In the early sixties, the Soviet defense industry was working on new projects for infantry fighting vehicles of one kind or another. The most successful development of this class was the Object 765, which later entered service under the name BMP-1. Other examples of armored vehicles were less successful. For example, several projects at once with the general designation "Object 1020", developed in the framework of cooperation between two large organizations, have not been able to move beyond the stage of design work.
Recall that at the end of the fifties, the Military Academy of Armored Forces and the Kutaisi Automobile Plant joined the program of creating new protected vehicles for the infantry. For several years they have developed two projects of wheeled armored personnel carriers - "Object 1015" and "Object 1015B". This technique was in some respects inferior to the experienced BTR-60, and therefore did not get into the series and did not enter service. Nevertheless, they did not abandon the developments on these projects, and the development of some ideas continued.
Armored personnel carrier "Object 1015B" - the main source of developments for projects "1020"
In the first months of 1963, the command of the armored forces of the Soviet army issued a new assignment to the industry. In accordance with it, the Military Academy of Armored Forces and the Special Design Bureau of the Kutaisi Automobile Plant were to create a new version of the wheeled BMP. To simplify and speed up the work, it was proposed to use the ideas and solutions of closed projects of the "1015" line.
On April 13 of the same code, SKB KAZ received the tactical and technical requirements developed by the Central Automobile and Tractor Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. Among other things, the requirements provided for the use of a ready-made combat module developed for the BMP Object 765 (future BMP-1). There were also some other special requests.
Having received the requirements for the new project, the Kutaisi designers got down to work. From SKB KAZ, the work was supervised by S. M. Batiashvili. The main representative of the Military Academy was A. I. Mamleev. The promising project received the working designation "Object 1020". As part of the development work, several options for such a machine were proposed. It was proposed to distinguish them from each other with the help of additional letters that followed the numbers.
In accordance with the requirements of the customer, the two organizations jointly had to create a promising wheeled armored vehicle with cannon and machine gun armament and the ability to transport several paratroopers. The project should have used some of the ideas and solutions previously tested in the creation of wheeled armored personnel carriers. At the same time, it was supposed to implement and study several new design solutions in the field of power plants, etc.
The basis for the wheeled infantry fighting vehicle was the project of the armored vehicle "Object 1015B", but it was planned to overhaul it in the most serious way. The new car was supposed to retain some of the appearance features, the general layout of the hull and some other features. At the same time, it was required to completely redo the fighting and airborne compartments, as well as use new power units.
"Object 1020" was supposed to receive a body with bulletproof armor, welded from sheets up to 8-10 mm thick. The layout of the hull was changed in accordance with the new role of technology: the front part of the internal volumes retained the functions of the control compartment, and immediately behind it were the places of the paratroopers. At the same time, a large combat module with a turret basket was placed in the center of the hull, behind which there was also a place for soldiers with weapons. The aft compartment of the hull was intended for the engine, individual transmission units and a pair of water cannons.
General diagram of the Object 1020 infantry fighting vehicle
As in the previous project, the forehead of the body was formed by several large straight and curved sheets, set at angles to each other. The largest was the bottom sheet piled forward. The middle one was located almost horizontally, and the upper, equipped with an inspection hatch, was at an angle to the vertical. The sides of the hull consisted of several parts. The bottom sheet was placed vertically, and an inclined one was placed above it. In these sheets there were cutouts for niches, intended for the installation of suspension parts. Due to the use of two front steering axles, the front part of the hull was distinguished by a reduced width. Above the lower part of the side there was a well-developed wheel well. It was proposed to install the sides of the niches with a significant blockage inward. From above, the car was covered with a horizontal roof with a sloping rear. The food was formed by several even sheets.
The authors of the new project considered two options for the power plant and transmission. In the first case, the infantry fighting vehicle was to be equipped with a ZIL-375 gasoline engine with a power of 180 hp. Such a project was designated as "Object 1020A". The second version of the project provided for the installation of the Ural-376 engine with a capacity of 225 hp. This BMP was named "Object 1020V". The two projects provided for the use of different transmissions, built, however, on the same principles. In both cases, it was about the H-shaped transmission scheme.
In the case of the Object 1020A, the gearbox and transfer case were placed at the level of the third axle of the chassis. A pair of transverse propeller shafts, connected to the final drives of the third axle, departed from the lockable differential as part of the transfer case. The latter were responsible for delivering torque to the shafts associated with the other three axles. The transfer case was also intended to drive the winch, placed under the frontal plates, and a pair of aft water cannons.
In the project "Object 1020V", which provided for the use of the Ural brand engine, a different arrangement of transmission units was implemented. In this case, the transfer case was moved forward and placed directly under the fighting compartment. Because of this, the H-shaped power distribution shafts were located at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the machine. The final drives of the second and third axles received torque directly from the transfer case and transmitted it to the other two axles. A separate drive for the winch and water jets was also used.
Both projects involved the use of a four-axle wheel undercarriage with different types of suspension. In both cases, it was about the use of spring, hydropneumatic or torsion shock absorbers in different combinations. At the same time, the suspension of a pair of front axles was different from the rear devices. An interesting feature of the "Object 1020V" project was the installation of the front steering wheel suspension in the niches of the extended body. Due to this, it was possible to obtain a small increase in internal volumes, which made it possible to change the ergonomics of the habitable compartments. Infantry fighting vehicles of two types were to be equipped with large diameter tires. All wheels were connected to a common tire pressure regulation system.
