the USSR and had no analogues in the world, however, other countries did not particularly try to do something similar.

BMD are designed to transport infantry and support it with the fire of their guns. In this they are similar to infantry fighting vehicles, but differ in strictly limited dimensions and weight, allowing military transport aircraft to parachute vehicles using a parachute.

History of creation

It all started in the early 1960s, when the Soviet Union needed armed armored vehicles capable of transporting troops under tactical nuclear weapons, fight enemy armored vehicles and be air transportable.

At that time, infantry fighting vehicles existed, but their mass of 13 tons was not very suitable for transportation by plane, and there was no parachute system.

Commanding airborne troops Margelov put forward an initiative to create a new machine, characterized by small dimensions and weight.

Military service and combat use

In 1968 in mass production entered the BMD-1, which became the first-born in the family of such equipment. A machine weighing 7.2 tons, with bulletproof aluminum armor and protection against weapons of mass destruction, was easily transported by aircraft and parachuted along with the troops and crew inside.

Crew of 2 people, 5 paratroopers in the transport and combat compartment. The turret is equipped with a 73 mm 2A28 "Thunder" gun, a machine gun is paired with it. To combat heavily armored vehicles, a 9K11 Malyutka anti-tank system with ammunition in 3 wire-guided missiles was installed on the roof of the tower.

BMD-1 took part in many military conflicts, for example, in Afghanistan, two Chechen wars, Transnistrian and South Ossetian conflicts. There is one confirmed case of hitting an enemy tank with a 73 mm cannon.

The main disadvantage was the extremely weak security. Also, a large-caliber gun was poorly suited to combat enemy manpower and lightly armored targets at distances of 500 meters or more.

Perfection

In 1985, the BMD-2 appeared, equipped with a rapid-fire 30-mm 2A42 cannon and capable of fighting air targets with the help of air defense systems.

However, in 2013, the vast majority of such equipment was in poor condition, as stated by the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov. He stressed that, in addition to the wear and tear of the mechanisms, the machines are morally obsolete and do not meet the requirements of the modern army.

From 1990 to 1997, the production of the BMD-3 was carried out, featuring a new hull, running gear, and so on. In total, about 10 units of such equipment are in service with the domestic army.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the BMD-4, the newest member of this family. Not a very popular car due to the extremely high price and the shortcomings inherited from its predecessors in the form of poor protection.

What's next

Today, not everyone sees the meaning in cars of this class. Yes, they have advantages in the form of the ability to transport 2-3 vehicles in 1 aircraft, good mobility and sufficient firepower, but are they enough to cover the main drawback in the form of poor crew and landing protection?

Let's leave this question to the military leaders, however, it is worth noting that such a technique is not used all over the world. Of course, there are small-sized airborne vehicles like the Wiesel, but they are not designed to transport troops and serve a different role on the battlefield.

Over the years, R & D was launched to create a number of military and special vehicles on the basis of the BMD-3, however, for various reasons, most of them stopped at the stages of preparing working design documentation and manufacturing prototypes for preliminary tests.


Among the vehicles on the BMD-3 chassis put into serial production, one can mention the BMD-4 airborne combat vehicle, a 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S25 "Octopus-SD" and reconnaissance chemical machine RHM-5. The development of the amphibious multi-purpose armored personnel carrier BTR-MD has also been completed.

Commander BMD-ZK

Preliminary tests of the Bakhcha-K command modification took place in 1993, state tests - in 1994, and in 1996, under the designation BMD-ZK, it was put into service. The combat crew of the BMD-ZK was reduced to five people, radio stations and navigation equipment were additionally mounted on the vehicle. However, the BMD-ZK was not mass-produced.

BMD-4

Even at the stage of forming the appearance of a family of military and special vehicles for the Airborne Forces on the basis of the "airborne combat vehicle of the 90s", the designers on their own initiative proposed to include in it "an airborne combat vehicle with enhanced armament and protection characteristics." The complex of its main armament would be similar to the BMP-3 being developed at the same time (100-mm gun, 30-mm automatic cannon and 7.62-mm machine gun in a single unit in a double turret) with a combat weight of 14-15 tons. perform a promising BMD on a six- or seven-roller chassis - depending on the planned capacity. The project was never implemented, however, the issue of strengthening the weapons of the BMD and its unification with the weapons of the serial BMP-3 returned already in the second half of the 1990s.

The BMD-4 has a single BO "Bakhcha-U" manufactured by KBP

This time it was about a significant modernization of the BMD-3 with the preservation of the five-roller chassis and the installation of a two-seat fighting compartment with an armament complex similar to the BMP-3. A new fighting compartment (combat module) was developed in the Tula Instrument Design Bureau (KBP) as part of the BMP-3 modernization program. ROC on the airborne combat vehicle with a new unified fighting compartment received the code "Bakhcha-U" (which is often referred to as the fighting compartment). KBP turned out to be the leading enterprise in this R&D. The co-contractor on the chassis was, of course, VgTZ, where the work was carried out under the guidance of the chief designer V.V. Khanakina. Collaborations KBP and VgTZ have been deploying on this vehicle since 1997. An experimental fighting compartment was manufactured by KBP and Tulamashzavod in 2001 and was tested on the BMD-3 chassis.

