Foreign infantry fighting vehicles of all countries of the world. Top ten armored personnel carriers according to Army Technology. The best combat vehicles in the world: M1114

Some are used exclusively for defense, others for attacking actions and suppressing enemy fire. One thing is for sure: there are war machines of the world that surprise with their armor, speed and capabilities, including destructive ones. Let's talk about the most interesting and well-known models, consider their key features, capabilities in a combat conflict, and much more. We will pay special attention to equipment for transporting personnel, as it is very interesting.

Some general information

As noted above, we will mostly talk about equipment for transporting infantry, for example, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. In fact, they practically do not differ from each other. The key difference between the BMP is that such equipment is capable of supporting allied infantry on the battlefield, while the armored personnel carrier is only able to transport it to its destination. But at present, all these machines are used for the same purpose. The Marder tank, for example, is a fairly well-known vehicle of the Bundeswehr. The equipment weighs about 33 tons. It was adopted back in 1970 and is still among the top ten infantry fighting vehicles to this day. Serves for transportation of infantry (7 people). The crew of the BMP consists of three people. This is, of course, a worthy German car, however, it did not participate in hostilities.

The best combat vehicles in the world: M1114

This one is from America. Seeing it in the photo, you can immediately guess that this is the same legendary Humvee. Around 1990, a decision was made to replace the M998 chassis, which was not effective enough in a military conflict. At the same time, the developers were tasked with improving speed, anti-fragmentation and anti-mine armor and keeping within the weight of 5 tons. All this has been achieved. Among other things, impressive firepower was added. In particular, the detachable armament consists of anti-tank missile systems, remote-controlled 12.7-millimeter machine guns, as well as light machine guns on the roof.

Today, the Humvee is the symbol of the US Army, as this armored mobile wheeled vehicle has been used in all conflicts for 30 years. According to some reports, about 200,000 different modifications of the Humvee have now been manufactured. Of course, this armored vehicle was very often subjected to shelling, broke down, caught fire, stalled and exploded, but the survival rate of the crew was quite high.

Universal Carrier and Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251

The first tank comes from Britain. He, in fact, is an armored personnel carrier-tractor. The Universal Carrier is rather unsightly, however, with a crew of 5 people, the car moved at a speed of 50 km / h and had a fairly good cross-country ability. During the Second World War, it was used on almost all fronts. Vehicle weight - 4 tons with 10 mm armor. From 1934 to 1960, about 110,000 of these machines were manufactured, after which they were discontinued.

Quite famous is a half-tracked armored personnel carrier called SdKfz 251. This is a very fast, roomy and fairly protected vehicle. Most likely, that is why the Germans fell in love with her. The crew consisted of only two people, while 10 landing people could fit in the back. Protected personnel armor plate 15 mm thick. During the years of World War II, the SdKfz 251 went through quite a few modifications. Various surveillance and communication devices were installed, as well as weapons such as a multiple rocket launcher system.

world: Achzarit and BMP-1

Achzarit is Israel's heavy equipment, which is used exclusively for defensive purposes. It is currently the most secure armored vehicle of its kind. "In the forehead" is a 200 mm thick armor plate, which has been improved with dynamic protection and carbon fibers. All this added 17 tons of weight to the armored personnel carrier, but significantly increased the chances of personnel to survive. Achzarit is ideal for combat operations in urban environments. This is due to thick armor plates. The car is not afraid of shots from grenade launchers even at close range, to say nothing of shrapnel damage.

BMP - armored has armored plates with a thickness of 15-20 mm, which allows you to protect personnel from small arms, fragments, as well as small-caliber shells. The speed on the highway is about 75 km / h, and afloat - 7 km / h. Although this machine is in the TOP of the best, it has a lot of drawbacks. In particular, due to getting into the fuel tanks, the BMP turned into a fire trap; besides this, the armor can be pierced from For this simple reason, soldiers prefer to ride on the armor, and not behind it.

Leopard 2A7 and Abrams

These are the only tanks that have passed 10 out of 12 tests in simulated tank battles. "Leopard" is a full-fledged warrior who can storm and defend himself in the conditions of the city and open areas. Equipped with a 122 mm cannon, it has armor "in the forehead" of the 1300 mm turret, which makes it completely invulnerable. The weight of the Leopard is 67 tons, but even so it shows good dynamics and accelerates to 75 km / h. This model can be found even in the magazine of the publishing house "DeAgostini". The combat vehicles of the world, collected in the editions of this popular magazine, undoubtedly deserve attention. "

Abrams" and "Leopard" repeat each other. The only key difference is that the Abrams has 1,000 mm of frontal armor, which is also quite a lot.

T-90 - one of the best

The Russian-made T-90 tank also deserves attention. It is equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore gun that can fire armor-piercing, sub-caliber, cumulative, high-explosive and anti-tank missiles. A 12.7 mm machine gun is mounted on the roof, capable of firing up to 900 rounds per minute, which can fire at air targets. A 7.62 mm machine gun with a range of up to 2 km is also provided. In general, this is an excellent tank, for which a separate collection is reserved. The combat vehicles of the world presented in this article are real. But some of them have long been in museums, while others are actively involved in conflicts around the world.

Briefly about "M2 Bradley"

This American infantry fighting vehicle has earned many awards and wide recognition for its protection. Indeed, quite a lot of attention is paid here to the survival of the crew (dynamic protection, multilayer armor 50 mm thick and much more). There is also excellent weapons, allowing personnel to conduct aimed fire at the enemy. We can say that today these are the most massive models. Combat vehicles of the world of this type are still being manufactured today. About 7,000 copies have already been released.

Conclusion

So we reviewed with you the most rated and famous combat vehicles. Among them, as you can see, there are tanks, which simply cannot be ignored. There is no doubt that there is a large number of techniques worthy of attention, but it will take a lot of time to describe all of them. In any case, France, Great Britain, India, Russia, and so on have worthy models. But we have considered the most commonly used or those that were previously exploited. All equipment is mobile and provides good protection for the crew and troops. In addition, engineers are constantly trying to improve weapons, which allows you to support allies during a military conflict.

MOSCOW, 18 Nov— RIA Novosti, Andrey Stanavov. Horses have been the main means of transportation for soldiers since time immemorial. And if they somehow survived the First World War, then the Second - with its planes, tanks and cannons - "wrote off" the cavalry completely. The horses were eventually left to the police and guards of honor, and the soldiers were transferred to armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. The advantages of the latter are high speed and cross-country ability, the ability to "float" across rivers and operate under the conditions of the use of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. Unlike armored personnel carriers, they can not only deliver infantry to the battlefield, but also support it with powerful rocket and cannon fire. RIA Novosti publishes a selection of the most popular infantry fighting vehicles of the armies of the countries of the world.

One of the most massive and well-deserved combat vehicles - the BMP-2 - is the "workhorse" of Soviet motorized rifles. Structurally simple and unpretentious in maintenance, the floating BMP-2 rescued its crew and troops more than once in the hot binds of the Afghan war and other conflicts.

In 1981, the chief designer of the BMP-2 Blagonravov, with a group of specialists, came to Afghanistan to see how his new car was being tested in combat conditions. In the troops he was greeted with enthusiasm. “We have a new infantry fighting vehicle with a thirty. This vehicle is what we need: spooks are afraid of it and call it “shaitan-arba,” one of the officers said at a meeting with the designer. It is believed that the command has finally decided to adopt the BMP-2 into service just after this episode.

The main feature of the BMP-2 is the weapon stabilization system in two planes. This favorably distinguished the "two" from foreign counterparts and made it possible to conduct aimed fire on the move. Armed with a rapid-fire 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon with dual-belt selective power, a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun paired with it, and a Konkurs or Fagot anti-tank guided missile launcher.
The hull is welded from rolled sheets of durable steel armor, processed by a thermomechanical method. The six-cylinder diesel engine inherited from the BMP-1 accelerates the 14-ton vehicle to 65 kilometers per hour on the highway.

Inside fit seven paratroopers and three crew members. The powder gas suction system saves fighters from poisoning when firing from machine guns through loopholes. To prevent radioactive dust or gases from entering the machine, a filter-ventilation unit is provided that creates excess pressure inside. The BMP-2 and its numerous modernized versions are still in service with the armies of dozens of countries around the world.

