Work on the BMPT or Object 199 "Frame", which became widely known in the media as "The Terminator" and even appears on the official website of Uralvagonzavod under its unofficial name, began in the second half of the 1990s. At the same time, the first attempts to create such a machine were made even earlier in the 80s of the last century. Currently, the fate of the tank support combat vehicle is in limbo. On the one hand, the BMPT "Terminator" was officially adopted by the Russian army, but supplies of this type of weapon to the troops are not made. Currently, the only operator of this vehicle is Kazakhstan, which has purchased 10 BMPT units.
In September 2013, at the already traditional arms exhibition in Nizhny Tagil, Uralvagonzavod is preparing to present to the general public a new version of its BMPT, which was created on the basis of a modernized version of the T-72 MBT. According to Oleg Sienko, director general of the scientific and production corporation Uralvagonzavod, the company is working on a new concept for its combat vehicle. According to Oleg Sienko, the new vehicle in its capabilities and characteristics will be close to the already created BMPT. Its main difference will be the reduction in the size of the crew. Currently, the crew of Object 199 consists of 5 people.
The history of the development of BMPT began a quarter of a century ago. Then, in the distant 1980s, the BMPT code was understood as a “heavy infantry fighting vehicle” or, as they said then, simply a heavy BMP. At that time, the experience of existing military conflicts showed that the traditional use of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles is becoming more and more problematic due to the saturation of the defense with a variety of anti-tank systems, including various ATGMs. For all their might, tanks in battle proved to be vulnerable to modern anti-tank weapons. That is why the question arose of creating a combat vehicle that would effectively fight against tank-hazardous manpower, destroying and suppressing it, supporting tanks in battle. Work on this project in those years was carried out at the armored academy.
Object 781
In the USSR, new models of military equipment and weapons were created by orders or decrees of the government, as well as by decisions of the military-industrial complex (commission on military-industrial issues). Work began as specific proposals were received from ordering departments of the Ministry of Defense and ministries-developers. This happened with the BMPT, when this combat vehicle was included in the "5-year plan of the most important research and development work on weapons and military equipment for 1986-1990." This plan was binding on all government organizations and was funded. The initiator of research and development work on the development of a fundamentally new machine, as well as the concept of its combat use, was the Department of Tanks VA BTV, which was headed by Major General ON Brilev.
The chief executor of the work on the creation of BMPT was the design bureau of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant of the Ministry of Agriculture (GSKB-2), headed by V. L. Vershinsky, the co-developer of the weapons complex for the BMPT, the well-known Tula Instrument Design Bureau (KBP) was chosen, which was headed by the chief designer AG Shipunov. GSKB-2 began to create a combat vehicle of a new class in 1985, when research work was still being carried out to determine the appearance of a combat vehicle.
BMPT was supposed to operate as part of tank units and destroy enemy tank-hazardous means. The experience of the military operations of the Soviet army in Afghanistan confirmed the need for this kind of equipment. The experience of the war has demonstrated that lightly armored BMP-1 and BMP-2 cannot fully combat the enemy's tank-hazardous manpower, and modern MBTs do not have a sufficient gun elevation angle, which is necessary in a mountain battle. The main requirement for the new armored vehicle was powerful armament with a large elevation angle, as well as a good level of hull protection, which would not be inferior to MBT. In addition, the vehicle had to be very well protected from close combat anti-tank weapons.
Based on this, it was decided to manufacture a combat vehicle based on the serial T-72 tank, which was produced at Uralvagonzavod. The composition of the crew was also determined - 7 people, as well as their location. A driver-mechanic was supposed to be located in the center ahead, there were 2 grenade launchers from the sides. In the middle of the vehicle, where the tank's fighting compartment was located, were the gunner and commander. And on the sides of the hull there were 2 machine gunners, who covered the BMPT from the flanks.
Object 782
This arrangement of the crew required a change in the MBT hull and its bow assemblies. The shelves located above the undercarriage were made in the form of armored sealed compartments, in which course, remote-controlled grenade launchers with an ammunition supply system were installed. At the same time, the onboard machine gunners were able to remotely control the PKT machine guns that were carried out.
On the BMPT, modern aiming and observation devices were mounted for each crew member who controls the weapons. Thus, 6 crew members of the BMPT could conduct independent fire and destroy a potential enemy in all directions. The main armament of the BMPT at the initial stage was made in 2 versions (A and B). In the test report, they were sometimes referred to as experimental 781 builds 7 and 8. At the same time, in the press today they are often referred to as "Object 781" and "Object 782".
Both versions were made on a modified chassis of the T-72A tank with a redesign of the hull nose assembly. Above the undercarriage were shelves made in the form of sealed armored compartments, in which remote-controlled stabilized 40-mm grenade launchers were located. Behind them were sealed fuel tanks, as well as a number of auxiliary systems, such as batteries and a filter ventilation unit. This solution made it possible to increase the security of the BMPT from the sides.