The new airborne combat vehicle was adopted on December 31, 2004 under the designation BMD-4. In May 2005, in Tula, on the territory of the State Unitary Enterprise "KBP", its General Designer A.G. Shipunov solemnly handed over to the commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel-General A.P. Kolmakov received four BMD-4s, and in August of the same year, the 137th separate parachute regiment(Ryazan). It was supposed to organize mass production of BMD-4 with the manufacture of new chassis at VgTZ and the gradual modernization of previously issued BMD-3 to the level of BMD-4 during the overhaul.

One of the first airborne combat vehicles BMD-4 ("Object 960"). Embrasure automatic grenade launcher in the front hull sheet is not yet muffled

BMD-4 afloat

Airborne combat vehicles BMD-4. The built-in weapons installation and the combined sights of the gunner and commander are clearly visible.

Of course, there were some frictions. Against the background of generally positive feedback from the command of the Airborne Forces, there were complaints about the excess of the BMD-4 mass limit of 13.2 tons, which had previously been agreed with great difficulty for the BMD-3 (although such a radical increase in armament could have given a much greater increase in mass). The intensive operation of the first three BMD-4s in the 137th regiment made it possible to identify a number of problems. In particular, claims were also made about the "docking of the turret and chassis" - mainly to the compatibility of the electrical equipment of the vehicle body and the fighting compartment, to the narrow temperature range of limit switches, etc. The workmanship of some parts caused criticism, which required improvements. If the paratroopers who operated the first BMD-4s even joked that in the car “one more place needs to be provided - for a plant representative” (and representatives of the KBP and VgTZ were all the time in the unit in the process of trial operation), then to the machines of the next serial the parties were treated much better. From Ryazan, the BMD-4 was transferred to the 76th Airborne Assault Division (Pskov).

BMD-4 retained the chassis and general scheme layout of the base BMD-3. In the control compartment along the axis of the machine there is a driver, to the right and left of him - two paratroopers, as well as two universal seats, on which the commander and gunner are placed during landing. Behind the control compartment is a fighting compartment with the main armament and two crew members in a rotating turret. Behind the tower is a troop compartment with three places for paratroopers to land and disembark through the aft landing hatch. The engine-transmission department (MTO) occupies back corps.

A 100-mm 2A70 gun-launcher is assembled in a single block in the turret, a 30-mm 2A72 automatic cannon is to the right of it, and a 7.62-mm PKT or PKTM machine gun is to the left. The designers of the KBP managed to make the built-in installation of various-caliber weapons quite compact; the block has a length of 3943 mm, a width along the trunnions of 655 mm, and a mass of 583 kg. Vertical pointing angles of the weapon block - from -6 to + 60 °.

2A70 is a rifled 100-mm low-ballistics gun with a vertical wedge breech, with the ability to launch an anti-tank weapon through the barrel. guided missile(ATGM), equipped with a single automatic loader for high-explosive fragmentation shells and ATGMs. The machine delivers shots from storage areas to the loading plane of the gun-launcher, sends them into the chamber and removes the spent cartridge case outside the fighting compartment. Accordingly, the automatic loader includes a conveyor, mechanisms for loading, loading and opening the ejection hatch. The frame of the conveyor, in which the shots are placed in trays, is placed under the floor of the fighting compartment and can rotate relative to the latter using an electromechanical or manual (emergency) drive. The automatic loader reduces the gas contamination inside the vehicle and ensures that the gun is loaded within 4-6 s.

The ATGM, together with the gun and control equipment, constitutes a complex of guided weapons. It can include ZUBK23-3 shots with 9M117M1 ATGM or ZUBK10-3 with 9M117 ATGM. The control system of both ATGMs is semi-automatic according to the laser beam. ATGM 9M117M1 "Arkan" with armor penetration of 750 mm with overcoming dynamic protection allows at ranges up to 5500 m to hit modern main battle tanks, including M1A1 "Abrams", "Leopard-2", etc. (armor penetration of the 9M117 ATGM warhead - 550 mm without providing overcoming the DZ, maximum firing range - 4000 m). The gun ammunition includes 100-mm rounds with high-explosive fragmentation projectiles: 3UOF19 with a 3OF70 projectile and 3UOF17 with a 3OF32 projectile. The optimized shape of the projectile, some of its relief with an increase in the propellant charge in the ZUOF19 shot made it possible to fire at a distance of up to 7000 m versus 4000 m with the ZUOF17, while the power of the ZOF70 projectile of the ZUOF19 shot was increased due to a larger filling factor, and the accuracy of fire was also improved.

The 2A72 automatic gun has a double-sided belt feed with automated and manual feed switching. The ammunition load includes ZUBR6 cartridges with armor-piercing tracer, ZUBR8 cartridges with armor-piercing sub-caliber and ZUOF8 cartridges with high-explosive fragmentation-incendiary shells. The firing range of the 30-mm gun is up to 4000 m with high-explosive fragmentation and up to 2500 m with armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles. Used links of cannon and machine gun belts, spent machine gun cartridges are retracted inside the fighting compartment. The armament complex is designed to destroy not only ground targets (main battle tanks, armored vehicles, manpower openly and in shelters, firing structures, ATGM launchers, etc.), but also low-flying air targets of the enemy (the possibility of hitting helicopters with fire from a 30-mm cannon or ATGM ).

