BTR-3

BTR-3

Ukrainian BTR-3E1M in desert camouflage
Type Armored personnel carrier
Place of origin Ukraine
Service history
In service Ukrainian Ground Forces
Production history
Designed 2000
Manufacturer Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau
Produced 2001
Variants See below
Specifications
Weight 16.4 tonnes
Length 7.65 m
Width 2.9 m
Height 2.8 m (including turret)
Crew 3 crew (+6 passengers)

Main
armament
30 mm caliber
Secondary
armament
7.62 mm
Engine Deutz AG
326 hp
Suspension wheeled 8×8
Operational
range
600km
Speed 85 km/h

The BTR-3 is an 8×8-wheeled armored personnel carrier was designed by Adcom Manufacturing from UAE in 2000/2001 and manufactured by KMDB in Ukraine. The most significant of exports was to the Myanmar Army which acquired 1,000 BTR-3Us, to be assembled in Myanmar. The BTR-3U is not an upgrade of the BTR-80 and is a new vehicle similar to the Soviet design.[1]

Armament

The BTR-3U is fitted with the one-person KBA-105 "Shkval" unified fighting module which can accommodate 30mm gun, 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, 30mm automatic grenade launcher and anti-tank guided weapons. This module was developed by the State Scientific Technical Centre of Artillery & Rifle Arms of Ukraine. The Shkval fighting module design is very flexible, which makes it possible to easily replace an existing weapon with another one.

Equipment design

The standard equipment of the BTR-3U also includes hydraulically amplified powered steering on the front four road wheels and a central tire-pressure regulation system that allows the driver to adjust the tire-pressure to suit the terrain being crossed. The BTR-3U is fitted with French Michelin tires.

The BTR-3U engine compartment consists of a Deutz BF6M1015 diesel developing 326 hp coupled to an Allison MD3066 fully automatic transmission. The power pack and transmission are fitted by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau with the technical assistance of the Deutz AG and the Allison Transmission companies. The engine compartment is fitted with an automatic double-action fire extinguishing system.

The vehicle is fully amphibious, propelled when afloat by a single water jet mounted at the rear of the hull. To prepare the vehicle for water, the driver erects a trim vane and switches on the bilge pumps from within the vehicle.

The troop compartment accommodates six soldiers who enter and leave the vehicle by a door in either side of the hull. The lower part of the door folds downward to form a step, with the upper part opening forwards. There are also hatches in the roof and firing ports with associated vision devices provided in the sides and front of the vehicle. An air conditioning system is fitted as standard to ensure crew comfort in hot conditions.

Variants

Operators

References

External links