"Gardeners" and "Shells": what are the dangers of the newest vehicles of Russian paratroopers. Flying armored bus: test drive BTR-MDM “Shell armored personnel carrier on tracks”

The original purpose of armored personnel carriers on the battlefield was the mobile delivery of people to specified positions. This made it possible to support tank offensives and quickly reorient troops in response to the changing front-line situation. In addition to this, armored personnel carriers delivered cargo and transported the wounded.

IN modern conditions armored personnel carriers are increasingly being designed according to the type of infantry and airborne combat vehicles (BMP and BMD). This makes the armored personnel carrier a full-fledged support and cover combat unit, which is especially important during operations in the rear.

The Rakushka armored personnel carrier is a Russian multifunctional landing (MD) vehicle, created to support airborne units. The emphasis is not only on the rapid delivery of fighters and supplies, but also on air landings. The autonomy of ongoing operations is also taken into account, in which the vehicle becomes the main infantry cover.

History of the model

The task of developing a new multi-purpose landing vehicle was set before the designers back in 1992. The difficult economic situation of the country and lack of funding for the army led to the freezing of the project. As a result, active work on it began only in 2008.

The key task of the new armored personnel carrier was to replace the outdated Soviet amphibious armored personnel carrier, produced back in 1974. The new vehicle had to meet the requirements of modern equipment and weapons, and also take into account the specifics of landing operations.

The BTR-MD was created at the Volgograd Tractor Plant. Later, serial production was transferred to the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant, where a modernized version of the BTR-MDM is being assembled. In 2013, the first vehicles were sent for testing.

In 2015, armored personnel carriers began to enter service with the army, and from that moment on, their photos began to appear on the Internet. As of 2018, there were already 30 such machines. It is expected that by 2025, about 200 armored personnel carriers of this line in various modifications will enter service with the landing force. As a result, the BMD-4M and Rakushka armored personnel carriers will become the basic landing equipment.

Goals and objectives for application

Rakushka armored personnel carriers are designed as a landing vehicle, the main purpose of which is to support units in any combat conditions.

The tasks of an armored personnel carrier include:

• support for infantry formations, cover;
• transportation of goods, supply of units;
• removal of the wounded, conversion into an ambulance;
• organization of a command center or radio communication center.

The key tasks of the armored personnel carrier remain the delivery of troops to specified positions. The new vehicle allows you to transport soldiers under your own power, to land from the air, as well as to force water obstacles and land from the sea overcoming the surf line. The last factor makes it a full-fledged amphibian.

Design and structure of the amphibian

The body of the Rakushka armored personnel carrier is made of welded armor plates. The machine is divided into three compartments. In the front is the control room, where the driver, commander and one of the paratroopers are located. The armored personnel carrier is made according to the design of a tank, so the engine is located in the rear.

The middle part is intended for transporting troops. Paired seats are located facing the direction of travel, three pairs on each side. There is space for cargo in the niches above the tracks. Also in the body there are loopholes for firing from the vehicle.

Surveillance and communications equipment

Surveillance of the surroundings is carried out from the driver's seat through three periscope devices. If necessary, the central one is replaced with a night vision device. Additional tracking is carried out from the airborne unit through loopholes. Internal communication and switching are provided by the R-174 system.

Taking into account the weapons, aiming is ensured from the shooter's position. The turret installation is also equipped with a TNP3VE01-01 sighting system for guidance and automatic firing from the commander’s position. Through this device he can also monitor the area.

Main weapons

The armament of the Rakushka armored personnel carrier is represented by a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun. Power is provided by two boxes of 1000 rounds of ammunition, united by a single path. The modified version has an additional machine gun on the right front side.

Armored personnel carrier armor protects soldiers from bullets and shrapnel. The undercarriage is protected to overcome mines.

Means of camouflage

Most of the equipment elements of the Rakushka armored personnel carrier were borrowed from the BMP-3. These also include means of camouflage. In addition to the camouflage color, the armored personnel carrier is equipped with “Tucha” smoke grenades.

