AFV of the week

[12Alfa]

MLI-84M

In 2003 MFA signed a Combat Vehicles Supply Contract with the Romanian Ministry of Defense according to which the company equipped during 2004-2010 three battalions of the Romanian Army with MLI 84M combat vehicles and with vehicles derived on the MLI 84M chassis. These combat vehicles have been NATO certified in 2005. Infantry fighting vehicle MLI-84M it is an armored vehicle, used for protecting, transporting and fighting against the personnel, the light armored vehicles and against enemy's tanks. Using the assembled equipment and the individual armament of the infantry division, this vehicle is also used against the logistic transport, paratroops and helicopters. It is working in very good condition on every kind of roads or fields. It can cross the waters through maximum 1.2 meters deep fords. This product is the of the cooperation with prestigious partners, world leaders in military equipment production.

Negotiations began in 2014-2015 and the agreement was signed by the state-owned company Romtehnica and EuroSpike GhbH in January. EuroSpike, which is a joint venture of Rafael, Diehl and Rheinmetall, is obliged to fulfil offset contracts for 80% of the order's value.

The Spike-LR missiles are for the Rafael weapon stations that have been fitted to the Romanian army's MLI-84M infantry fighting vehicles.

[12Alfa]

Variants:

MLI-84 - Base Series Designation; original production models.

 

 

MLI-84M

Engine: Caterpillar C9; 6-cylinder 4-stroke; supercharged; 400 hp at 2,200 rev / min;

Transmission: mechanical 5-speed, synchronized hydraulic control;

Characteristics:

• Crew: 2 + 9;
• Fully equipped machine table: 17080 kg;
• Specific power: 23.42 hp / t;
• Pressure on the ground 0.62 kg / cm2.

dimensions:

• Total length: 7320 mm;
• Width (with deflectors mounted): 3300 mm;
• Height: 2942 mm;
• Gauge: 2730 mm;
• Tracked Width: 320 mm.

performances:

• Maximum road speed: 65 km / h;
• Range: 550 600 km;
• Maximum longitudinal slope: 32;
• Maximum transverse slope: 24;
• Seat height: 0.80 m;
• Sant transverse width: 2.7 m;
• Tank capacity: 620 l.

Variants:

Mobile Command Center PMB

The battalion command post on the chassis of MLI-84M is meant to equip the infantry battalion on MLI-84M as it is used for the direct driving of all vehicles in the battalion’s fleet and for the ensurance of the liaison with the command post of the brigade.'MLI-84''' – Basic version, as described.
 
 

MLI-84M converted into an ARV with its turret replaced by a large three-section hydraulic crane controlled from outside the vehicle, winching frame mounted on the rear of the top of the hull, stowage box on the left hand side of the rear of the top of the hull and two stowage boxes on the right hand side of the top of the hull.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwDkDg6FG5DrSZkZ6HxyT0oLhbheKMy0__04sSJMo8ZsZzC9h1
MLI-84M converted into an armoured ambulance and fitted with a higher superstructure as found on the PCB command vehicle.

120mm Mortar on MLI 84M

Edited April 1, 2016 by 12Alfa

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[12Alfa]

BMPT-72  (or a picture of a tank for the sensitive humans)

 

 

Boyevaya Mashina Podderzhki Tankov-72 (BMPT-72), also known as Terminator 2,

 

  BMPT tank support combat vehicle developed by UralVagonZavod Corporation, Russia.

Ever since the First Chechen War the Russian army was in the search of the armored fighting vehicle that can support the tanks in urban warfare. The BMP-2 and BMP-3 APC/IFV has proven to be less than sufficient for this task. These vehicles were too vulnerable in urban conditions and the losses of the vehicles and men were stunning during this conflict. At the time, the self-propelled AA guns were used to support tanks but that wasn’t the solution to satisfy all the needs the army had.

 

So, in the late 1990’s the development of the new IFV was under way and it resulted in somewhat different concept than the previous. Namely, the BMPT Terminator is not a classic IFV. It can’t carry infantrymen and it is based on a tank chassis. The abundance of obsolete early versions of T-72 tank provided enough chassis to be upgraded to a new standard and that was just the solution the constructors needed.