Ammunition for the mechanized ammo rack is 34 unitary 100-mm rounds (including four rounds from ATGMs), 350 rounds for a 30-mm automatic cannon and 2,000 rounds for a 7.62-mm machine gun. In addition, there are six spare 81 mm ZD6 (ZD6M) smoke grenades for smoke grenade launchers. During air transportation and parachute landing of the BMD-4, a decrease in the ammunition load was established. This is one of the forced measures to “remove” excess mass, since for landing it is necessary to reduce the mass of the vehicle from 13.6 to 13.2 tons.

A significant innovation and advantage of the new fighting compartment was an automated all-day fire control system (FCS), including:
- high-precision combined (day / night) gunner's sight with independent two-plane stabilization of the field of view, optical, thermal imaging and rangefinder channels, an ATGM control information channel. The magnification factor of the day channel is 12x, the range of the measured range along the rangefinder channel is up to 10,000 m;
- commander's panoramic sight with day/night and rangefinding channels, allowing the commander to give target designation to the gunner, as well as to conduct aimed fire with all types of weapons, except for ATGMs;
- target tracking machine, combined with thermal imaging and television channels of sights;
- a two-plane armament stabilizer that provides a minimum guidance speed of 0.02 degrees / s and a maximum transfer speed of 60 degrees / s;
- digital ballistic computer;
- external information sensors;
- gunner's and commander's consoles, commander's and gunner's monitors, control panel.

The combined gunner's sight and the commander's panoramic sight were developed by the Design Bureau together with Temp-Avia ANPP (Arzamas), FSUE Polyus Research Institute (Moscow), VOMZ OJSC (Vologda). JSC NKB VS (Taganrog), a ballistic computer, control panels, navigation equipment - MIET (Zelenograd), a stabilizer - JSC SKB PA (Kovrov) were involved in the creation of the target tracking machine. So the KBP did not exaggerate, saying that the components for the assembly of the BMD-4 "are brought from all over Russia." The components of the OMS are connected by a single information and control system. The SLA allows the commander and gunner to conduct effective fire from a place and on the move (including afloat), day and night, and significantly increases the reconnaissance capabilities of the BMD-4. The ability to conduct aimed fire on the move for a lightly armored vehicle is probably still greater value than for vehicles of the heavy category, since it helps to reduce vulnerability to enemy fire. On the other hand, an increase in the firing range of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile makes it possible for the BMD-4 to support the actions of paratroopers with fire from closed positions.




The performance characteristics of the BMD-4

Gross weight, t .............................................. .13.6
Crew + landing, people .............................. 2 + 5

Air transportation ..................... by aircraft of the Il-76 (M, MD), An-22 type

Height on the working clearance, mm .................... 2227
Length with cannon forward, mm .............................. 6780
Body length, mm.......................................6000
Width, mm ............................................... .....3256
Clearance, mm .............. 100-500 (working - 420)

Armament:
launcher weapon:
- brand ................................................ ........2А70
-caliber (mm), type .........................100, rifled
- loading ............................ automatic loader
- rate of fire (OFS), rds / min .... 10-12 gun:
- brand ................................................ ........2А72
-caliber (mm), type .............................30, rifled

automatic
- rate of fire, rds / min .............................. 200-300 or 550

machine gun:
- brand ................................................ .......PKTM
- caliber, mm ............................................... ...7.62

Weapon aiming angles:
- on the horizon ............................................... ..360"
- vertically forward......................from -6" to +60"

Ammunition:
- shots to 100 mm
gun-launcher with anti-tank guided missiles .................. 4
- shots for a 100-mm gun-launcher with OFS .............................................. .......34
- cartridges for the 30-mm gun .............................. 464
- cartridges for 7.62 mm machine gun ....................... 2000

Armor protection ......................... bulletproof

Engine:
- type.................................................four-stroke 6- cylinder diesel with gas-turbine turbocharging, direct fuel injection, liquid cooling
- brand ................................................ .....2B-06-2
- power, h.p. (kW).......................450(331) at 2000 rpm
Specific power, hp / t .............................. 33

Transmission ...............................hydromechanical with differential rotation mechanism, with hydrostatic transmission
Suspension of track rollers ...............individual pneumatic
Caterpillar................................................. steel, double-ridged, lantern gearing, with successive rubber-metal hinges

Track width
main caterpillar, mm .............................. 380

water mover,
type.................................................hydrojet

Maximum speed, km/h:
- on the highway ............................................... ......67.5
- afloat................................................ ..........ten

Average dry speed
dirt road, km / h ............................... 45-50

Power reserve:
- on the highway, km .............................................. ....500
- on a dirt road, km ............................... 350
- afloat, h .............................................. ............eight

Specific ground pressure, kg/cm2 .................................................. ......0.51

The fighting compartment also has a gunner's sight-understudy PPB-2, manual backups for weapon triggers. All-round visibility is provided by TNPT-2 periscope surveillance devices.

