It is well known that timely assistance to the wounded can reduce the irrecoverable losses of troops. To quickly evacuate the victim and provide him with first aid, army medics need special equipment capable of providing work in any area, as well as protecting their own crew and the rescued person from shelling. In order to solve such problems, several years ago, the Ukrainian industry created an armored medical vehicle BTR-3C.
The development of a promising medical vehicle was carried out as part of the program for the further development of a new armored personnel carrier BTR-3. Let us remind you that at the beginning of the two thousandth the Kharkiv Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering named after V. I. A. A. Morozov began a deep modernization of the existing armored personnel carrier BTR-80. Through various changes and improvements, it was planned to improve the general characteristics of the equipment, as well as adapt the design for production at Ukrainian enterprises. By the middle of the decade, the design of a new armored vehicle was completed, after which testing of experimental equipment began.
General view of the BTR-3S. Photo Kiev Armored Plant / kbtz.com.ua
Taking into account the experience of operating Soviet armored personnel carriers of old models, the authors of the BTR-3 project began to develop new modifications of such equipment, differing from each other in weapons and other equipment, and also proposed several special-purpose armored vehicles. On the basis of the armored vehicle, it was proposed to build self-propelled mortars, anti-tank missile systems, command-staff vehicles, etc. In addition, it was planned to develop an armored medical vehicle designed to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield and provide them with first aid.
Unlike the basic armored personnel carrier created in Kharkov, the new medical vehicle was to be developed by specialists from the Kiev Armored Plant. For several years, the development organization was engaged in the formation of the appearance of the equipment, after which it prepared a project and built the first prototype. Taking into account the type of the basic armored vehicle and the new purpose, the medical / ambulance received the designation BTR-3S. Other names, as far as is known, were not assigned to this development.
Specific requirements were imposed on the promising project, directly related to the intended role of the machine on the battlefield. It was necessary to develop a sample of armored vehicles capable of moving over rough terrain and evacuating the wounded. It was required to provide for the possibility of transporting fighters both with minor wounds, able to sit, and lying down, with more serious injuries. The tasks of the crew of the car were to include providing first aid, for which it was required to place a supply of dressings, medicines and some special devices on board. The use of the existing chassis was supposed to provide an acceptable level of mobility and protection.
As a specialized modification of the BTR-3 armored personnel carrier, which, in turn, was a modernized version of the older BTR-80, the BTR-3S medical vehicle retains some characteristic features, manifested both in appearance and in the layout features. In general, with the exception of some specific features, the Ukrainian medical vehicle outwardly resembles other samples created on the basis of Soviet armored personnel carriers.
In terms of protection, the BTR-3S corresponds to other vehicles of its family. The hull is welded from rolled armor plates up to 8-10 mm thick, which protects the crew and the wounded from small arms bullets. The original project does not provide for any additional means of enhancing the booking. The hull layout has been redesigned to suit the new role of the vehicle. The front part of the hull is still given over to the control compartment, the former troop compartment has become a compartment for the doctor and the wounded, and the feed, as before, houses the engine and transmission units.
View to the port side. Photo Kiev Armored Plant / kbtz.com.ua
The design of the body of the base armored personnel carrier has been changed in accordance with the new tasks. To accommodate medical equipment and places for installing stretchers, the troop compartment had to be significantly increased. In addition, some other hull changes were required. The BTR-3S retains the existing frontal part of the hull of a recognizable shape, consisting of several sheets placed at an angle to the vertical, and supplemented with zygomatic aggregates. The upper frontal sheet has openings for glazing, covered with movable covers. The control department received a modified roof. Now this armor plate is not located horizontally, but inclined forward. It still houses two hatches with a set of viewing devices.
The central part of the hull, like older armored personnel carriers, has sides consisting of two inclined sheets. At the same time, it was proposed to use larger top sheets to increase internal volumes. The modified sides, as well as additional trapezoidal frontal and stern plates, form a characteristic superstructure that protrudes noticeably above the other elements of the hull roof. Behind the second pair of wheels, double doors remain in the sides of the hull. Their lower element folds down, forming a footrest, and the upper one, when opened, goes forward, giving additional protection.