The BMPT Terminator does not have a classic manned turret so the loss of overall weight allowed the hull to be additionally reinforced. This with a shorter silhouette provides a high level of protection in urban warfare. At the same time, the BMPT Terminator can follow main battle tanks on any terrain they can tackle.

 

Service history
In service	2011–present
Used by	Kazakhstan, Algeria

 

 

Edited April 7, 2016 by 12Alfa

[12Alfa]

BMPT-72  (or a picture of a tank for the sensitive humans)

 

 

In 1984 , the tank teachings and research office of the military academy of armored forces in the former Soviet Union had put forward a plan about these Heavy Infantry Fighting Vehicles based on the chassis of the T-72 Main Battle Tank
Marshal V.I. Petrov (1917-2014) the then Deputy Minister of Defense authorized the research and development of this project and defined this kind of vehicle as Tank Fire Support Vehicles or BMPT for short (when translated to Russian)

The chassis of the T-72 MBT was chosen as a base for this vehicle , the chassis was produced by Uralvagonzavod
the crew was planned to consist of 7 men while 4 of them could act as mechanized infantry if needed
in the beginning of 1987 , 3 prototypes of the BMPT where produced which by then was called Obiect 781

However by that time the military was preparing to get equipped with the new generation of MBT's
there for the Design Bureau of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant Minselhozmasha suggested that the chassis should be changed to match the chassis used by the new MBT's
the military-industrial Commission agreed to this proposal and on the 18th of February 1991 the plan for the "frame"was carried out
the core of this plan was to develop the prototype of BMPT Obiect 782

which was based on the Obiect 187 tank chassis by UralVagonZavod
but soon the falling of the Soviet Union came to be and the funding stopped
and the entire project was ceased.
During the Chechen war (from 1994 onwards) the Russian had lost a lot of Men and Equipment to anti tank units that operated from tall buildings
the tanks in this situation where helpless as they were too close in most cases and their guns could not elevate that high to fire back
so for the time being they used lightly armored anti aircraft vehicles which had this feature as most are able to fire in a 90 degree angle
but these vehicles where not protected enough against even the lighter anti armor weapons and soon fell victim to the units they where meant to attack
in view of this situation the new leader of Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant Minselhozmasha decided to use private funds and restart the BMPT project and quickly recovered the stored research
they soon abandoned the idea of developing a completely new vehicle and decided to use the T-72 chassis which had been in production for years by then
this would make the BMPT a special multi role vehicle that could lead attacks and make sure the tanks could do their part as attack units without the problem of suppressing anti tank units
so in 1996 the prototype of Obiect 787 was produced , it was equipped with 2 30mm 2A72 automatic guns and 2 7,62mm coaxial machine guns where mounted
one on each side of the turret.

However the National Security Authority decided it was illegal to develop a combat vehicle if this was done by only a industrial company
so the project was stopped for a second time but fortunately the plans for the BMPT where reserved.

 

In July of 1996 Colonel General I.N. Rodionov was appointed as the new Russian Minister of Defense
and in September of the same year he held meetings to learn about the research and developments of military vehicles that had been conducted at the end of the Soviet era as a result of these meetings the

BMPT project was started once again.

on the 12th of August 1998 General S.A. Mays , the Director of Main Automotive-Armored Tank Directorate of the Ministry of Defence had decided to deliver the BMPT project to the Ural Design Office of Transport Mechanicl Engineering.
The project was then named Frame 1 and later renamed frame 99
the man who was put in charge of this project was G.F. tyutyuhyn and the Chief designer was A.V. Yakovlev
at first they started with the chassis of the T-72 MBT but this was later replaced with the chassis of the T-90A
a model of the Frame 99 made it's debut at the Russian Arms Expo in 2000.

