BTR-60PB 8x8 APC wheeled armored vehicle personnel carrier

: 22 April 2020

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BTR-60PB 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier

Description

Technical Data

Specifications

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Description

The BTR-60PB is a Soviet-made 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier (APC) which was developed in the late 1950s to replace the BTR-152 6x6 APC and was first seen in public in 1961. The BTR-60 family was the most important vehicle in the Soviet Army and always used by many countries all over the world. In the 1980s most of the BTR-60s were replaced in the Russian army by the BTR-70 and BTR-80, however, a large number was still operated by the second-line and border troops. BTR-60PB was used in large numbers during the initial part of the Soviet War in Afghanistan. The BTR-60PB has undergone many improvements over the past 20 years and still remains in service with many armies in the world as APC but also used as mobile command posts, artillery forward observation posts, airplane guidance posts, communication posts and many other specialized vehicles.

Variants

There is a wide range of BTR-60 variants including anti-tank vehicle, NBC reconnaissance vehicle, command post vehicle, fire and rescue vehicle and more.

Technical Data

Armament

The BTR-60PB is equipped with a one-man turret mounted in the center of the vehicle. The turret is armed with 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 PKT machine gun on the right side. A telescopic sight is mounted to the left of the main armament. The day only sight is provided with a wiper. The turret has manual traverse and is provided with an adjustable seat for the gunner. The turret allows the armament to be elevated between -5° and +30° and can rotate on 360°. The 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun has a maximum effective rate of fire of 150 rounds per minute with a maximum range of 2,000 m. The KPVT ammunitions can penetrate 20 mm of armour at a range of 1,000 m and 30 mm of armour at a range of 500 m. The 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun has a maximum effective rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute with a maximum range of 1,000 m.

Design and protection

The BTR-60PB is fitted with a fully protected roof armour for crew and infantryman, this is the most important feature compared to the first BTR-60. The hull of the BTR-60PB is made in all-welded steel armour which provides protection against firing of small arms 7.62mm caliber for the front of the hull and from a range of 100 m for the other sides of the vehicle. The driver and commander are seated at the front of the hull. The driver sits on the left with the vehicle commander to his right. Both have a windscreen in front of them which, when in action, is covered by a flap hinged at the top. To the rear of the turret on the right side is a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the left and to the left rear of this is a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right. There are single doors that open forwards either side of the hull and two or three firing ports and vision blocks. The rear part of the hull can carry 14 fully equipped infantrymen. The infantrymen are seated on bench seats along the side and rear of the troop compartment. The two engines are mounted on the rear of the hull.

Propulsion

The BTR-60PB is motorized with two GAZ-49B 6-cylinder in-line water-cooled petrol engine developing 90 hp. at 3,400 rpm coupled to a manual transmission with 4 forward and 1 reverse gears. The vehicle uses an 8x8 chassis. All eight wheels are powered and the first four, which are used for steering, are power assisted. The vehicle can be driven with one wheel missing from the second axle. The suspension is of the torsion bar type with the first and second roadwheels on each side provided with two hydraulic shock-absorbers and the third and fourth road wheels with a single hydraulic shock-absorber. The BTR-60PB is equipped with a central tyre-pressure regulation system that enables the driver to adjust the tire pressure to suit the ground being crossed. The BTR-60PB can run at a maximum road speed of 80 km/h with a maximum road range of 500 km. The vehicle can negotiate 60% gradients, 40% side slopes, cross a trench of 2 m and vertical obstacle of 0.4.

Accessories

Mounted on the top of the hull, front of the commander there is an infra-red searchlight that can be operated from inside the vehicle. The BTR-60PB is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water by a single water-jet mounted at the rear of the hull at the maximum speed of 10km/h. When not in use the exit at the rear of the hull is covered by a two-part circular plate. Before entering the water a trim vane is erected at the front of the hull and the bilge pump is switched on. A self-recovery winch is mounted internally at the front of the hull with a 30 m cable and capacity of 4,500 kg.

Specifications