From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The BTR-70 is an eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier originally developed during the late 1970s and fielded by the Warsaw Pact and allies beginning in the early 1980s. Introduced as a successor to the earlier BTR-60, it most closely resembles a BTR-60PB. Other improvements include heavier armor plating and tires less prone to puncture. In other respects, the vehicle is very similar to the BTR-60PB, with a more powerful (although still fuel hungry) engine configuration and armament of a primary heavy machine gun and secondary PKT machine gun on a roof mounted turret.
Like the vehicle's predecessor it is fully amphibious with minimal preparation. A licensed Romanian copy was designated the TAB-77 and had various improvements and changes to make local production easier, including a better turret and different engines.
[edit] Variants
- BTR-70 M1978
- Initial version, publicly displayed in 1980.
- BTR-70 M1986/1
- Modernized version with an improved turret, smoke mortars and better armor protection.
- BTR-70Kh
- Chemical reconnaissance vehicle, designed to detonate artillery shells with proximity fuze detonators
- BTR-70MS
- Communications variant
- BTR-70KShM
- Command and control variant, designed to be used as a mobile command post.
- BREM
- Armored recovery vehicle. Essentially a BTR-70 with a crane replacing the turret.
[edit] Combat history
The BTR-70 was widely used during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and many smaller conflicts in Eastern Europe.
[edit] External links
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[edit] See also
Modern Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicles and Personnel Carriers
