Top ten armored personnel carriers according to Army Technology. Heavy armored personnel carriers from different countries The fastest armored personnel carrier in the world

Again, most wheeled armored vehicles are modified chassis of serial all-wheel drive SUVs and army trucks, the bodies for which are assembled by specialized companies. The most respectable armored cars are produced by large military-industrial companies, using a special chassis and automotive components.

Most of these vehicles are equipped with powerful diesel engines that comply with Euro-3 to Euro-6 standards, automatic transmissions, independent suspensions and numerous electronic systems for controlling chassis units, weapons, communications, navigation and orientation. Particular attention is paid to the strength of the armored hulls that protect the crew and vital organs of the vehicles. Typically these are durable steel welded structures with inclined panels and powerful bottom armor. The most effective is the spatial V-shaped MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) system, which reflects the explosion energy of infantry and even anti-tank mines laid on the road.

Armored vehicles of automobile companies

Loyal suppliers of wheeled armored vehicles are large automobile corporations and factories, which use their own serial chassis and specially designed variants for this purpose, but for all companies these products have always occupied a secondary place.

Daimler AG

In the program of this corporation, there was a place only for light armored cars of Mercedes-Benz, built on the chassis of G-series SUVs, the famous Gelendvagens. This year, the company limited itself to showing one LAPV 6.1 armored vehicle with a V6 engine with a power of 184 hp. With. and portal axles providing ground clearance of 412 mm.

Light five-door armored vehicle Mercedes-Benz LAPV 6.1 on the G300CDI chassis

IVECO

Until recently, the main light armored vehicle in the IVECO Defense Vehicles program was the 190-horsepower LMV model in several versions with different add-ons. This year it was represented by a turret version with a heavy machine gun and a multi-purpose intelligence system Hitrole.

At Eurosatory-2016, the modernized LMV-2 armored vehicle appeared for the first time on an extended chassis with a more powerful 220-horsepower engine, a reinforced roof for heavy weapons and a payload increased by 40% - up to 1.5 tons, of which, according to the company, 500 kg accounts for electronic equipment.

Renault

This brand hides the military products of the Renault Trucks Defense division, which includes small companies ASMAT, Panhard and the American Mack. The latter's participation consists only in the supply of French military equipment under its own brand to distant markets.

At Eurosatory-2016, ASMAT company, specializing in simple machines for African countries, at the training ground it presented the capabilities of its Bastion armored personnel carrier with a 340-horsepower engine and MRAP mine protection.

A new product from the Panhard department was the compact Dagger armored vehicle with a 200 hp power unit. With. and a high hull for transporting six paratroopers, replacing the previous 160-horsepower PVP version.

The Renault brand is carried by the main range of military equipment of the Renault Trucks Defense company. It is headed by the most extensive family of multifunctional Sherpa machines, which cannot be discussed in a short review, but is worth devoting to them in a separate article. In addition to them, the company assembles several more original Renault armored vehicles.

At the current show, as a new item, there was a floating armored personnel carrier VAB-3 (6x6) with MRAP protection, which differs from its predecessor VAB in having an increased payload of up to four tons, reinforced armor and a body lengthened by 700 mm for mounting powerful weapons. The machine uses a six-cylinder diesel engine with a capacity of 320–340 hp. p., six-position automatic transmission and independent suspension.

A prototype of the Griffon armored personnel carrier (6x6) with an MRAP system and an original modular front part of the hull, made in the style of a “predatory” design with pointed edges, created a sensation at the Renault stand. The vehicle, with a combat weight of 24.5 tons, is equipped with a 400-horsepower Volvo diesel engine, a modular combat superstructure with a cannon and grenade launchers located around the circumference.

MZKT

The Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant (MZKT) brought its MZKT-490100 (4x4) armored vehicle to France on a special chassis with a YaMZ-5345-10 engine with a power of 240 hp. s., automatic six-position gearbox, independent spring suspension and five-door armored body. Its combat weight is 11 tons, maximum speed is 105 km/h.

Armored vehicles of military-industrial companies

KMW

On the open area of ​​the pavilion of the military-industrial company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), called Leopard’s Home (House of the Leopard tank), an armored personnel carrier Dingo-2HD with an updated design, created on a 306-horsepower special chassis FGA-14.5, appeared. A hull with an MRAP system is mounted on it, assembled from special types of armor steel and composite materials and withstanding the explosion of an infantry or anti-tank mine.

General Dynamics

As part of the creation of the two-axle Eagle-V armored vehicle, the European branch of the American group General Dynamics, created on the site of the former MOWAG company, presented a three-axle version of the Eagle-V (6x6) with a combat weight of 15 tons with a 285-horsepower Cummins engine and a spacious multi-purpose armored hull. Its maximum speed is 110 km/h.

Street

The most dynamic and progressive transnational company Streit Group assembles its various wheeled armored vehicles at 12 enterprises in different countries and claims to be the leading corporation in this field. At Eurosatory 2016, she brought almost the entire range of armored vehicles, which never cease to amaze visitors with their extravagant appearance. They are based on serial or special chassis and are equipped with diesel engines, automatic or manual transmissions, reinforced underbody armor or MRAP protection.

One of the smallest representatives of this family is the Cobra light, high-speed armored vehicle for tactical or special operations. It is built on a 232-horsepower Toyota SUV chassis, weighs about 6 tons and reaches a speed of 140 km/h.

The Gladiator heavy armored vehicle with a massive five-door body is based on a Renault Midlum truck (4x4) with a 276-horsepower engine and is equipped with a ZF six-speed manual gearbox, all disc brakes and leaf spring suspension. With a combat weight of 13 tons, it reaches a speed of 120 km/h.

The Scorpion combat vehicle on a special chassis is equipped with a Cummins diesel engine with a capacity of 300 hp. with., a welded hull with a capacity of up to eight people with an MRAP mine protection system and independent spring suspension on all wheels. With the same mass of 13 tons, its maximum speed was reduced to 105 km/h.

At Streit's extensive stand, for the first time, a 400-horsepower Alligator armored personnel carrier (6x6) of an original layout was demonstrated on a special chassis with two closely spaced front pairs of steered wheels and a single rear axle. A brochure with its description could be obtained from the booth attendants, but it would not be possible to show you an image of the car: the company’s employees surrounded it with flags and forbade taking photographs.

Armored vehicles of small specialized companies

Achleitner

At Eurosatory-2016, this Austrian company showed a modernized patrol and reconnaissance armored vehicle Survivor-1 with a total weight of up to 12.5 tons with a turret machine gun mount, a durable flat bottom and automatic system tire inflation. Depending on the load, at the buyer’s choice, engines with a power of 245 or 285 hp are mounted on it. With. The heavy 18-ton version of Survivor-2 is designed to use power units of 280–330 hp. With. and installation of more powerful weapons.