From the creators of Tiger

The German BMP "Marder" is one of the most successful examples of armored vehicles in post-war Western Europe. Since the late 1960s, the German industry has produced more than two thousand such machines for the Bundeswehr. A strong steel hull made of rolled armor sheets welded at certain angles reliably covers three crew members and seven paratroopers from bullets and shrapnel. The BMP was developed by the Reinstahl-Henschel company, known for its Tiger tank.

In the first modifications, a Daimler-Benz multi-fuel turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 600 horsepower was installed. This was quite enough to accelerate the tracked vehicle on the highway to 75 kilometers per hour. The upgraded infantry fighting vehicles are already equipped with a 1000-horsepower unit.

The Marder's main weapon is a 20mm Mk20DM5 Rh202 automatic cannon with a rate of fire of up to 1,000 rounds per minute. High-explosive fragmentation shells are used to fire at infantry and vehicles, and armor-piercing sub-caliber shells are used to combat enemy infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. The latter, at a distance of up to one and a half kilometers, confidently pierce armor two fingers thick at an angle. To combat enemy manpower, there are two 7.62 mm MG3A1 machine guns: one is paired with a cannon, and the second is mounted on the stern.

"Marders" have been modernized many times. To increase their firepower, they were equipped with Milan anti-tank guided missile systems, and additional hinged armor and anti-mine screens were installed to enhance protection. The BMP received its baptism of fire in Afghanistan. The Puma, a new combat vehicle, has been developed to replace the Marder, which is already being supplied to the Bundeswehr.

Puff "Bradley"

The heavy infantry fighting vehicle M2 "Bradley" entered service with the US Army in 1981 and immediately gained popularity with the infantry. First of all, because of its unprecedentedly high armor protection for this type of vehicle. Its feature is spaced apart screens made of steel of different hardness. Such a "layer cake" confidently "holds" hits from 30-mm armor-piercing shells. To protect against cumulative RPG grenades, dynamic protection can be installed. The upgraded vehicles are additionally finished with Kevlar on the inside, which protects the crew of three and six paratroopers from armor fragments in battle.

At the same time, "Bradley" is quite "nimble" - thanks to a powerful turbodiesel, a 22-ton car "runs" along the highway at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. An impressive set of weapons includes a 25 mm M242 cannon, a 7.62 mm M240C machine gun, a TOW anti-tank missile system and six M231 assault rifles on ball bearings in the troop compartment. Thus, in combat, the BMP instantly turns into a mobile checkpoint bristling with trunks. The TOW complex "works out" tanks at a distance of up to three kilometers.

The landing group can leave the Bradley through the top hatch or, which is valuable in battle, through the rear ramp, hiding from enemy fire with the body of the vehicle. In total, the Americans managed to "stamp" about seven thousand of these infantry fighting vehicles. They were successfully used in the Iraq war and other armed conflicts.

English "Warrior"

The British infantry fighting vehicle MCV-80 Warrior is a real knight in heavy armor made of rolled aluminum-magnesium-zinc alloy sheets. Combined protection covers the crew and troops from heavy machine-gun bullets and shrapnel. Reinforced "belly" can withstand the explosion of a 10-kilogram anti-tank mine, on the sides - anti-cumulative screens. However, this massive body kit does not prevent the BMP from accelerating to 75 kilometers per hour.

By analogy with the later versions of the American Bradleys, the habitable internal compartments of the Warrior are covered with a special material that holds fragments of armor flying off when hit. He was not deprived of weapons either: he is equipped with a 30-mm L21A1 automatic cannon, a coaxial machine gun, and a 94-mm LAW-80 grenade launcher. The BMP can accommodate three crew members and seven paratroopers.

For the British army, a total of more than a thousand "Warriors" were issued, many of them managed to take part in local armed conflicts. The car proved to be exceptionally indestructible. There is a case when she withstood the hit of a dozen and a half anti-tank grenades.

french character

Floating "Frenchwoman" AMX10P is one of the lightest infantry fighting vehicles in the world. Developed in the 1970s, the vehicle is welded from sheets of aluminum armor and is similar in layout to the Marder and the Soviet "two". The sheets withstand the hit of large-caliber machine-gun bullets, but most likely, the crew will not be saved from cannon armor-piercing shells and cumulative grenades.

The remote turret installation includes a 20 mm M693 automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun coaxial with it. The gun fires 700 fragmentation or armor-piercing shells per minute and is effective at a distance of up to one and a half kilometers. Some infantry fighting vehicles in service with the French army are equipped with Milan anti-tank guided missiles. A searchlight is installed to illuminate targets at night.

Interestingly, the French did not cut through the loopholes in the sides, limiting themselves to seven periscope observation blocks. The "heart" of the car - an eight-cylinder diesel engine HS-115 - does not differ in power and develops only 300 horsepower. However, it is enough to accelerate a 14-ton car to 65 kilometers per hour. Combat experience BMP AMX10R received in the early 1990s, during the war in the Persian Gulf. In total, about two thousand units were produced.

New concepts of infantry fighting vehicles - a way out of the current impasse

Introduction

The first modern infantry fighting vehicle, the Soviet BMP-1, was a direct result (in terms of design) of the Soviet attempt to develop such vehicles in response to the advent of the atomic bomb. The subsequent development of the BMP in the East and in the West reflected the influence of the BMP-1 design even after it became clear that the impact of nuclear weapons at the tactical level was no longer a decisive consideration.

The degree of passive armor protection that the IFV provides to the infantry squad stationed inside it is a major factor in the ability to complete the task. If, for example, an infantry fighting vehicle is intended for tactical use in a nuclear weapon environment, it requires fairly light armor, such as the Soviet BMP-1. If an infantry fighting vehicle is designed to carry out tasks for the protection of rear areas, it may be sufficient protection only from small arms fire. On the other hand, if the BMP must operate in a more dangerous environment, more protection is required. In each case, armor protection must be appropriate for the task being performed.

However, from a broader perspective, the need for protection is far from paramount. Additional protection means additional mass, which in turn leads to a conflict with a number of competing requirements: mobility when moving on land, air transportability and the ability to swim. Before any requirement for increased protection can be put forward, the allowable vehicle mass advocated by operational-tactical experts must be brought into line with the mobility requirements considered necessary for performing broader combat missions.

The largest limitation on the mass of the BMP is formed by the requirement air transportability BMP. The number of sorties required to deliver specialized mobile teams to various destinations, however, in the vast majority of cases, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles are transported by rail and sea. Even in the case of transport by air, the number of transportable tanks and infantry fighting vehicles is extremely limited.

The experience of local wars over the past 40 years shows that restrictions on the mass and protection of infantry fighting vehicles, based on the need for air transportation, are to a large extent not only not decisive, but even inappropriate.

The requirement to force water barriers by swimming is important from the point of view of the doctrine of application and the geographical features of the most likely intended theater of operations, however, the infantry fighting vehicle must operate together with tanks, and not independently, and the main tanks, as you know, do not have buoyancy. Tanks cross obstacles using underwater tank driving equipment or pontoon crossings, so there is no point no tear off from the BMP. The ability to force water barriers into the water is best preserved for reconnaissance vehicles, airborne combat vehicles and marines. A possible solution could be the use of modular protection.

The development of IFVs around the world in the 1960s-1980s continued almost exclusively in peacetime and with less and less input from people and organizations that have actual experience in combat operations using mechanized troops. The result is not surprising: modern generation IFVs are largely based on the impact of fighting in a nuclear war, which was given great importance, for use in a war that never started, and proposed by tacticians working mainly without combat experience.

It is absolutely not surprising that domestic infantry fighting vehicles (as well as foreign ones) turned out to be not adapted for use in modern local conflicts.Weak mine protection, as well as protection of the sides from RPGs and small arms bullets from short distances, often leads to the fact that the landing party does not move inside the BMP, but on it. The forced risk is more than justified by the correct understanding of the situation around, the speed of dismounting, and the lower risk of death of the entire crew during a land mine explosion. However, this situation cannot be considered normal in any way and indicates that the BMPs currently in service do not fulfill the tasks assigned to them and modernization cannot completely solve this problem.

The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) is undoubtedly an innovator in the field of heavy armored infantry vehicles. But, despite their vast experience, their solutions cannot be considered universal and applicable to other countries, and require serious rethinking.

Learning from one's mistakes is an effective source for putting forward tactical requirements for infantry fighting vehicles, the Russian ground forces at a high cost received important data from the experience gained in Afghanistan and later in Chechnya. Chechnya, in particular, provides invaluable data on the effectiveness of the current generation of infantry fighting vehicles and future tactical requirements. However, were the correct conclusions drawn?