The aft part of the hull, as a whole, remained the same. As before, sides are used, consisting of several inclined elements. The stern leaf is slightly tilted back. From above, the engine compartment is covered with a horizontal roof with hatches for servicing internal units. During the modernization, the BTR-3 and the medical vehicle received some new external devices, such as exhaust pipe covers, etc.
It is proposed to install an MTU 6R 106ND21 diesel engine with a power of 326 hp in the aft compartment of the hull. German production. An Allison 3200SP transmission is mated to the engine and drives all eight wheels. It is possible to disable the drive of the two front axles. The undercarriage, borrowed unchanged from the base armored personnel carrier, has four axles with large-diameter wheels. The wheels have individual torsion bar suspension, reinforced with hydraulic shock absorbers. For movement on water, the medical vehicle retains the stern water jet propulsion unit.
The crew of the armored medical vehicle BTR-3S consists of three people: a driver, a commander and a doctor. The driver is in the control compartment, at the port side. In its place, he must get through the sunroof or through the medical department. For surveillance while driving in safe areas, it is suggested to use a standard windshield glass. Observation through an open hatch is also possible. In a combat situation, the driver must use periscopic devices. In the dark, it is proposed to use the TVNE-4B night vision device. To the right of the driver is the commander. His workplace also has its own hatch. To observe the terrain, the commander must use the combined device TKN-3.
The doctor is invited to be in his place in the central compartment. Access inside is provided by side doors and a sunroof. If necessary, the doctor can also monitor the surrounding space, for which viewing devices are installed in the sides of the medical department. In most situations, the doctor must work not only inside the armored body, but also outside it.
BTR-3S at the training ground. Photo Zhytomyr Armored Plant / zhbtz.com
The crew must keep in touch with each other using the R-174T intercom, which connects up to three subscribers. For external communication, a VPG-950 radio station is used. The living compartment is equipped with a 10 kW air conditioner.
An unusual feature of the BTR-3S medical vehicle is the presence of its own weapons. Behind the superstructure of the central compartment, at the left side of the hull, the project provides for the installation of a rack with a movable machine gun mount. The parameters of the latter allow you to mount the NSV heavy machine gun. The design of the installation provides shelling of targets in any direction in azimuth with elevation angles up to + 75 °. However, the use of a machine gun can be associated with some difficulties.
The main task of the BTR-3S armored vehicle is to transport the wounded and provide first aid. For this, the crew of the medical vehicle has a set of special equipment for various purposes. In the medical department, boxes and racks are provided for the installation of special equipment, as well as the transportation of medicines, dressings, etc. There are several sets of mounts for installing stretchers with lying wounded.
One rigid stretcher is transported on board the armored vehicle. There is also a set of four P2200 type sanitary stretchers. With their help, lying wounded should be loaded inside the medical department, where they are secured. If necessary, the wounded can receive a tire from the B-2 set. There are two medicine lockers at the sides of the compartment. Group "A" medicines are proposed to be transported inside a separate reinforced safe with locks. There is a small refrigerator on board for some drugs.
The doctor also has a DP-9 breathing apparatus and a defibrillator at his disposal. A DC / AC current converter is used to supply power to electrical and electronic devices. Installation of a washstand is provided. Both inside the medical department and outside the armored vehicle, the doctor can use field bags with appropriate equipment, a field paramedic kit, etc.
The dimensions and equipment of the medical department allow simultaneously transporting up to six lightly wounded seated fighters, for whom appropriate seats are provided inside the armored hull. When transporting bedridden patients, the existing department can only accommodate four sets of stretchers. In all cases, the doctor has the opportunity to interact with the wounded and provide them with the necessary assistance.
Production of armored vehicles. Photo Strangernn.livejournal.com
In terms of its dimensions, the BTR-3S medical vehicle, basically, corresponds to the basic armored personnel carrier. Machine length - 7, 85 m, width - 2, 9 m, height - 2, 8 m on the roof of the superstructure. Combat weight - no more than 15, 5 tons. The new engine, according to the developer, allows the armored vehicle to reach speeds of up to 100 km / h on the highway. When driving on water, the water cannon accelerates it to 8-10 km / h. The fuel range is 600 km. Despite the updated hull and other tasks, the armored vehicle retains the ability to overcome various obstacles. In terms of such characteristics, the BTR-3S hardly differs from the original armored personnel carrier.