Specifications

The technical characteristics of the Rakushka armored personnel carrier meet the requirements of a modern combat vehicle. There are certain differences between different modifications aimed at highly specialized tasks. The main model, due to its indicators, also maintains a wide range of application possibilities.

Engine and transmission

The armored personnel carrier is powered by a UTD-29 turbocharged boxer engine, also borrowed from the BMP-3. Engine power - 450 l. With. The cooling system is injection-fan. The transmission and rotation mechanism is located in the same block with the engine and consists of a two-shaft reversible gearbox. There is also a drive for a water-jet propulsion unit, which provides controlled buoyancy of the machine.

Electrical equipment

Taking into account the borrowing of elements from the BMP-3, the electrical equipment of the Rakushka armored personnel carrier is represented by 6ETs088 equipment. There is no exact information about the modified version of the machine.

Chassis

For better maneuverability, the BTR-MD moves on caterpillar tracks. The chassis consists of five support and four support rollers on each side. The tracks have fine rubber-metal joints. The track rollers are secured with air springs.

One of key features BTR-MD chassis - adjustable ground clearance. There are three positions - minimum 70-100 mm, working 420 mm and maximum 500-510 mm.

Landing

The Rakushka armored personnel carrier is capable of transporting up to 15 people, including the driver and commander. For landing there is a hatch in the stern. There are also two round hatches in the roof of the control room and two rectangular ones in the middle landing part of the armored personnel carrier.

Maximum speed on water and land

The speed characteristics of the BTR-MD are presented by the following indicators:

• maximum speed on the highway - up to 71 km/h;
• speed on a dry dirt road - 45-50 km/h;
• speed afloat - 10 km/h.

The range on the highway is 500 km, on rough terrain - 350 km. The tracked undercarriage allows the armored personnel carrier to overcome climbs of 35 degrees, objects and walls 0.8 m high and ditches 1.5 m high.

Dimensions and weight

In terms of dimensions, the technical characteristics of the BTR-MD have the following values:

• hull length - 6.085 m;
• width - 3.15 m;
• height - 2.7 m;
• weight - 13.2 tons.

The dimensions of the vehicle allow it to be dropped from the air from IL-76 (M, MD), AN-124 aircraft, as well as from the external sling of Mi-26 helicopters. This makes the armored personnel carrier the optimal choice for landing operations.

Advantages and disadvantages

The key advantage of the BTR-MD is its versatility. The vehicle is designed for almost any operating conditions, which in many ways brings it closer to an infantry fighting vehicle. At the same time, the design of the armored personnel carrier allows it to be quickly converted into any center - from an ambulance to a command headquarters.

The Rakushka BTRD takes into account the autonomy of operations when landing to the rear. Electrical equipment, navigation and guidance systems allow even beginners who have completed basic training to effectively perform combat missions.

The vehicle borrowed the most successful design solutions of previous generations of armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. Regarding the shortcomings, no significant aspects have yet been highlighted. This is due to the short service life, which does not allow an objective assessment of the project in the long term.

Application and testing in real combat conditions

The first tests of the BTR-MD "Rakushka" were carried out in 2013. The armored personnel carrier showed full compliance with the declared technical specifications, high maneuverability and versatility. Based on the results obtained, the vehicles began to enter service with the Airborne Forces. They have not yet been used in real combat conditions.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

Airborne armored personnel carrier

BTR-MDM "Rakushka-M" developed by the design bureau of the Volgograd Tractor Plant on the basis of the BMD-3 to replace the BTR-D airborne forces. The development of a modernized version of the BTR-MDM on a chassis began in 2008 by SKBM Kurgan Machine-Building Plant (chief designer until October 2014 - S.S. Salnikov). The series was produced for military testing in 2014 by the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant (Kurgan).

In 2013, the first two BTR-MDM were delivered to the Airborne Forces for testing. The tests were planned to be completed in 2015. The first production batch of 12 BTR-MDM "Rakushka" was transferred to the Airborne Forces of the Western Military District on March 3, 2015.

It is expected that by 2025 the Airborne Forces will receive more than 2,500 Rakushka armored personnel carriers of various modifications.