It is not for nothing that the unified fighting compartment is called a “module” - in addition to the BMP-3 and BMD-3, it was supposed to be installed on the chassis of the BMP-2, Sprut-SD SPTP (this vehicle will be discussed below) and BTR-90.

In front of the BMD-4 hull, the right installation for light machine gun RPKS74, the left mount for the AGS-17 grenade launcher has been removed. Onboard and aft installations for individual landing weapons are preserved.

The hull and turret of the BMD-4, welded from aluminum armor alloy, remained at the level of the BMD-3 in terms of bullet resistance and mine resistance. The tower is made in the form of a ten-sided truncated pyramid; its frontal projections are reinforced with steel armor plates installed spaced apart from the main armor. On both sides of the armament installation on the tower, 81-mm grenade launchers of the 902V Tucha system were mounted to launch smoke and lighting grenades. Specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute of Steel took an active part in the development of the armored cap of the fighting compartment, and its mechanical part - from Tulamashzavod.

The installation of a new fighting compartment (module) required a number of improvements in the structural groups of the body of the base vehicle. In particular, new pillars (pillars) were welded in, and a new fitting ring was installed in the roof of the hull. In addition, during the modernization, the driver's seat, the fastening elements of the paratroopers' seats, the universal seats for the commander and gunner's landing were improved. Some changes have been made to the fastening elements of the personal kit, ventilation means, personnel equipment, communications equipment, spare parts and accessories, and the electric seat heating circuit.

BMD-4 equipped collective system protection against weapons of mass destruction with a filter-ventilation installation and high-speed fire-fighting equipment.

The power unit, transmission, chassis, hydraulic and pneumatic systems of the chassis are similar to the BMD-3.

The machine is equipped with R-168-25U (Akveduk-25U) and R-168-5UV (Akveduk-5UV) VHF radios, providing a radio communication range in motion, respectively, up to 20 and up to 10 km, equipment intercom and communications R-168 AVSK-B, a receiver of satellite navigation systems GLONASS / GPS with data display on the commander's monitor. In the commander's version of the BMD-4K, an additional radio station and specially equipped workplaces are provided.

The transportation and landing of the BMD-4 was supposed to be from the same military transport aircraft as the BMD-3. Changes in the weight and size characteristics and the overall configuration of the BMD-4 compared to the BMD-3 required the refinement of landing equipment. On October 31, 2005, TTZ was issued for the development of landing equipment for the BMD-4. This R & D was carried out as part of the creation of unified parachute landing equipment for combat and special vehicles of the Airborne Forces with a crew and combat crew inside the vehicle. - the degree of unification exceeded 90%.

In 2007, run tests of the BMD-4 with landing aids in the marching position and tests afloat, without flight preliminary tests, in 2008, static, pile driver technical tests and physiological testing with two testers inside the machine. Underfunding of work, the haste of state tests of the vehicle without landing equipment, the late issuance of the TTZ gave rise to a situation where the BMD-4 was put into service with the actual absence of its landing equipment and without experimental loading into the cargo compartment of the aircraft. The system of developing and adopting a single complex "object - landing means - military transport aircraft" that had developed in Soviet times and justified itself was destroyed. However, the production of BMD-4 was limited.

BMD is an abbreviation for the phrase "airborne combat vehicle". Based on the name, BMD is a vehicle for moving a unit. Its main purpose is to fight enemy armored vehicles and enemy infantry. In professional military circles, this machine was called the "Booth".

To fulfill its combat mission, the BMD can be transported by military aircraft to the landing site. Landing can be carried out from Mi-26 aircraft and helicopters using an external sling.

How did the BMD-2 airborne combat vehicle appear?

The designers developed the first generation of BMD back in 1969, and after testing it was put on Soviet Union. The serial assembly of the combat vehicle was carried out in the early years; it was produced in a limited edition. To start mass production, the forces of the All-Russian Research Institute of Steel, the Institute of Welding named after. E. Paton.

In 1980, Soviet designers, having studied the experience of using BMD in real battles, moved on to improve existing model. The need to modernize the amphibious assault vehicle became apparent after Afghanistan, where the armored vehicle was actively used. Having proven itself well in battle on flat areas, the first generation airborne combat vehicle lost in highland areas.

The BMD-2 airborne combat vehicle entered service in the Soviet Union in 1985. Second generation machine appearance did not differ much from the BMD-1. The comparative photo of the BMD-2 and BMD-1 shows that the changes affected the turret and armament. The hull and engine remained unchanged. The armored car passed its baptism of fire in combat operations in the Republic of Afghanistan.

In subsequent years, the BMD-2 was used in armed conflicts in Russia and abroad. Today, the "booth" is in service with the armies of Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

Structural features of the BMD-2

The design of the amphibious assault vehicle is considered unique. In front of the center is the driver-mechanic, behind him is the commander on the right, and the shooter on the left. In the back there is a compartment for the landing. It can accommodate 5 paratroopers.

The body of the BMD-2 is conventionally divided into 4 compartments:

  • department of management;
  • warhead;
  • troop compartment;
  • engine-transmission compartment.

The combat unit and the control compartment are combined and are located in the front and middle parts of the armored vehicle. The rear half is divided into troop and engine compartments.

