History
During the 1960’s, the Soviet Union set out requirements for a new type of vehicle: a BMP (Boyevaya Mashina Pyekhoty), or infantry fighting vehicle. This vehicle would be used to transport troops to the battlefield while still having enough firepower to defend itself. It would be armed with the 73mm 2A28 cannon that fired reactive projectiles, as well as an ATGM “Malyutka”. The BMP-1 was put into production in 1966, and would change the history of armored fighting vehicles forever.
In 1980, the production of the BMP-2 began. The BMP-2 solved various issues with the BMP-1. It used a 2-man turret with a 30mm 2A42 automatic cannon, with a more advanced fire control system with backup from the commander. The “Malyutka” ATGM was replaced with the more advanced “Konkurs” ATGM. The 30mm 2A42 gun could elevate significantly higher than the 73mm 2A28 and thus would allow the BMP-2 to engage targets higher above it, such as aircraft and infantry in an elevated position.
When the American Bradley IFV began to surpass the BMP-2 in several qualities (firepower, armor, and fire control system), a search was began to upgrade the BMP even further.
However, the BMP chassis itself had been essentially exhausted of upgrade options, so the Ministry of Defense set out tactical and technical requirements for a new BMP. The Ministry of Defense clarified the main tasks of the IFV:
“The main tasks of arming infantry fighting vehicles are:
-Suppression of tank-hazardous manpower both openly located and sheltered in trenches, concentrations of infantry and equipment;
-Effective fight against lightly armored targets (BMP, APC, BRM);
-The ability to fight main tanks and other armored targets with enhanced protection;
-Self-defense against attacking planes and helicopters.”
With these requirements in mind, the BMP-3 was developed. It would use a completely new chassis, as well as modern fire control systems and a new universal weapons system containing a 100mm rifled gun launcher, a 30mm automatic cannon, and a 7.62mm machine gun.
The BMP-3 went into production in 1988, and has reminded in service with the successor states of the Soviet Union to this day, and will likely remain in service for years to come. There have been many different modifications and modernizations of the BMP-3, of which I have listed some below.
General
Crew: 3 (+7 dismounts)
Combat weight: 18.7 tons
Operational Range (by road): 600km
The BMP-3 is amphibious, and has two water jets at the rear of the chassis. It can cross water obstacles without preparation.
Mobility
500hp UTD-29 4 stroke, 10 cylinder. Direct injection, liquid-cooled, multi-fuel
Hydromechanical Transmission
Maximum Speed: 70 km/h
Maximum Speed (afloat): 10.2 km/h
Armor Layout
The BMP-3 features all aluminum ABT-102 armor; it lessens the damaging effect of rounds hitting the armor, and it is more manufacturable.
The BMP-3 makes use of its water deflector shield to both allow for amphibious capability, and to improve frontal armor protection.
Shown below is a diagram of the rear portion of the BMP-3, where dismounts are held. There are 2 hatches in the roof and 2 doors on the rear of the vehicle. Dismounts sit above the power unit.
Armament
2A70 100mm Cannon
Details
The 2A70 10mm cannon can fire both high-explosive (HE) and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) at ranges up to 4,000m.
High-explosive shells are stored in an autoloader with a capacity for 22 rounds (+18 hull stowage, 40 rounds total) and a firing rate of 10 rounds per minute.
Anti-tank guided missiles are stored in a mechanized rack with a capacity for 3 missiles (+5 hull stowage, 8 missiles total).
2A72 30mm Autocannon
Details
The 2A72 30mm autocannon can fire a wide variety of ammunition types, including but not limited to: armor-piercing tracer, high-explosive incendiary, fragmentation tracer, armor-piercing discarding sabot, and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds.
The 2A72 itself is a simpler derivative of the 2A42. It consists of far fewer parts has a lower rate of fire. It is recoil operated and not gas operated. The BMP-3 can carry 500 rounds for the 2A72.
PKT 7.62mm Machine Gun
Details
There are 3 PKT machine guns located in the BMP-3: one coaxial, and two located in either side of the hull.
BMP-3M
BMP-3 (Shtora-1)
BMP-3M Dragun
BMP-3 Kaktus
BMP-3M with 9M120
BMP-3M Manul
BMP-3 Berezhok
Object 688
TKB-841
2S38 Derivatsiya-PVO
BMP-3 AU-220
BMP-3 Sozna
2S31 Vena
2S18 Pat-S
9P157-2 Khrizantema-S
9P162 Kornet-T
Object 699
This is the chassis the Khrizantema-S and Kornet-T are built on, but there were proposals to mount many different weapons systems to it. These include the Mistral and Wildcat SAM systems, “the creation of a combat missile system for Bulgaria”, and the 2R2M mortar.
Sources
Chief Designer: BMP-2, BMP-3 are Best IFVs Operated in Russia and Abroad
BMP-3 Russian Infantry Fighting Vehicle (Part 2) - Frontline Illustrations
ОСОБЕННОСТИ КОРПУСА И БАШНИ БМП-3 О. А. ГОМЫРИН, А. Я. ШУМИЛОВ Вестник бронетанковой техники, № 5, 1991
BMP-3 - Rosoboronexport Official website
BMP-3M Manul – Amphibious Vehicle Resulting From ‘Crossbreeding’ Between BMP-3M Dragun And K-17 Bumerang
Вестник бронетанковой техники. №5, 1991
Э. К. ПОТЕМКИН, А. И. НИКОНОВ, К. С. ЖЕБЕЛЕВ, А. В. XPEБTAHЬ БМП-3 — БОЕВАЯ МАШИНА ПЕХОТЫ НОВОГО ПОКОЛЕНИЯ
