BTR-50S

_YugoSlav_ · July 20, 2023, 5:20am

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BTR-50S

History and Description

In cooperation between Yugoimport - SDPR, the Military Technical Institute of Serbia (VTI), and Serbian defense industry factories, a modernization project for the outdated Soviet BTR-50PK armored personnel carrier was successfully implemented for a foreign customer. The vehicle was developed from 2004 to 2006, with a number of Serbian companies taking part, including “Zastava-oružje” from Kragujevac, “Sloboda” from Čačak, “Krušik” from Valjevo, “Lola Sistem” and “Sensor INFIZ” from Belgrade. The vehicle’s size made it ideal for adding a turret, and in this case, the aim was primarily to increase the vehicle’s firepower. The solution for this was found by installing the Vidra turret, which was initially developed as part of the modernization of the BVP M-80A called BVP M-80A1. Work on this turret began as early as 1978, and it was not introduced into armament until the beginning of 1988. It is a one-man turret, armed with a 30 mm M86 autocannon (30x210 mm), a roof-mounted 7.62 mm M86 machine gun, and a double U-10 ATGM launcher. The turret was installed in the middle of the vehicle, above the crew compartment. Gun vertical guidance ranges from -8 to +65 degrees, and the theoretical firing rate is 550-650 rounds per minute. The combat kit consists of 200 rounds. As a result of its initial speed of 1,095 m/s, the armor-piercing round penetrates 60 mm of 320 HB steel at 90 degrees at 1,000 m. The exceptional energy at the muzzle makes it possible to develop sub-caliber projectiles. This gun enables shooting ground targets at ranges up to 3,000 m and low-flying targets at ranges up to 2,000 m. The secondary armament is an M86 7.62 mm machine gun (a copy of the PKT), which is located on a special mount on the roof of the turret and has the same vertical guidance as the main gun. The theoretical rate of fire is 740 rounds per minute. The combat kit consists of 4 ammunition boxes with 500 rounds each which are connected and allow the gun to fire 2000 rounds without reloading. Instead of a 7.62 mm machine gun, a 12.7 mm M87 heavy machine gun, with a combat kit of 5x 100 rounds or a 30 mm M93 automatic grenade launcher is an option.

For anti-armor combat, the turret has the ability to launch 9M14P1 “Malyutka” missiles. These are completely outdated (penetration 460 mm), so the foreign buyer was offered more modern models: 9M14-2M, 9M14-2T, and 9M14-2F. The 2M variant has an improved cumulative warhead with a penetration of 800 mm. The 2T variant has a tandem cumulative warhead with a penetration of 800 mm behind ERA. The 2F is armed with a thermobaric warhead which is very effective against light vehicles, etc. The guidance system is semi-automatic, and the missiles have a range from 500 to 3,000 m. There is also the possibility of installing “TOW” missiles, of American origin, or the Russian “Konkurs” or “Kornet” ATGMs, with superior range and penetration. In the case of the Malyutka missile, the combat kit consists of 4 projectiles, 2 on the launchers and 2 in the vehicle.

Four 82 mm M-79 smoke grenade launchers were also mounted on the turret. The turret can turn a full 360 degrees in 4.5 seconds (80 degrees per second). The gunner sight consists of daytime DNS-1 and nighttime PNS-1. The daytime sight has a magnification of 4.15x when targeting ground targets and 1.15x when targeting air targets. The nighttime sight has a magnifying power of 5x. The armor protection of the turret consists of welded steel plates with a thickness of 25 mm on the front, 13 mm on the side, and 8 mm on the rear part of the dome. It is considered that this provides protection from 20 mm rounds from distances of 300 m and from 7.9 mm rounds from 100 m on the sides and rear. The mass of the empty turret is 1.430 kg, while a fully loaded one weighs 1782 kg. The armored body’s protection is much weaker since it is only 12 mm on the front. This means the armored body can protect from 12.7 mm rounds at longer distances, while the side armor can protect from 7.62 mm rounds.

Due to the turret, the vehicle can accommodate fewer soldiers. The original version could accommodate 20 soldiers in addition to 2 crew members, while the current solution foresees 3 permanent members and 10 additional. The driver is in the front center, the commander to his left, and the gunner in the turret. There are three entry-exit openings on the roof of the vehicle. The standard 176 kW diesel V-6 engine was replaced by the BVP M-80A engine-transmission group at the “IKM 15oktobar” factory in Kruševac. Thanks to a better transmission and a more powerful 235 kW engine, overall mobility has been increased by about 20%. The maximum speed was increased from 44 to about 55 km/h.

Modernization could not eliminate some significant system defects, such as inadequate armor protection, entry-exit openings only on the roof of the vehicle, etc., without significantly damaging the basic concept of the vehicle and increasing the cost of the entire project.

Specifications

Essentials
- Length; 7.08 m
- Width; 3.14 m
- Height; more than 2.03 m
- Mass; 16.25 t
- Crew; 3
- Driver and gunner NVD
Protection
- Armor;
  - Hull; 13 mm front, 10 mm sides, 10 mm top, 7 mm rear
  - Turret; 25 mm front, 13mm sides, 8 mm rear
- APS; N/A
- ERA; N/A
- Smoke; 4x BDK M79 smoke grenades, ESS
Mobility
- Engine; OM-403, 135 kW, 320 hp
- Power/weight; 20.5 hp/t
- Top speed; 55 kph
- Amphibious; Yes
- Amphibious speed; 11 kph
Firepower
- Main; 30 mm M86
  - Penetration at 1000 m; 60 mm
  - Fire rate; 650-730 shots/min
  - Belt capacity; 200 rounds
  - 200 rounds in total
- Secondary; 7.62 mm M86
  - Penetration at 10 m; 10 mm
  - Fire rate; 700-800 shots/min
  - Belt capacity; 2000 rounds
  - 2000 rounds in total
- Supplementary; U-10 ATGM launcher
  - 4x 9M14P1 Malyutka (SACLOS)
    - 2x ready to fire
    - Penetration; 460 mm
    - Speed; 120 m/s
    - Max firing distance: 3000 m
  - 4x 9M14-2M Malyutka (SACLOS)
    - 2x ready to fire
    - Penetration; 800 mm
    - Speed; 120 m/s
    - Max firing distance: 3000 m
  - 4x 9M14-2T Malyutka (SACLOS)
    - 2x ready to fire
    - Penetration; 800 mm behind ERA
    - Speed; 120 m/s
    - Max firing distance: 3000 m
  - 4x 9M14-2F Malyutka (SACLOS)
    - 2x ready to fire
    - Explosive mass (TNT equivalent); 8 kg
    - Speed; 120 m/s
    - Max firing distance: 3000 m
Guidance;
- Stabilizer; Yes
- Vertical; -8° / +65°
- Gun elevation speed: 50°/s
- Horizontal; 360°
- Turret rotation speed; 80°/s
- Zoom;
  - Day; 1.15 - 4.15x,
  - Night; 5x