IAG

At the stand of the transnational company International Armored Group (IAG), they demonstrated a new Guardian armored personnel carrier for transporting 10 soldiers and mounting weapons on the reinforced roof of the armored hull. Buyers have a choice of several types of power units - diesel V8 and one petrol V10.

The IAG exposition also included an eight-seat Jaws patrol vehicle, based on a 232-horsepower Toyota SUV, and a similar Sentry armored personnel carrier with a welded hull and a fully rotating turret.

Nexter

This multifunctional company gained fame in the automotive industry by releasing the successful Aravis armored vehicle on the Unimog U5000 chassis, which was present at Eurosatory 2016 in a version for UN troops. At different ends of the showroom, new original Titus armored personnel carriers (6x6) were presented in army and police versions, created on a special Tatra chassis with Cummins engines with a power of 440 and 500 hp. With. and a folding rear door with hydraulic drive.

The highlight of this design lies in three pairs of wheels evenly spaced from each other, of which the front and rear are steerable, which made it possible to reduce the turning radius to 13 m. On the highway, the car reaches 110 km/h.

SVOS

The largest armored personnel carrier at the show, Vega (6x6), was shown by the Czech company SVOS. It is assembled on the units of a 408-horsepower Tatra T815-7 car with an automated 14-speed electronically controlled transmission. His main feature is an independent adjustable hydropneumatic suspension of single wheels with final drives and tire inflation. The combat weight of the vehicle is 29 tons, the maximum speed is 110 km/h.

A previously unknown manufacturer of armored vehicles, the Cypriot company Lacenaire from Nicosia, appeared at the show for the first time. She presented two armored vehicles of the Oncilla brand - a multi-purpose one with a machine gun turret and one with a folding assault ladder on the roof. They are equipped with Deutz or IVECO diesel engines with a capacity of 190 and 210 hp. With. and automatic transmissions. With a mass of 8.8 tons, their speed reaches 120 km/h. And one more piquant detail: they are assembled by one of the Polish military factories.

At Eurosatury 2016, the small French company Soframe, the Israeli Plasan and a number of Ukrainian enterprises also demonstrated their small-scale assembled wheeled armored vehicles. The Turkish Navy and Otokar companies presented updated serial armored vehicles.

In conclusion - a scene in the press center at Eurosatory-2016. An English-speaking group, convinced that there could be no Russians around, discussed the current relationship with Russia. And suddenly one of them jumped up and shouted: “What are you talking about? They have a huge army and crazy soldiers... They will still win.”

According to the classic definition, an armored personnel carrier is an armored vehicle on wheels or tracks, designed to transport soldiers and their fire support, equipped with barrel weapons of up to 20 mm caliber. True, there are often some “deviations” from the definition, for example in the thickness and type of armor or weapons. However, for most armored personnel carriers it is true. Let's look at the main types of armored personnel carriers currently in service in various foreign countries. For convenience, we will pay attention only to those countries that produce such equipment themselves, and do not buy it from others.

At the moment, the troops have approximately 18-19 thousand copies of three modifications. The most popular American armored personnel carrier is the M113, with about 13 thousand units currently in service. Production of this tracked vehicle began in 1960, and it soon became the main armored personnel carrier of the army and the Corps. Marine Corps USA: together with all modifications, more than 80 thousand units were produced. The M113, having a combat weight of up to 14 tons, can accelerate on the highway to 65 km/h and on water to 5-6 km/h. These figures are provided by the General Motors 6V53T engine (275 hp) and Allison X200-4 transmission. The latter should allow in the future to install more powerful engines on cars without replacing other chassis elements. The dimensions and weight of the M113 allow it to be transported on appropriate military transport aircraft. Initially, the armored hull made of aluminum-based alloys could withstand a 12.7 mm armor-piercing bullet hitting the front plate from a distance of 200 meters. During subsequent upgrades, the protection was significantly improved: the latest modification, called M113A3, provides all-round protection against KPV machine gun bullets (14.5 mm), and the frontal projection can withstand hits from the 20 mm M139 cannon. In the latest modifications, among other things, the thickness of the bottom of the vehicle increased to enhance protection against mines. The latest modification of the M113 armament consists of a 12.7 mm Browning M2HB machine gun with 2000 rounds of ammunition (20 belts per pack). At the rear of the vehicle there is a troop compartment for 11 people. Disembarkation is made through a door at the stern that folds down. The crew of the armored personnel carrier consists of a mechanic, driver and commander. A number of vehicles were created on the basis of the M113: the command post M577, self-propelled mortars M106 and M125, ZSU M163 and others. Currently, the vast majority of M113s are converted to the A3 version.

M113

There are much fewer other armored personnel carriers in the American troops. Thus, there are still less than three thousand Stryker M1126 wheeled vehicles. The eight-wheeled vehicle has a 350-horsepower Caterpillar 3126 engine and a six-speed Allison automatic transmission, accelerating it to 95 km/h on the highway. With an initial combat weight of 17 tons, the Stryker has armor that protects it from all directions from 14.5 mm bullets, and when using additional German-made MEXAS armor (an additional weight of about one and a half tons), the frontal projection of the vehicle can withstand a 30 mm sub-caliber projectile at distances from 500 meters. The Stryker's armament can alternately be a 12.7 mm Browning M2HB machine gun (2000 rounds of ammunition), a 7.62 mm M249 machine gun (4500 rounds) or automatic grenade launcher Mk19 (448 grenades). The armored personnel carrier has a crew of two people, plus nine soldiers in the airborne squad. Landing is carried out through the stern door. A number of modifications were initially created on the basis of the Stryker: the M1127 reconnaissance vehicle, the M1132 ARV, fighting machine with a 105 mm M1128 cannon and others.

Stryker M1126

Also noteworthy is the AAV7 amphibious armored personnel carrier, created specifically for the Marine Corps. Due to the fact that this vehicle was made from the very beginning as a means of delivering soldiers with landing ships to the shore, the design turned out to be not very light (combat weight more than 22 tons) and not too fast on the ground - the maximum speed of the AAV7 on the highway is a little over 60 km/h. But two water cannons provide it with sufficient maneuverability on the water and a speed of up to 13 km/h. The power plant (in the latest modification AAV7A1) consists of a Cummins VT 400-903 engine with a power of about 450 hp. The AAV7's main armor protection figures are generally similar to those of the Stryker. The EAAK mounted armor kit is also not very different from the MEXAS. The vehicle's crew consists of three people (commander, driver and gunner), and the large troop compartment can accommodate 25 paratroopers (on three benches) or 4.5 tons of cargo. The AAV7's armament does not quite meet the definition from the beginning of the article: the main armored personnel carrier is the Mk-19 automatic 40-mm grenade launcher (864 grenades) or the M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon (20 mm, 900 rounds). The M2HB machine gun with 1200 rounds is the auxiliary "barrel". The USMC has more than 1,300 AAV7s at its disposal.

