BTR-80/82A and variants: News

Upgraded BTR-82AT armored personnel carrier equipped with the BTR-BM remote-controlled combat module. 

As the main and additional weapons in the BTR-BM, the 30-mm 2A42 automatic gun and the 7.62-mm PKTM machine gun paired with it are used. In addition, the BTR-BM has a 9K111-1M "Konkurs-M" guided missile system with two 9M113M ATGM launchers. As an auxiliary weapon, there are 6 launchers of the 902B smoke screen system.

The BTR-BM is equipped with an automated fire control system (FMS), including a ballistic computer, a two-plane weapon stabilizer with electric guidance drives, a combined (day-night) multi-channel sighting system of the gunner with independent stabilization of the line of sight in two planes, with television, thermal imaging, laser rangefinder channels and an ATGM control channel, as well as an automatic target tracking system.

Thanks to the thermal imaging channel, the range of detection of IFV or APC targets at night has increased from 1,200 m to 3,000 m. The presence of a target tracking machine significantly increases the probability of hitting moving targets on the move, regardless of the level of training of the operator.

The ammunition for the automatic cannon (300 rounds in two belts) and the twin machine gun (2,000 rounds in one belt) are located directly in the turret outside the inhabited compartment of the combat vehicle, which significantly increases the safety of the crew and the survivability of the vehicle.

The mass of the BTR-BM turret with ammunition is 1,918 kg, the mounting diameter of the turret shoulder strap is 1,235 mm. The BTR-BM requires less than 2 kW of electricity to operate.

The installation of the BTR-BM turret on the BTR-82AT significantly increases the useful volume in the vehicle's armor space, which improves the ergonomics of the combat vehicle, improves the working conditions of the crew, and reduces the fatigue of the landing party during long marches.

The installation of the BTR-BM turret on the BTR-82AT significantly increases the useful volume in the vehicle's armor space, which improves the ergonomics of the combat vehicle, improves the working conditions of the crew, and reduces the fatigue of the landing party during long marches.

So the turret is like a remote weapon station and does not take up space below the turret ring meaning more internal space for troops... that is very good.

Shame they didn't add a grenade launcher on the turret top like on the BMP-2 upgrade with grenades stored in an external box at the rear of the turret...

GarryB wrote:
So the turret is like a remote weapon station and does not take up space below the turret ring meaning more internal space for troops... that is very good.

Shame they didn't add a grenade launcher on the turret top like on the BMP-2 upgrade with grenades stored in an external box at the rear of the turret...

Probably because it was redundant when you have programmable airburst rounds at your disposal. Plus its not really a good idea to have lots of high explosives someplace they can be easily struck by enemy fire, including small arms fire. The risk of detonation might be slim, but if they don't detonate they would deflagrate and an ammo cookoff at the top of the turret could very easily lead to the loss of the whole vehicle.

Im wondering why did they use konkurs and not anything else

Atmosphere wrote:Im wondering why did they use konkurs and not anything else

Despite the fact that this vehicle is armed to the teeth compared to most NATO IFVs, its still pretty much an APC. As such, it isn't intended to hunt and kill tanks (even then its only a matter of positioning and shot placement, really) as much as to take out targets of opportunity like other lightly armored AFVs from defilade/keyhole positions with a significantly more lethal weapon than its autocannon. If you are not looking to kill tanks from the front a Konkurs would be enough to kill practically 99.99% of targets and they have plenty enough of the stuff in storage even after releasing some of their stocks to the wild.

Im wondering why did they use konkurs and not anything else

What lyle said, and for now they likely have lots of missiles in storage that can be used up cheaply yet still get the job done.

I would suspect half the time it would be used to hit a point target at long range like a MG in a building, or sniper or a vehicle that often is not a MBT.

Probably because it was redundant when you have programmable airburst rounds at your disposal. Plus its not really a good idea to have lots of high explosives someplace they can be easily struck by enemy fire, including small arms fire. The risk of detonation might be slim, but if they don't detonate they would deflagrate and an ammo cookoff at the top of the turret could very easily lead to the loss of the whole vehicle.

I appreciate what you are saying but the 40mm grenades are small and compact with a good payload and its very low velocity allows them to be lobbed over frontal cover and land on the heads of enemies who might think they are safe from you high velocity flat shooting 30mm cannon.