BTR-MDM in the Russian Armed Forces

The first Rakushka-M BTR-MDMs were delivered to the Russian armed forces in 2015. According to Western data, as of 2018, the Airborne Forces have at least 30 BTR-MDMs.

Armored personnel carrier design

The body is made of welded armor plates. In the front and middle parts of the hull there is a wheelhouse with the crew and landing force of the armored personnel carrier. There are special niches above the tracks. At the rear of the car is the engine and transmission compartment. In the aft part of the cabin there is a hatch for dismounting the crew. The driver's seat is located in the front of the car. To the left and right of it there are seats for two members of the landing party. In the roof above the landing and driver positions there are three hatches for exiting the vehicle.

The chassis of the vehicle consists of five support and four support rollers on each side. The rollers are equipped with fine-linked caterpillar tracks with rubber-metal hinges. The track rollers are mounted on air springs. The ground clearance of the armored personnel carrier is variable and has three modes: minimum, working and maximum.

Booking: bulletproof. The armor of the hull and turret is capable of resisting enemy small arms and fragments of mines and shells. For additional protection of the crew and troops, an anti-fragmentation protection kit is installed in the vehicle.

Engine:
Diesel UTD-29 four-stroke, multi-fuel, liquid-cooled, naturally aspirated with a power of up to 500 hp.

TTX BTR-MDM

Crew- 2 people + up to 13 landing troops (depending on the layout) Length- 6085 mm Width– 3150 mm Height– 2700 mm Clearance– 100-500 mm Combat weight– up to 13.2 t Maximum speed:- 70 km/h (on the highway) - 45-50 km/h (on a dirt road) - 10 km/h (afloat) Power reserve:- 500 km (highway) - 350 km (dirt road) Obstacles to be overcome:- ditch - 1.5 m - wall - 0.8 m - rise - 35 degrees.

BTR-MDM "Rakushka-M" during military tests in the Airborne Forces, 2014 (photo - Alexander Ryumin, http://itar-tass.com)

Armament

7.62 mm PKTM machine gun located in the commander's turret Ammunition - 8 x 250 rounds Front-mounted 7.62-mm machine gun PKTM installed in the left front part of the body with a sighting device TNP3VE01-01 Ammunition - 2 x 1000 rounds with a common power path Smoke screen mortars- 4 x 81-mm mortars for launching smoke grenades on the front plate of the armored personnel carrier hull.

BTR-MDM "Rakushka-M" at the ArmsEXPO-2013 exhibition (photo - Vitaly Kuzmin, http://vitalykuzmin.net)

Equipment

The armored personnel carrier is equipped with a digital information and control system IUS-Sh. Sighting and observation equipment: three periscopic devices on the driver's hatch (the central one can be equipped with a night vision device). A sighting system was also installed for firing a machine gun and monitoring the terrain.

Modifications:

Object 955 / BTR-MD "Shell"- a basic model of an armored personnel carrier developed on the BMD-3 chassis.

BTR-MDM "Rakushka-M"- modernized version on the chassis.

BMM-D- armored medical landing vehicle / armored ambulance transporter - BMM-D1. A variant of the vehicle for a medical platoon is the BMM-D2.

"New Defense Order. Strategies"

Fast "Shell"

The BTR-MD armored personnel carrier (Object 955) was developed at VgTZ as part of the Rakushka design and development project. It is a multi-purpose, high-speed armored amphibious air-transportable and air-landing tracked vehicle for solving the transport tasks of units and units of the airborne troops and amphibious assault forces. By analogy with the BMD-BTR-D family, the airborne armored personnel carrier BTR-MD differs from the basic BMD-3 in the absence of a turret and increased hull dimensions. This is where the similarities with the previous family, in general, end. In this case, there was no need to increase the length of the chassis, and the BTR-MD was made on the same five-wheel (five-wheel) base as the BMD-3.