AT Currently, a single lightly armored vehicle is being created on the topic "Kurganets", a single armored personnel carrier on the topic "Rostok" and a single battle tank," Sergey Maev said. Judging by the information about the appearance of the fourth-generation domestic infantry fighting vehicle (United Combat Vehicle " Kurgan "*), its mass will be about 18 tons (crew of 3 people and 8 people of the landing force), the machine is designed for ground and airborne troops, as well as marines. The armament of a promising infantry fighting vehicle will be greatly enhanced(presumably a 57 mm cannon will be installed), armor protection will have a modular design, and will change depending on the task performed by the machine, as is provided on the German Puma infantry fighting vehicle.

EBM

This is not the first attempt to create a single machine that satisfies all requests. The BMP-3 was created with the same requirements, but it ended with the creation of a separate vehicle for the airborne troops (BMD-3, and later its modified version BMD-3M with a unified turret "). Undoubtedly, when creating the EBM, the right decisions were made, which are largely characteristic of most promising infantry fighting vehicles. But will solutions that seem right now stand the test of time?

Characteristics of modern infantry fighting vehicles (table)

Disadvantages of modern infantry fighting vehicles

The modern traditional infantry fighting vehicle has a number of shortcomings, the most significant of which is insufficient armor protection.

The department of performance requirements of each state must make a choice, either a limit on the mass of the BMP should be set, or its increase should be allowed to increase virtually unhindered.

During the 1990s, a limit of about 20 tons could probably be set, which would ensure that the IFV could be transported by widely used transport aircraft. The only way out of this predicament will be the development of a lightly armored infantry fighting vehicle weighing less than 20 tons and then equipping it with additional armor after its transfer to the combat area (BMP "Puma").

1- Installation of modular armor protection on the German advanced infantry fighting vehicle "Puma"

2, 3 - Installation of modular armor protection and layout of the German Marder-2 infantry fighting vehicle (the project was canceled in favor of the Puma)

The numbers indicate: 9.5, 9.6 - hull side protection modules, 9.4 - turret protection modules,

9.3 - mine protection of the bottom.

In combat, it will be required that the BMP maneuver and approach the enemy along with the tank, although its armor protection is much worse. While the heavy armor of the main battle tank will ensure that it can survive hit by guided missiles or tank gun fire, the IFV will not only be vulnerable to fire from modern anti-tank systems and main battle tanks, but also from obsolete tanks and other IFVs.

The BMP-1 and BMP-2 currently in service have a lower level of armor protection than required. The installation of a new engine and improved armor protection can eliminate these two shortcomings, but this may affect the overload of the suspension. It is necessary to modernize such aging vehicles, since the complete re-equipment of the army with new infantry fighting vehicles is not yet possible.

However , the purchase of new infantry fighting vehicles is the preferred alternative, since even in a modernized form, old infantry fighting vehicles will not be able to cope with the full range of tasks for fire support and airborne protection, in addition, a number of solutions for protecting infantry fighting vehicles in the conditions of existing vehicles are simply impossible to implement.

1 - Single turret manufactured by GAZ with a 30 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun. Other armament options include the installation of an automatic grenade launcher, Igla MANPADS, a twin installation of 23 mm guns, etc.

2 - BMP-1 Upgraded.

3 - Tower "Cleaver" produced by KBP.

Now for the modernization of the BMP-1, as well as a number of other light armored vehicles (MTLB, BTR-60/70/80, BRDM, etc.) offers a range of options, for example, a KBP single-seat Kliver turret or a GAZ-manufactured single-seat turret with a modular armament installation that allows the installation of a large number of different weapon combinations. In addition, a large number of other towers have been developed to modernize the BMP-1:Shkval (Ukraine), Cobra (Belarus), OWS-25 (Israel), etc.

The BMP-3, which entered the Soviet army in small quantities shortly before the collapse of the USSR, has armor that generally satisfies protection against typical modern threats (fire from 25 mm cannons within angles of + -30 degrees and protection against fire from small arms and heavy machine guns for the sides) . However, this level will no longer provide the necessary protection against BMPs with enhanced firepower already entering service with Western countries ( 35-mm infantry fighting vehicle "Type 89", CV-90, which is armed with a 40-mm cannon "Bofors 40/70 Va".A prototype BMP "Marder-2" could have a cannon of an even larger caliber, such as a cannon Rh-503 by Rheinmetall, with a caliber of 35/50 mm, etc.). At the same time, the 30 mm 2A42 cannon, which the BMP-2 and BMP-3 are armed with, does not ensure a confident defeat of modern Western infantry fighting vehicles in the frontal projection area, for this they will be forced to use the ATGMs available in the armament.

1, 2 - Armor protection of the turret and hull of the BMP-3 (standard) and the unified turret "". The protection is a spaced barrier made of aluminum alloy (case) andfrom armored steel (bulldozer knife and wave-reflective shield), in addition, an armor plate (6) is installed on the central frontal part.

3 - BMP-3 with the Arena active protection complex.

Additionally, protection of existing infantry fighting vehicles can be provided by the installation of a hinged dynamic protection complex (installation of damping screens is also required during installation), an electrodynamic protection complex or an active protection complex, however, these measures lead to a deterioration in the driving performance of the vehicle and loss of buoyancy. mine protection with magnetic fuses and land mines can be provided by installing a complex of electronic and electromagnetic protection, but this is not a universal remedy.

Summing up, the disadvantages of modern infantry fighting vehicles include:

Insufficient security.

Insufficient view of the landing force behind the battlefield.

Weak anti-mine resistance.

Separation of tasks?

Whether an infantry fighting vehicle should be both an armored personnel carrier and an armored combat vehicle - a tank destroyer is the subject of much debate, since its tactical use in each of these tasks will differ significantly. In particular, the presence of a landing force in a vehicle can only increase losses if the BMP deliberately engages in combat with enemy combat vehicles.

One of the options for further improvement of a simple armored personnel carrier is to leave this base vehicle virtually unchanged, but supplement and support it with a second support vehicle on the same chassis, which is equipped with powerful turret weapons.

The advantage of such an order would be that each type of vehicle would perform only one task in which it would specialize, so that the combat control of this pair would be easier than the control of a powerful multi-purpose strike complex (for example, modern BMP-3) . These two vehicles could be used together if required, or they could be separated and perform their different tasks in different parts of the battlefield.

In addition, the cost of a modern turret infantry fighting vehicle with a developed SLA and a powerful weapon system is already approaching the cost of a main battle tank.A possible way out of the situation could be the creation on the basis of the BMP-3 of a vehicle with a light uninhabited weapon module with remote control.

More cardinal the solution to the issue would be the creation of several highly specialized combat vehicles.

Armored personnel carrier (APC) designed exclusively for transporting an infantry squad under armor protection to the deployment area. The vehicle is not intended to engage in a duel-type battle against other armored combat vehicles and, accordingly, its armament will be limited to heavy machine guns and (or) automatic grenade launchers; however, it is very important that the weapons are fully controlled from under the armor (underslung / remotely controlled installations, "flat" mini-turrets or similar solutions). The vehicle will be protected from RPG-7 strikes on a wide frontal sector (± 90 ° ) will provide adequate roof protection against artillery mines and at least the bottom of the combat compartment should provide mine protection.

A war machine armed with a cannon, will provide fire support. This machine will operate in close cooperation with an armored personnel carrier, firing at targets from firing positions in optimally selected places; the same applies to escorting main battle tanks. The silhouette of the vehicle will be optimized to fulfill its task, the vehicle will be equipped with an automatic gun of medium caliber (35-60 mm), its crew will be 3 people. Being intended to enter a duel-type battle, the vehicle must have frontal sector protection against anti-tank missile systems, tank guns and against RPG-7 class weapons, which, of course, by definition, is more than enough.

Schematic representation of a proposal that the different combat missions of modern generation armored infantry fighting vehicles should be redistributed between two or three specialized vehicles

A combat vehicle armed with a missile system, can be used in various combat missions, as there are several types of missiles that can be equipped not only with traditional HEAT warheads for anti-tank missions, but also with high-explosive fragmentation or thermobaric warheads. Therefore, a vehicle armed with a missile system will not be limited to tank destroyer tasks, but may also be useful in providing fire support, for example, to bombard field fortifications or to destroy buildings or other centers of resistance. Missiles are a particularly tempting solution for these missions, as they allow for high-precision firing from ranges beyond enemy range, while minimizing potential collateral damage.