AAV7

These, of course, are not all American armored personnel carriers, but only the most famous and common ones. Despite the ongoing work on new projects in the States, so far not a single new armored personnel carrier can compete in numbers with the old, but not obsolete M113. At least because of his age. In addition, the state of affairs with promising projects inspires little optimism. For example, clouds are constantly gathering over the AAV7 replacement project called EFV, and it is unknown whether it will reach the ILC. As for the armored personnel carrier for infantry, it is believed that the potential for upgrading the M113 has not yet been exhausted and, quite likely, we will still see the A4 and even the A5.

Germany

In 1979, the TPz 1 Fuchs (“Fox”) armored personnel carrier entered service with the German Army. The eighteen-ton, six-wheeled vehicle is driven by a Mercedes-Benz Model OM-402A diesel engine with 320 hp. The “Fox” turned out to be fast – on the highway it accelerates to more than a hundred kilometers per hour. The armored personnel carrier floats (with the help of two propellers) ten times slower. Aluminum armor provides protection against 12.7 mm armor-piercing bullets. Since Fuchs production was shut down several years ago in favor of new projects, modular additional protection options were not created for it. The Fox's main weapon is a 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun, although a number of modifications also had more serious equipment, including 20 mm Bushmasters. The TPz 1 can also carry HOT or MILAN anti-tank missiles. The crew of the armored personnel carrier is two people, plus ten soldiers are accommodated in the troop compartment at the rear of the vehicle. The layout of the Fuchs is interesting: the engine and transmission compartment is located not in front or behind the body, but in its middle. Due to this, the cockpit is moved forward, and the driver has a good view. For export, the Germans offered various versions of the Fox, from a command vehicle to a self-propelled mortar. At the moment, about a thousand of these vehicles are used in Germany, half as many are in service with other countries.

TPz 1 Fuchs ("Fox")

Last year, the Bundeswehr began to receive new armored personnel carriers designed to replace the Foxes of its own production and the American M113 - GTK Boxer, developed in cooperation with the Netherlands, due to its combat weight of 33 tons, can hardly be called fully air transportable, but these are the parameters that were considered suitable for the IDZ program, which provides for the complete re-equipment of the German army. The eight-wheel heavy Boxer on the highway is not inferior in speed to the lighter Fox due to the 700-horsepower MTU V8 199 TE20 diesel engine. The Boxer’s native armor provides all-round protection from the Soviet-Russian KPV machine gun (14.5 mm), and when additional modules are used (the same MEXAS), the armored personnel carrier’s forehead can withstand 30 mm shells. The Boxer is equipped with a 40-mm Heckler & Koch GMG automatic grenade launcher or a licensed version of the M2HB machine gun. In addition to the commander and driver, the vehicle’s crew includes a gunner, and the troop compartment can accommodate eight soldiers in full equipment. In the next few years, it is planned to replace all existing armored personnel carriers of outdated models with Boxers. In addition, work is currently underway to transform the Boxer into a multi-purpose armored platform.

GTK Boxer

It’s too early to talk about the future of the Boxer - the car has not yet had time to take part in any conflicts, although the declared characteristics look good. Moreover, their number in the troops is still small. In general, German work in the field of armored personnel carriers can be characterized as follows: the country does not intend to participate in major wars, but also does not want to use outdated vehicles. We'll see what happens next.

France

Armored personnel carrier park modern France is based on one car, although in several versions. This is a VAB, produced since the mid 70's. Of the more than five thousand vehicles produced, more than four thousand entered the French army, the rest went to one and a half dozen foreign countries. An interesting fact is that the VAB was produced in two main versions, on top of which modifications were created: a four-wheel version for its own needs and an export six-wheel version. In addition to fewer wheels, the French version also has slightly smaller dimensions, while the layout of the cars as a whole, with the exception of some points, is similar. Like the German Fox, the engine and gearbox are located in the middle of the car. Engine Renault MIDR 062045 with a power of 320 hp. on the highway VAB accelerates to one hundred kilometers, and on water only up to 8 km/h. The vehicle's armor is relatively weak and provides protection only against armor-piercing bullets of 7.62 mm caliber. The VAB will no longer withstand more serious ammunition, but the bottom of the armored personnel carrier protects the crew and mechanisms from most anti-personnel mines without any problems. The armament of the standard French version of the VAB consists of only one AA-52 machine gun (7.62 mm). The armored personnel carrier can also be equipped with a gun turret with a larger caliber weapon, such as a 20- or 25-mm cannon. The VAB-HOT modification, in addition to barrel weapons, can carry four HOT anti-tank missiles. The crew of the vehicle in the basic version of the armored personnel carrier is two people. The troop compartment accommodates ten people, although in some versions its capacity is reduced to 6-8. More than two dozen different modifications have been created based on VAB for various purposes and according to the requirements of various customers.

Currently in France there is no active work on creating a completely new armored personnel carrier. For some reason, the commanders from Paris decided that it would be more profitable to modernize the existing VAB. At the same time, the French are developing new infantry fighting vehicles, such as the VBCI. The armored personnel carrier niche, in turn, may in the future be given over to light armored vehicles.

The work of other countries in the field of armored personnel carriers will be discussed in the next part of our story.

MOSCOW, November 18— 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 guns - “wrote off” the cavalry completely. The horses were eventually left to the police and honor guards, 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 “swim” across rivers and operate in conditions where weapons are used. mass destruction, including nuclear. Unlike armored personnel carriers, they can not only deliver infantry to the battlefield, but also support them with powerful rocket and cannon fire. RIA Novosti publishes a selection of the most popular infantry fighting vehicles of the armies of the world.

One of the most popular and honored combat vehicles, the BMP-2 is the “workhorse” of Soviet motorized riflemen. Structurally simple and unpretentious in maintenance, the amphibious BMP-2 more than once rescued its crew and troops in the hot situations of the Afghan war and other conflicts.

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

The main feature of the BMP-2 is the weapon stabilization system in two planes. This distinguished the “two” from its foreign counterparts and made it possible to conduct targeted fire on the move. Armaments include a rapid-firing 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon with dual-belt selective feed, a coaxial 7.62-mm PKT machine gun, and a Konkurs or Fagot anti-tank guided missile launcher.
The hull is welded from rolled sheets of durable steel armor, thermomechanically treated. The six-cylinder diesel engine inherited from the BMP-1 accelerates the 14-ton vehicle to 65 kilometers per hour on the highway.

Inside there is room for seven paratroopers and three crew members. The powder gas suction system saves soldiers 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 post-war armored vehicles Western Europe. Since the late 1960s, German industry has produced more than two thousand such machines for the Bundeswehr. A durable steel body made from sheets of rolled armor welded at certain angles reliably protects three crew members and seven paratroopers from bullets and shrapnel. The BMP was developed by the Rheinstahl-Henschel company, known for its Tiger tank.