Perhaps a box magazine that can be jettisoned if it catches fire?

Especially if it can be designed to be fitted fully loaded making it quick and easy to reload.

The new 40mm grenades look very powerful and can reach 2.5km and a short burst would be ideal to get an enemy to keep their heads down... the mount seems quite simple... the launcher would just elevate and would turn with the turret and main gun... it would certainly be handy for clearing out upper floors of buildings and you could carry 300-400 rounds in a big bin on the back of the turret.

Obviously you have to draw the line somewhere I suppose, but 40mm grenade launchers are more devastating than rifle calibre machine guns most of the time... especially with the dumb cheap airburst grenades.

I would expect the Russian vehicle to have better optics and better ammo for the weapons, and also better stabilisers and other systems.

The unmanned turret that does not penetrate into the hull would mean more internal space though the Ukrainian model does have rear entry instead of side entry on the Russian version.

But this is a low cost vehicle that improves protection and mobility over walking or being driven around in trucks or civilian vehicles.

GarryB wrote:
I appreciate what you are saying but the 40mm grenades are small and compact with a good payload and its very low velocity allows them to be lobbed over frontal cover and land on the heads of enemies who might think they are safe from you high velocity flat shooting 30mm cannon.

Perhaps a box magazine that can be jettisoned if it catches fire?

Especially if it can be designed to be fitted fully loaded making it quick and easy to reload.

The new 40mm grenades look very powerful and can reach 2.5km and a short burst would be ideal to get an enemy to keep their heads down... the mount seems quite simple... the launcher would just elevate and would turn with the turret and main gun... it would certainly be handy for clearing out upper floors of buildings and you could carry 300-400 rounds in a big bin on the back of the turret.

Obviously you have to draw the line somewhere I suppose, but 40mm grenade launchers are more devastating than rifle calibre machine guns most of the time... especially with the dumb cheap airburst grenades.

The issue with grenades is their too short an effective range - especially against ATGM teams who might open fire on you from 2-3 km. They might be able to fire that far but the spread would be too wide to be of sufficient danger to the target; its a distraction at best. The flat shooting 30 mm autocannon OTOH can reach out and tap individual targets at such ranges, and with air bursts you can do aimed fire over defilade and kill the target anyway. In urban areas though, yeah a grenade launcher would be very useful.

Off-road strike: super-protected armored personnel carriers will be delivered to the Far East

Motorized riflemen in the Far East will be reinforced with super-protected armored vehicles. Parts of the Eastern Military District will be converted to modernized BTR-82AM. These vehicles are equipped with a powerful engine, modern equipment and an extended range of weapons. The new armored personnel carriers can move around any terrain, including in the arctic latitudes.

More fire

The Ministry of Defense has decided to re-equip the troops in the Far East with new super-protected armored personnel carriers BTR-82AM, Izvestia sources in the military department said. All units and units equipped with armored personnel carriers will be transferred to the new vehicles. Now the fleet of this equipment in the troops of the Eastern Military District is largely outdated. And in the coming years, all motorized rifle units that move in armored personnel carriers will switch to the newest BTR-82A and BTR-82AM with additional protection.

Until recently, the main armored personnel carrier in service with the Russian army was the BTR-80, the production of which began back in 1984. In total, several thousand samples were produced. At the beginning of the last decade, the next generation vehicle, the BTR-82, was put into service. In recent years, a variant of the BTR-82A with a 30-mm cannon has been regularly sent to the troops. And the BTR-80, of which there are still many in warehouses, is being upgraded to the modification of the BTR-82AM. With such an upgrade, only the frame remains from the base machine, on which new engine, equipment, weapons and additional protection are installed.

The main feature of the new vehicles is an additional set of protection, which will significantly increase the survivability of the crew and troops. It includes two components: armor plates, which are installed on vulnerable spots, and lattice screens, which are mounted around the perimeter of the vehicle. These screens protect the crew from 7.62 mm and 12.6 mm bullets at distances over 400 m, as well as with a 50% probability from cumulative ammunition: if a grenade hits between the bars, it will not be able to hit the armor. They began to develop such screens back in the Soviet years, but they started mass production only recently.