The armored hull is welded from aluminum sheets that cover the crew of the BMD-2. The characteristics of this metal allow you to achieve effective protection with a small weight. Armor capable of protecting the crew from bullets, small fragments of mines and shells. The thickness of the body skin in the front is 15 mm, on the sides - 10 mm. The turret has 7 mm thick armor. The bottom of the BMD is reinforced with stiffeners, which allows for successful airborne landing. The minimum landing height is 500 meters, the maximum height is 1500 meters. In this case, multi-dome parachutes are used with jet system PRSM 916 (925).

After the modernization, the PM-2 received a new circular tower. It has a smaller size. In addition, she got the opportunity to fire at helicopters and low-flying aircraft. The vertical pointing angle was increased to 75 degrees.

The body of the BMD-2 is sealed. This turned the "booth" into a floating armored vehicle. To move through a water barrier, a water jet installation is used, the operation of which is based on the principle of jet propulsion. Before starting to move through a water obstacle, it is necessary to raise the wave protection shield in front. Due to the properties of the amphibious vehicle, landing can be carried out from transport ships.

Engine and Chassis

When creating the BMD-2, engineers did not carry out a complete modernization of the engine and chassis. In combat landing vehicle installed motor 5D20. This is diesel engine with 6 cylinders. It is capable of developing a power of 240 horses.

BMD-2 uses caterpillar tracks. Each side has 5 track rollers and 4 rollers. The drive axle is rear, the steering wheels are in front. Chassis has a design that allows you to adjust the clearance. The minimum ground clearance is 10 cm and the maximum is 45 cm. The suspension is independent.

BMD 2. Characteristics of weapons

The modernization of the airborne combat vehicle in the 80s mainly affected the turret and weapons. The military experience in Afghanistan forced us to revise the fire arsenal.

30 mm caliber is used as the main firepower. She is able to shoot on the move. The barrel is stabilized in two planes with the help of a weapon stabilizer 2E36-1 on electro-hydraulics. In the roof of the tower is the main sight VPK-1-42, pointing the gun. The "booth" is capable of firing at a distance of up to 4 kilometers.

Paired with a gun in the turret is a caliber of 7.62 mm. The combat set of the second generation PM is 300 rounds for the cannon and 2000 rounds for the machine gun.

Can be used to enhance firepower additional armament for BMD-2. The instruction manual defines the composition of additional weapons:

  • one 9M113 "Competition";
  • two ATGM 9M111 "Bassoon";
  • launcher 9P135M.

Rocket launchers are capable of aiming within 54 degrees horizontally and from -5 to +10 vertically.

To conduct a successful battle with air targets, weapons were introduced missile systems"Needle" and "Arrow-2".

Equipment of the amphibious assault vehicle

The BMD-2 is equipped with a R-174 communication device, a R-123 radio station (later it was replaced by the R-123M).

In addition, on board the armored vehicle is:

  • automatic fire extinguishing complex;
  • system for filtering and extracting air;
  • system of protection against means of mass destruction and atomic weapons;
  • protection system against;
  • night-vision devices;
  • air ventilation system inside the body of the combat vehicle.

Specifications "Booths"

During the battle, the "booth" is able to overcome various obstacles. Without difficulty, the BMD-2 airborne combat vehicle can drive onto a wall 80 centimeters high and overcome a trench 1.6 meters wide.

BMD-2 modifications

AT landing troops use two modifications of the amphibious assault vehicle:

  • BMD-2K - commander's version of the vehicle, additionally equipped with a R-173 radio station, an AB-0.5-3-P / 30 gasoline electric power generator and a GPK-59 gyroscopic semi-compass;
  • BMD-2M - in addition to standard weapons, it has a dual Kornet ATGM installation, in addition, a weapon control system is installed with the ability to aim at a target using a thermal imager.

Since the inception of the airborne troops, the thought of designers has been occupied by the problem of creating effective weapons for them and military equipment. The experience of the Second World War showed that "winged infantry" in terms of protection, firepower and mobility should not be inferior to ground infantry. However, the solution to this problem in the early years of the creation of the airborne troops was held back by the level of development of military transport aviation, as a means of delivering them to the landing site. With the advent of specially created military transport aircraft An-8 and An-12 and new directions in the development of military-theoretical thought, the increased capabilities of industry, the material and technical prerequisites appeared for creating models of weapons and equipment capable of landing not only by landing, but also by parachute methods.

Work on the creation of the world's first BMD was started by the design bureau of the Volgograd Tractor Plant in 1965. The designers had to create a high-speed, lightly armored, tracked, floating, airborne combat vehicle with the combat capabilities of a land-based BMP-1. In 1969, such a machine was created, put into service Soviet army and put into mass production at the Volgograd Tractor Plant under the designation BMD-1. Currently, in addition to the airborne troops of Russia and some other CIS countries, this machine is in service with India and Iraq.

BMD is built according to the classic for tanks, but unusual for infantry fighting vehicles constructive scheme: the fighting compartment is located in the middle part of the hull, and the engine-transmission compartment is in the aft. The body is welded from relatively thin armor plates - for the first time in the practice of Soviet engineering, aluminum armor was used. This made it possible to significantly lighten the car, but at the expense of the protection of the reserved space.