The current placement of rocket launchers on elevating masts, plus guidance heads, allows the vehicle to use its weapons while remaining at least partially protected by natural cover, and thus be protected from the immediate threat posed by the striking weapon. The armor scheme must provide protection against RPG-7 weapons, as well as striking elements of cluster munitions, and, in addition, an appropriate level of mine resistance is required.

To reduce the cost of vehicles and personnel, the functions of two combat vehicles can be combined by placing a missile launcher on the turret of an armored combat vehicle armed with a cannon. However, this will inevitably result in a dual-purpose vehicle being larger and heavier than either of the two single-purpose designs.

The use of armored fighting vehicles configured to perform one primary mission on the battlefield will provide a significant reduction in the combat weight of the vehicle compared to today's overloaded armored infantry fighting vehicles. Alternatively, it is possible to develop vehicles that have excellent levels of all-round protection and survivability without increasing the combat mass completely beyond logically acceptable limits.

With limited armor requirements, a vehicle of a weight class can be developed that will allow air transport without much difficulty. However, if the opposite approach is taken and a level of protection equivalent to a main battle tank is determined (this is the case with new Israeli and Russian designs, as we will see now), then the combat weight of specialized vehicles increases to about 45-50 tons.

heavy BMP based on a tank?

It should be noted that the concept of using turretless tanks to transport troops is not new in itself. Already during the Second World War, the British used for these purposes the modified chassis of the Sherman tanks and RAM , nicknamed "Kangaroo". These vehicles differed from the originals in their open-top fighting compartment; their main point was not to improve protection, but rather to improve mobility in difficult terrain, which were insurmountable for the then common half-track vehicles.

The philosophy of developing single-purpose armored fighting vehicles was first implemented in Israel in the early 1980s. Turrets were removed from the old Centurion tanks, decommissioned in parallel with the introduction of the Merkava tank, and these vehicles were turned into combat vehicles of the engineering troops. Machines that are implemented in a large, continuously improved group under the designations NAGMAshot, nagmachon, nakpadon and PUMA , are designed to be transported under the protection of the highest possible level of combat engineering teams that are faced with tasks such as removing or destroying roadblocks, neutralizing explosive traps, etc. These vehicles were not usually used and are not used as a "combat taxi" for transporting infantry, since they do not have a door / ramp in the stern, a specialized one was subsequently developed T-armored personnel carrier "Ahzarit".

If the main reason for criticism of the IFV is inadequate armor, is it possible to create an IFV based on the main battle tank in order to provide it with a significantly higher level of protection?

This, of course, would mean an increase in the weight of the BMP from the 18 tons proposed earlier to approaching or even equaling the mass of the main battle tank. It can be argued that if building bridges and crossing on rafts are provided, in any case, for tanks, class 50, then they can equally suit heavy infantry fighting vehicles. Such a vehicle would be invulnerable to light armored vehicles of the enemy, protected and, like the main battle tank that it would accompany, would be afraid only of modern tanks. Both machines would then have equal chances of surviving in joint action and. probably with closer joint actions of the infantry vehicle with the main battle tank.

There is an assertion that the cost of a heavy tank-based infantry fighting vehicle will be prohibitively high, but the times when the cost of steel and engine were decisive in a tank are long gone.

The cost of the main battle tank turret (fire control system, weapons complex) is at least 60-70% of its total cost. Therefore, the creation of an MBT based on a tank will not be too expensive, especially given the huge numbers of aging tanks left over from the legacy of the Cold War.

It seems possible to create a heavy infantry fighting vehicle based on a tank at approximately the same cost as the cost of a modern turret infantry fighting vehicle, the mass of which is constantly increasing and sometimes reaches 40 tons (BMP Marder-2, Puma).

The main battle tank and the T-BMP, acting together, would, of course, consume significantly more fuel than the BMP, created on the basis of a lighter chassis. But these two heavy vehicles would have unified units, which would greatly simplify the supply of troops.

Tactical flexibility on the battlefield heavy infantry fighting vehicles also provides many opportunities and greatly increases the effectiveness of the action of the unit as a whole, heavy infantry fighting vehicles can accompany the main battle tanks in unified formations in the main direction of possible enemy actions. Conventional IFVs cannot provide this protection without undue risk. . In addition, the boundaries are expanding the line of dismounting of the infantry squad, located in a vehicle vulnerable to anti-tank weapons. The absence of a heavy turret will significantly expand the possibilities for building up hull protection. heavy infantry fighting vehicles, which will make it less vulnerable to long range for conventional anti-tank weapons.

However, on the way to using tank corps, the use of tank corps as a base for heavy T-BMPs is hindered by the rear placement of the engine in the vast majority of modern tanks, which creates difficulties when dismounting troops (the only exception is the Israeli Merkava, on the basis of which, without significant rearrangement , the T-BTR "Namer" was created).

The main cost components in the manufacture of heavy infantry fighting vehicles will be the installation of a small-sized diesel power plant, and a change in the design of the interior of the vehicle.

Heavy BMP. Reflow?

For the effective use of the T-BTR, based on the tank hull with a rear-mounted MTO, of course, it needs to be re-arranged, the engine replaced with a more compact one, in order to ensure convenient and safe dismounting of the landing force, the Israelis went this way, installing on a serial T-BTR "Akhzarit" compact power plant **, which made it possible to create a hatch for infantry in the stern of the tank, a similar solution was also used by the designers of the KMDB on their heavyAn armored personnel carrier based on the T-84 tank, which, however, is difficult to attribute to an infantry fighting vehicle due to the reduced landing force to 5 people associated with the preservation of a 125 mm gun.

Another, less optimal in terms of combat qualities, but cheaper, is the decision made on the serial domestic T-armored personnel carrier (BMO-T) based on the T-72 tank.On the BMO-T, the T-72 power plant was retained unchanged, the landing force dismounts through two hatches located above the MTO (33).

1 - BMO-T

2 - BMO-T hull protection scheme

on the engine to a more compact one, in order to provide a rear-mounted MTO, of course, its rearrangement is needed, deputy

However, recently there have been proposals to change the layout of the hull of future main battle tanks to locate the engine compartment in front of the vehicle, following the scheme adopted for the Merkava tank, which is still the only one of its kind.

Modern armored vehicles based on a tank
Name	« Ahzarit »****	« Namer »	« Temsah »		BMT-84	BTR-T	BMO-T	AV-13
The country	Israel	Israel	Jordan	Ukraine	Ukraine	Russia	Russia	Ukraine/ Jordan
base tank	T-55	« Merkava »	Centurion	T-72	T-84	T-55	T-72	Centurion
Crew (landing), pers.	3 (7)	3 (7)	2 (10)	3 (5)	3 (5)	2 (5)		(3)7
Combat weight, kg	44 000		49 500	50 000	48 600	38 500		31 000
Armament	machine gun	machine gun	Automatic gun and ATGM	Similar to a tank	Similar to a tank	Automatic gun and ATGM***	machine gun	Automatic gun and AGS
Dismounting landing through the stern hatch	Provided	Provided	Provided	Not secured	Provided	Not secured	Not secured	Provided

Jordanian designers went for an interesting move: in order to provide the infantry squad with the possibility of safe dismounting from the rear of the vehicle, the layout of this vehicle with a front engine is desirable. In order to achieve this without structural changes to the hull of the Centurion tank with aft engine placement, it is used in such a way that in its new form the aft part of the tank has become the front part. To use the tank in this form, the direction of rotation of the final drives was changed, the suspension geometry was also adjusted to maintain the distribution of track tension. The commander and driver are moved forward at elevated workplaces behind the bulkhead of the engine compartment.

Aft entrance of the BMP "Temsah", based on the tank "Centurion".

Another option for resolving the issue of engine placement is the experienced TBMP AB-13, developed by the Malyshev KhKBM for Jordan. The difference between the AB-13 and the concept used in the Temsah TBTR is the preservation of the engine location in the stern.

The engine was replaced by a Ukrainian multi-fuel engine 5TDF with 700 hp. The low profile 5TDF engine provides room for seven soldiers in addition to the crew in the two-man turret and the driver.The landing party is placed in a semicircle in the compartment behind the turret chase and, in order to dismount, must go through the engine. Although the Ukrainian engine is not as tall as the engine originally installed, for quick dismounting it will be necessary to open the armor hatches above the engine plate, similar to the Russian BMP-3. The turret includes a twin 30mm cannon with variable rate of fire, a 7.62mm coaxial PKT machine gun and a 30mm AGS-17 grenade launcher.

