BMP-1

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Polish Army BMP-1s

BMP-1: Infantry Fighting Vehicle


Statistics

Main Gun: 2A28 73mm Smoothbore low-pressure
Ammunition Stowage: 40 ready/0 stowed
Default Ammunition: 40/0 PG-9 HEAT


ATGM: Manually guided AT3
Ammunition Stowage: 1 ready/4 stowed
Default Ammunition: 1/4 AT3d


Coaxial Machine Gun: PKT
Ammunition Stowage: 2000 rounds
Default Ammunition: 2000/0 7.62mm AP


Armor Protection:
Front Turret Armor: Thin, Steel. Protected from .50 cal AP
Front Hull Armor: Thin, Steel. Protected from .50 cal AP and light auto-cannon (20mm)
(SB Documentation)

BMP1armour.jpg


Vehicle Weight: 13.5 tonnes
Length: 6.73m
Width: 2.94m
Height: 2.15m (turret top)
Engine Power: 300hp UTD-20 V-6 diesel
Top Speed: 45kph (cross-country)

General

Developed in the mid 1960s to replace the lightly armed and armored BTR-50B tracked APC, the BMP-1 (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty 1 [Rus: Infantry Fighting Vehicle]) combines a number of desirable features in one package. Completely covered, and impervious to fragments and small-arms fire, it nonetheless allows the carried infantry to spray suppressive fire whilst inside the vehicle. Sealed, the vehicle defends the dismounts and crew from chemical, biological, and nuclear contaminants - thus permitting its use on the expected nuclear and chemical battlefields of a possible World War III. Combined with its high mobility, it was expected to be able to rapidly exploit breaches in the enemy lines made with nuclear and chemical strikes, driving deep into the enemy's operational defenses. The low-pressure 73mm 2A28 main gun fires the same PG-9 rockets as the SPG-9 recoiless rifle for combined light anti-tank and high-explosive effects, while the AT-3 Sagger ATGM gives the BMP-1 a potent heavy anti-tank capability. Moreover, it is capable of swimming relatively fast, and preparation for swimming requires only that several ports be sealed, a trim vane raised on the bow of the vehicle, and a bilge pump started - less than 5 minutes of work. No previous vehicle combined all these features, therefore the BMP-1 is considered by most to be the first modern IFV. After the BMP-1's public debut in 1967 (one year after it entered service), such highly-mobile, NBC sealed, amphibious IFVs with heavy anti-tank weapons eventually became standard on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

The BMP-1 does have disadvantages. Armor protection is sufficient against typical APC/IFV weapons up to 20mm over the front arc, but the vehicle is very vulnerable to penetrations from any more capable weapon as it lacks protection for its ammunition and is very cramped when loaded. The turret is low, which helps hide the vehicle but also means that main gun elevation is limited, and the crew must be careful not to shoot its infantry team should they advance in front of the vehicle. The 73mm suffers from a short effective range and inaccuracy at typical Western European combat ranges, with the projectile tending to weather-cock into the wind and the Sagger system is manually guided, possesses limited ability to track evasive targets, a relatively long minimum range, and requires the gunner to expose himself to reload. Subsequent upgrades fitted the BMP-1 with a two man turret and a pintle mounted AT-4 or AT-5 missile (BMP-1P), but this is fired exposed by the gunner using the weapon mounted sight.

The BMP-1 carries 8 dismounts, equipped with RPG-7L anti-armor weapons, a PKM, and 5.45mm rifles.

The BMP-1 is dangerous to incautious attackers, or if it can catch units unaware at close range from the flanks, but it is vulnerable to any tank, IFV, infantry anti-tank weapon, or artillery. It cost more to produce than the T-72, and equipped only one regiment per motorized rifle division. Similar problems of cost, complexity, and vulnerability exist for all IFV to varying degrees. Produced in relatively large numbers (25,000+ including derivatives and licensed production) and heavily exported, the BMP-1 is currently in service with more than 50 nations worldwide primarily concentrated in the Near and Middle-East, along with Africa and Russia.

Thermal Signature

BMP-1 TIS image, front-right BMP-1 TIS image, rear-left