Armor only protects the crew from fire small arms caliber 7.62 mm and shell fragments. The upper frontal plate is very strongly deviated from the vertical - by 78", but the angle of inclination of the lower one is much smaller and is only 50". This decision is dictated by the desire to increase the volume of internal space, as well as the buoyancy of the machine. The wave-reflecting shield, which lies on the front frontal plate when driving on land, serves as additional protection.

In front of the body along the axis of the machine is the workplace of the driver. To enter and exit the car, it has an individual hatch, the cover of which rises and moves to the right. In the process of driving a car, the driver can observe the terrain in the 60 ° sector using three periscopes. To the left of the driver is the place of the BMD commander, who gets into the car and exits it also through his hatch. To monitor the terrain, he has an optical device for all-round visibility and one periscope. Communication with the higher command is maintained using the R-123 radio station.

On the right side of the driver is the place of the gunner, who serves two machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber, installed in ball mounts on both sides of the bow of the BMD and, for this reason, having limited firing angles.

In the middle part of the hull there is a fighting compartment with a single turret. The tower is made in a combined way: its main part is made by casting, after which the rest of the fragments are welded to it. The gunner's seat is located inside the turret. It serves a semi-automatic 73 mm 2A28 smoothbore gun and a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun coaxial with it. Ammunition for the gun - 40 shots are in the store, located around the circumference of the tower, as in the BMP-1. The gun is fired with cumulative and high-explosive fragmentation shells. Since one of the most important requirements for the vehicle was its low weight, the designers had to simplify (compared to the BMP) the automatic loader. The transporter delivered the projectile selected by the gunner to the loading point, after which the gunner had to manually transfer it and insert it into the breech. The simultaneous solution of such tasks as searching for targets, pointing the gun, loading it and firing, is a rather difficult problem for one person, therefore, the psychophysical data of the gunner noticeably worsened depending on the duration of the hostilities and the number of shots fired. The armament of the tower was supplemented by a launcher for launching anti-tank guided missiles. rockets 9M14M "Baby". In addition to one ATGM, two more were transported on the launcher in the car. Launcher ATGM control devices and finally the way they are installed on the BMD are exactly the same as on the BMP

Like on the BMP-1, the armament of the tower is not stabilized. Guidance in the horizontal and vertical planes is carried out using fully electric drives. In the event of their failure, the gunner can use a manual drive.

To monitor the terrain and fire, the gunner has at his disposal a monocular periscope sight-rangefinder 1PN22M1. The window of this device is located on the left side of the tower in front of the gunner's hatch. The sight-rangefinder can work in two modes day and night. Surveillance at night is provided by an active night vision device (a searchlight is located on the tower to the right of the gun). Depending on the weather conditions, the maximum visibility limit ranges from 400 m to 900 m. The eyepiece has a rangefinder scale, the base for which is the target height of 27m.

Communications and navigation

On linear BMD-1 for external communication the R-123 radio station was installed, and from the middle of 1973 - its modernized version R-123M "Magnolia". The radio station is installed on the left in the frontal end of the control compartment and is serviced by the vehicle commander. R-123M is a short-wave tube transceiver radio station with frequency modulation, providing telephone communication in simplex mode. The radio station has an operating range of 20-51.5 MHz, consisting of 1261 fixed frequencies with a step of 25 kHz, four of which, pre-configured, can be switched with one operator manipulation, after which the radio station provides searchless entry into communication and non-tuning communication. The operation of the radio station in the BMD is carried out on a 4-meter whip antenna, providing a communication range with the same type of radio station at a distance of up to 28 km, while driving in medium-rough terrain at a speed of up to 40 km / h - up to 20 km, with the noise suppressor turned on - up to 13 km. If the main antenna fails, communication can be carried out through an emergency antenna, which is a piece of insulated wire 3 m long, the communication range with which is limited to 4 km, or 1 km if the second radio station also works on an emergency antenna.

The BMD-1K is equipped with a second R-123 or R-123M radio station installed in the left wing liner, which was operated by the commander or the left submachine gunner, an antenna filter to ensure simultaneous operation of two radio stations on one antenna, as well as a remote R-105M radio station . R-105M is a backpack portable ultra-shortwave lamp radio station of transceiver circuit with frequency modulation, providing telephone communication in simplex mode. The radio station has an operating range of 36-46.1 MHz, consisting of 405 fixed frequencies in 25 kHz steps. R-105M provides communication with the same type of radio station when operating from a place to a combined antenna 2.7 m high - up to 8 km, to a directional beam antenna 40 m long, suspended at a height of 1 m above the ground - up to 15 km, to a beam antenna , raised to a height of 5-6 m - up to 25 km. To ensure the operation of communication equipment with the engine turned off, the BMD-1K is equipped with an AB-0.5-P / 30 gasoline-electric unit stored in the stowed position in place of the gunner's seat, and in the working position mounted on the roof of the engine compartment.

Since 1984, instead of the R-123M radio stations, the BMD-1P and BMD-1PK have been equipped with a more modern Abzats communications complex, consisting of the R-173 Abzats-R radio station and the R-173P Abzats-P receiver. R-173 is an ultra-short-wave semiconductor analog-digital radio station with frequency modulation telephone communication in simplex mode. The radio station has an operating range of 30-75.999 MHz with a frequency grid step of 1 kHz. The number of pre-prepared frequencies R-173 has been increased to 10. When working on a standard whip antenna 2 m long, the R-173 provides a communication range of up to 20 km on the move, a greater communication range can be provided in the range of 30-52 MHz when working on an antenna with a length of 3 m.