The armored personnel carrier is arranged according to a scheme with a rear MTO and a front control compartment. The middle compartment of the hull can be used to accommodate troops, wounded on stretchers, or supply loads. The control compartment and the middle compartment are located inside a tall cabin-type housing, occupying about 2/3 of the total length of the machine. The welded sealed armored body is made of aluminum armor alloy; the widening of the hull in the upper part forms large fender niches with vertical sides. The frontal sheets of the hull are located at an angle to the vertical and form a convex broken line in the vertical longitudinal section. The slope of the frontal sheets and the characteristic “cheekbones” of the hull somewhat increase the security of the frontal projection. At the same time, the dimensions and shape of the hull are designed to ensure the maximum possible capacity of the vehicle under strict restrictions on weight and permissible height, determined by the requirements of parachute landing from military transport aircraft; reinforced side bevels - redans - are made in the lower part of the hull.

The driver, as in the BMD-3, is located in the control compartment along the axis of the vehicle. Controls are mounted at his workplace, including an adjustable steering column. To the right and left of the driver’s seat there are two universal seats on a raised floor. Above the seats of the driver and the paratrooper located to his right, there are hatches in the roof with hinged lids. The driver's workplace is equipped with three TNPO-170A periscope surveillance devices; the middle device can be replaced by a night observation device.

On the left side in the front part of the hull on the roof is mounted a rotating commander's turret with an autonomous closed machine gun mount of a 7.62-mm PKT (PKTM) machine gun with an external power supply system and a 1P67M sight. The turret is equipped with a TKN-ZMB observation device with an OU-ZGA illuminator, TNPT-1 and TNPO-170A periscope observation devices, a lifting mechanism and an upper hatch. The universal seat of the commander-operator is connected to the upper shoulder strap of the turret and rotates with it (a rotating turret with a remote-controlled 7.62 mm machine gun was installed on the experimental version of the BTR-D, but then it was abandoned). On the right side of the control compartment there is a directional installation designed to accommodate a 5.45-mm RPKS74 light machine gun or an AKS74 (AK74M) assault rifle; above it there is a TNPP-220A periscope sight-observation device. Three ball mounts with shutters are mounted on the sides of the middle part and in the aft hatch cover, designed for firing from individual landing forces. Two blocks of smoke grenade launchers of the “Tucha” system are mounted on the upper frontal plate of the hull. In the middle part of the hull there are double seats reclining towards the side with folding backs - three per side. Paratroopers are placed on the seats facing the direction of the vehicle; the seats are equipped with a set of seat belts. For landing and disembarking troops there is a large aft hatch and two rectangular hatches in the hull roof.

Behind the paratroopers' seats, on the left side in the middle part of the hull there is a compartment with an autonomous power unit, on the right side there is an air duct with a retractable air intake pipe and an external air purification system with an air filter including a supercharger, a fine filter, an absorber filter and air ducts. Air ducts enable directed, controlled supply of purified air to the workplace area. Air ducts can be connected to individual means respiratory protection - for example, half masks. Each universal crew seat in the ground position (“sitting”) is attached with a rod to a bracket on the inside of the hull roof. In the landing position, it is detached from the bracket, lowered onto a stop connected to an elevated floor, and folded back. When landing inside the vehicle, the paratrooper sits on the seat, tightens the seat belts, rests his head on the seat headrest, and his feet on the footrest on the floor. As in the base vehicle, attaching universal seats to the roof increases the protection of paratroopers in the ground position in the event of a mine or land mine explosion.

An important innovation in the BTR-MD was the installation on the bottom in the control compartment and the middle compartment of electric heating devices that work in conjunction with an electric fan and provide heating for the habitable volume of the armored personnel carrier in recirculation mode. The air is taken directly from the habitable volume and, after heating, supplied from under the elevated floor (such a system was not used on the BMD-3 and BMD-4). The power unit, transmission, chassis and controls of the BTR-MD are generally similar to the BMD-3 (BMD-4).

