BMD-3 IFV airborne armored infantry fighting vehicle data

: 16 May 2022

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BMD-3 Airborne Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Description

Technical Data

Specifications

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Description

The BMD-3 is an airborne tracked armored infantry fighting vehicle designed and manufactured by the Russian Defense Company Volgograd Tractor Plant. First production of BMD-3 was delivered in 1990 to Russian airborne units followed by naval infantry units. The BMD-3 can be dropped from transport aircraft by parachute with a complete crew of seven inside the vehicle. By dropping the BMD-3 with its crew the vehicle is ready for action much quicker so keeping the element of surprise associated with airborne operations. The Russian Il-76M transport aircraft can carry three BMD-3 airborne combat vehicles ready for an airdrop.

Main Variants

- Sprut-SD 2S25: equipped with a turret armed with a 125mm cannon.
- BMP-3F: naval version for marine infantry units
- RKhM-5: Chemical reconnaissance vehicle, fitted with the same specialised equipment as the BTR-80 version RKhM-4. The turret has been removed; the RKhM-5 has a fixed superstructure with machine gun turret
- BTR-MD “Rakushka”: Multi-role transport vehicle with bigger hull and no turret. This type can be used to transport troops, fuel, ammunition and wounded personnel.

Technical Data

Armament

The BMD-3 is equipped with a two-man turret which is armed with a 30mm 2A42 dual-feed automatic cannon and one 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun. The turret is fitted with weapons stabilizer 2E36-3 and manual weapons laying drives. Turret traverse is through a full 360º with weapon elevation from -5 to +75º. The high elevation allows it to be used against low- and slow-flying aircraft and helicopters. Effective range when firing AP-T (Armour-Piercing - Tracer) ammunition is 2,000 m, and when firing HE-I (High-Explosive - Incendiary) rounds the maximum range is 4,000 m. An Anti-Tank Guided Weapons launcher (ATGW) 9P135M AT-4 or AT-5 is mounted on the top center of the turret. The latest versions of the AT-4 `Spigot' have a maximum range of 2,500 m while the AT-5 `Spandrel' has a maximum range of 4,000 m. The AT-4 launcher can fire 9M113 and 9M111 missiles. The anti-tank weapons guidance and control system is semi-automatic, two-channel. The ATGW system enables the crew to engage targets from the vehicle or with the system deployed at some distance away from it. Mounted at the front of the BMD-3 on the left side is a 30 mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher while in the right bow is a 5.45 mm RPKS machine gun. Each of the bow weapons is operated by one of the infantry seated in the front of the BMD-3, and covers the frontal arc. The 5.45 mm RPKS MG has a high rate of fire for use in the direct role whereas the 30 mm AGS-17 automatic grenade has a higher trajectory and can be used to suppress targets at ranges out to 1,200 m using HE fragmentation grenades. If required, these weapons can also be quickly dismounted for use in the ground role. Mounted on either side of the turret is a bank of three 81 mm electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers firing forwards. The BMD-3 can create its own smoke screen by injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust.

Design and protection

The hull and the turret of BMD-3 are made all-welded aluminium which provides a protection against firing of small arms and shell splinters. In the middle of the hull, there are three seats for mounted infantrymen, one stowage rack for three 9M111 anti-tank missiles, three racks for ammunitions boxes and a filter-ventilation unit. The commander is seated on the right of the turret and has a cupola with a forward-opening hatch cover, while the gunner is seated on the left and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the front. Two of the five infantry are seated at the front, one either side of the driver, with the other three seated in the fighting compartment near the turret, one firing port provided in each side of the hull. Another three infantry can be seated for short distances to the immediate rear of the turret with the roof hatch open.

Propulsion

The powerpack compartment is at the rear. The powerpack consisting of 2V-06-02 water-cooled diesel engine developing 450 hp, main clutch, gearbox, final drives and brakes is mounted along the vehicle's axis. The suspension of BMD-3 consists of each side of five rubber-tyred road wheels, drive sprocket at the rear, idler at the front and four track-return rollers. The suspension is adjustable giving a ground clearance between 130 and 530 mm, although for normal road travel it is 450 mm. The ground clearance is adjusted by the driver from his seat and it takes 10 seconds to lower or raise the suspension. The BMD-3 can run at a maximum road speed of 71 km/h with a maximum road range of 500 km. The vehicle can climb up to 60% gradient, move on 30% side slope,

Accessories

To aim the cannon and the coaxial machine gun at a target, the vehicle is equipped with a combined sight type BPK-1-42, which incorporates a day channel, a passive/active night channel and a day sight, type PZU-8. The vehicle’s communication systems include a USW radio, type R-123M, for outside communication and interphone system, type TPU-124, for communication between crew members. Standard equipment includes also an NBC system, fire detection and suppression system and a heating system for the 2V-06-02 diesel engine to facilitate starting in cold weather conditions. The BMD-3 is fully amphibious being propelled in the water at a maximum speed of 10 km/h by two hydrojets mounted either side at the rear of the vehicle. Before entering the water a trim vane is erected at the front of the vehicle and the automatic bilge pump is switched on. A snorkel is also erected from the driver's position.

Specifications

Armament

One 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannon, one 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun, one AT4/AT-5 ant-tank missile launcher, one 30mm automatic grenade launcher, one 5.45mm RPKS machine gun.

Country users

Russia

Designer Country

Russia

Accessories

Passive/active night vision, NBC protection system, fire control system, heating system,

Crew

3 + 5 soldiers

Armor

Protection against small arms and shell splinters.
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Weight

13,200 kg