The first version "A" was armed with two 30-mm rapid-fire 2A72 cannons and paired with them 7, 62-mm machine guns in turrets with independent guidance. Additional armament of the vehicle consisted of an anti-tank missile system and 2 large-caliber 12, 7-mm NSVT machine guns. The crew of the "Object 781" consisted of 7 people. The second version "B" used the BMP-3 armament complex, which consisted of 100-mm and 30-mm cannons in a single unit and a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun paired with them. However, due to the restructuring and the termination of the work of ChTZ on the tank theme, the projects of these vehicles did not receive development.
Object 787
Theoretically, 4 members of the BMPT crew (2 machine gunners and 2 grenade launchers) could, if necessary, leave the combat vehicle and conduct an independent battle outside it, like a landing force dismounting from the BMP, while their safe exit from the BMPT was not structurally envisaged. In the future, when the number of BMPT crew members decreased to 5 people, the idea of dismounting part of the crew disappeared by itself.
In 1995, hostilities began in Russia in the North Caucasus, and ChTZ was transformed into JSC Ural-Truk, the management of the new enterprise again returned to the idea of creating a BMPT. The work on the project was started at the enterprise's own funds at the initiative of the general director of the plant. At GSKB-2, which at that time was headed by A. V. Ermolin, urgently began work on the creation of a combat vehicle based on the massive T-72 tank, which could effectively operate in mountainous and wooded areas and urban conditions.
In 1996, the combat vehicle designated "Object 787" was ready. The experimental sample looked rather unusual. The gun was dismantled from the T-72 tank, and two 30-mm 2A72 automatic cannons, paired with 7.62-mm machine guns, were installed on the sides of the turret. These installations, like the forked tongue of a viper, could fatally sting any enemy, so the company called the car "Viper". Both guns were mounted on a single shaft that passed through the turret of the tank. Fire control and aiming of guns at the target was carried out by the gunner and the vehicle commander. In addition, on the new BMPT, on the sides of the turret, in addition to the guns, cassettes of unguided aircraft missiles (NAR) were mounted, 6 guides on each side. All this was covered with special armor shields.
The designers tried to pay special attention to the protection of the BMPT from anti-tank cumulative infantry weapons, the entire hull and turret were covered with DZ "Contact-1" blocks. In addition, a special container was mounted to the stern of the tower, which also played the role of additional armor protection. A number of experts believe that additional weapons could be installed in it, for example, large-caliber machine guns. Tests of this machine were carried out from 5 to 10 April 1997 with the participation of employees of 38 NIMI of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The car was tested by firing on the move during daylight hours. In July 1997, the tests were continued by firing NARs. Test firing showed the high efficiency of the BMPT, but personnel changes at the manufacturing plant put an end to this machine.
Object 1999 "Terminator"
Only the 4th version of the BMPT, developed at the Ural Design Bureau of Transport Engineering, was adopted by the Russian army. Initially, the UKBTM used the chassis of the T-72 tank, later the T-90A tank. The running layout of the new BMPT "Frame-99" (Object 199) was first demonstrated to the general public in the summer of 2000 during the Nizhny Tagil exhibition of arms and military equipment. By that time, the BMPT was already deciphered as a tank support combat vehicle.
Its crew consisted of 5 people, four of whom could participate in fire control. The vehicle was equipped with a low-profile turret of an original design with outboard armament, which was mounted in a single stabilized cradle - an automatic 30-mm 2A42 cannon and an automatic 30-mm AG-30 grenade launcher paired with it, as well as 4 Kornet ATGMs with their own independent stabilized drives (located on the left side of the tower in an armored container). This arrangement of weapons made it possible to fire outright from all the weapons on board. At the same time, a 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun with remote control was also installed on the commander's hatch. Additional armament of the vehicle consisted of 2 automatic grenade launchers in the fenders. At the same time, a modern LMS "Frame" was installed on the BMPT, which made it possible to effectively conduct battle both day and night.
In 2002, at the arms exhibition, it was no longer a mock-up that was shown, but a model of a combat vehicle modified according to the customer's comments. At the same time, the armament complex underwent a change, now 2 30-mm automatic cannons, as well as a 7, 62-mm PKTM machine gun, were mounted on the turret. According to the characteristics of the protection of the sides, the new BMPT even surpassed the MBT T-90. This was achieved thanks to the installation of DZ along the entire side projection and the shielding of the sides with auxiliary equipment. Also on the BMPT to protect the stern of the hull, a lattice anti-cumulative screen was installed. This version of the BMPT at the end of 2006 successfully passed state tests and was recommended for adoption.