The modernized armored vehicle is equipped with a turbodiesel engine with a capacity of more than 300 hp, thanks to which it can reach speeds of up to 100 km / h on the ground and about 10 km / h afloat. The protection of the troop compartment has been strengthened, modern digital radio stations and navigation equipment have been installed. Observation devices and sights can be used day and night in any weather.

The combat module on the BTR-82AM is installed the same as on the new BTR-82A. It includes an automatic 30mm 2A72 cannon and a 7.62mm PKTM machine gun. Thus, the firepower of the modernized armored personnel carriers equaled the capabilities of the BMP-2.

From west to east

Today, the same motorized rifle division or brigade can include units and subunits both on armored personnel carriers and on infantry fighting vehicles (BMP). Heavier regiments and battalions on infantry fighting vehicles are considered the main strike force, which is used in the main directions. Motorized riflemen on armored personnel carriers can be used where high speed and maneuverability are required. Having weaker and less passable vehicles, such units have a reinforced infantry component itself - as a rule, there are more soldiers and wearable weapons there.

“Traditionally, rearmament in Soviet times rolled in a wave from West to East, that is, the most modern was in the European direction, against NATO,” military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia. - As new samples arrived, they then went to the central districts and the Far East. Then there were no major land battles planned, at least against Japan, and China was considered a state with an outdated army and weak armored vehicles. The modernization of equipment in the Far East has frozen, and it is already so outdated that it is impossible not to change it further. Now they are beginning to upgrade weapons that in one way or another meet the requirements of modern combat and threats in this region.

The armored vehicles that have been sent to the Pacific region in recent years are adequate to modern threats, Vladislav Shurygin added.
“The latest models of armored personnel carriers are well adapted to work in the harsh climate of the Arctic, they have excellent maneuverability over swampy terrain and tundra,” he explained. “They are lighter than BMPs and are better suited to climate and off-road conditions. With the advent of the new BTR-82AM, the combat capabilities of our troops will increase. You need to understand that this is just the beginning, because it is impossible to change one type and not replace another. Most likely, we are talking about a comprehensive rearmament: we will see new tanks and updated anti-aircraft missile systems, combat control systems.

Izvestia has already written that the motorized rifle units of the Kantemirovskaya Guards Tank Division, located near Moscow, will be re-equipped with the latest BMP-3 combat vehicles. They have better protection and more powerful weapons than the BMP-2. And in terms of maneuverability, "treshki" are not inferior to the T-80 tanks with gas turbine engines in service with the division.

https://iz-ru.translate.goog/1178537/roman-kretcul-anna-cherepanova/udar-na-bezdorozhe-na-dalnii-vostok-postaviat-sverkhzashchishchennye-btr?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=ajax

The issue with grenades is their too short an effective range - especially against ATGM teams who might open fire on you from 2-3 km. They might be able to fire that far but the spread would be too wide to be of sufficient danger to the target; its a distraction at best. The flat shooting 30 mm autocannon OTOH can reach out and tap individual targets at such ranges, and with air bursts you can do aimed fire over defilade and kill the target anyway. In urban areas though, yeah a grenade launcher would be very useful.

I appreciate what you are saying but the new 40mm grenade launcher they have has a range of 2.5km and a nice big heavy bomb weight.

If you move the vehicle from cover to cover then very long range shots are difficult because of the time of flight, but then often such weapons are not fired from max range anyway.

RPGs which are much more abundant on any battlefield will be fired from much closer and a short burst of grenades is going to be much more effective than a similar burst from a machine gun especially at ranges greater than 800m.

A burst of 20-60 rounds of rifle calibre machine gun ammo will get the enemy to take cover and might get a few hits if you are lucky.

A burst of 6-8 x 40mm grenades on the other hand would spread shrapnel all around the point of aim... the low velocity of the grenades is useful in this case because while it gives the targets time to move while the grenades are in flight the wide spread of fragments will make taking cover more problematic because the fragments will go in all directions around the point of impact of the grenades... getting something heavy like a wall between you and the enemy vehicle is not sufficient if the grenades are lobbed over the wall and land beside you.

With the enormous increase in drones on the battlefield the ability to land grenades next to a target only becomes easier to achieve.