For internal communication, the BMD-1 is equipped with a tank intercom (TPU) integrated with a radio station R-124 for five subscribers, on the BMD-1K TPU was expanded to six subscribers. Together with the R-173 radio station, a modernized TPU was installed on the BMD-1P and BMD-1PK since 1984 R-174.

Engine and transmission

The BMD-1 is equipped with a V-shaped 6-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine of the model 5D20-240. The engine has a displacement of 15,900 cm³ and develops a maximum power of 240 hp (176 kW) at 2400 rpm. Starting the engine on the BMD-1 of early releases is carried out using the main electric starter or a backup air intake system; with the introduction of the engine-driven compressor in 1973, the air intake system became the mainstay. To make starting easier low temperatures, the engine is equipped with an electric injector heater included in the cooling system.

The engine runs on diesel fuel grades DL, DZ and YES[SN 6], the fuel system includes three tanks with a total capacity of 280 liters, located in the engine compartment. The air cleaning system is two-stage, with a block of cyclones in the first stage, filter cassettes in the second and automatic ejection dust removal. To improve the safety of movement afloat, two associated valves are included in the engine air intake system, which ensure air intake afloat through the middle compartment. The engine has an ejector-type cooling system, which also provides ventilation of the engine compartment and dust extraction from the air cleaning system.

The BMD-1 transmission includes:

  • single-disk main clutch of dry friction (steel on asbestos);
  • four-speed (4 + 1) manual gearbox with constant mesh gears and synchronizers in 3rd and 4th gears, having a power take-off shaft to drive a water propulsion unit;
  • turning mechanism consisting of two onboard multi-disk friction clutches of dry friction (steel on steel) with floating band brakes with cast-iron linings;
  • two single-stage planetary final drives;
  • jet propulsion gearboxes.

The transmission of the BMD-1 was not subjected to changes during mass production, with the exception of replacing the single-disk main clutch with a double-disk one since 1970. All transmission control drives are mechanical. The main clutch, gearbox and steering mechanism are combined with the engine in one power unit.

Specifications

Video

Since the birth of the airborne troops, the thought of designers has been occupied by the problem of creating effective weapons and military equipment for them. The experience of the Second World War showed that "winged infantry" in terms of protection, firepower and mobility should not be inferior to ground infantry. However, the solution to this problem in the early years of the creation of airborne troops was held back by the level of development of military transport aviation, as a means of delivering them to the landing site. With the advent of specially created military transport aircraft An-8 and An-12 and new directions in the development of military-theoretical thought, the increased capabilities of industry, there appeared material and technical prerequisites for creating models of weapons and equipment capable of landing not only by landing, but also by parachute.

Work on the creation of the world's first BMD was started by the design bureau of the Volgograd Tractor Plant in 1965. The designers had to create a high-speed, lightly armored, tracked, floating, airborne combat vehicle with the combat capabilities of a land-based BMP-1. In 1969, such a machine was created, adopted by the Soviet Army and put into serial production at the Volgograd Tractor Plant under the designation BMD-1. Currently, in addition to the airborne troops of Russia and some other CIS countries, this machine is in service with India and Iraq.

The BMD-1 is built according to a design scheme that is classic for tanks, but unusual for infantry fighting vehicles: the fighting compartment is located in the middle part of the hull, and the engine compartment is in the stern. The body is welded from relatively thin armor plates - for the first time in the practice of Soviet engineering, aluminum armor was used. This made it possible to significantly lighten the car, but at the expense of the protection of the reserved space.

The armor protects the crew only from 7.62 mm small arms fire and shell fragments. The upper frontal plate is very strongly deviated from the vertical - by 78", but the angle of inclination of the lower one is much smaller and is only 50". This decision is dictated by the desire to increase the volume of internal space, as well as the buoyancy of the machine. The wave-reflecting shield, which lies on the front frontal plate when driving on land, serves as additional protection.

In front of the body along the axis of the machine is the workplace of the driver. To enter and exit the car, it has an individual hatch, the cover of which rises and moves to the right. In the process of driving a car, the driver can observe the terrain in the 60 ° sector using three periscopes. To the left of the driver is the place of the BMD commander, who gets into the car and exits it also through his hatch. To monitor the terrain, he has an optical device for all-round visibility and one periscope. Communication with the higher command is maintained using the R-123 radio station.

On the right side of the driver is the place of the gunner, who serves two machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber installed in ball mounts on both sides of the bow of the BMD and, for this reason, having limited firing angles.