Aft entrance BMP AV-13, based on the tank "Centurion", with hatches open

to provide a greater overall height for the dismounting of the crew

Heavy infantry fighting vehicle with tank armament?

The BMT-72 was created on the basis of the T-72 tank, thanks to the compactness of the 6TD diesel engine, it became possible not to equip the tank with a troop compartment for 5 people, the compartment is located between the combat and engine-transmission compartments. Unlike the BMT-84, the previous configuration of the engine compartment was left on it, landing and landing is carried out through the upper hatches.

BMT-72 next to the infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2

The following features are positive:

high level of protection, especially

high firepower,

the use of the existing undercarriage of the T-72 tank (in service with many countries of the world) and the preservation of the existing logistics in terms of servicing the power plant and undercarriage.

The disadvantages are:

complexity of modernization (it is necessary to install an additional pair of rollers).

insufficient combat capabilities of motorized riflemen and the lack of an exit from the stern.

Insufficient landing (5 people)

Another Ukrainian project is the BMT-84. In the serial T-84 tank, the ammunition load is 43 pcs. 125-mm rounds of separate loading, of which 28 pcs. are in the automatic loader.

To accommodate the landing, the transportable stock of 125-mm ammunition on the BTMP-84 vehicle was reduced to 30 rounds, and the engine compartment was redone. From the compact troop compartment located behind the turret, you can exit from the left side of the stern. The upper part of the roof to exit the troop compartment opens up, the door in the aft opens to the right, and a step is installed to dismount the troops from the vehicle. The device of the output part of the troop compartment is similar to the Israeli Akhzarit infantry fighting vehicle.

The power plant consists of a compact diesel engine 6 T D-2 with a capacity of 1200 hp, connected to a mechanical transmission. Combat weight of the vehicle BMT-84 is 48 tons, specific power is 24 hp / t, the maximum speed on the highway is 70 km / h, the cruising range is 450 km.

Unified combat platform of the future

In Germany, an attempt was recently made to create "new armored platforms" ( NGP ) under a parallel development program. NGP ***** are presented as a family of vehicles, including the main battle tank, infantry fighting vehicles and air defense system and other vehicles. Presumably the tank will be ready around 2013 ******.

Family combat vehicles made on a single base.

Such a platform is the most reasonable solution for creating combat vehicles of the future. The interchangeability of the components of the entire complex of vehicles on the battlefield (tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, BREM, ZSU, etc.) provides many obvious advantages in terms of costs, as well as in terms of logistics. During the deployment of combat operations, the unification of the constituent elements can significantly reduce the amount of material and technical support for combat formations and combat support formations.

However, despite these advantages, the development of main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles on a unified chassis was not carried out until recently.

A variant of the layout and protection of the German BMP based on a single chassis.

There are also domestic developments of a family of combat vehicles made using a single basic tank tracked chassis with a unified undercarriage, engine-transmission unit, communications and navigation equipment and an armored hull provided with a modern level of passive and dynamic protection, with resistance against tandem cumulative ammunition and armor-piercing sub-caliber projectiles.

As a basic BM, the complex contains a tank armed with a tank gun of 120...125 mm caliber, with a six-bearing chassis or with a seven-bearing chassis, an automatic loader placed behind the turret and an active protection complex. As a BM for tank fire support, the complex contains a heavy armored personnel carrier with machine-gun or mortar armament and an assault force of up to 10 people and a BM for tank support with an automatic gun of 30...57 mm caliber. As a technical support vehicle, the complex contains a transport loading vehicle of a tank with machine guns.

How to equip an infantry fighting vehicle?

Automatic gun / guided missile.

Vehicle-mounted weapons are undoubtedly the most controversial aspect of the design of a modern BMP, and this aspect remains controversial. Most designers agree that the choice of weapon system is a typical starting point, since gun dimensions usually dictate most other critical dimensions. Most of the debate concentrates, in addition to technical design issues, on what tasks the BMP should solve.

Taking into account the main tasks of the IFV - a protected infantry vehicle on the battlefield and a means of fire support for dismounted infantry during the battle - the key functions required from the weaponry of the IFV include the following:

suppression of enemy infantry or anti-tank missile systems outside cover or in unarmored shelters;

suppression of infantry or anti-tank missile systems in fortified shelters and trenches

suppression or defeat of unarmored vehicles and lightly armored vehicles.

tank self defense.

The tasks of combating tanks are quite controversial in terms of armament of infantry fighting vehicles. Some experts believe that the belief that the IFV must be armed with a weapon system designed to destroy the main battle tanks of the enemy, a misunderstanding of the requirements for the tasks of the IFV (supporters of the Israeli concept). Others consider anti-tank systems an integral part of the armament of infantry fighting vehicles (USA, Russia, etc.)

how claim opponents of the installation of anti-tank systems shelling an enemy main battle tank with a weapon mounted on a vehicle exposes a hasty separation of the risk that can be avoided. Tanks are fighting tanks. IFVs must be prepared to survive encounters with enemy tanks as they move around while performing their primary missions. The Israelis adhere to this BMP philosophy even in mostly desert conditions, where they can maximize the range capabilities that ATGMs can provide. They chose the BMP without any anti-tank capabilities. The division of tasks between infantry and infantry fighting vehicles is essential; an attempt to make the BMP universal makes it unable to perform most tasks.

The dismounted squad, not the IFV, should fight these tanks with anti-tank weapons. The installation of an anti-tank complex on the BMP only incites the commander to fire on the tank, possibly neglecting the main tasks of the BMP.

The single biggest advantage an infantry fighting vehicle gets from a launcher is the ability to destroy an enemy tank at ranges over 3000m.

In addition, the installation of guns and missiles (a typical example is the BMP-1) suffers from two shortcomings that interfere with the implementation of the main tasks of the BMP. First, the inclusion of both a cannon and a missile system requires the IFV to carry a large supply of ammunition at the expense of landing space. Stowing this ammunition next to an infantry squad is inherently dangerous.

Based on the capabilities based on the characteristics of the firing range, the missile system is suitable in quite a few cases.

However, supporters of the use of anti-tank systems on the BMP have good arguments. In practice, during the Gulf War, IFVs, armed ATGMs, proved to be effective, supplementing tanks and firing at distances of more than 3 km when given the opportunity. In addition, the ATGM installation does not require large sacrifices in mass and internal volume and can be dismantled for use by infantry after dismounting, without requiring the already limited internal volume of the vehicle. Also, the reality of life is sometimes far from the ideal calculated by tacticians, it is quite possible to allow the case when for some reason infantry fighting vehicles find themselves without the support of tanks in conditions favorable for the use of anti-tank systems. To date, the vast majority of infantry fighting vehicles in the world include anti-tank systems in the armament.

Tank gun. The development of an IFV with a tank gun would seem to represent an ideal hybrid of a tank and an IFV. Unfortunately, experience has shown that this combination fails in one key area - the size of the landing force, and the possibility of transporting a full infantry squad to the battlefield becomes essentially unfeasible.

Cannon launcher installation of low ballistics / automatic gun.

The unique representative of the BMP armament is the Russian BMP-3, its armament includes a 100 mm cannon with a low muzzle velocity, which is also capable of firing guided missiles through the barrel. With a 100 mm cannon, a 30 mm 2A42 cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun are rigidly paired, two more machine guns are located in front of the hull and are controlled by a paratrooper or driver. The loading of the gun on the BMP-3 is carried out by an automatic loader, the loading of missiles is carried out manually (automatically on ""). Also on the BMP-3, a remote air detonation of projectiles was implemented to combat tank-dangerous targets, the location of which is not known.

Disputes about the BMP-3 armament complex began even before its appearance, the obvious advantages include the power of an HE projectile comparable to MBT, the ability to effectively support dismounted infantry with fire at a distance of more than 4 km. Launching a guided missile through the barrel also expands the capabilities of the BMP, but somewhat limits its development in terms of caliber. Large gun elevation angles create conditions for effective use in urban combat.

Confirmation of the correctness of the decisions on the BMP-3 armament complex is its export success, and the fighting compartment of the BMP-3 was also used to create a promising Chinese BMP on its own chassis and some Turkish developments based on the M113.

The disadvantages include the large volume occupied by the turret and ammunition load, weak armor on the sides of the hull, the danger of losing the vehicle and crew if the ammunition load is hit. A significant drawback is also the high cost of the weapon system, as a result of which the cost of the BMP-3 approaches the cost of the main tank. The decision to equip the BMP-3 with the Arena complex looks expedient.