The BTR-MD quickly adapts to the tasks of evacuating the wounded or transporting supplies. For this purpose, in the middle compartment there are brackets and removable devices for installing multi-tiered stretchers with the wounded, as well as devices for securing various cargo (boxes with ammunition, containers with liquid substances, etc.) using seat belts with locks. In addition to brackets and belts for installing sanitary stretchers, along the sides of the vehicle in the middle compartment there are stowages with first aid equipment (for example, “Rosa-MT” kits, KI-4 oxygen inhalers, DP-10-02 artificial lung ventilation apparatus, etc. .). To load and unload transported cargo through the aft hatch, removable ramps and traction belts can be used. For external communications, VHF radio stations R-168-5UV and R-168-25U installed in the front part of the body are used, providing a radio communication range in motion of up to 10 and 20 km, respectively. The antenna leads are located on the hull roof - at the starboard side and at the edge of the aft hatch.

It is characteristic that the BTR-MD has the same combat weight as the BMD-3 - 13.2 tons. New base made it possible to increase the carrying capacity of an airborne armored personnel carrier by almost 1.5 times compared to the BTR-D and practically equalize it with the heavier amphibious BTR-50P (all these vehicles were produced at VgTZ). The buoyancy of the BTR-MD (“Shell”) is ensured by the displacement of the hull. A folding wave-reflective shield is installed on the upper frontal plate of the hull. The reserve of buoyancy, stability and height of the free side afloat in combination with water-jet propulsion allows not only overcoming water obstacles with a noticeable current, but also landing an armored personnel carrier from naval landing ships and overcoming the surf strip with a landing force or cargo. In case of waves, a pipe can be attached to the retractable air intake pipe to provide air intake during swimming. Although the TTZ for the development of landing equipment for the BTR-MD “Rakushka” was issued back in 1992, their creation was delayed even more than the BTR-MD itself. Only after the issuance of the TTZ on the topic “Bakhcha-U-PDS” (for BMD-4) in September 2009, the TTZ for the creation of landing equipment for an airborne armored personnel carrier was reissued as a supplement. But the future prospects for these landing systems remained uncertain.

Performance characteristics of the BTR-MD (“Object 955”)
Crew + troops, people 2+15
Load capacity, kg 2000
Air transportation - Il-76 (M, MD), An-22, An-124 aircraft, Mi-26 helicopter
Parachute landing - Airplanes such as Il-76 (M, MD), An-22, An-124
Landing with a vehicle, 3 people
Combat weight, t 13.2
Weapons:
- machine gun, quantity x caliber, brand - 1x7.62 mm, PKT
- installations for landing weapons - a forward one for a 5.45 mm RPKS74 machine gun, two side and a rear for 5.45 mm AKS74 machine guns
Engine:
- Four-stroke diesel with turbocharging, 2V-06-2
- number of cylinders, cooling - 6, liquid
- power 450 hp (at 2000 rpm)
Transmission - Hydromechanical, with differential rotation mechanism, with hydrostatic transmission
Water-jet propulsion, type - Hydrojet
Maximum driving speed;
- on the highway, km/h 71
- afloat, km/h 10.5
Average speed on a dry dirt road, km/h 45-50

Special airborne vehicles

The armored personnel carrier BTR-MD (“Shell”) served as the basis for a number of special machines. Among them is the MRD-U module mounted on the BTR-MD, which is integral part complex of automation equipment (CAS) of the tactical level air defense subsystem. KSA as a whole provides the ability to operate anti-aircraft weapons both as part of the created unified control system for the tactical level “Constellation”, and autonomously. The developer of the KSA, JSC NPP Rubin (Penza), introduced the MRD-U in 2008 among other modules of the complex.

MRU-D (9S932-2) is a reconnaissance and control module designed to equip battery command posts of the Airborne Forces. The vehicle's control compartment practically replicates the basic BTR-MD, but the commander's cupola on the left lacks a machine gun mount. The installation for the light machine gun on the right side of the front plate has been retained. The middle compartment has been converted into an operational compartment with space for two operators.

For each operator there is an automated workplace with a control panel, personal computer, communication and data transmission equipment and other equipment. The equipment units are mounted in a compartment on racks with standardized cells. For embarkation and disembarkation, operators use the large aft compartment hatch. At the top of the module there is an antenna-hardware post for a 1L122-1 air target detection radar with a rotary support device and four radio antennas for communications equipment.