Bounding airburst 40mm grenades are already in use with their under barrel grenades so a larger model for the 40mm grenade launcher should be pretty standard too... and that makes them devastating.

Normal impact grenades means fragments and damage to the legs and lower body which is dangerous but not normally life threatening.

Airburst grenades that detonate at 1.5m to 2m altitude are likely to create head and upperbody injuries, which while normally better protected on most soldiers, are also vastly more effective at killing people.

You could easily use a mixed belt of both.

What I am trying to get across is that at 2km a PKT is a signal gun... you would need very long bursts against large groups of enemy troops in the open to get any hits.

At 2km a 40mm grenade launcher is very very effective... especially with a modern fire control system and night and all weather optics and precision servos aiming and stabilising the weapons.

They included a roof mounted 30mm grenade launcher on the BMP-2 upgrade which they introduced into service and it has a manned turret.

This is unmanned so you could scab a separate metal container on the outside next to the launcher for the ammo so even if it explodes it has to penetrate the lining of the magazine and the turret and travel through the turret to the turret floor and then through the turret floor to the hull of the vehicle and then through the hull of the vehicle to injure the crew.

I am not saying it is impossible but there are missile tubes and 30mm cannon rounds and rifle calibre machine gun rounds in there too that could also be targeted... there is already ammo there.

With a vehicle mount the dispersal at 2km is likely not enormous... obviously longer bursts would be used... perhaps 10-20 grenades to ensure a good coverage of fragments around the point of aim, but that would be a good thing anyway because the time of flight would likely mean a few seconds where the target is moving and the grenades are on their way so a wide area of fragmentation would be a good thing.

Of course they are 40mm grenades, they are not 82mm mortar bombs, but breaking that 4kg mortar bomb into 20 x 200 gramme little bombs and spread them around the point of aim actually makes them more effective on soft targets or targets behind frontal cover.

In the same way that a cluster bomb is often more effective against troops in the open than a single bomb of the same weight.

The ammo is bulky but tacked on the back of a turret should be no problem, in terms of complexity and cost the mount can be very very simple... fixed horizontally so it turns with the turret like the main gun and able to elevate separately to allow aiming up high and down low.

The weight penalty would be minor... it is an area soft target weapon so extreme precision could probably be achieved at closer ranges... perhaps putting rounds in windows out to 900m or so, but most of the time it would be used against enemy positions... snipers, MG positions, RPG teams or ATGM launch positions.

With the use of drones you could lob rounds over cover and hit targets that have no idea where you are, which you can't really do with a high velocity 30mm cannon... which is also a very capable and powerful weapon, but they are different enough to be complimentary... against any particular target one weapon will be better than the other... giving them the choice is a good thing.

BTR-82A additionally equipped with AGS

A popular attachment for BTR-70s in Afghanistan too even though it has the shorter range of 1.7km, the explosive power is effective at any range you can hit targets and of course the low velocity round complimented the high velocity 14.5mm HMG rounds which the Soviets tended to use on APCs like the west used 20mm cannon.

The current BMP-2 upgrade has a 30mm grenade launcher mount in addition to its main 30mm cannon, which sounds silly and redundant... they are both the same calibre they should have the same performance... but obviously they don't.

The 30mm shells are much higher velocity flatter shooting and are effective to about 4km with good optics (which the upgrade includes). but with their relatively high muzzle velocity it means it is difficult to lob rounds over frontal defences like a low wall or over a hedge row or some buildings.

A 30mm grenade is tiny compared with a 30 x 165mm cannon round but the mount on the upgraded BMP has the grenade launcher fitted to the top rear of the turret in a mount that is fixed with the turret like the main 30mm cannon, but the grenade launcher can elevate by itself so you can lob rounds over front cover and have them coming down near vertical into positions like foxholes or dug in positions.

The ammo for the grenade launcher is a big bin attached to the outside of the turret and it uses one continuous belt so unlike the turret roof mounted weapon above you can fire all its ammo without leaving the vehicle.

The amount of 30mm ammo this new upgraded vehicle carries is limited because the turret does not go down into the vehicle... it is an external remote weapon station, but a huge tub on the back of the turret could carry large numbers of grenades.

I seem to remember on the upgraded BMP-2 turret it had 400 rounds ready to use... which would be a rather useful addition to the existing fire power.

