A machine with a lot of flaws, but still it can be brought to mind
First Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said that along with some other models, the BMPT, which had been created for several years, had not been included in the state defense order program. At the same time, the "procurement chief" expressed bewilderment as to why such a machine was developed and built at all, since, they say, tanks are self-sufficient on the battlefield, and they do not need any support. Leaving aside the question of the self-sufficiency of tanks on the modern battlefield, I would also like to express a number of critical remarks about the weapons complex installed on the BMPT.
CANNONS AND SUBMACHINE GUN
A distinctive feature of the BMPT is the presence of a special combat module - a weapon complex brought forward, mounted on a fully revolving armored compartment. In a bulletproof container, on U-shaped supports with belts inside, there are two automatic 30-mm 2A42 cannons.
By themselves, the 2A42 cannons and the PKT machine gun are a reliable and well-proven weapon, proven in combat and not causing complaints. However, the armament removed makes it difficult to maintain and load ammunition, and in battle, to perform these works, the crew must leave the vehicle, which can potentially lead to unreasonably high losses among the crew. Not enough for such a machine, as the experience of battles in Afghanistan and the North Caucasus has shown, and the elevation angle of the main weapon unit (+45 degrees). And one PKT machine gun is clearly not enough.
In addition, the combat module has bulletproof booking, which in itself dramatically reduces its protection against means of destruction - the swinging part will be quite easily disabled by bullets of 12, 7 and 14, 5 mm caliber, it will simply jam. Thus, despite the fact that the crew of the vehicle is well protected, this cannot be said about the weapon, although the BMPT must act as a "bodyguard" for the tank and operate under direct enemy fire.
UNPROTECTED ATGM
The main means of BMPT for fighting tanks and other highly protected targets of the enemy are ATGM complex 9K120 "Attack-T" with a firing range of up to 6 km. Based on the fact that ATGMs can have different types of warheads, the range of targets for BMPT will be from armored vehicles and manpower to low-flying helicopters. At the same time, the ATGM can be equipped with a tandem cumulative warhead with armor penetration of at least 800 mm, as well as high-explosive fragmentation and thermobaric warheads. The missiles have a caliber of 130 mm, are distinguished by increased security of the guidance channel with variable radiation modulation and are installed openly in standard TPKs.
It would seem that the supersonic flight speed of the missile in combination with a semi-automatic control system in the information laser beam leaves no chance for the enemy to take any countermeasures after its launch at the target. However, four ATGMs for such a machine as BMPT are clearly not enough, although with the existing layout of the machine, an increase in their number is hardly possible. In addition, the launchers are absolutely not protected from means of destruction, which is generally not acceptable - during the battle, the ATGM will be disabled in the very first minutes. Another drawback that is not noticeable to a common man in the street. This ATGM is used in the Ground Forces to a limited extent, therefore, the introduction of specialists for its maintenance into the staff of the unit is inevitable and, accordingly, the presence of control and testing equipment. This will entail additional material costs, and due to the large mass-dimensional characteristics of the ATGM, it will be necessary to allocate additional transport for their storage and delivery to the units.
Grenade Launcher Complex
Two 30-mm automatic grenade launchers AG-17D are installed in the body of the machine, firing from each is carried out independently of each other, and control is carried out by two operators remotely. According to the developers, the AG-17D ensure the destruction of targets in the near zone - at a distance of up to 1700 meters, and the ability to fire along a hinged trajectory allows you to hit the enemy behind natural and artificial shelters. But here, too, there were some drawbacks.