Automatic grenade launcher ( AGL). Of all the weapon options used for IFVs, the automatic grenade launcher is perhaps the most suitable. It occupies the smallest space of all options, with the exception of the machine gun. At the same time, automatic grenade launchers have ammunition capable of hitting manpower, lightly armored vehicles, various fortifications and other armored targets with very satisfactory results. One distinctive but important advantage of automatic grenade launchers is their relatively low muzzle velocity; this allows shelling of dug-in manpower, protected to a large extent from guns with higher muzzle velocity and shallower ballistic trajectories.

Machine gun.The machine gun is also a suitable weapon for the BMP. The choice of a machine gun in relation to an automatic cannon is a compromise between the struggle for free space and the effectiveness of fire weapons. The Israelis, installing one 7.62 mm machine gun on their Akhzarit heavy fighting vehicle, clearly chose a large landing force by reducing firepower, probably the German Marder BMP represents the opposite point of view, in which firepower is given relative priority, and not the number of troops. Both options demonstrate different approaches; the debate regarding the size of the landing force is shown.

Footnotes

* Interview with Sergey Maev "The Russian army relies on the unification of armored vehicles" ARMS-TASS 07/08/2004

** Used8V-71TTA water-cooled diesel engine from General Motors, whose power is 650l.s. (485 kW). The engine is mounted transversely and connected to an Allison XTG-411-4 hydrodynamic transmission, the same as the power plant of the 155 M-109 self-propelled gun, which is in service with the Israeli Defense Forces and many other ground forces.

*** Armament options:

1 - automatic 30-mm gun 2A42, 2 launchers ATGM "Competition";
2 - automatic 30-mm gun 2A42, automatic 30-mm grenade launcher AGS-17;
3 - double-barreled 30-mm machine gun 2A38;
4 - 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun NSV, 2 launchers ATGM "Competition";
5 - 12.7 mm NSV anti-aircraft machine gun, automatic 30 mm AGS-17 grenade launcher.

**** Using the accumulated experience in the modernization and reconstruction armored vehicles, the Israelis carried out three improvements on the chassis of the Centurion tank and one on the base of the T-55 tank.

The car Nagmachon is not a front-line infantry fighting vehicle, it is heavily armored a machine designed to operate in conditions of relatively intensive use of means of attack. Well protected by passive and additional reactive armor, the Nagmachon was too heavy to accompany tanks in battle.

The second way of refinement led to the creation of the Puma transporter. Initially, the Puma vehicle was introduced as a combat engineering vehicle, which not only could be equipped with demining devices and other engineering equipment, but could also carry up to eight infantrymen under heavy fire.

The crews of the Merkava tanks believe that the Puma vehicle is the only infantry transporter capable of supporting their tanks in the rugged terrain of the Golan Heights. Cases of caterpillar dropping have been noted on the machine, but this drawback can be eliminated by installing caterpillars of the Merkava tank type designed for heavy work conditions and further improvements to the machine's transmission.

Machine " Akhzarit"It was supposed to be an armored personnel carrier for equipping motorized infantry brigades. The more expensive Puma car was supposed to be distributed only among sapper troops.

Tests« Ahzarit » in the Golani brigade, they showed the insufficient reliability of its undercarriage.« Ahzarit » needs improvements to the tracks, transmission and engine.

*****After termination of the program NGPdue to financial reasons, there are currently no urgent plans to replace the Leopard 2 tank or the Gepard vehicle.

****** NGP ( Neue gepanzerte Platforms - new armored platforms) in the German ground forces program for a tracked vehicle of the future, which began in the mid-1990s, is sometimes interpreted by cynics as " Military Technology, 1992, No 3, p. 47-59

Rolf Hilmes. Armored combat vehicles to counter modern plans for probable enemy actions.Military Technology, 2002, No 6, p. 159-163

Continuing the Discovery Channel Top 10 list, I would like to draw your attention to another funny selection. This time, the attention of the experts was "Armored Personal Carriers" - a general designation for all types of armored vehicles designed to transport personnel. The review included both light armored personnel carriers weighing 5 tons and heavy infantry fighting vehicles. Despite the seeming absurdity, this is quite logical - all this equipment, tracked or wheeled, regardless of its size, performs the same task - transporting people and goods in military conflicts, protecting them with its armor. For example, there are no strict differences between, for example, an armored personnel carrier or an infantry fighting vehicle. The only thing that distinguished them in theory was that the infantry fighting vehicle was able to support the infantry in battle, when the armored personnel carrier only delivered them to the battlefield. With the disappearance of a clearly defined front line, and this is exactly what is observed in all local conflicts of the last quarter of the twentieth century, an armored personnel carrier and an infantry fighting vehicle now perform the same functions. Modern armored vehicles, regardless of their mass, often carry the same weapons, and serve as a platform for the creation of specialized military equipment - from command post and ambulances to self-propelled howitzers and multiple launch rocket systems.

In contrast to the controversial and controversial rating of the “10 best tanks according to the Military Channel”, the rating of the “10 best armored vehicles”, in my opinion, is very adequate and generally correct: it contains really worthy vehicles. It would be useful to add that you should not take such ratings seriously - after all, this is an infotainment program. Therefore, dear readers, I recommend that you pay attention not so much to the places in the ranking as to the cars themselves. For example, I myself, not being an expert in the field of armored vehicles, did not suspect the existence of many of them. And yet, in this review there is a serious conclusion - the review shows the most promising areas for the development of armored vehicles, the right decisions and mistakes of designers. After all, if the landing party prefers to move ON the armor, and not UNDER the armor, then something is really wrong with the armored vehicles.

The criteria for comparison, as always, will be technical excellence, innovative solutions for creating this sample, manufacturability and mass production, and of course, the main judge is the experience of combat use.

Well, that's probably all I wanted to add from myself, this is the end of the prelude, let's move on to the rating. There are many worthy cars in the world, but exactly 10 fit into the top ten.

10th place - Marder

Bundeswehr infantry fighting vehicle, combat weight - 33 tons. Year of adoption - 1970. Crew - 3 people + 7 landing people.
It was created as a response to the Soviet BMP-1. The armament complex includes a 20 mm Rheinmetall-202 automatic cannon and an ATGM Milan. Speed ​​(up to 75 km / h on the highway), excellent security, German quality - what else is needed for a good BMP? The overall picture is slightly spoiled by the Marder's lack of combat experience - with the exception of episodic participation in operations in Afghanistan, this armored vehicle almost never left the German autobahns.
In total, the Germans assembled 2,700 of their miracle infantry fighting vehicles, including a self-propelled air defense system based on them. A good car in every way. Tenth place.

9th place - M1114

American armored car. As you might have guessed from the pictures, this is the legendary Humvee with a set of armor. By the mid-90s, from the experience of the combat use of the M998 chassis, it became clear that the army needed a light armored personnel carrier based on it, having anti-fragmentation armor and, most importantly, resistant mine protection. M1114 possessed all these qualities, combining mobility, security and firepower with a gross weight of less than 5 tons. The set of detachable weapons for the M1114 includes everything from light machine guns on the roof, to remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine gun mounts, MANPADS and anti-tank missile systems.

From here you should make a short digression to the Humvee (aka the M998 HMMWV chassis). Adopted by the United States in 1981 as a "highly mobile multi-purpose wheeled vehicle," the Humvee has become one of the symbols of the American army, lit up in all conflicts of the past 30 years. According to General Motors, 200,000 of all Humvee variants have been produced to date. One of the most important properties of this half-Group-half-jeep was the versatility of the design. Here are just some of the cars based on it:

M998 - cargo open car,
M998 Avenger - variant with anti-aircraft missile system "Stinger",
M966 - armored jeep with TOW anti-tank system,
M1097 - two-seater pickup,
M997 - ambulance jeep with a four-seater cabin,
M1026 - variant with a fully enclosed four-seat body and winch,
M1035 - ambulance version with four-door cab,
M1114 - light armored personnel carrier, one of the most massive versions of the Humvee

The designers of General Motors were able to find the optimal balance between the carrying capacity, which allows it to perform all the functions of a universal army vehicle, mount a variety of weapons and armor protection, and, at the same time, did not unnecessarily overweight the car, while maintaining the dimensions of a large jeep. "Humvee" has become the standard in its class. Now army SUVs in all countries of the world borrow its technical solutions, layout and appearance.

