JSC "Special Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering" from the Concern "Tractor Plants" spoke about the current work on one of the promising samples of armored vehicles. After several years of waiting, the company announced the start of testing one of its new developments. We are talking about a promising amphibious armored personnel carrier BT-3F, developed on the basis of the BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicle. This machine has been repeatedly demonstrated at domestic exhibitions and is already known to experts and the public. In the near future, it can go into mass production.
On February 16, RIA Novosti reported about the launch of a new stage of work on the BT-3F project. The chief designer of SKBM Sergey Abdulov told the news agency about the recent start of sea trials of the armored personnel carrier. This work will take several months. The tests are scheduled for completion this fall. Other details of the current work or the project as a whole were not specified.
The BT-3F armored personnel carrier on trials, 2016 Photo Bmpd.livejournal.com
Earlier it was announced that the BT-3F armored personnel carrier is an initiative development of SKBM, carried out taking into account the current requirements of the international market. Even before the first public display of this machine, the Indonesian armed forces became interested. It was also reported that the Russian army showed interest in the BT-3F. However, so far no contracts have been signed for the supply of finished equipment.
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The BT-3F armored personnel carrier is a floating armored combat vehicle designed for the transport of personnel. The BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicle was taken as the basis for this model, which in a known way simplified the development and assembly of equipment, and should also affect the ease of its operation. A significant part of the units is borrowed without any changes, while the applied modifications give the armored vehicle new capabilities.
The main modifications in the new project have undergone the armored corps. Instead of the standard turret platform, the BT-3F uses a high deckhouse with an inclined frontal plate and vertical sides. The frontal leaf of the deckhouse has an overhead booking, which increases the overall level of protection. Apparently, this was done in order to obtain the same level of protection for all elements of the frontal projection. Recall that the base BMP-3 protects the crew from shelling from a 30-mm automatic cannon from the front corners.
The use of the felling led to an increase in the internal volume of the hull required to accommodate the landing. The troop compartment occupies the entire middle part of the hull and is located in the place of the fighting compartment of the base BMP-3F. In the existing volume, it was possible to accommodate 14 paratroopers with weapons. Access to the habitable compartment is provided by several hatches. There are two large rectangular hatches in the roof of the wheelhouse. The aft passages used on the infantry fighting vehicle have been preserved, but their design has been changed. In view of the increased height of the hull and for the greater convenience of the landing, the aisles are closed from above with inclined flaps. The aft doors remained in place.
In front of the roof of the wheelhouse, it is planned to install a remotely controlled combat module. Initially, it was a product of the DPV-T type. Such a module has combined day-night observation equipment and a laser rangefinder. It is equipped with a PKTM 7.62 mm machine gun. The weapon is controlled from the shooter's workplace, on which the monitor and control panel are located.
Water tests. Photo Bmpd.livejournal.com
Initially, it is possible to use different combat modules with different weapons - up to a machine gun with a caliber of 14.5 mm or a 40-mm automatic grenade launcher. For example, in 2017, a prototype BT-3F with a Kord heavy machine gun was demonstrated.
In the bow of the hull, two course PKT machine guns that were present on the BMP-3F are preserved. Depending on the current conditions, they are controlled by their own arrows or a driver-mechanic, remotely. Two sets of Tucha grenade launchers are placed on the reinforced frontal leaf of the wheelhouse. Embrasures for firing from the landing party's personal weapons are not provided.
With the exception of the installation of the cabin and the corresponding alteration of the central part of the hull, the BT-3F is almost no different from the base BMP-3F. In front of the troop compartment there is a control compartment with three seats. The aft compartment, as before, houses a low-profile power unit, above which there are landing passages. The chassis is not finalized and retains the original design.
There are three places in the front control compartment: for the driver (center) and for two shooters. These places have their own hatches in the roof of the hull. The entire troop is transported in its own compartment with access through the aft or upper hatches.
A UTD-29 diesel engine with a power of 500 hp is placed in the rear of the hull. The hydromechanical transmission provides power transmission to the drive wheels of the tracked chassis and to the jet propellers. The chassis includes six road wheels per side, each with its own torsion bar and hydraulic shock absorber. Above the bottom in the stern there are two water-jet propellers for moving through the water. It is also provided for the installation of a pump for pumping water from the internal volumes of the body.