The commander does not need to use it of course but a lot of the time a burst of 40mm grenades would be just as effective against a group of enemy troops caught out in the open, which saves more 30mm rounds for targets that are a bit harder or a bit further away.

Grenades are a bit heavier to carry and the grenade launchers are a bit heavier to lug around but on a vehicle this does not matter much.

Here are some images...





Here are some more exotic...







But the most interesting I found was this...

Haha ffs a fifty calibre multibarrel machine gun from a Hind. Also love the improvised grad launchers there.

A better pic of the btr-70 with the mounted AGS.

Haha ffs a fifty calibre multibarrel machine gun from a Hind. Also love the improvised grad launchers there.

Yeah, but no optics to aim it.

The rocket launchers seem to be the 20 tube 80mm rocket launcher from Hinds, and then a couple of tubes from the same launcher removed from the launcher and mounted on a frame and the third rocket launcher appears to be a 57mm rocket pod of the 16 tube variety also carried on helicopters and fighters... which would all also be difficult to aim but offer quite a barrage of stop attacking us in this ambush noise and smoke...

@Mir thanks for the better picture.

These are examples of troops in the field trying stuff, the hardware makers also had some hair brained ideas too... I mean the BMPT is effectively the culmination of using cannon anti aircraft vehicles against ground targets... from their earliest vehicles they were all intended to be fully dual purpose anti air and anti ground target vehicles...

The place of the gunner in the BTR-82A

More than 10 BTR 82A received by S Mil District.

Improved BTR-82A entered service with the formed motorized rifle regiment of the Southern Military District in Ingushetia.
More than 10 modern armored personnel carriers with improved combat and running characteristics of the BTR-82A entered service with the newly formed motorized rifle regiment of the 58th combined-arms army of the Southern Military District (YuVO) in Ingushetia.

Question: Does " Improved BTR-82A" mean that these are modernized variants of BTR 82A? I used google translate for this so I'm not completely sure about the translation. See link below for original text:
https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12369421@egNews

Assembly of new armored personnel carriers at the Arzamas Machine-building Plant

Southern entrance: super-protected combat vehicles will be delivered to Ingushetia

South of Russia is reinforced with super-protected military equipment. The recently formed 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the Southern Military District (YuVO) will be one of the first in Russia to receive the latest version of the BTR-82 armored personnel carrier. The armor of such vehicles will keep anti-tank missiles, save from explosions of shells and small arms fire, as well as from being blown up by mines. The unique driving performance of armored personnel carriers will make it possible to make rapid marches for hundreds of kilometers on their own. Experts note that wheeled vehicles are very effective in the diverse conditions of the Russian south.

Sources in the military department told Izvestia that a fundamental decision was made to arm the newly formed 503rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 19th Motorized Rifle Division (MSD), stationed in Ingushetia, with the latest BTR-82A with enhanced armor. This military unit, the Ministry of Defense noted, will be the first in Russia to completely switch over to these super-protected armored personnel carriers. It is expected that by the end of the year, the formation and equipment of the main units of the 503rd regiment will be completed. In July, the Ministry of Defense announced plans to receive more than 300 new and modernized versions of the BTR-82 by the end of the year.

On the body of the updated version of the BTR-82, special armor plates are installed that protect the frontal part and sides from armor-piercing bullets and shell fragments. Also mounted are lattice screens that protect against hits from anti-tank grenade launchers and guided missiles. From a distance of 400 cm, the car is no longer penetrated by the fire of large-caliber machine guns.

Crew protection is also reinforced from the inside. The body is equipped with a splinter-resistant Kevlar lining. The bottom is reinforced with anti-mine pads. Crew and troopers' seats are suspended from the ceiling to reduce the likelihood of injury during explosions on land mines.

As the commander of the Southern Military District, General of the Army Alexander Dvornikov, said, the Southern Military District is one of the leaders in terms of rearmament rates. At the end of 2020, the share of new and modernized equipment in it reached 70%. This applies to both the ground, air and sea components of the troops.