Three-coordinate coherent-pulse radar 1L122-1 all-round viewing decimeter range (developed by NIIRT) provides detection, determination of coordinates and tracking of air targets such as airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles at ranges up to 40 km and at altitudes up to 10 km with an all-round view, determining their affiliation according to the “friend or foe” principle in conditions of active and passive interference by the enemy. The phased array antenna is made quite compact and folds inward when in the stowed position. Available automated system topographic references. To provide the equipment with electricity, a diesel generator is installed on the machine.

MRU-D can be used as part of batteries for the Strela-10MZ short-range air defense system. An anti-aircraft missile or gun-missile system on the BMD-3 (BMD-4) or BTR-MD chassis is not presented.

Also, the armored medical vehicle BMM-D1 (OKR “Travmatism”) and BMM-D2 were created on the BTR-MD chassis, and the dressing medical vehicle VDVBMM-DZ was created on an extended seven-roller chassis.

The BMD-3 served as the basis for the RKhM-5 radiation and chemical reconnaissance vehicle. The main contractors for work on RKhM-5 were OJSC Tula Plant and LLC Volgograd Machine-Building Company VgTZ. The vehicle is designed for conducting radiation, chemical and non-specific biological reconnaissance by airborne or naval assault units in the event of the use of weapons of mass destruction in difficult topographical, meteorological and night conditions, when overcoming natural and artificial obstacles, and water barriers. In accordance with the tasks being solved, it is equipped with domestically produced NBC reconnaissance equipment: IMD-type devices (dose rate meter), gas alarms, as well as inertial navigation means, means of collecting, processing and transmitting data, an installation for triggering chemical alarms, and a radio station.

In the control compartment along the axis of the vehicle there is a driver, in the middle compartment (in a fixed wheelhouse) there is a senior chemist on the left, on the right and slightly behind (on a universal seat) there is a commander of the vehicle, in front of the commander there is a coordinator of navigation equipment. A multifaceted welded armored tank with a flat roof is welded to the hull and rises 340-350 mm above the hull roof. The control room has intake and outlet openings for taking air and aerosol samples from the atmosphere, connected through electric air valves and tubes with radiation, chemical and biological reconnaissance devices (assembled in the instrument section rack behind the combat crew seats). The wheelhouse also contains sampling kits and fencing signs, containers for drinking water, and an FVU is mounted in the right side niche. There is a special protection system in case of a nuclear explosion with automatic sealing of the housing and shutdown of the main power and engine circuits during the passage of the shock wave. Taking into account work in conditions of radioactive contamination of the area, steel protective anti-radiation screens 10 mm thick were installed on the floor of the control compartment and the middle compartment under the feet of the members of the combat crew. In contaminated areas, the sealing of habitable compartments is maintained; The engine compartment remains open, the engine is running, and the machine can rush through the contaminated area. In the control compartment to the right of the driver there are cylinders of a tank degassing kit designed for partial degassing of the vehicle chassis. In addition to the standard radio station, as on the base vehicle, the RXM-5 is equipped with an additional radio receiver in the control room. The air heating system facilitates the work of calculations in the cold season.

For self-defense, a remote-controlled 7.62-mm machine gun mount with external power is mounted on the rotating commander's turret on the roof of the cabin. The directional installations have been removed, but the embrasures in the starboard side of the hull and the aft landing hatch of the hull have been preserved. Six smoke grenade launchers are installed on the sides of the cabin.

RHM-5 is designed for parachute landing with members of the combat crew inside the vehicle and, accordingly, is equipped with four universal seats. The vehicle can be transported on the external sling of a Mi-26 helicopter. The weight of the vehicle with a full load is the same 13.2 tons as that of the BMD-3, and the driving characteristics are generally similar to the base vehicle.

RKhM-5 was manufactured in 2009 and was tested at the base of the 106th Guards Airborne Division. This year, as reported, the first production copies were handed over to the troops.

The transfer of production of airborne combat vehicles to the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant caused, first of all, a change in the base chassis. BMD-4 and 2S25 "Sprut-SD" were still paraded in ceremonial formation at the parade in Moscow on May 9, 2008, but in March of the same year, a new airborne combat vehicle BMD-4M with the same a weapon system similar to the BMD-4, but on a completely different chassis. In April 2010, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation V.A. Popovkin announced that the Armed Forces are refusing to further purchase the BMD-4.

