BMP-1
The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle that has been in service from 1966 to the present. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty 1 (Russian: Боевая Машина Пехоты 1; БМП-1), meaning "infantry fighting vehicle, 1st serial model". The BMP-1 was the first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) of the Soviet Union. It was called the M-1967, BMP and BMP-76PB by NATO before its correct designation was known.
| BMP-1 | |
|---|---|
A Polish BMP-1 (BWP-1) during a training exercise in 2016 | |
| Type | |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1966–present |
| Used by | See Service history |
| Wars | See Service history |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Pavel Isakov (Design Bureau of the ChTZ) |
| Designed | 1961–1965 |
| Manufacturer |
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| Produced | 1966– (production in the Soviet Union ended in 1982 or 1983) |
| No. built |
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| Variants | BMP-1, BMP-2, MLI-84, Boragh; see also BMP-1 variants. |
| Specifications (Ob'yekt 765Sp3) | |
| Mass | 13.2 tonnes (13.0 long tons; 14.6 short tons) |
| Length | 6.735 m (22 ft 1.2 in) |
| Width | 2.94 m (9 ft 8 in) |
| Height |
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| Crew | 3 (commander, driver and gunner) + 8 passengers |
| Armor | 6–33 mm (0.24–1.30 in) welded rolled steel |
Main armament |
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Secondary armament |
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| Engine | UTD-20 V6 diesel engine 300 hp (224 kW) at 2,600 rpm |
| Power/weight | 22.7 hp/tonne (17.0 kW/tonne) |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
| Ground clearance | 370 mm (15 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 462 L (102 imp gal; 122 US gal) |
Operational range |
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| Maximum speed |
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The Soviet military leadership saw any future wars as being conducted with nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. A new design, like the BMP, combining the properties of an armored personnel carrier (APC) and a light tank would allow infantry to operate from the relative safety of its armoured, radiation-shielded interior in contaminated areas and to fight alongside it in uncontaminated areas. It would increase infantry squad mobility, provide fire support to them, and also be able to fight alongside main battle tanks.
The BMP-1 was first tested in combat in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where it was used by Egyptian and Syrian forces. Based on lessons learned from this conflict, and early experiences in the Soviet–Afghan War, a version with improved fighting qualities was developed, the BMP-2. It was accepted into service in August 1980.
In 1987, the BMP-3, a radically redesigned vehicle with a completely new weapon, entered service in limited numbers with the Soviet Army.