BOV-1 / POLO M-83

_YugoSlav · July 20, 2023, 5:46am

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BOV-1 / POLO M-83

History and Description

Development of the wheeled armored combat vehicle - BOV began in Yugoslavia, in the late seventies at the TAM factory in Maribor. There, the company thought to develop an armored vehicle based on the chassis of the standard military truck TAM 110, which had already been produced in large series and had been providing the needs of the JNA (Yugoslav People’s Army). The development proceeded in two directions, BOV-1 (a self-propelled AT vehicle) and BOV-3 (a self-propelled AA gun).

The first work on the BOV-1 began in the summer of 1978. FAMOS (a company from Sarajevo) produced the turret with antitank missiles. In 1980, two prototypes were completed. After successful tests, the BOV-1 was adopted by the JNA in 1983 under the designation anti-armor missile launcher - POLO M-83, and in the same year it was shown at the " Jedinstvo 83" military exercise. BOV-1 was mainly part of the mechanized brigades. The mixed AT division of those units had a command platoon, 2 batteries of 6x 90mm M36 SPGs or 6x 100mm M-44 (SU-100) SPGs, and an ATGM battery of 4x 9P133 self-propelled ATGM launchers, or 6x BOV-1/POLO M-83. At the end of the eighties, these self-propelled ATGM launchers were included in the composition of mixed AT divisions of motorized brigades and individual AT regiments (with mixed divisions formed by 6x POLO M-83 and 6x T-12 towed AT guns). After the dissolution of the JNA, the BOV-1/POLO M-83 found itself in all newly formed armies. According to some sources, there were 70-80 of these vehicles in the Army of Yugoslavia/Serbia. In the brigades of the Serbian Armed Forces, the BOV-1/POLO M-83 is located within the support company, together with 120mm mortars.

The BOV-1/POLO M-83 is armed with 6x 9M14MP1 “Malyutka” ATGMs, which are SACLOS guided. These missiles had been bought for the JNA since 1973, and later a licensed production was obtained at the Krušik factory in Valjevo. Light (only 10.9 kg) and relatively simple, this ATGM was used as a portable combat kit for equipping infantry units, but also for arming AT Gazelle helicopters and AT vehicles BOV-1/M-83. The caliber of the ATGM is 125 mm, with penetration of up to 460 mm of homogeneous armor plate. The missile range is from 500m to 3000m, with an average flight speed of 120m/s. These characteristics - inaccuracy of the missiles and a relatively low flight speed (it took 25 seconds to hit targets at maximum range) were considered the biggest disadvantages of the ATGMs. The BOV-1/POLO M-83 is armed with 6 such rockets, which are placed on, mesh-protected, launchers on top of the vehicle’s turret. Under the launchers is an optical guidance device and a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun, which, like the missiles, is controlled by the gunner. The total combat kit comprises of 14x 9M14MP1 missiles (6x ready to launch and an additional 8x scattered through the vehicle’s hull). The crew consists of two - the driver and the gunner. They are housed in an armored body that protects against bullets of caliber up to 7.62 mm. In a non-combat situation, the gunner sits on the driver’s right-hand side, while in a combat one, the gunner sits behind the driver in his own turret basket. The lower left side of the vehicle contains a small hatch that can be used by both crewmates.

Specifications

Essentials
- Length; 5.76 m
- Width; 2.53 m
- Height without turret; 1.99 m
- Height with turret; 2.84 m
- Ground Clearance; 0.33 m
- Track; 1.90 m
- Wheelbase; 2.75 m
- Mass; 8.9 t
- Driver and gunner NVD
- Crew; 2 (could be 3 in game)
- Four-wheel drive (4x4)
Protection
- Armor; 6-8mm (protects from 7.62mm)
- APS; N/A
- ERA; N/A
- Smoke; 4x BDK M79 smoke grenades
Mobility
- Engine; Deutz F6L413 6-cylinder diesel, 110 kW, 150 hp at 2650 rpm
- Power/weight; 16.8 hp/t, 12.37 kW/t
- Transmission; 1 reverse gear, 5 forward gears
- Top speed; 93.4 kph
- Cross-country; 40-45 kph
- Amphibious; No
- Gradient; 55%
- Side slope; 30%
- Vertical obstacle; 0.54 m
- Trench; 0.64 m
- Fording depths; 1.10 m
- Turning radius; 10.0 m
Firepower
- Main; ATGM launcher
  - Stabilizer; No
  - Vertical; -5° / +10°
  - Horizontal; 360°
  - Rotation speed; 80°/s
  - Zoom; 8x
  - Missile: 14x 9M14P1 Malyutka (SACLOS)
    - 6x ready to fire
    - Penetration: 460mm
    - Speed: 120 m/s
    - Max firing distance: 3000m
- Secondary;
  - 7.62mm PKT M86
    - 1500 rounds total
    - 10mm pen at 10m
    - 700-800rpm