MT-LB: irreplaceable "moto league"

The domestic multi-purpose armored personnel carrier MT-LB, nicknamed the "moto-leg", can be called the "Kalashnikov assault rifle" in the world of armored vehicles without exaggeration. Trouble-free, versatile, extremely simple maintenance and cheap - all this applies to a machine created in the 60s of the last century and serving in the RF Armed Forces, as well as the armies of other countries to this day.

It is worth noting that the range of combat (and not only) vehicles created on the chassis of the “motorcycle league” is in the dozens. Meanwhile, the modernization potential of the multi-purpose armored personnel carrier has not been exhausted, which means that in the future it will still serve our Motherland.

By the way, about the service. The MT-LB has been used in many regional conflicts, including the war in Afghanistan and both Chechen campaigns. At the same time, a "motorcycle league" was also seen in the NWO zone, moreover, in a rather unusual configuration. A shipborne anti-aircraft gun is mounted on the MT-LB chassis.

Recall that after the collapse of the USSR, the multi-purpose armored personnel carrier was produced in Kharkov. The basic version had a mass of 9,7 tons, was equipped with a 240-horsepower YaMZ-236/238 engine and could reach speeds of over 60 km / h on the highway, as well as up to 6 km / h afloat.

Since 2014, for all known reasons, the supply of "motorcycle" to the Russian army has ceased. However, the "life" of the legendary armored personnel carrier did not end there.

Back in 2018, the Remdizel plant, located in Naberezhnye Chelny, offered its own modernization of the MT-LB. They decided to equip the car with a new 360-horsepower, but lighter, YaMZ-238V engine and new tracks with a closed hinge. All this makes it possible to reduce the weight of the vehicle by 800 kg, which gives a “maneuver” for installing additional armor or weapon modules on it, depending on the task.

About stories creation of a unique armored personnel carrier, which is used in more than 20 countries of the world:

Comments

[svp67]

Recall that after the collapse of the USSR, the multi-purpose armored personnel carrier was produced in Kharkov.

And on the territory of the Russian Federation in MUROM at the Muromteplovoz plant.

[IVZ]

And on the territory of the Russian Federation in MUROM at the Muromteplovoz plant

Only repair and modernization (installation of towers and turrets with weapons). And not only in Murom, in Kovrov on ZiD too.

[Bingo]

It seems that the first article here is about mtlb)

[Andrey Moskvin]

A shipborne anti-aircraft gun is mounted on the MT-LB chassis.
Deja vu.

[dump22]

Normal car. The main thing is not to try to use it directly on the battlefield, this is a mistake.

[Alekseev]

"...do not use directly on the battlefield..."
That's for sure. And MTLB is not an armored personnel carrier at all, a lightly armored tractor. Here is to use it for its intended purpose, i.e. for towing artillery systems - this is it. The rest is more or less successful improvisation, sometimes it turns out well, and sometimes not so much.
It has already been noted that the extremes in the dispute whether towed artillery is now needed is not from a great mind.
It philosophy teaches that everything is repeated in a spiral, but at a new technical level. Relatively light and cheap towed artillery systems are needed, but .... They should not be towed by trucks, albeit army, special tractors. This is not news, for this they created a number of artillery tractors, including the armored "motorcycle league".
But at present, mobility when changing firing positions comes to the fore. Probably the solution here is to create a modular system:
a gun plus an armored tractor with a towing device that allows you to "pick up" the artillery system on fire in a few seconds, with divorced beds, similar to how tractors of automotive equipment do with a suspended bridge, or even shoot without completely uncoupling the gun from the tractor.
It is easier to make such a T-shaped or triangular rigid hitch with an electric or hydraulic drive instead of a towbar than any self-propelled guns. And the gun can also be very different from the ancient D-20 to Msta-B.
For some reason, to fence everything that is possible and impossible on the MTLB is a very developed undertaking, and there are no attempts to modify it for its intended purpose, like an artillery tractor.

[Bad_gr]

Quote: Alekseev

It is easier to make such a T-shaped or triangular rigid hitch with an electric or hydraulic drive instead of a towbar than any self-propelled guns. And the gun can also be very different from the ancient D-20 to Msta-B.

I understand that the maximum development of this approach is as follows:
Phlox - 120 mm SAO

"Hyacinth-S" - 152-mm self-propelled gun

And also, 203mm caliber "Peony" and "Malka"

And wheeled "Malva"

[Alekseev]

A story about a bull.
These are all self-propelled guns. I do not want to repeat that everything has its drawbacks and its advantages. Everything for their tasks and designers and the military need to work like in the army over the elimination of deficiencies.
For example, to increase the mobility of towed artillery systems using artillery tractors and equipping them accordingly and reducing the cost, weight and dimensions of self-propelled guns, there is also something to work on.

[ada]

Great car, what more can I say? She served in the battery and as a command post and chassis of the Sturm.

[Sergey Valov]

But is the MT-LB an armored personnel carrier? It looks like an armored tractor. Any self-propelled guns can be called a tank and thrown into the attack.

[Andrey Moskvin]

Sorry, but an armored personnel carrier is literally an armored tractor.

[Sergey Valov]

No, it's not. The devil is in the details. An armored personnel carrier and an armored tractor (in this case, MT-LB) have different functional purposes, hence the different execution in metal. As an example, infantry can also be carried on the armor of a tank, but this will not make the tank an armored personnel carrier. There are many similar analogies.

[kapitan92]

Quote: Sergey Valov

But is the MT-LB an armored personnel carrier? It looks like an armored tractor. Any self-propelled guns can be called a tank and thrown into the attack.

MT-LB (multi-purpose transporter-tractor light armored.
Transportation of people, cargo, widely used as an artillery tractor.
Probably the author of the article likes the name more - an armored personnel carrier!

[Nikolaevich I]

Quote: kapitan92

Probably the author of the article likes the name more - an armored personnel carrier!

A considerable number have been developed and even more options for upgrading the MT-LB have been proposed! And in these modernization options, the theme of armored personnel carriers is noticeable! By the way, wasn’t there an article on VO - an overview of options for upgrading MT-LB? But the article must be found on the Internet!

[75 Sergey]

Yamz-238, whatever one may say, it will not become easier.

[decimalegio]

Great car, do not say anything, one of my favorite cars. In addition, it is also aesthetically beautiful. It certainly wasn't born as a military vehicle, and the photos of the transport bay I've seen are thought provoking. But it remains a great tool. I would avoid the sea tower, very bad intersection