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

The Marder's main weapon is a 20-mm Mk20DM5 Rh202 automatic cannon with a rate of fire of up to 1000 rounds per minute. They are used for shooting at infantry and vehicles. high-explosive fragmentation shells, to combat enemy infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers - armor-piercing sub-caliber ones. The latter, at a distance of up to one and a half kilometers, confidently penetrate armor two fingers thick at an angle. To combat enemy personnel, there are two 7.62 mm MG3A1 machine guns: one is coaxial with the cannon, and the second is mounted on the stern.

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

Puff Bradley

Heavy infantry fighting vehicle M2 "Bradley" entered service American army in 1981 and immediately gained popularity among the infantry. First of all, because of its unprecedentedly high armor protection for this type of vehicle. Its peculiarity is that screens made of steel of different hardness are spaced apart. Such a “layer cake” confidently “resists” hits from 30-mm armor-piercing shells. To protect against cumulative grenades, RPGs can be installed dynamic protection. The upgraded vehicles are additionally lined with Kevlar inside, which protects the crew of three people and six paratroopers from armor fragments in battle.

At the same time, the “Bradley” is quite “nimble” - thanks to a powerful turbodiesel, the 22-ton car “runs” along the highway at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour. An impressive array of weapons includes a 25mm M242 cannon, a 7.62mm M240C machine gun, a TOW anti-tank missile system and six M231 ball-mounted assault rifles in the troop bay. Thus, in battle, an infantry fighting vehicle 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, shielding itself 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 from rolled sheets of aluminum-magnesium-zinc alloy. Combined protection protects the crew and troops from large-caliber machine-gun bullets and shrapnel. The reinforced “belly” can withstand the explosion of a 10-kilogram anti-tank mine, and there are anti-cumulative shields on the sides. However, this massive body kit does not prevent the infantry fighting vehicle from accelerating to 75 kilometers per hour.

By analogy with later versions of the American Bradleys, the habitable internal compartments of the Warrior are covered with a special material that holds armor fragments that fly off when hit. It was also not deprived of weapons: it has a 30-mm L21A1 automatic cannon, a coaxial machine gun, and a 94-mm LAW-80 grenade launcher. The infantry fighting vehicle can accommodate three crew members and seven paratroopers.

In total, more than a thousand “Warriors” were produced for the British Army, many of them managed to take part in local armed conflicts. The car proved to be extremely indestructible. There is a known case when it withstood hits from one and a half dozen anti-tank grenades.

French character

The floating "French" 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 Deuce. The sheets can withstand hits from large-caliber machine-gun bullets, but most likely they will not save the crew from cannon armor-piercing shells and cumulative grenades.

The remote turret installation includes a 20-mm M693 automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. The gun fires 700 fragmentation or armor-piercing shells per minute and is effective at a range 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 spotlight is installed to illuminate targets at night.

It is interesting that the French did not cut loopholes in the sides, limiting themselves to seven periscope viewing blocks. The “heart” of the car - the 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. The AMX10R BMP gained combat experience in the early 1990s, during the war in the zone Persian Gulf. In total, about two thousand units were produced.

Continuing the “Top 10” rating from the Discovery Channel, I would like to draw your attention to another funny selection. This time, the experts came to the attention of “Armored Personal Carriers” - a general designation for all types of armored vehicles intended for transporting 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 cargo in military conflicts, protecting them with its armor. For example, there are no strict differences, for example, between an armored personnel carrier and an infantry fighting vehicle. The only thing that distinguished them in theory was that an infantry fighting vehicle is capable of supporting infantry in battle, when an armored personnel carrier only delivers them to the battlefield. With the disappearance of a clearly defined front line, and this is precisely what is observed in all local conflicts of the last quarter of the twentieth century, the armored personnel carrier and the infantry fighting vehicle now perform the same functions. Modern armored vehicles, regardless of their weight, often carry the same weapons, and serve as a platform for the creation of specialized military equipment - from command post and ambulance vehicles, to self-propelled howitzers and multiple launch rocket systems.

Unlike the controversial and controversial rating “10 best tanks according to the Military Channel", the rating of "10 best armored vehicles", in my opinion, is very adequate and, in general, correct: it contains really worthy vehicles. It would not be out of place 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, but 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, this review has a serious conclusion - the review shows the most promising directions for the development of armored vehicles, the right decisions and the 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 comparison criteria, as always, will be technical excellence, innovative solutions in the creation of this model, manufacturability and mass production and, of course, the main judge - experience in combat use.

Well, that's probably all I wanted to add on my own, this is the end of the prelude, let's move on to the rating. There are many decent 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 troops.
It was created as a response to the Soviet BMP-1. The armament complex includes a 20 mm Rheinmetall-202 automatic cannon and Milan ATGM. Speed ​​(up to 75 km/h on the highway), excellent security, German quality - what else does a good infantry fighting vehicle need? The overall picture is slightly spoiled by the Marder’s lack of combat experience - with the exception of occasional participation in operations in Afghanistan, this armored vehicle almost never traveled beyond the highways of Germany.
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 all respects. Tenth place.

9th place – M1114

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

From here you should take a short excursion into 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, appearing in all the conflicts of the last 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-truck, half-jeep was the versatility of the design. Here are just some of the cars based on it:

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

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

Army equipment a priori cannot be successful in the civilian market in conditions of free competition. This axiom always serves as proof of the justification of exorbitant military expenditures: “If you don’t want to feed your army, you will feed someone else’s,” etc. in the same spirit. In the case of the Hummer, 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, the Hummer H1, went into production with minimal cosmetic changes, further developing into the iconic luxury SUV “Hummer H2” 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. This is what is required from real army equipment.

8th place – The Universal Carrier

The British multi-purpose armored personnel carrier-tractor is the main assistant of the British soldier. An unprepossessing-looking car with a crew of 5 people dashingly moved at speeds of up to 50 km/h across the battlefields of World War II. 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.

Weighing only 4 tons, The Universal Carrier had decent maneuverability and was protected by 10 mm armor. The armament of 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 vehicle created on its platform and a self-propelled gun with a 40 mm gun.