A new type of technique was first introduced in the middle of the last decade. Soon, armored vehicles of the BTR-3E1 family were submitted to the competition of the Thai armed forces. In 2007, Ukrainian vehicles won a tender, which resulted in an order for the supply of a large number of armored personnel carriers and specialized equipment based on them, including armored medical vehicles BTR-3S. Soon, the defense industry of Ukraine began to fulfill the order and began to transfer the required samples of military equipment to the Asian state.
According to available data, due to the specific role of the BTR-3S armored vehicles, they were built in small numbers. So far, Thailand has received no more than 8-10 medical vehicles. At the same time, the main reason for the small number of medical equipment, first of all, is connected precisely with the limited requirements of the customer. Armies require medical vehicles in much smaller quantities than armored personnel carriers.
Initially, armored medical vehicles based on the BTR-3E1 were produced by the Kiev Armored Plant. In 2014, as a result of some decisions of the leadership of the Ukrainian military industry, the documentation for the project was transferred to the Zhytomyr Armored Plant. Since then, the BTR-3S medical vehicle has been present in the lists of manufactured products of two enterprises at once. Nevertheless, as far as is known, so far such a replenishment of the nomenclature of samples available for manufacture has not yielded any real results.
According to reports, the last serial BTR-3S was released in 2015 as part of an agreement with the Thai armed forces. More this technique did not leave the assembly line. Other countries show no interest in Ukrainian armored vehicles, while Ukraine itself is simply unable to purchase a large number of modern armored vehicles. As a result, the further fate of the project remains in question.
All built serial BTR-3S were transferred to the Thai army. Ukraine, as far as we know, does not have such machines in service. As a result, the participants of the so-called. An anti-terrorist operation has to use other vehicles to evacuate the wounded, including those that do not have special equipment for solving such problems.
BTR-3S of the Thai armed forces. Photo Strangernn.livejournal.com
It should be noted that one of the reasons for the lack of new orders may be the specific appearance of the armored vehicle. As another option for the further development of the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier, the Ukrainian medical vehicle BTR-3S retains some of the characteristic features of this vehicle. Moreover, certain features of the basic design turn out to be serious drawbacks that significantly complicate normal operation and the performance of basic tasks.
One of the main reasons for complaints about the BTR-80 armored personnel carriers and equipment based on them is the aft location of the engine compartment, because of which the troop compartment is located in the center of the hull and is equipped with side hatches. Dismounting through the side doors is associated with increased risks to the landing force. In the case of a medical machine, this deficiency manifests itself in a new way. The dimensions of the hatches and the peculiarities of the layout of the medical department, at least, significantly complicate the loading of the lying wounded. In addition, after loading, the stretcher with the victim must be turned in the correct way and secured in the appropriate place. Even with a fairly high superstructure, such a process should at least be very difficult.
As a result, the medical vehicle will be forced to stay in one place for longer, subject to unnecessary risks. At the same time, the crew members involved in the evacuation of the wounded, in certain circumstances, themselves may be injured or injured, which will further complicate their work.
The wheeled chassis of the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier can no longer be called fully modern and meeting the requirements of the time. At the same time, it gives rather high mobility characteristics, and is quite suitable for use as a basis for specialized machines. The level of protection of a modified hull of an existing design may be the subject of separate dispute. Obviously, a medical machine needs some kind of protection, but its exact parameters must be determined in accordance with the conditions of possible operation. So, in certain situations, the anti-bullet protection may be too weak, while the anti-projectile booking will be excessive.
In its current form, the armored medical vehicle BTR-3S had some characteristic drawbacks directly related to the design of the sample taken as a basis. It was not possible to correct these shortcomings. At the same time, the army still needs equipment to evacuate the wounded. New similar projects of Ukrainian design were created using more successful chassis. Since the end of the 2000s, Kharkiv specialists have proposed several options for medical vehicles based on the BTR-4E1 armored personnel carrier. Such equipment was produced in fairly large batches and has noticeable advantages over the BTR-3S vehicles.