The experience of the Second World War, which has not lost its relevance in many areas of military science, has shown that the use of offensive weapons in combat conditions is ineffective and only leads to an increased consumption of ammunition. In the post-war period, this method of placing weapons was practically not used, except on the Soviet T-54 tank and the American light tank M-24, and today only BMP-3 and BMD-4 can be cited as examples. Further, despite the fact that a stabilizer is used in the BMPT grenade launcher in the vertical guidance plane, the guidance angles in the horizontal plane remain limited, which leads to the appearance of large "dead" zones. This drawback can be eliminated only by maneuvering the vehicle to the left or to the right, which will lead to the fact that the enemy will be exposed to a less protected side. Moreover, in combat conditions such a maneuver is not always possible, for example, overcoming a minefield or other obstacles and obstacles, moving in mountains, gorges, gorges, etc. Moreover, during combat use in defense, when the vehicle is in a trench, the fire capabilities of the AG-17 become even smaller, since the firing zones decrease, and the "dead" zones, on the contrary, increase.
In addition, it should be noted that the AG-17D is isolated from the gunner, therefore, in order to load and troubleshoot, it must go beyond the armored hull and stop the operation of the main weapon unit, which in battle will lead to losses among the crew and reduce the firing capabilities of the vehicle. And if in defense this problem can somehow be solved, then in the offensive there is practically no: stopping the BMPT to eliminate malfunctions during the offensive will instantly lead to the loss of the vehicle itself and its crew. And, finally, the introduction of two gunners of grenade launchers into the crew creates a problem with their preparation - this is additional material costs and the time allocated for the training itself. And in general, is it advisable to have three gunners in the BMPT crew?
HOW TO OPERATE THE MACHINE?
Of particular note is the fact that the effective use of even such a complex of weapons, which has individual drawbacks, requires the development of a training program for BMPT crews for their training in training centers, as well as determining in which military schools will train officers for units and units armed with BMPT. All this is due to the difficulties that will inevitably arise in the troops when organizing combat training.
For example, if there are four BMPTs in a tank company, how can we organize training sessions with the crews of these vehicles? There are no problems with driver mechanics, since the base machine is one, and they will be engaged in one training program, but there is a problem with the training of gunners and vehicle commanders, since the armament of the tank and the BMPT is completely different. In addition, who will conduct such classes and according to what program? After all, today there are no fire training exercises for BMPT and nothing is said about this in the shooting course. In addition, there is no director for the BMPT - it is necessary either to create a new one, or to adapt the director of the BMP-2, or to use the tank director.
I would also like to point out that the BMPT in its current form does not have a set of OPVT for underwater driving and is not able to overcome water obstacles along the bottom. And this excludes the possibility of forcing the BMPT along with the tanks of the water barrier along the bottom and simultaneously entering the battle on the opposite bank.
AND WHAT IN RETURN?
What needs to be done to eliminate the above deficiencies?
It seems that the T-72 or T-90 tanks should be used as a base for the creation of BMPTs by replacing the main armament located in the tank turret with the following:
- 30-mm six-barreled machine gun AO-18, adapted for installation in the fighting compartment of a tank and provided with two-tape power supply;
- installation of two PKT machine guns and two AG-17 grenade launchers, one PKT + AG-17 block to the left and right of the 30-mm machine gun;
- place nine ATGMs in the rear of the fighting compartment, and place the launcher for them in the center of the fighting compartment, slightly shifting it to the rear of the tower;
- place ammunition for a 30-mm machine gun, machine guns and grenade launchers on the bottom of the fighting compartment in place of the rotating conveyor.
At the same time, the weapon guidance angle will be 360 degrees horizontally, from –5 to +75 degrees vertically, and the crew consists of only three people (commander, gunner and driver).
Such a complex of weapons allows you to perform the following tasks:
- at a distance of up to 2000 meters, a 30-mm machine gun with a rate of fire of about 4000-5000 rds / min can disable any armored vehicle, including a tank;
- to effectively combat low-flying subsonic air targets at ranges up to 4000 meters and altitudes up to 2000 meters;
- to destroy transport and fire weapons, enemy manpower at ranges of up to 5000 meters;
- reliably hit armored vehicles with ATGMs at a range of up to 5000 meters.
As you can see, BMPT, in general, can be brought to mind. There would be a desire.