In the middle part of the hull there is a fighting compartment with a single turret. The tower is made in a combined way, its main part is made by casting, after which the rest of the fragments are welded to it. The gunner's seat is located inside the turret. It serves a semi-automatic 2A28 smoothbore gun of 73 mm caliber and a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun coaxial with it. Ammunition for the cannon - 40 rounds - is in the store, located around the circumference of the tower, as in the BMP-1. The cannon is fired with cumulative and high-explosive fragmentation shells. Since one of the most important requirements for the vehicle was its low weight, the designers had to simplify (compared to the BMP) the automatic loader. The transporter delivered the projectile selected by the gunner to the loading point, after which the gunner had to manually move it and insert it into the breech. The armament of the tower was supplemented by a launcher for launching 9M14M Malyutka anti-tank guided missiles. In addition to one ATGM on the launcher, two more were transported in the car. The launcher, ATGMs, control devices and, finally, the way they are installed on the BMD-1 are exactly the same as on the BMP-1.

Like on the BMP-1, the armament of the tower is not stabilized. Guidance in the horizontal and vertical planes is carried out using fully electric drives. In the event of their failure, the gunner can use a manual drive.

To monitor the terrain and fire, the gunner has at his disposal a monocular periscope sight-rangefinder 1PN22M1. The window of this device is located on the left side of the tower, in front of the gunner's hatch. The sight-rangefinder can operate in two modes: day and night. Surveillance at night is provided by an active night vision device (the searchlight is located on the tower, to the right of the hatch). Depending on the weather conditions, the maximum visibility ranges from 400 m to 900 m. The eyepiece has a rangefinder scale, the base for which is the target height of 2.7 m. Places for three paratroopers are provided directly behind the tower. Two serving manual anti-tank grenade launcher RPG-7, the third is armed with its standard weapon 7.62-mm AKM assault rifle. In the sides and cover of the aft hatch there are three periscopes and three ball mounts for firing from personal weapons of combat crew.

In the aft part of the hull there is an engine-transmission compartment, in which a six-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine 5D20 is installed, developing a power of 176 kW at 2600 rpm. The engine is interlocked with the transmission, which consists of a single-disk dry friction clutch, a five-speed gearbox (one reverse gear), two side clutches with brakes and two single-stage planetary final drives. All these nodes form a single power unit. In addition to it, gearboxes are installed in the engine compartment, which actuate water jets.

Above the gearbox is a radiator of the engine cooling system. Air circulation through the radiator is ensured by louvers in the top plate of the case. Two additional fuel tanks are installed on both sides of the air intake on the wings of the car.

The chassis of the BMD-1, in relation to one side, includes five rubber-coated dual ribbed road wheels made of light alloy. The role of elastic suspension elements is performed by hydropneumatic units, united in single system. All elements of the suspension and clearance adjustment are located inside the body. Tension wheels are located in front of the body. Track tension is changed hydraulically. The process of tensioning and loosening the tracks is controlled by the BMD driver from his place, without leaving the car. On the BMD-1, small-linked tracks are used, in which adjacent tracks are interconnected by means of common fingers. In the middle part of the tracks, on their inner surface there are guide ridges. The upper branches of the caterpillars rest on four supporting rollers, two of them (middle ones) are located outside the ridges, and the extreme ones are behind them. The caterpillar track is not covered by protective screens.

BMD-1 is able to swim through water obstacles. Movement on water is carried out by water-jet propulsion located in the engine compartment. The drive guns are mounted in tunnels, the inlets of which are arranged in the bottom of the machine, and the outlets are in its stern. The inlet and outlet openings are closed with special sliding flaps that perform the functions of both protection and steering when swimming. Closing the shutters of one of the water jets causes the machine to turn. The BMD-1 floats perfectly on the water, while having a good swimming speed - up to 10 km / h - and maneuverability. During swimming, a wave-reflective shield rises in front of the hull, which prevents the front of the machine from being flooded with water.

The composition of the additional equipment that the BMD-1 is equipped with includes a filter-ventilation unit, an automatic fire extinguishing system, as well as smoke-generating equipment. In addition, a radio beacon is installed on the BMD-1, the signals of which indicate to the crew members the location of the vehicle dropped by parachute system from a transport aircraft. All paratroopers - crew members, dropped with parachutes separately from the BMD-1, have radio sensors that receive beacon signals. This greatly facilitates and speeds up the search for a car, which is often quite a difficult task.

To provide external communications, the R-123M radio station was installed on the airborne combat vehicle. Communication inside the vehicle is provided by the R-124 tank intercom.

lucky Constructive decisions, laid down during the creation of the BMD-1, made it possible to use it as a base vehicle in the development of other types of weapons for the airborne troops. In 1971, on the basis of the BMD-1, the command airborne combat vehicle BMD-1K was created. In this car, unlike the BMD-1, two radio stations and a gas-powered unit for autonomous power supply were installed.

In 1974, the tracked armored personnel carrier BTR-D, created on the units and assemblies of the BMD-1, was adopted by the airborne troops. It differed from the BMD-1 by an almost 400 mm longer hull, the presence of an additional pair of road wheels and the absence of a turret with weapons. The armament of the BTR-D depended on its purpose, however, most often it consisted of two 7.62-mm machine guns mounted in the nose of the vehicle, an automatic 30-mm AGS-17 grenade launcher, one or two machine guns and four smoke grenade launchers. BTR-Ds were used as control vehicles, artillery tractors and auxiliary vehicles (for example, sanitary evacuation and communications). The permanent crew of the BTR-D consisted of three people, ten soldiers were housed in the troop compartment.