Despite many years of success in the market, the car remains unique in its class: building on the previous hit BMP-2, the developers have radically changed the layout. The V-shaped 10-cylinder engine is located in a tank manner, above the rear axle. This made it possible to achieve better balancing and visibility for the driver and provide additional protection for the landing party.
In the immediate vicinity, the BMP looks taller and more massive due to the boldly turned up nose and high ground clearance, visually balanced by the lines of the sides expanding to the rear. The low-profile tower protrudes from the rooftop creates a sense of power. Able to turn 360 degrees, it carries a 100-mm gun, a 30-mm automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun rigidly bound in a single mask, and on the sides - two three-barreled grenade launchers of the "Tucha" smoke screen ".
The BMP-3 is in service with Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and other countries. For those who value special comfort when performing assigned tasks, the following versions are supplied: commander (BMP-3K), repair and evacuation (BREM-L "Beglyanka"), reconnaissance (BRM-3K "Lynx") and others.
In the army
The BMP-3 is in service with Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and other countries. For those who value special comfort while performing assigned tasks, the following versions are supplied: commander (BMP-3K), repair and evacuation (BREM-L "Beglyanka"), reconnaissance (BRM-3K "Lynx") and others.
None of the vehicles of this class can boast of such weapons: the 100-mm gun, stabilized in two planes, is able to compete with the armor of a serious tank. "And we can cover a space 100 m long with a curtain," adds the BMP-3 driver-mechanic, deputy commander of a motorized rifle company of the Guard, Senior Lieutenant Pyotr Galaburda, "in fact, the entire platoon of three vehicles." The frontal side of the turret is reinforced with overhead armor, which, however, does not in the least spoil the contours of the upper part of the hull.
Aerodynamics were the last thing the developers took care of: 500 hp. "Under the hood" already allow the 19-ton car to develop about 90 km / h on the highway and up to 10 km / h afloat. The engine can run on both gasoline and kerosene, although diesel fuel is normally used. It does not shine with efficiency and consumes about 100 liters per 100 km of run, however, a 600-liter tank is enough to go to work, to the dacha and return without refueling.
“To manage a tank even at a basic level, you have to study for a long time,” Petr Galaburda does not hide his pride. “But, believe me, you will master the BMP-3 in a couple of minutes.” Indeed, the semi-automatic hydromechanical transmission (four forward and two reverse speeds) eliminates the distraction of shifting gears and concentrates on steering with a motorcycle-style steering wheel. By the way, there is also a button on it that allows you to instantly switch to a maneuverable turn on the spot.
The first thing that attracts attention is the fantastic throttle response of the car. We were unable to obtain data on acceleration from a standstill, but the sensations here are hardly deceiving: one press of the pedal - and the entire armored mass breaks off like a beast ready to throw.“There was a case, we competed on a level ground, at a sprint distance, - our BMP-3 versus T-72 and armored personnel carriers,” recalls the senior lieutenant. "We came first, broke away for several buildings." In fact, the armored personnel carrier's engine is not so responsive, and although the conveyor can pick up high speed, it does not start as briskly as the BMP-3.
The fuel tank was moved under the front "hood", but there was no need to sacrifice safety: the secret porous material filling the tank from the inside excludes the fuel detonation even in case of a direct hit. “In the instructions, he appears simply as a 'sealant',” says Senior Lieutenant Pyotr Galaburda throwing up his hands. "It looks like styrofoam to the touch."
Secret "foam"
The fuel tank was moved under the front "hood", but there was no need to sacrifice safety: the secret porous material filling the tank from the inside excludes the fuel detonation even in case of a direct hit. “In the instructions, he appears simply as a 'sealant',” says Senior Lieutenant Pyotr Galaburda throwing up his hands. "It looks like styrofoam to the touch."
The patency of the tracked vehicle is beyond praise. According to the specification, the BMP is able to overcome a ditch up to 2, 2 m deep and rise up to 30 degrees, to take walls of almost a meter height. “The tension of the tracks is controlled separately, and, if necessary, the driver can pull them up without getting out,” says Petr Galaburda. "The readings of many sensors, from the engine temperature to the oil level, are reduced to a single" Accident "light: it will immediately tell you if something has happened, you can stop and look."
The interior decoration does not differ in premium quality, and passengers should not expect silence either. The automatic loader, located in the center rotating with the tower, works with a special roar. If necessary, the main 100-mm cannon can be fired with laser-guided anti-tank missiles, but it will have to be charged manually.
The standard driver's seat is located in the front, on the sides of it are the seats of machine gunners, who can fire from two course machine guns. The turret houses the gunner-operator and crew commander's seats, and five more airborne personnel are located in the rear of the cabin. The visibility of passengers is very limited, which, when driving and wild shaking, creates noticeable inconveniences and requires the habit of dizziness. In cold weather, you can use the stove, and export versions supplied to Arab countries are equipped with air conditioning.
However, the promising tracked platform "Kurganets-25", which was recently presented by the developers of "Kurganmashzavod", should become much more comfortable. “This is the car of tomorrow,” says Pyotr Galaburda, who happened to drive Kurganets at the Victory Day parade. "Everything is digital, a bunch of touch screens, and comfort at a new level." It remains to wait for a new test drive.