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

7th place - Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251

A formidable combat vehicle that crushed the countries of Europe and the sands with its wheels and tracks North Africa and the icy expanses of Russia.
The SdKfz 251 half-track armored personnel carrier fully complied with the Blitzkrieg strategy - a fast, spacious and well-protected vehicle with high maneuverability. Crew – 2 people + 10 landing troops, speed on the highway 50 km/h, wheel-tracked propulsion, all-round armor up to 15 mm thick. Like any German technology, the armored personnel carrier was equipped with a huge number of different options and equipment to perform any task. The German engineering genius went into full force, just appreciate the scale: SdKfz 251 was equipped with a variety of surveillance and communication devices, cranes and winches, radio stations of all types and frequencies, assault bridges, sets of removable armor 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 variety of 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 MG 151/20 guns, and flamethrower vehicles were produced. , mobile firing points with 37 mm and 75 mm anti-tank guns, engineering equipment...
Among these designs were truly unique examples of armored vehicles, such as the Schallaufnahmepanzerwagen - a noise direction finder for determining the position of enemy artillery positions out of sight, or the Infrarotscheinwerfer - a self-propelled infrared searchlight for illuminating the night sights of Panther tanks.
On my own behalf, I can add the following: lovers of revelations and followers of the work of Vladimir Rezun, who meticulously count the number of German armored vehicles, somehow always forget to include in their lists 15,000 SdKfz 251 armored personnel carriers produced by German industry, although these armored vehicles were superior in their capabilities to many tanks of that period .
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 combat 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 groups are not effective enough. 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 its class in the American army. Thanks to its exceptional smoothness, the armored personnel carrier received the nickname “Shadow” among the troops. Particular emphasis during the creation of the M1126 was placed on increasing the protective properties of the vehicle. The steel spaced armor is supplemented with MEXAS mounted armor modules weighing 1700 kg. This type of armor contains a ceramic layer adhesively bonded to a layer of high-strength Kevlar fibers. The purpose of the ceramic layer of aluminum oxide is to destroy the projectile and distribute kinetic energy along larger area grounds. In terms of durability, MEXAS, with the same weight as steel armor, is twice as strong. Much attention was paid to mine protection - the double bottom of the vehicle, shock absorption, additional armoring of the most vulnerable places - all this, according to American designers, should reduce the likelihood of damage to the crew of the armored vehicle.
The armored personnel carrier is equipped with a high-tech weapons complex, including 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 targeting module includes a night sight and a laser rangefinder.

The 18-ton armored personnel carrier reaches speeds of up to 100 km/h on the highway, and the 8x8 wheel arrangement and tire pressure reduction system provide sufficient maneuverability. A serious drawback for cars 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 tow truck M1133, self-propelled anti-tank missile system M1134 with ATGM "TOU" - 2” and the M1135 radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance vehicle.
"Strikers" 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 its class in the world.
200 mm armor Soviet tank(believe it or not, the Achzarit is a captured Syrian T-54 and T-55 with the turrets removed) was reinforced with overlay perforated steel sheets with carbon fibers, and a set of dynamic protection was installed on top. The total weight of the additional armor was 17 tons, which, combined with the low silhouette of the vehicle, made it possible to provide exceptional high level protection of armored personnel carriers.

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 right side of the tank leading from the troop compartment to the rear armored door. When the stern ramp is folded down, part of the roof is raised hydraulically, making it easier for the troops to dismount. In addition, the partially open aft door is used as an embrasure.
Achzarit is equipped with a remote-controlled machine gun mount OWS (Overhead Weapon Station) from Rafael. Three 7.62 mm machine guns are used as additional weapons: one on the pivot mounting of the commander's hatch and two on the rear hatches.
As a result, the 44-ton monster is an excellent weapon for combat in urban environments, where there may be an RPG launcher in the opening of every window. Achzarit is not afraid of point-blank fire from all weapons in service with Hezbollah and Hamas militants, reliably covering its 10 crew members with its armor.
To be fair, it is worth noting that the most protected armored personnel carrier in the world is still the Namer (weighing more than 50 tons) on the chassis of the Merkava tank, but only a symbolic number of Namers were produced - 60 pieces, unlike the Achzarit, in which 500 T-54/55 tanks were converted.

4th place – BMP-1

An armored infantry vehicle (that’s exactly what American experts believe) has significantly increased the offensive power of motorized rifle units. The ingenious concept of the BMP-1 was to increase the mobility and protection of infantry operating in conjunction with tanks. The car was demonstrated to the world community during a 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 from bullets fired from a hand-held rifle, and at heading angles it provided protection even from small-caliber gun shells.
The 13-ton combat vehicle reached speeds of up to 65 km/h on the highway and up to 7 km/h afloat (to increase buoyancy, even the track rollers were made hollow). Inside there were 3 crew members and 8 paratroopers. The weapon system consisted of a 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore grenade launcher, a PKT machine gun and a 9M14M Malyutka anti-tank missile system. Separate embrasures 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 strictly criticized the decisions of Soviet designers, especially the design of the rear doors of the troop compartment (indeed, very dubious): “Perhaps this is thick armor that reliably protects the crew of the vehicle? No! These are fuel tanks! If the vehicle was hit, this arrangement turned the infantry fighting vehicle 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 on armor in vain - the BMP was confidently hit DShK machine gun. Low protection against mines, small arms and grenade launchers has led to the fact that soldiers prefer to move while sitting on armor, not daring to go down into fighting compartment cars. The shortcomings of the weapons also made themselves felt - in mountainous areas, the "Thunder" turned out to be useless due to its 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 loud calls from the military to increase its protection, was the apotheosis of absurdity: while possessing almost tank-like 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 innovation, the BMP-1 has survived more than a dozen military conflicts around the world. In addition, it was cheap and widespread: a total of 20,000 vehicles of this type were produced.

3rd place – MCV-80 “Warrior”

British infantry fighting vehicle. There's more to her name than just "Warrior." Combat weight - 25 tons. Speed ​​on the highway is 75 km/h. The armored body of the MCV-80 is welded from rolled sheets of aluminum-magnesium-zinc alloy and protects from 14.5 mm bullets and from 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 Warrior's armored hull has an internal lining that protects the crew from armor fragments and also serves as sound insulation. The space between the backs of the landing seats and the sides of the hull is used for stowing spare parts and equipment of the infantrymen, which creates additional protection airborne squad. Externally, the armor is reinforced with dynamic protection. 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 party - 7 people.

The British command had high hopes for their promising infantry fighting vehicle. And the “Warrior” did not let its creators down - of the 300 vehicles that took part in “Desert Storm,” not a single one was lost in battle. A noteworthy incident occurred in Al-Amar (Iraq) on May 1, 2004: a Warrior patrol vehicle was hit by 14 RPG grenades. The heavily damaged vehicle managed to fight back and came out from under fire under its own power, saving the lives of the soldiers inside it (the entire crew was burned and injured). The commander of the BMP Johnson, Gideon Beeharry, 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.
This is the 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 party - 6 people.
Multi-layer armor made of steel and aluminum with a thickness of 50 mm provides all-round protection against small-caliber artillery shells. The mounted 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 M242 Bushmaster automatic cannon with a computerized fire control system, TOW ATGM and 6 M231 FPW machine guns. The armored vehicle's equipment includes such frills as the TACNAV tactical navigation system, ELRF laser range finder, infrared passive protection system against ATGMs and an MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) food ration warmer.
At the time of its appearance, in 1981, the US military doubted the combat qualities of the new infantry fighting vehicle. But in 1991, during Desert Storm, all doubts were dispelled: Bradleys, using shells with depleted uranium cores, destroyed more Iraqi tanks than main ones. battle tanks M1 Abrams. And only 1 infantry fighting vehicle was lost from enemy fire.
The well-deserved combat vehicle has become one of the most popular infantry fighting vehicles in the world - a total of 7,000 M2 Bradleys were produced. Its base also produces the M3 combat reconnaissance vehicle, the M6 ​​self-propelled air defense system and the M270 MLRS launcher for MLRS and tactical missiles.

