From the point of view of the infantry. Our love, trinity
We continue a series of reviews and analyzes of equipment, weapons and tactics with the participants of the NWO.
Our comrade and like-minded Sergey "Observer2014" was assigned for retraining, thanks to which we managed to "finish off" the material that we bring to your attention.
Say hello to everyone who realized that it was him)))
Three “confident users” took part in our “review” at once: a driver, an infantry gunner and a machine gunner. Almost complete set.
Let's start as usual with stories. However, the history of the creation of the BMP-3 has already been painted inside and out, so we will just briefly recall. It makes sense, because in expert circles there is still a debate about whether the BMP-3 is a huge success of the Soviet design shop or vice versa, this is the biggest engineering mistake of our engineers.
1977 Work began on the "Object 688", which after 10 years turned into the same BMP-3 that caused so much controversy. Production began in Kurgan, at the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant named after Lenin, now OJSC Kurganmashzavod.
The BMP-3 was significantly different from its predecessors, the BMP-1 and 2. First of all, the differences concerned the hull and layout. The car turned out to be very well protected and armed. Plus retained the ability to swim.
The level of protection is really decent. The frontal armor can withstand a 30 mm projectile from a distance of 200 meters, and the roof and sides hold a 12,7 mm bullet fired from the same distance. Naturally, protection can be enhanced by installing additional armor blocks on top of the existing one. The only machine completely made of special aluminum, both hull and turret.
Armament. The main one is the 2A70 launcher, caliber 100 mm, which can fire at a speed of up to 10 rounds per minute or launch anti-tank missiles. Gun ammunition 40 shells, 22 immediately in the automatic loader, 18 in the stowage. The crew can fire even afloat, and with fairly high accuracy. The firing range is 4 kilometers.
A 2-mm 70A30 gun is paired with the 2A72, the same one that is on modern armored personnel carriers. Its rate of fire is up to 330 rounds per minute.
The third type of weapon is machine guns. There are three of them, PKT caliber 7,62 mm. One is paired with cannons in the turret, two are located in front of the hull and paratroopers fire from them.
The tower is a module that, in principle, can be replaced with anything from ATGM launchers to air defense systems.
The heart of the car is the UTD-29, a V-shaped "ten", diesel, with a power of 500 hp. Plus a semi-automatic transmission. In general - at the level of world standards.
The main thing around which the noise is now (now, by the way, especially) is the layout. The engine was removed to the rear, and the landing force was "smeared" around it. For this, a wave of criticism went, because although the diesel engine was lowered as much as possible to make it easier for the troops to go outside, this did not help much.
"Butterflies", that is, two hinged doors in the roof of the compartment, seemed to be a way out of the situation, as they facilitated the exit by covering the fighter, but even with them everything was ambiguous.
Word Sergei "Observer":
When they developed the car, I don’t know whether the infantry was lower, or they were selected somehow ... But here I am: 196 cm and so almost a centner of weight (see photo - approx.). Plus armor, plus unloading. No, in Soviet times there were definitely no bulletproof vests and such unloading, in the summer, probably, it was generally gorgeous. I haven’t tried it, but in winter, in a winter suit, and with all this ...
Well, I'll be honest: I almost have to fold in half in order to cut off the carcass of the engine below and the ceiling above. And only then you can straighten up, and, moreover, my head immediately above the "butterflies" begins to stick out like a head of cabbage. Like, sniper, here it is, me!
Pushing inside is not at all easier, but somewhat more difficult, because if you climbed in, then you still have to turn around inside. In general - not with my height and weight.
Yes, many people note that the process of boarding and disembarking is the “Kama Sutra”. But there's nothing to be done, otherwise nothing. Therefore, many (including my interlocutor Sergey) continue to ride on top of the armor.
By the way, there is another opinion about skiing from above. Another Sergei, Markic. Machine gunner.
“I'm on the“ three ”on the armor and nothing else. It is soft, you can shoot from it, if not clearly aimed, then at least in the direction, not to kill, then to scare. It is also important, especially if the stubborn with the RPG sat down on the course. They often keep quiet in the bushes, so from time to time it’s useful to give a little bit into the bushes or “brilliant green”, they begin to think there that they were burned and do not actively rock the boat or even turn back.
In the "three" there is a PKT on the sides, but they are so, for show off. No, maybe it’s normal for someone, it’s unusual for me personally, you don’t see anything there. And the sector is the same. That's how it is, we usually plant fighters, growl in the bushes for fear. The sector is really small.
And I'm behind the tower with mine. And I see 120-140 degrees, and I can look back, and I see not like in this bank. And the “three” goes exactly, and well, you can easily get from it where you aim. Of course, if she is not at full speed, then, naturally, you hold on with your arms and legs. And when we go 20-30 kilometers, I will get where I need to go.”
Opinion private, but having the right to be. Indeed, the view from the tower is better.