- The Southern Military District is the most belligerent of all. Therefore, along with the Western one, first of all, he receives the latest technology, ”military expert Vladislav Shurygin explained to Izvestia. - It pays special attention to mobility. The units must be ready to react quickly to any situation in the zone of responsibility from the Caucasus to the Crimea, both in the mountains and in the steppes. Well-protected wheeled vehicles are especially useful for this. It can be quickly thrown not only by rail, but also under its own power.
Premiere of "Terminator": combat vehicles will be tested at the exercises "West-2021"

The expert recalled that the troops of the district regularly practice large-scale regroupings during maneuvers. During the spring sudden exercises, units of the 58th combined-arms army, which includes the 19th mechanized infantry division, were transferred from Northern Ingushetia to Crimea. She had previously participated in real hostilities.
Reborn division

The 19th Motorized Rifle Division is one of the youngest formations in the ground forces. It was formed in the North Caucasus from the 19th separate motorized rifle brigade last year. It will include three regiments, artillery and tank units.

Previously, a division with this number already existed in the Russian army. It was her regiments that distinguished themselves in the operation to force Georgia to peace in 2008. They were the first to enter the territory of South Ossetia. At the same time, some had to make rapid and long marches along mountain roads.

In the course of the reform of the "new look", the 19th mechanized infantry division in 2009 was transformed into a separate motorized rifle brigade with the same number, the number of regiments was reduced and most of the regiments were disbanded. Nevertheless, the compound was maintained in constant combat readiness. A company tactical group was formed within it, ready to move to any region of the North Caucasus within 30 minutes after receiving an order. All equipment for this was equipped with ammunition and fueled for a 500 km march.

The 19th Mechanized Infantry Division is not the only one revived in the Southern Military District. In 2020, the reconstruction of the 150th motorized rifle division was also completed there. Located on the border with Ukraine , she received regalia and became the legal successor of the unit of the same name, which stormed the Reichstag in Berlin.

The main armored personnel carriers of the Russian army at the beginning of the 2000s - the BTR-80 - have not satisfied their users for a long time. Insufficient firepower of machine guns and lack of weapon stabilization, low protection were noted. In some places, armor could be pierced with armor-piercing bullets from small arms.

In 2009, the development of a version devoid of these shortcomings started. The first batch of modernized combat vehicles began military trials in 2010. Their successful completion was followed by large-scale purchases.

In just a few years, the BTR-82 has become the most massive wheeled armored personnel carrier of the Russian troops. It exists in two variants that are similar in characteristics and appearance. BTR-82A - vehicles of new construction. The combatant BTR-80, which passed the "upgrade" at the plant, received the designation BTR-82AM.

The most significant difference between both variants from the original armored personnel carrier is the significantly enhanced armament. A new combat module is being installed on the BTR-82. It includes a 30 mm 2A72 rapid-fire automatic cannon and a PKTM machine gun paired with it. The gunner's sight received good stabilization and the ability to work at night. As a result, the combat vehicle can conduct effective fire even on the move.

In addition, the armored personnel carrier received a more powerful domestic diesel engine of 300 hp, a reinforced suspension and an improved transmission. This made it possible to increase the average speed of movement on roads and rough terrain, and a smooth ride.

BTR-82A became the main fighting vehicle of the Russian marines. From large landing ships, they can be landed not only on the shore, but also on the water. The armored personnel carrier is even capable of firing afloat, covering itself and its comrades.

The modernized BTR-82AM is also in service with the Airborne Forces. Also, these armored vehicles are equipped with units of the Russian Guard. Several hundred units have been sold to overseas buyers. Today they are in Azerbaijan, Syria and Kazakhstan.

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fiz.ru%2Frubric%2Farmiia&sandbox=1

BTR-82AT

Anti-aircraft version of the BTR-82

Russian_Patriot_ wrote:Anti-aircraft version of the BTR-82

Lmfao, how the hell did that happen? What's the backstory?

Broski wrote:

Russian_Patriot_ wrote:Anti-aircraft version of the BTR-82

Lmfao, how the hell did that happen? What's the backstory?

Someone probably forgot to keep his eyes on the road

Simple

"Now only BTR-82AT are being made": the Ministry of Defense made a choice in favor of protection

https://en.topwar.ru/186490-sejchas-delajutsja-tolko-btr-82at-minoborony-sdelalo-vybor-v-polzu-zaschity.html