1st place – M113

M113 of the 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. The standard weapon is the M2 heavy machine gun. Fast (highway speed up to 64 km/h), passable and easy to maintain, the vehicle has become the most famous armored personnel carrier in the world. 85,000 M113 of all modifications were in service in 50 countries. The M113 has seen through every conflict from the Vietnam War to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq and, as of today, is still in production and is the primary armored personnel carrier of the US Army.
In addition to the armored personnel carrier, the M113 existed in the form of a command and staff vehicle, a self-propelled 107 mm mortar, a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (armed with everything from a six-barreled Vulcan to a Chapperel air defense system), a repair and recovery vehicle, an ambulance, a tank destroyer with a TOW ATGM. , radiation and chemical reconnaissance vehicles and MLRS launcher.

The most rational way to create such combat vehicles for infantry was to convert obsolete tank models into armored personnel carriers. By a strange coincidence (and perhaps quite naturally), the most common type of tank, which served as the basis for the creation of heavy armored personnel carriers, was the Soviet T-55. In this issue, we offer readers materials about the transformation of the T-55 into an infantry vehicle, and will also tell you about some other types of heavy armored personnel carriers.

Creation

To provide a higher level of protection for infantrymen of motorized rifle units operating in conjunction with tanks, in Russia, based on the T-55 tank chassis, the Omsk Design Bureau of Transport Engineering (KBTM) developed a prototype of a new heavy armored personnel carrier, designated BTR-T (heavy armored personnel carrier). It was first demonstrated at the VTTV-97 arms exhibition in Omsk in 1997.

The construction of the BTR-T heavy armored personnel carrier was carried out at the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant (Omsktransmash).

According to the designers, a large number of T-55 tanks available in Russia, which can be converted into BTR-T, would provide the army with relatively inexpensive and highly protected infantry fighting vehicles. According to some sources, the export price of the BTR-T is 600 thousand USD, respectively, the conversion of the T-55 tank into the BTR-T is much cheaper.

Design

The new heavy armored personnel carrier BTR-T is based on the chassis of the T-55 tank, from which the turret was removed and the hull was expanded to provide additional space for the crew and troops in the front of the vehicle and the engine compartment was retained in the rear of the vehicle.

The crew of the car consists of two people. The driver is in the front part in the same place and the commander-gunner is in the turret. The troop compartment can carry five fully equipped infantrymen.

For landing and landing of troops there are hatches in the roof: in front on the right and behind the turret. Since the roof of the habitable compartment is higher than the level of the hull roof, two more hatches were made in the rear part of the cabin. The covers of these hatches open upward and have built-in prism blocks for observation. For the same purpose, the troop compartment is also equipped with periscope devices.

The BTR-T heavy armored personnel carrier has a combat weight of 38.5 tons (compared to 36 tons of the standard T-55 tank). If we take into account that the BTR-T body has a mass of 27 tons, it becomes clear that the bulk of the BTR-T’s increased weight by more than 10 tons went to strengthening the armor protection of the vehicle.

The frontal armor parts and sides are equipped with the latest generation Kontakt-5 dynamic protection package, which provides a high level of protection not only against cumulative, but also against armor-piercing sub-caliber ammunition. A similar remote sensing system is used on modern Russian T-80U and T-90S tanks.

In addition, the BTR-T has a reinforced hull bottom to increase the vehicle’s survivability when detonated by anti-tank mines. This is ensured by additional armoring of the bottom, which is welded to it at intervals, forming an air gap between the additional armor and the bottom itself, which significantly reduces the impact of a blast wave when detonated by a mine.

In order to compensate for the increased mass and maintain mobility at the same level, no lower than it was on the T-55 tank, a more powerful V-46-6 engine was installed on the vehicle, developing a power of 780 hp. The car's transmission has also been improved.

A low-profile turret is installed in the front part of the hull, on which elements of the weapon system are mounted.

The weapon system on the BTR-T may have a different composition, because it is made in the form of various modules that can be installed on the machine depending on its purpose or customer requirements.

1. 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon and two Konkurs ATGM launchers;
2. 30-mm automatic cannon 2A42 and 30-mm automatic grenade launcher AG-17;
3. Two double-barreled 30-mm machine guns 2A38;
4. 12.7 mm NSVT-12.7 “Utes” (or “Kord”) machine gun and two “Konkurs” ATGM launchers;
5. 12.7 mm NSVT-12.7 “Utes” (or “Kord”) machine gun and 30 mm AG-17 automatic grenade launcher.

Like many Russian-made armored combat vehicles, the BTR-T has thermal smoke equipment for setting up smoke screens by injecting fuel into the exhaust tract. In addition, there are four blocks (three launchers each) for launching smoke or aerosol grenades. Smoke (aerosol) curtains from these blocks are placed in front of the vehicle.

Main tactical and technical characteristics of the heavy BTR-T:

• Combat weight, t - 38,5
• Crew + troops, persons - 2+5
• Maximum speed, km/h - 50
• Engine
  - brand- B-46-6
  - power, hp - 780
• Armament (option):
  - basic- 30 mm automatic cannon 2A42
  - additional- 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun
  - PU ATGM "Konkurs-M"
• Ammunition, (shots):
  - for 30 mm gun 2A42 - 200
  - for PKT machine gun - 2000
  - for ATGM - 3
• Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs and ATGMs

With regard to tanks, KADDB was modernizing them, but with regard to heavy infantry fighting vehicles, it was able to present a new development. However, this is understandable; heavy armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles were born in the Middle East, although they first appeared on the other side of the Jordan. Due to certain circumstances, Arab countries do not adopt Israeli experience and do not invite specialists from this country. In addition, there are no Soviet-built tanks in Jordan. With the participation of the Mechanology Design Bureau (MDB) from South Africa, the American General Dynamics Land Systems and the Jordanian CLS, a highly protected infantry fighting vehicle AB14 Temsah was created. It is designed on the basis of the Centurion tank chassis. However, it had to be considerably rearranged, so we can say that “Temsah” is a purely Jordanian creation.

Layout

Layout new car made with a front-mounted power plant. In other words, the hull of the Centurion tank was turned 180 degrees. The vehicle's power plant uses an American AVDS 1790 diesel engine with a power of 950 hp, which is also used in the modernization of M60A1 tanks in Jordan. The transmission is automatic CD 1000, has two forward gears and one reverse gear. The suspension of the armored personnel carrier is hydropneumatic balanced. The dynamic stroke of the roller is +350 and -100 mm.

