BMP 1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle

BMP 1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, a photo by relex109.com on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
A modern Soviet Armoured Personnel Carrier with a very low profile.
Used by the Iraqi Army in the Gulf War
During the Second World War the Red Army had infantry ride into action on the back of tanks. During the Cold War they developed a range of personnel carriers to enable infantry to travel with the tanks. The BMP-1, which first appeared in 1967, is remarkable for its low silhouette, particularly in view of the fact that it also has a rotating turret. It has a regular crew of three; driver, commander and gunner, and has seats for eight infantrymen who sit, back to back, at the rear. Access for these men is view the rear doors which also serve as diesel fuel tanks.

The commander sits directly behind the driver while the gunner occupies the turret alone. He is responsible for firing the 73,, smooth-bore gun, co-axial machine gun and the wire-guided Sagger missile which is launched from a rail above the gun tube. Weapon ports in both sides enable the infantry passengers to fire from inside the vehicle while the roof hatches above their heads enable other weapons to be used. Like most lighter Russian vehicles the BMP-1 is fully amphibious, using its tracks as paddles in the water. It can also be sealed to protect the crew from nuclear or chemical attack and the armour will resist fire from heavy machine-guns. However it is extremely uncomfortable.

BMP-1 saw active service in Afghanistan and other trouble spots such as Chad but our exhibit was captured from Iraqi forces during the Gulf War. A certain amount of battle damage can be seen along the sides of the vehicle.
Other Numbers

NumberType
8891Original Accession
83041051Serial
1991.1180Original Entry
Main utility type

Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Country of Use

Iraq (1991)

Production
Object Production

RoleAttributionDatePlaceNotes
ManufacturedSoviet State ArsenalsUSSR
Era

1980-1999

Location
Current Location

BOVTM - B18E - British Steel Hall - Gulf War

Physical
Features

Part NameDescriptionNotes
Tracks/WheelsFull Tracked
Armament - Main Weapon TypeGun / Missile - 73 mm Gun / AT3 Sagger Anti Tank Missile
Additional FeaturesAmphibious
Armament - Secondary Weapon Type7.62 mm Machine Gun
TransmissionManual, 5 forward and 1 reverse
EngineType UTD20, 6 cylinder
SuspensionTorsion Bar
Dimensions

Part NameDimensionValueUnitPrecisionNotes
CrewNumber3+8
OverallWeight13.5tons
Speed - RoadMaximum65kph
Speed - WaterMaximum7kph
FuelTypeDiesel
FuelConsumption0.30gpm
FuelVolume101gall.
RangeRadius600Km
Armour Thickness - HullMaximum19mm
Main GunCalibre73mm
Engine OutputPower300bhp@ 2000 rpm
ProjectileNumber40rounds4 + 1 'Sagger'
OverallLength6.74m
OverallWidth3.0m
OverallHeight2.15m

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