BT-3F at the Army-2016 exhibition. Photo Vitalykuzmin.net
Despite the serious reworking of the design, the armored personnel carrier in its dimensions is almost the same as an infantry fighting vehicle. The hull length reaches 7, 15 m, width 3, 3 m, height - about 2, 3 m. The total combat weight is determined at 18, 9 tons. Driving performance remains at the level of the base vehicle. The maximum speed on the highway is 70 km / h, the cruising range is 600 km. On the water, a speed of up to 10 km / h develops with a sailing duration of up to 7 hours. It is allowed to move on water with waves up to 3 points. It is possible to transport the vehicle by military transport aircraft with a carrying capacity of at least 20 tons.
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The BT-3F project was announced in 2016. By the time the data was first published, some tests had been performed. Soon a prototype of a promising armored vehicle was shown at the international military-technical forum "Army-2016". Subsequently, the armored personnel carrier was shown several times at other domestic exhibitions. Several times the development organization published new information about the progress of the project; the latest news of this kind appeared a few days ago.
Back in 2016, it was reported that Indonesia was showing interest in BT-3F. The armament of this country consists of more than fifty armored vehicles BMP-3F and about 150 obsolete armored personnel carriers BTR-50; most of this equipment serves in the Marine Corps. To maintain this kind of troops at the proper level, the Indonesian army needs new equipment, such as the BT-3F. With their help, the existing BTR-50 can be replaced. Over the years, a real supply contract has not appeared, but it can be signed after the completion of the current tests.
In the recent past, the Russian Ministry of Defense also became interested in an armored personnel carrier based on the BMP-3F. According to the latest news, the BT-3F is being considered as a possible replacement for the rather old MT-LB multipurpose transporters. Apparently, we are talking about a possible modernization of the fleet of equipment for the Marine Corps, which has to use old vehicles as armored personnel carriers for personnel. In this role, the new BT-3F surpasses the existing MT-LB in all respects and is able to significantly affect the combat effectiveness of the units.
Stern view, landing hatches open. Photo Bastion-opk.ru
It should be noted that the Russian military department has not yet placed an order for the serial production of the BT-3F. Whether the current interest will lead to the emergence of a real contract is unknown. The latest tests, which became known a few days ago, can be carried out precisely in the interests of the Russian army.
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In terms of its concept, the BT-3F armored personnel carrier is similar to the outdated BTR-50 vehicle. It is a tracked protected vehicle capable of transporting and dropping infantry, as well as supporting it with machine-gun fire. In addition, it is optimized for work on the water: crossing obstacles, amphibious landing, etc. The equipment built on the basis of such a concept may be of interest to different armies, including the Russian one.
The proposed project has a number of positive features. First of all, it should be noted the use of a ready-made platform with high performance. The BT-3F is being built on the basis of the BMP-3F serial infantry fighting vehicle, which provides well-known engineering, production and operational advantages. Equipment on a finished chassis, retaining most of the original units, is relatively easy to develop, build and use in the army.
The new BT-3F compares favorably with its increased level of protection from its predecessor in the form of the BTR-50. The old armored personnel carrier had homogeneous armor up to 10-13 mm thick and could only protect against bullets and shrapnel. The hull based on the BMP-3 has a spaced aluminum armor with steel elements, which allows it to provide all-aspect bulletproof and anti-cannon protection in the frontal projection. Thus, there is a significant increase in combat survivability. At the same time, in the body of the new armored personnel carrier, it was possible to place only 14 places for the landing against 20 for the BTR-50.
An important feature of the BT-3F is the ability to install various combat modules with machine gun or grenade launcher weapons. Compatibility with combat modules of different types allows the customer to choose the desired equipment and weapons. The presence of the combat module as a whole increases the safety of the crew, since the shooter gets the opportunity to fire from under the armor.
Basic infantry fighting vehicle BMP-3F. Photo by Rosoboronexport / roe.ru
The troop compartment can be used to accommodate special equipment and equipment. Like its predecessor, the BT-3F can become a base for command and staff vehicles, control posts of various kinds, ambulances, etc. In fact, the method of using the troop compartment depends only on the wishes of the customer.
However, the proposed sample has drawbacks. Based on a fairly old platform, an armored personnel carrier may not fully meet modern requirements. For example, some customers may not be satisfied with the available level of protection. Also, the BMP-3 and its modifications are criticized due to the specific process of landing and dismounting the landing.
With all its pros and cons, the BT-3F armored personnel carrier turns out to be a very successful model of a protected vehicle for infantry and cargo, unified with other equipment. Such a machine may indeed be of interest to the armies and may become the subject of a supply contract. According to known data, so far only Indonesia and Russia were interested in the armored personnel carrier, which have a significant fleet of BMP-3 and need new equipment. It is quite possible that in the future BT-3F will attract the attention of other customers. The commercial success of the development can be facilitated by the positive completion of the current tests, scheduled for the fall.