One more design feature. About the fuel tank. Since the engine "went" back, the creators sent the tank forward. In place of the engine. Many consider this to be stupid, because the frontal part for the tank is wrong, since there is, as it were, the maximum probability of penetration.
Well, at first glance, it's really debatable. It "arrives" in the frontal projection really often, but the question is - what flies in?
There is almost 80 millimeters of armor. Bullets of all calibers go past, and automatic cannon shells up to and including 30 mm, too. What do we have left? Tank projectile, RPG and ATGM. What are we afraid of?
I addressed this question to the third interlocutor, an infantry fighting vehicle driver with ten years of experience. Vladimir, who began his service on the BMP-2 and moved seven years ago to the BMP-3, said this:
“In general, there is also a mine, if anything. On the list. About bullets and small shells - yes, the armor holds all this. For the rest, I'll break it down for you:
- a tank will never get into an infantry fighting vehicle with an experienced carrier. He is slow. I'll dance him if I see him. Of course, if we don’t notice, then yes, we’re covered, and no matter what he shoots there, with a crowbar or a landmine. But it is necessary that we all catch jackdaws, and he would be in an ambush, and even the crew is no worse than ours. But we are such a target for a tank, we are fast and small. Plus, he is not our weight category, it’s easier to get out of sight somewhere and spit from there with a rocket.
On our question - if a tank gets into an infantry fighting vehicle, then it doesn't matter where we have the tank.
- RPG. This is unpleasant, but then again, over time, you already understand where he can go wrong. RPG is close combat in the city or from an ambush in the green. In a field or at a crossroads, even a good crew will not let you approach them, and if the infantry is also advanced ... We were attached to Kadyrov’s, it’s like behind a wall with them, they generally won’t let anyone into the distance of a shot from an RPG.
If, however, a “carrot” is really planted on board, then it’s not at all an option that it’s in a tank. "Carrot" - it's like that ... wherever it gets, it gets there. In general, we were told back in training that diesel fuel is good at extinguishing a cumulative jet. But I didn’t check it myself, God bless.
- ATGM. This is the most unpleasant, because if a good ATGM or so-so, but with an experienced operator, it will arrive. But where will a good ATGM (in the sense of a modern one) fly? That's right, the engine. That is - in the stern. It is warmer there from his point of view, otherwise the infantry will generally become hot in the compartment. And the operator will push under the tower so that the ammunition rack is hooked. And us that ... And it’s hard to get into the tank in general, so we don’t really worry about it.
- Mina. Here she just can mess things up, if well-placed, right. But then again, if a good mine is set correctly, then our heads will hurt for a completely different reason.
What kind of tank, then the main thing here is to fill it as it is “under the cork” before a good batch so that there are less vapors. And if something flies in from the other side - well, what difference does it make to me, what will shy me, hot diesel fuel or hot metal? Solar somehow even more preferable looks.
Well, here it is worth adding that the BMP-3 tank has a very complex design, porous and with additional fire protection. And certainly everything is no more fire hazardous than a conventional engine, as was the case with the BMP-2.
Let's talk separately about weapons.
The history of the armament of the BMP-3 is generally a separate action, since it is unlikely that there was such a thing anywhere else in history. While all countries in the world were putting 20-30-mm guns on their armored vehicles, we decided to play with trump cards. 30 mm is not enough, we need more! And something like an auction came out, since at first they offered 45 mm, then 57 mm (TsNIItochmash), then 76 mm (TsNIItransmash), and then Tula from the Instrument Design Bureau entered the arena and entered with trump cards, offering its own 2A70 cannon with a caliber of 100 mm, and even with the option of launching ATGM 9K116 "Kastet" from it.
This was already used as a modernization of the old T-54/55 under the name 9K116-1 "Bastion", and for the BMP-3 it was called 9K116-3 "Fable". The Brass Knuckles was controlled by a laser beam or telecontrol, so I liked the idea. Moreover, for that time, the Brass Knuckles broke the faces of almost all the tanks in the world without remote sensing systems. The ammunition load of 100-mm shells came out small, 2 shells in the stowage and another 18 in the aft compartment, under the rears of the infantrymen. But even he promised in advance the coffin of all armored vehicles (except for tanks, of course) that had left for the battlefield.
The 30-mm 2A72 gun has a very decent ammunition load of 500 rounds, could thresh in series of 10 rounds or continuous fire with a rate of fire of 300 rounds per minute.
Three machine guns - this is so, especially considering that the two side ones have pointing angles of about 30 degrees in each direction. And for those infantrymen who did not get machine guns, but their hands itch, there were loopholes in the sides. So to speak - for self-realization.
The turret unit has very decent pointing angles from -6 to +60 degrees, so that the enemy in the mountains or urban areas does not feel deprived of attention. And you can try to reach out by helicopter if one turns up on the battlefield.
Naturally, all this splendor is accompanied by a mountain of boxes with electronics. Rangefinders, lasers, sights (including night ones) - in general, it turned out to be a small and fast under-tank, a maniac's dream.