 

 

 

Edited April 7, 2016 by 12Alfa

[12Alfa]

BMPT-72  (or a picture of a tank for the sensitive humans)

Weapons included 2 30mm 2A42 automatic cannons ,

1 7,62mm coaxial machine gun

and 4 9M133"kornet" (AT-14 Spriggan(NATO name) anti tank missile launchers which where independently stabilized

it also mounted 2 30mm AG-30 automatic grenade launchers on the front fenders

It is able to fire all weapons at the same time and due to the brand new fire control system it is even able to effectively fire at long distance with accuracy in complex conditions (wind and other weather conditions).

the test vehicle of the BMPT was shown at the 2002 Russian Arms Expo

It's arsenal consisted of 2 30mm 2A42 automatic cannons and a coaxial 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun that where mounted on the turret by this time the Kornet Anti tank missiles where replaced by the modern Attack-T anti tank missile system

the secondary armament consisted of 2 30mm AG-17D automatic grenade launchers that where mounted on the front fenders of the vehicle.

The vehicle was equipped with advanced topographic and navigation systems as-well as latest in viewing sensors.

The vehicle was also equipped with reactive armor modules on both sides of the hull and grille armor fences where mounted to the rear of the vehicle at that point the protection it provided to it's crew was superior to the T-90 MBT the BMPT completed the National tests in 2006 and was recommended for use by the Armored Forces due to it's mighty appearance and large amount of Weaponry it was given the name Terminator.

The BMPT can be fitted with both the KMT-8 mine plough and the EMT Electromagnetic Count ermine System the plough is able to clear a path with a width of 4 meter although the actual mine sweeping range is 3 meters ,outside that range it just digs them up without any detonation.

The EMT has the same effective range the system weighs in at about 250 kg per side.

 

[12Alfa]

BMPT-72  (or a picture of a tank for the sensitive humans)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2016 by 12Alfa

[12Alfa]

Fox armoured reconnaissance vehicle (or a picture of a armoured car, for the sensitive humans)

The Fox armored car is a further development of the Ferret light scout car. 

The Fox has an all-welded aluminum armor hull and turret that protects against medium and heavy machine gun fire and field artillery splinters.

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Fox armoured reconnaissance vehicle (or a picture of a armoured car, for the sensitive humans)

Development

 

In the 1960s, the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (now part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency) designed two reconnaissance vehicles, the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) Scorpion (FV101) and the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Wheeled) Fox (FV721), both of which use the same Jaguar 4.2 litre petrol engine.

Development of the Fox began in 1965 and the following year the Daimler company of Coventry, which was building the Ferret scout car at the time, was awarded a contract to build 15 prototype vehicles. The first was completed in November 1967 and the last in April 1969. User trials began in 1968 and the first official announcement concerning the Fox was made in October 1969.

The following year the Fox was accepted for service with the British Army and a production order was placed with Royal Ordnance Leeds.

Production began in 1972 and the first vehicle was completed in May 1973. Production of the Fox has been completed at Royal Ordnance Leeds, which was purchased by Vickers Defence Systems in 1986.

Daimler completed production of the Ferret in 1971 and then closed down its armoured vehicle production facility.

 

[12Alfa]

Fox armoured reconnaissance vehicle (or a picture of a armoured car, for the sensitive humans)

 

 

It had a crew of three and had a low profile rotating turret armed with a 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon, which was manually fed with three-round magazines; 99 rounds were carried.

A coaxial L37A2 7.62 mm machine gun was mounted with 2,600 rounds. The weapons were not stabilised. This turret was also equipped with a set of two 4-barrelled smoke dischargers. The vehicle had a combat weight of 6.75 tonnes and was designed to be air-portable. The Fox had aluminium armour and was fitted with a flotation screen. It lacked protection against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Powered by a Jaguar 4.2-litre 6-cylinder petrol engine,

the Fox was one of the fastest vehicles of its type.

The Fox was typically attached to armoured and mechanized infantry battalions. The use of high mobility light vehicles such as the Fox would provide the ability to out flank heavier armoured divisions. This also potentially enabled the Fox to act as a scout and a vehicle that can engage similar light vehicles.

The Fox's all-welded aluminum Armour hull and turret protected against medium gun fire and artillery splinters, but did not protect the Fox from heavy machine gun fire.

The driver

viewed through an integral periscope/hatch cover that lifted open while the centered turret held the commander/loader on the left and gunner on the right.

 

 

Without preparation, the Fox can ford one metre of water and a flotation screen can be erected in two minutes.

Edited April 20, 2016 by 12Alfa

[12Alfa]

 

 

 

 

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