On the sides of the engine in the rear of the hull were placed water jet propellers. The water intake was carried out through the windows in the bottom, the discharge - through the nozzles in the stern sheet. Movable flaps were used to control the thrust. The reverse was carried out using slit oblique nozzles in the bottom. A folding wave-reflecting shield could be installed in the frontal part of the hull.
The layout of the BMP "Object 1020A"
In accordance with the requirements of the customer BMP "Object 1020" had to carry a fighting compartment, borrowed from the project "Object 765". This product was made in the form of a turret with a turret basket. A canopy up to 23 mm thick was used, in the frontal part of which there was a twin installation for weapons. The main weapon of such a tower was the 73-mm smoothbore gun 2A28 "Thunder". Auxiliary - coaxial machine gun PKT. Also, the tower could be equipped with a launch guide for anti-tank missiles "Baby". Day and night sights were used to control the weapon.
The fighting compartment was located on the "Object 1020" in the center of the corps. The possibility of horizontal circular guidance was provided. The elevation angles, in general, corresponded to the original BMP-1: the design of the body of the wheeled vehicle did not interfere with the lowering of the barrels.
Project "1020" provided for the use of an additional machine gun in the hull. The ball mount for him was located on the upper frontal sheet on the right, where the commander's inspection hatch was located in previous projects. In the sides of the hull, both in the armor and in the hatch covers, it was possible to place up to six embrasures. They allowed the landing party to fire from their personal weapons.
The own crew of a promising BMP consisted of three people. In front of the hull were the driver and the commander, who was also responsible for the use of the machine gun. The third crew member was in the turret and had to use the main armament. All crew workplaces were equipped with their own hatches and various viewing devices.
The deployment of the landing was organized in an original way. Due to the presence of a large fighting compartment, the fighters were located in two different volumes, in front of the tower and behind it. Directly behind the driver and commander were two landing seats. In the project "1020A" they sat facing forward in the direction of travel, in the project with the letter "B" - facing the sides. Access to their seats was provided by their own hatches in the sides.
Four more places were located between the control compartment and the power compartment. In both vehicles, the paratroopers had to enter the vehicle through a pair of roof hatches and sit in pairs facing the sides. At the same time, on the "Object 1020A" the front pair of their seats was located near the longitudinal axis of the hull, while on the "Object 1020B" they were able to be moved to the sides. In addition, in the second version of the project, it turned out to find a place for another paratrooper: he was placed on the left side directly behind the fighting compartment.
Layout "Object 1020B"
At the request of the military, the "Object 1020" had to match the capabilities of the military transport aviation of its time. The length of the infantry fighting vehicle did not exceed 7.3 m with a width of no more than 2.9 m and a height of 2.15 m. The combat weight of both samples was within 12 tons. According to calculations, BMPs could accelerate to 85 km / h on the highway. The power reserve is 500 km. On water, the maximum speed was determined at 9 km / h.
As far as is known, development work on the theme of the wheeled BMP "1020" continued for several months in 1963. Probably, by the end of the year, the development of two projects was stopped. By this time, the Military Academy of Armored Forces and the Special Design Bureau of the Kutaisi Automobile Plant had time to work out the main points of promising models, but a complete set of technical documentation, which made it possible to start building experimental equipment, did not appear.
The exact reasons for the closure of the project "Object 1020" are unknown. However, some of the preserved information about the projects of SKB KAZ and other organizations suggests one or another scenario. Most likely, by the end of 1963, the customer lost interest in wheeled infantry fighting vehicles of the "1020A" or "1020B" type. In addition, the fate of the two developments could be affected by the specific features of the previous experienced armored personnel carriers of the "1015" line. Finally, there were already more successful designs of vehicles for the infantry.
First of all, it should be noted that by 1963, when the creation of the "Object 1020" began, several experienced infantry fighting vehicles of other types had time to go on trials at once. It took a certain time to refine them before being put into service, but even in this case they looked more convenient than the Kutaisi model. Even in the absence of any problems, the experienced "1020" could have entered the test range no earlier than 1964, while with the continuation of the current work, the army by this time was able to make a final decision and order new equipment.
It is known that the Object 1015 and Object 1015B armored personnel carriers had certain technical problems. Some of the shortcomings were eliminated in the "B" project, but even this did not allow it to compete with other domestic developments. It is quite possible that the persistence of such problems could negatively affect the timing of fine-tuning and completion of the project.
One way or another, no later than the beginning of 1964, work on the "Object 1020" was stopped. For several months of design, the two organizations jointly managed to work out the general appearance of the equipment and its individual features, but it was not possible to bring the project to the stage of construction of the prototype. As unnecessary, the documentation went to the archive.
However, the development of new wheeled combat vehicles did not stop. A new order from the Ministry of Defense provided for the creation of a special four-axle wheeled chassis. This machine, designated as "Object 1040", was proposed to be made the basis of a promising anti-aircraft missile system or other military equipment. Unlike the two previous developments, the newer machine "1040" was able to enter the test site and show its capabilities.