Recently, KADDB presented another example of the Temsah heavy armored personnel carrier, which does not have any weapon system at all. On the roof of the vehicle body there is a small superstructure with relatively large armored glass on all sides, providing good visibility from the vehicle. If necessary, these glasses are covered with armored shields, which have slots for observation.

The vehicle is not equipped with loopholes for firing personal weapons. However, to monitor the terrain by the landing party, television cameras can be installed, and inside the landing compartment there are 4 liquid crystal television monitors. The infantrymen in the vehicle are positioned along the sides, with their backs to them. For landing and landing of troops, the vehicle is equipped with a folding ramp in the rear part with a mechanical drive. There are also hatches in the rear of the troop compartment roof. Their number, depending on the version of the machine, can be different - from one to six.

Inside the vehicle, under the landing seats, there are stowages for dry rations and water for all people in the vehicle. According to the developers, water and food supplies provide the vehicle with the ability to operate autonomously for 48 hours.

Options

The vehicle's armament may vary. Until now, two weapons variants of the Temsah armored personnel carrier have been demonstrated: one, as part of the armament complex, uses a large-caliber machine gun installed in a remotely controlled turret module, and two INGWE ATGM launchers, manufactured in South Africa. In another version - with an automatic 20-mm cannon, a coaxial machine gun and 4 INGWE ATGM launchers, also installed in a remotely controlled turret module.

The Temsah's weapons are stabilized in two planes. The rate of fire of the automatic cannon is 200 rounds per minute, its ammunition load is 300 shells, of which only 150 are ready for use. The rest are stowed in the vehicle and need to be loaded after using up the ammunition belt located on the turret. Sighting range firing range from a cannon is 2000 m. Firing from a cannon can be carried out in single shots or in bursts.

To set up smoke screens, smoke grenade launchers are mounted on the tower module.

The weapon is aimed remotely from the vehicle body. Observation of the battlefield and aiming is carried out on a liquid crystal television monitor installed at the vehicle commander’s workplace. The elevation angles of the weapon range from -8 to +40 degrees, which, in my opinion, is not quite sufficient, since the vehicle is designed to operate in city conditions and mountainous terrain, which is more than enough in Jordan.

Options are envisaged for using the Temsah armored personnel carrier chassis as a tracked armored medical vehicle, a command post, as well as for a base for self-propelled guns and mortars.

The main tactical and technical characteristics of the heavy armored personnel carrier "Temsah":

• Combat weight, t - 49,5
• Crew + troops, persons - 2+10
• Dimensions, mm:
  - length - 7962
  - width - 3766
  - height along the roof of the building - 2080
  - ground clearance - 500
• Engine
  - brand- AVDS 1790
  - power, hp - 950
  Specific power, hp/t - 19,2 - 4
• Armament (option):
  - basic- 20 mm automatic cannon
  - additional- 7.62 mm M240 machine gun
  - guided weapons complex- PU ATGM INGWE
• Ammunition, (shots):
  - for 20 mm gun - 150+150
  - for the M240 machine gun - 600+2000
  - for ATGM - 4
• Fuel capacity, l - 950
• Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs

Creation

Israel is considered a pioneer in the creation of heavy armored personnel carriers. Israeli engineers were prompted to this by the experience of the war in Lebanon in 1982, most of the fighting was fought in urban conditions. If the American-made M60A1 tanks in service with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) were to some extent protected from fire from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers by the dynamic protection (RA) used for the first time, then the American M113 armored personnel carriers became easy prey for Arab grenade launchers. Israeli Merkava Mk1 tanks were not equipped with dynamic protection. It was believed that the level of protection and survivability on the battlefield of this vehicle was already quite high. But in vain. The Merkavas were burning from grenade launcher fire, like all the other tanks. But still, armored personnel carriers and the infantry sitting in them suffered the most.

Having studied the experience of that war, the SDI leadership developed tactical and technical specifications for the development of a heavy armored personnel carrier, which later received the name “Achzarit”. In accordance with them, it was supposed to be a highly protected vehicle, capable of operating in local conditions together with the main Merkava tanks. The idea of ​​​​creating such a vehicle was prompted by the successful use in urban conditions as a means of delivering infantry to the battlefield of the Puma engineering barrier vehicle, made on the chassis of the Centurion main tank.

The development of heavy armored personnel carriers in Israel initially involved the use of a variety of chassis, including the chassis of the Merkava and Centurion tanks. The first prototypes of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier were built in 1987. Subsequently, the option of creating a vehicle on the chassis of the T-55 tank was worked out, which were received in large quantities Israeli army as trophies during the Arab-Israeli wars and then were restored for several years for SDI.

Tests prototypes Achzarit vehicles based on the T-55 showed some advantages compared to previously tested versions and especially the lower cost of the vehicle. They were adopted by the Israeli Defense Forces as a heavy armored personnel carrier and the start of their mass production took place in 1988. The production of heavy Achzarit armored personnel carriers was carried out in SOI workshops and at the Military Plant located in Tel Hashomer, which is not far from Tel Aviv.

According to various estimates, there are currently approximately 400-500 such vehicles in the Israeli armed forces.

When converting a T-55 tank into a heavy armored personnel carrier, its chassis is completely disassembled and then restored, but with some modifications. The tank's turret is dismantled and an additional superstructure is welded onto the vehicle's body in the area of ​​the crew compartment, which forms the control compartment and the troop compartment. The engine and transmission compartment is located at the rear of the vehicle, but instead of the standard engine and transmission, a power plant from the Israeli company NIMDA is installed in it, which has slightly smaller dimensions and a more powerful engine.

Additional armor developed in Israel is installed on the body of the vehicle, which, according to the developers, provides this vehicle with the best protection among all available vehicles of this type in the world.

The habitable compartment of the vehicle can accommodate up to 10 people, including a crew of three: the vehicle commander, driver and machine gun gunner. The driver's seat remains at the front left. Above it there is a separate hatch, the lid of which opens to the left. Four periscope daytime surveillance devices are installed in front of the hatch, one of which in the center can be replaced with a passive night surveillance device for night driving.

The commander of the vehicle is located to the right of the driver and has a rotating periscope daytime observation device mounted on the roof of the vehicle and a square hatch, the lid of which opens to the rear. On the right in front of the vehicle is the machine gun gunner, who controls the RAFAEL Overhead Weapon Station with a 7.62 mm M240 machine gun mounted on it. The machine gun is stabilized in two planes and is aimed using remote control from inside the vehicle. The sighting complex of the installation is equipped with day and night thermal imaging sights.

In addition to the remote-controlled machine gun mount, the Achzarit armored personnel carrier also has three additional 7.62 mm machine guns mounted on pivot mounts: one on the vehicle commander’s hatch and two in the rear of the vehicle’s troop compartment. To fire from these machine guns, you need to open the hatch covers and lean out of them.

Seven infantrymen are accommodated in the rear crew compartment of the vehicle: three in a solid bench seat on the left side, three in individual jump seats on the right, and one centrally located at the rear of the troop compartment.