Plus it floats...
I don’t know who’s tongue will turn to call this car unsuccessful, the weak point is, in fact, only landing and landing. The fact that more than one vehicle was created on the basis of the BMP-3 over a decade and a half indicates that everything turned out as it should.
- KShM, in which, instead of landing, they stuffed additional radio stations, a radio operator, a place for the commander and a table for cards.
- BMP-3F. Marine's dream. They removed the stray for self-digging, added a wave-reflecting shield and an air intake.
- BRM-3. They removed the 100-mm cannon, in intelligence they considered it superfluous. Then there was another BRM-3K "Lynx" with a steel hull.
- BREM-L "Runaway". It can do everything from the delivery of fuel and ammunition to replacing the turret in the field.
- Installation of the tower from the "Nona" with a 120-mm cannon-mortar gave rise to 2S31 "Vienna". They say they wanted to adapt the 152-mm howitzer in some way, but it didn’t work out.
- 9K123 "Chrysanthemum". The best in the opinion of many Russian anti-tank systems.
And so on.
I pass the word again Sergei "Observer", who communicated very closely with the "three rubles".
"Mercedes" among military equipment. More precisely, not to say, but the conditions, of course, are not Mercedes. I can still get into the place of the commander, but the gunner must be tank-sized. I just got stuck in his hatch when I tried to climb into place.
From the troop compartment, in principle, you can even get into the combat one. But not for everyone, but for those who are small in stature and with flexibility, everything is fine. We were told that for one infantryman in the BMP-3 there is already a whole cubic meter of space! That is, like, much more than in the "two". I was not in the deuce, but I am clearly more than a cube.
There are five places in the troop compartment, where we usually place four. In armor and with unloading, it’s difficult for five there, plus if there is someone with a machine gun or (even worse) with an SVD, it’s guaranteed that someone will grab it in the eye on the go.
Yes, there is a toilet in our compartment! A toilet is hidden under one seat.
Steel, almost like a train. We thought for a long time how and when to use it, and didn’t really think it out, because when you go, it will not be an easy task, but when you arrive, it’s already too late, as it were.
And there is one more minus: a bunch of all sorts of brackets and hooks for fastening, don’t understand what. There is something to put your head on every square decimeter.
The car is very soft, but shakes when starting and stopping be healthy. And if the commander makes stops for firing from a cannon, he can get sick, many were sick to the point of eversion inside out.
VladimirA: It's a matter of habit. Yes, the car nods, there is such a thing, but you can really get used to it after a certain time.
If we talk about my place - everything is just chic! I am sitting in the middle, on the right and on the left are two fighters who are having fun with course side machine guns. There, too, not everyone can travel, when braking on a metal butt plate, you can thin out your teeth like that ...
In general, the driver's seat is made wisely. We were able to adjust the chair - fine, but you can still raise the chair so that the head sticks out of the hatch. In a casual way, so to speak.
The fact that the “troika” is rocking is not fatal. When you start, she lifts her nose decently, when you slow down, she nods strongly. So experienced drivers use the brake pedal only for the final stop or when they urgently need to stand up.
The machine is easily controlled, and can dance as you like, leaving the fire in case of emergency. Speed, agility - our everything.
Sergei: we generally fell in love with our “troikas”, because the car is just for us, for infantrymen. She can do everything that is needed: deliver there, take away from there. You can carry the wounded, whatever you want. But the main thing is that you feel protected with it. No, not when you sit inside, the feeling inside is so-so when they are nearby, they are buried in the plantings.
Tank... He's so... A little alien. A tank may or may not be given. Tankers - they are also with a temper, sometimes you take the trouble to explain to him what and how. And on the "troikas" all our drivers, they already know everything about the region.
With "behami" calmly. Relatively, of course, but calmly. This car has everything we need. Infantry will climb - plus a couple of machine guns is not at all superfluous. A 30-mm cannon is a nervous thing, but Lech the tanker said that they don’t like them, two infantry fighting vehicles can easily “take off their shoes” and blind them, simply by taking everything off the armor, sights, panoramas, prisms ... Well, “weaving” - it’s generally useful in all respects.
Our mini infantry tank. Someone can beat, someone scare away. Of course, if the crew is clear, then everything is simple.
The only thing that the infantry fighting vehicle does not do well is carry the infantry inside. So we, especially those who are fighting Winnie the Poohs, in the old fashioned way, ride on armor. But in all other respects - this is a military masterpiece. To make it a little higher and thicker armor - and it would be great at all.
Here is a collective opinion that gives a good answer to the fact that there is a BMP-3. We can say that this is a successful transitional model from infantry fighting vehicles of the last century to modern heavy infantry fighting vehicles like the same Puma. All the claims of the main users were exclusively about the volume of the troop compartment, so everyone who calls the BMP-3 an unsuccessful machine can be sent in a good way to where they themselves could evaluate all the capabilities of this machine. You know where: where did the opinion you just read come from.
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