A priori, military equipment cannot be successful in the civilian market in conditions of free competition. This axiom always proves the justification for exorbitant military spending: “If you don’t want to feed your own army, you will feed someone else’s,” etc. in the same spirit. In the case of the Hammer, we see the opposite - a stylish army vehicle, retaining the main components (including a 6-liter engine, transmission, suspension), became a successful commercial project - in 1992, its civilian version of the Hummer H1 went into production with minimal cosmetic changes, further developing into the iconic Hummer H2 luxury SUV with a luxury interior and automatic transmission.
The armored army version of the Humvee M1114 fought a lot around the world, often came under fire, burned, exploded, got stuck in the mud, but nevertheless, saved the lives of the soldiers sitting inside. What is required of a real military equipment.

8th place - The Universal Carrier

British multi-purpose armored personnel carrier-tractor - the main assistant to the British soldier. A plain-looking car with a crew of 5 people famously moved at speeds up to 50 km / h across the battlefields of the Second World War. The Universal Carrier fought on all fronts, from Europe and the Eastern Front to the Sahara and the jungles of Indonesia. Later he managed to take part in the war on the Korean Peninsula and ended his career gloriously in the 1960s.

With a mass of only 4 tons, The Universal Carrier had decent cross-country ability and was protected by 10 mm armor. The armament of the linear armored personnel carriers included a 14 mm anti-tank rifle and / or a 7.7 mm Bren machine gun. In addition to the basic version, the troops received the Wasp flamethrower and self-propelled guns with a 40 mm gun created on its platform.

In total, over the years of mass production from 1934 to 1960. in the UK, USA, Australia and Canada, 113,000 of these small but so useful machines were produced.

7th place - Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251

A formidable war machine that crushed the countries of Europe, the sands of North Africa and the icy expanses of Russia with its wheels and caterpillars.
The SdKfz 251 half-tracked armored personnel carrier fully corresponded to the Blitzkrieg strategy - a fast, roomy and well-protected vehicle with high cross-country ability. Crew - 2 people + 10 people landing, speed on the highway 50 km / h, wheeled-caterpillar mover, circular armor up to 15 mm thick. Like any German technology, the armored personnel carrier was equipped with a huge variety of options and equipment to perform any task. The German engineering genius was at full strength, here is the scale: SdKfz 251 was equipped with a variety of surveillance and communication devices, cranes and winches, radios of all types and frequencies, assault bridges, removable armor sets and a variety of weapons, among which there was even such exotic as jet multiple launch rocket systems Wurframen 40 caliber 280 mm.
A great many specialized vehicles were created on the SdKfz 251 platform: in addition to the basic model, ambulances and command and staff vehicles, surveillance and communications vehicles, mobile telephone exchanges, artillery spotter posts, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with automatic 20 mm guns MG 151/20, flamethrower vehicles were produced , mobile firing points with 37 mm and 75 mm anti-tank guns, engineer equipment ...
Among these designs were truly unique examples of armored vehicles, such as Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen - a noise direction finder for determining the position of enemy artillery positions out of sight or Infrarotscheinwerfer - a self-propelled infrared searchlight for illuminating the night sights of Panther tanks.
From myself I can add the following: lovers of disclosures and followers of Vladimir Rezun's work, meticulously counting the number of German armored vehicles, somehow always forget to include 15,000 SdKfz 251 armored personnel carriers produced by the German industry in their lists, although these armored vehicles surpassed many tanks of that period in their capabilities .
By the way, the SdKfz 251 armored personnel carrier was so good that it was produced in Czechoslovakia until 1962.

6th place - M1126 "Stryker"

The youngest recruit in the US Army. The Stryker family of wheeled fighting vehicles was created specifically for low-intensity conflicts and "colonial wars", when the use of heavy armored vehicles, Abrams tanks or Bradley infantry fighting vehicles is redundant, and light brigade combat teams are not effective enough. The fighting on the territory of Iraq and Afghanistan confirmed the correctness of this decision.

The basic version of the M1126 became the first wheeled armored vehicle of this class in the US Army. Due to the exceptional smoothness of the ride, the armored personnel carrier received the nickname "Shadow" (Shadow) in the troops. When creating the M1126, special emphasis was placed on increasing the protective properties of the machine. Steel spaced armor is supplemented with mounted armor modules of the MEXAS type weighing 1700 kg. This type of armor contains a ceramic layer glued to a layer of high strength Kevlar fibers. The purpose of the alumina ceramic layer is to break the projectile and distribute the kinetic energy over a larger base area. In terms of resistance, MEXAS, with the same mass as steel armor, surpasses it twice. Much attention was paid to mine protection - the double bottom of the car, shock absorption, additional booking of the most vulnerable places - all this, according to American designers, should reduce the likelihood of hitting the crew of an armored vehicle.
The armored personnel carrier is equipped with a high-tech weapon system, which includes a remote-controlled installation with a .50 caliber machine gun and a 40 mm Mark-19 automatic grenade launcher with an ammunition load of 448 grenades. The detection and target designation module includes a night sight and a laser rangefinder.

An 18-ton armored personnel carrier can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h on the highway, and the 8x8 wheel arrangement and tire pressure reduction system provide sufficient cross-country ability. A serious drawback for machines of this type is that the Stryker cannot swim.
The Styker family, in addition to the armored personnel carrier, includes
combat reconnaissance and patrol vehicle M1127, fire support vehicle M1128 with a 105 mm cannon, 120 mm self-propelled mortar M1129, KShM M1130, artillery correction post M1131, engineering vehicle M1132, armored medical evacuator M1133, self-propelled anti-tank missile system M1134 with ATGM "TOU- 2", and the M1135 radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance vehicle.
The Strykers have been serving in Iraq since 2003.

5th place - אכזרית‎ (Achzarit)

Heavy tracked armored personnel carrier of the Israel Defense Forces. It is the most protected armored vehicle of this class in the world.
The 200 mm armor of the Soviet tank (you won't believe it, but the Achzarit are captured Syrian T-54s and T-55s with their turrets removed) was reinforced with applied perforated steel sheets with carbon fibers, and a set of dynamic protection was installed on top. The total weight of the additional booking was 17 tons, which, combined with the low silhouette of the car, made it possible to provide an exceptionally high level of armored personnel carrier protection.

On the way to the border

The Soviet engine was replaced by a more compact 8-cylinder General Motors diesel engine, which made it possible to equip a corridor along the starboard side of the tank leading from the troop compartment to the aft armored door. When tilting the aft ramp, part of the roof is lifted hydraulically, making it easier to dismount the troops. In addition, the partially open aft door is used as a loophole.
Achzarit is equipped with a Rafael OWS (Overhead Weapon Station) remotely controlled machine gun mount. Three 7.62-mm machine guns are used as additional weapons: one - on the pivot installation of the commander's hatch and two - on the rear hatches.
As a result, the 44-ton monster is an excellent tool for fighting in urban areas, where an RPG grenade launcher can be in the opening of each window. Achzarit is not afraid of point-blank fire from all the means in service with Hezbollah and Hamas militants, reliably covering 10 crew members with its armor.
In fairness, it should be noted that the most protected armored personnel carrier in the world is still the Namer (weight more than 50 tons) on the chassis of the Merkava tank, only a symbolic number of Namers was produced - 60 pieces., Unlike Achzarit, in which 500 T-54/55 tanks were converted.

4th place - BMP-1

The armored infantry vehicle (that's exactly what, according to American experts) significantly increased the offensive power of motorized rifle units. The ingenious concept of the BMP-1 was to increase the mobility and security of the infantry, acting in conjunction with the tanks. The car was demonstrated to the world community during the parade on Red Square in 1967.
The body of the BMP-1 was welded from armor plates with a thickness of 15 ... 20 mm, according to calculations, this was enough to provide all-round protection against bullets fired from a hand-held rifle, and at heading angles protection was provided even from small-caliber guns.
The 13-ton combat vehicle developed up to 65 km / h on the highway and up to 7 km / h afloat (even the track rollers were made hollow to increase buoyancy). Inside were placed 3 crew members and 8 paratroopers. The armament complex consisted of a 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore grenade launcher, a PKT machine gun, and a 9M14M Malyutka anti-tank missile system. Separate loopholes were equipped for the paratroopers sitting inside. All this, in theory, turned the BMP-1 into a new generation universal vehicle.