Aft door with ramp for infantrymen to exit

The stock B-55 diesel engine and manual transmission were removed and a NIMDA power plant was installed. This unusual and extremely compact power plant made it possible to make an exit for the landing force at the rear of the vehicle on the right side, closed by an armored hydraulically hinged door. Its lower part folds down and serves as a ladder, and the upper part opens upward. The aft exit for the landing was made without changing the configuration of the vehicle hull. In addition, infantry can embark and disembark through hatches in the roof of the crew compartment.

The power plant combines various units, the main ones of which are identical to those used on the modernized version of the Soviet T-55 tank in Israel, which received the name “Samovar” there, as well as on the American 155-mm self-propelled gun M109. Both of these types of vehicles are used in large numbers by the Israeli Defense Forces.

The power plant of the Achzarit Mk1 armored personnel carrier, supplied by the Israeli company NIMDA, consists of an American two-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine Detroit Diesel 8V-71 TTA, developing a power of 650 hp. The engine is mounted across the vehicle body and connected to an Allison XTG-411-4 hydrodynamic automatic transmission, also manufactured in the USA.

Air intake from the engine is carried out either through the fighting compartment or through the engine-transmission compartment. In both cases, the air enters initially through a pre-filter that has a dust emission fan, and then through a paper air cleaner, similar to those found on cars.

Interior

The combat weight of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier increased to 44 tons compared to 36 tons for the T-55 tanks. As already mentioned, the T-55 turret is dismantled when converting it into an Achzarit armored personnel carrier. The main difference in weight between the weight of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier, which has 44 tons, and the T-55 hull weight of 27 tons, is explained by the installation of additional armor protection to increase the survivability of the vehicle on the battlefield. The total height of the hull roof is approximately 2 m, and the width of the vehicle is 3.64 m.

On both sides of the hull in the front part there are six launchers of CL-303Q smoke grenade launchers manufactured by Israel Military Industries. Such grenade launchers were originally installed on Israeli Centurion, M48/M60 and Merkava tanks. They can fire various types of grenades as the vehicle moves.

Standard equipment of the Achzarit armored personnel carrier includes the Spectronix fire detection and extinguishing system, a collective protection system against weapons of mass destruction and thermal smoke equipment for setting up smoke screens, using the principle of fuel injection into the engine exhaust manifold located on the left side of the hull.

Currently, the SDI has a variant of the heavy armored personnel carrier "Achzarit" Mk2. This vehicle has a new power plant, also supplied by the Israeli company NIMDA. It includes an American Detroit Diesel 8V-92 TA diesel engine, developing 850 hp, connected to an American Allison XTG-411-5 automatic transmission. This power plant provides the vehicle with higher power density and better acceleration characteristics. To date, the “Achzarit” Mk2 model is the last example of this heavy armored personnel carrier.

In addition, on the basis of the heavy armored personnel carrier "Achzarit", a version of the command and staff vehicle was created, which differs from the standard armored personnel carrier in the absence of machine guns on the roof of the vehicle and the addition of additional radio stations to perform specialized control functions.

The main tactical and technical characteristics of the heavy armored personnel carrier Achzarit:

• Combat weight, t - 44
• Crew + troops, persons - 3+7
• Maximum speed, km/h - 50
• Engine
  - brand- “Detroit Diesel” 8V-92 TA
  - power, hp - 850
• Weapons:
  - basic- 7.62 mm M240 machine gun with remote control
  - additional- two 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns
• Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs

India, which also has a large number of Soviet-built T-55 tanks, also decided to turn to the experience of creating heavy armored personnel carriers. Not without the influence of Israel, they also took the good old T-55 tank, removed the turret, welded an “interior” of multi-layer thick armor onto the hull, and that’s it. This is how the Indian heavy armored personnel carrier TBHA turned out - T-55 Based Heavy APC (APC - armored personnel carrier - armored personnel carrier in our opinion).

The spacious “interior” of the vehicle can accommodate up to 11 people (together with two crew members – the driver and the commander, who is also the machine gun gunner). I must say that the “salon” is equipped comfortably, you can stand upright, and the interior is lined with carpet.

To monitor the surrounding area, the commander uses the sighting system of a remote-controlled machine gun mounted on the roof of the vehicle. The image from the combined sight is displayed on the liquid crystal screen. The installation is equipped with a 12.7-mm machine gun, type NSVT-12.7 “Utes”, stabilized in two planes, which allows targeted fire from a machine gun on the move. According to the developers, “the interior armor can withstand being hit by an RPG-7 grenade from all sides,” which looks very doubtful. True, the developers of the RPG-7 say something slightly different: “Today there is no model of armored vehicles whose armor has not been penetrated by an RPG-7 grenade.”

The transmission and engine of the T-55 tank were replaced with an Israeli power plant from NIMDA, similar to what the Israelis did on the Achzarit Mk2 armored personnel carrier. It is slightly more compact than the previous one, and combines an American 850-horsepower Detroit Diesel 8V-92 diesel engine and an Allison XTG-411-5 automatic transmission. This is an Israeli assembly made from American components. The new power plant made it possible to make an exit at the rear of the vehicle for transported infantrymen. Its armored door, when opened, also serves as a ladder for ease of getting into and out of the car.

Naturally, TBHA is equipped with systems for collective protection against weapons of mass destruction, fire extinguishing, air conditioning and smoke screens. At the request of the customer, additional weapons systems, surveillance systems, etc. can be installed on it.

The disadvantage of this version of the heavy armored personnel carrier is the impossibility of firing from the personal weapons of the landing forces located inside the vehicle and the presence of only one machine gun. So there will only be two people in action - the driver and the commander, the rest will simply ride along the specified route as passengers.

The main tactical and technical characteristics of the heavy armored personnel carrier TBHA:

• Combat weight, t- about 45
• Crew + troops, persons - 2+9
• Maximum speed, km/h - 50
• Engine
  - brand- Detroit Diesel 8V-92 TA
  - power, hp - 850
• Armament- 12.7-mm machine gun NSVT-12.7 “Utes” with remote control
• Sighting system- combined with optical and thermal imaging channels, with remote control
• Armor protection- provides protection against RPGs

Thus, it can be traced global trend the use of obsolete types of tanks (mainly Centurion and T-55) for further service as heavy armored personnel carriers. At the same time, such armored personnel carriers are significantly lower in cost of new combat vehicles, which allows many armies to have a sufficient number of such armored personnel carriers. The main purpose of heavy armored personnel carriers is to transport and provide fire support to infantry units during independent or joint actions with tank units in special conditions (battle in mountainous and wooded areas, in the city, etc.). Powerful armoring of heavy armored personnel carriers makes it possible to reduce losses of both personnel and the vehicles themselves from fire from large-caliber rifles and machine guns, small-caliber automatic guns, as well as from mine explosions.