Alas, everything turned out to be more complicated. The Americans severely criticized the decisions of the Soviet designers, especially the design of the rear doors of the troop compartment (really, very dubious): “Probably this is thick armor that reliably protects the crew of the vehicle? Not! Those are fuel tanks!” With the defeat of the machine, this arrangement turned the BMP into a fire trap.
Based on the results of the battles in the Middle East and Afghanistan, it quickly became clear that the designers had saved money on armor in vain - the BMP was confidently hit by the DShK machine gun. Low protection against mines, small arms and grenade launchers has led to the fact that soldiers prefer to move around sitting on the armor, not daring to go down into the fighting compartment of the vehicle. The shortcomings of the weapons also made themselves felt - in the mountainous terrain, the Thunder turned out to be useless due to the low elevation angle.

Those same tanks in the aft hatches

Soviet designers made an attempt to correct errors in the next generation car. The new BMP-2 received an automatic 30 mm cannon with an elevation angle of 85 degrees. The next model, the BMP-3, despite the loud calls of the military to increase security, was the apotheosis of absurdity: having almost tank weapons, it still has "cardboard" armor.
And yet it is worth paying tribute to the Soviet designers. The infantry fighting vehicle has become a fundamentally new class of armored vehicles. Despite its innovativeness, the BMP-1 has gone through more than a dozen military conflicts around the world. In addition, it was cheap and massive: a total of 20,000 machines of this type were produced.

3rd place - MCV-80 "Warrior"

British infantry fighting vehicle. There is more to her name than just "Warrior". Combat weight - 25 tons. Highway speed - 75 km / h. The armored body of the MCV-80 is welded from rolled sheets of aluminum-magnesium-zinc alloy and protects against 14.5-mm bullets and fragments of 155-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells, and the bottom - from 9 kg of anti-tank mines. The sides and chassis are covered with rubber anti-cumulative screens. The armored hull of the "Warrior" has an internal lining that protects the crew from armor fragments, which is also soundproofing. The space between the backs of the troop seats and the sides of the hull is used for stowage of spare parts and equipment of infantrymen, which creates additional protection for the troop compartment. Outside, the armor is reinforced with reactive armor. Armament: 30 mm L21A1 "Rarden" automatic cannon, coaxial machine gun, 94 mm LAW-80 grenade launcher. The crew of the car is 3 people. Landing - 7 people.

The British command had high hopes for its promising BMP. And the "Warrior" did not disappoint its creators - of the 300 vehicles that took part in the "Desert Storm" not one was lost in battle. A noteworthy incident occurred in El-Amar (Iraq) on May 1, 2004: 14 RPG grenades hit the Warrior patrol. The heavily damaged car managed to fight back and under its own power got out of the fire, saving the lives of the fighters inside it (the entire crew was burned and injured). BMP commander Johnson Gideon Biharry was awarded the Victoria Cross.

In 2011, the UK government allocated 1.6 billion pounds for the modernization of the MCV-80 under the WCSP program. In particular, it is reported that the BMP will receive a new weapon system with a 40 mm automatic gun.
Here is such an MCV-80 "Warrior" - a machine that soldiers trust.

2nd place - M2 "Bradley"

American infantry fighting vehicle. Combat weight - 30 tons. Speed ​​- 65 km / h on the highway, 7 km / h afloat. Crew - 3 people. Landing - 6 people.
Multi-layered armor made of steel and aluminum with a thickness of 50 mm provides all-round protection against small-caliber artillery shells. The hinged dynamic protection system serves as a reliable barrier to RPG rocket-propelled grenades. The case has a Kevlar lining on the inside, which prevents the formation of fragments. On the latest modifications, 30 mm steel screens are additionally mounted on the sides.
Armament: 25 mm automatic gun M242 "Bushmaster" with a computerized fire control system, ATGM "TOW" and 6 machine guns M231 FPW. The equipment of the armored vehicle includes such excesses as the TACNAV tactical navigation system, the ELRF laser rangefinder, the infrared passive anti-tank defense system and the MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) food ration heater.
At the time of its appearance, in 1981, the US military doubted the combat qualities of the new BMP. But in 1991, during Desert Storm, all doubts were dispelled: Bradleys, using shells with depleted uranium cores, destroyed more Iraqi tanks than M1 Abrams main battle tanks. And only 1 BMP was lost from enemy fire.
The well-deserved combat vehicle has become one of the most massive infantry fighting vehicles in the world - a total of 7000 M2 Bradleys were produced. On its basis, the M3 combat reconnaissance vehicle, the M6 ​​self-propelled air defense system and the launcher for the MLRS and tactical missiles M270 MLRS are also produced.

1st place - M113

M113 Lithuanian Armed Forces on parade in Kaunas

Floating tracked vehicle weighing 11 tons. All-round protection is provided by 40 mm aluminum armor. Excellent capacity - 2 crew members and 11 paratroopers. Standard armament - heavy machine gun M2. Fast (speed on the highway - up to 64 km / h), passable and easy to maintain, the car has become the most famous armored personnel carrier in the world. 85000 М113 of all modifications were in service with 50 countries of the world. The M113 went through all the conflicts from the Vietnam War, to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and, as of today, is still in production and is the main armored personnel carrier of the US Army.
In addition to the armored personnel carrier, the M113 existed in the form of a command and control vehicle, a self-propelled 107 mm mortar, an anti-aircraft self-propelled mount (were armed with everything from the six-barreled Vulcan to the Chapperell air defense system), a repair and recovery vehicle, an ambulance, a tank destroyer with an ATGM "TOW" , radiation and chemical reconnaissance vehicles and a MLRS launcher.

The defense capability of the country is one of the most important factors for the existence of an independent state. That is why every year new and powerful types of military equipment are created all over the world that can repel any enemy. And in our today's review, you can see the 5 best modern models of armored personnel carriers.

1. Finnish armored personnel carrier - AMV

Patria AMV- a multi-purpose wheeled armored fighting vehicle developed by the Finnish company Patria. The presented model has been in operation since 2004. This instance is equipped with a DI12 (DC12) engine with a capacity of 483 horsepower, thanks to which the vehicle can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour. Its power reserve from one full tank reaches 700 km. The dimensions of the armored personnel carrier are approximately 7.9 meters long and 2.8 meters wide, and it weighs 17 tons.

2. Austrian armored personnel carrier - Pandur II

Pandur II- a modern Austrian multi-purpose wheeled armored fighting vehicle which is produced by the company General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr GmbH. This sample has been manufactured since 2007, and was put into operation at the end of 2008. The instance is equipped with a TCD 2015 engine with a capacity of 524 horsepower, thanks to which the vehicle can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour. Its power reserve from one fully filled tank is 700 km. The presented armored personnel carrier has only one rifled automatic small-caliber gun 1 × 30 mm Mk44. Its dimensions are approximately 7.36 meters long and 2.67 wide, and it weighs 22 tons.

3. Ukrainian armored personnel carrier - BTR-4

BTR-4 "Bucephalus"- This is one of the most modern armored personnel carriers in Ukraine, created at the Kharkov Transport Engineering Plant. This copy has been in production since 2008. The model is equipped with a ZTD-3 engine with a capacity of 500 horsepower, thanks to which the sample is able to accelerate to 110 kilometers per hour. Its power reserve from one fully filled tank is 690 km. The combat vehicle is equipped with a rifled automatic cannon with a caliber of 30 mm KBA-1 (2A72) and two machine guns 1 × 7.62 mm KT, 1 × 30 mm AGS-17 Barrier anti-tank systems. The dimensions of this transport reach approximately 7.65 meters in length and 2.9 in width, and it weighs 21.9 tons.

4. Russian armored personnel carrier - BTR-82

BTR-82- is the most modern example of an armored personnel carrier of the Russian Federation. The model has a turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 300 horsepower, thanks to which it can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour. Its power reserve from one fully filled tank is 600 km. The combat vehicle is equipped with a 30 mm 2A72 automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm PKTM tank machine gun.

5. Turkish armored personnel carrier - AV8

AV8 is a modern Turkish multi-purpose armored fighting vehicle manufactured by the military equipment manufacturer FNSS. This model was commissioned in 2012. The copy is equipped with a TCD 2015 engine with a capacity of 524 horsepower, thanks to which the sample is able to accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour. Its power reserve from one fully filled tank is 700 km. The presented armored personnel carrier has only one machine gun of 1 x 12.7 mm caliber. Transport dimensions reach approximately 7.9 meters in length and 2.8 in width, and it weighs 26 tons.

And lovers of military equipment and weapons, it will certainly be interesting to look at