And the condition of the BMD-4M, work on which is still ongoing, is a special topic. We only note that with the stop of special production at VgTZ and the appearance of the BMD-4M, the fate of not only the BMD-4, but also the Sprut-SD SPTP, the BTR-MD armored personnel carrier and vehicles on their chassis remained uncertain. What exactly and how it will be possible to “translate” to the new chassis if it is accepted for supply, time will tell.

BMM-DZ

The November issue of the magazine “Behind the Wheel” publishes an article by Vadim Klochkov “Without a Tower,” which is a report on the BTR-MDM “Rakushka” armored personnel carrier. We bring to your attention the text of this material for your reference.

Armored hull, turret, cannon. Based on such signs, even a pacifist understands that he is facing formidable military equipment. But this crazy one - either a box or a casket - on caterpillar tracks, what can it do?

From heaven to earth

A combat vehicle named Rakushka made its debut at the May Victory Parade, but was lost among the tanks and missile systems. It's a shame! This year the latest development of our defense industry began to arrive in the air force. landing troops.

A new armored personnel carrier for troops is produced by Kurganmashzavod

Full title - BTR-MDM Shell. Specialty: amphibious airborne armored personnel carrier. To understand its purpose, you need a brief excursion into the history of blue berets.

In military affairs there is not just famous people, and the pillars. Modern airborne forces, without exaggeration, were built by the legendary “father” - Army General Vasily Filippovich Margelov. It was he who made the landing troops highly maneuverable, protected by armor and possessing sufficient fire efficiency. Under him, armored vehicles began to be landed with the crew inside.

Shells debut at the Victory Parade. The rubber inserts in the track tracks for driving on asphalt and paving stones are clearly visible.

Margelov’s ideology of using combat vehicles is still in effect today. Three units of armored tracked vehicles, that is, a platoon, must be transported and parachuted from one aircraft. Without going into details: this imposes a number of restrictions on the dimensions and weight of landing equipment.

The newly adopted BMD-4M, a classic combat vehicle with a turret and cannon, matches them. She takes on board three crew members and five paratroopers. The Shell was also created on a platform unified with it. The transport Il-76 also fits three BTR-MDM. What has changed?

Minus the turret with weapons, plus the number of seats. The Shell can accommodate two crew members and thirteen paratroopers! And that's not it. The transporter has a ton of talent. It can be not only an armored bus, but also a two-ton truck, a medical, sapper or communications vehicle. Capable of supporting infantry with fire from two machine guns, but frontal attacks are not his calling. But it will deliver soldiers to firing lines, transport ammunition, and evacuate the wounded. The joint actions of the co-platform BMD-4M and BTR-MDM are perfectly suited for the implementation of Margelov’s concept of mobile connections.

Comfortably to the front line

The conveyor body is welded, the so-called chopping type. Consists of a control compartment, a troop compartment and a motor-transmission compartment. Bulletproof armor. Engine - multi-fuel atmospheric diesel UTD-29 with a power of 500 hp.

The chassis has four support and five support rollers on each side on air-hydraulic springs. Working ground clearance is 450 mm, but it can be reduced to 130 mm or increased to 530 mm. For what? For example, a car manages to get into some transport planes only by thoroughly “crouching down.”

Hatch in the aft part of the wheelhouse for landing troops. Swimming vests for soldiers and crew are attached to it.

The inclined hatch in the stern of the wheelhouse is open - I look into the depths of the Shell. How spacious it is here! Usually armored vehicles are large on the outside and small on the inside, but with the new transporter the opposite is true. I'm counting the seats: yeah, thirteen in the troop compartment and four in the front of the vehicle. It turned out to be two more than stated in the passport data.

Where do the extra ones come from? These are seats for landing the crew in the car. The commander and driver land in them, and then transfer to regular seats. The armored personnel carrier has six hatches, but it is not difficult to get from end to end from the middle compartment to the driver's place in the control compartment.

The commander has the least space. His seat is surrounded by instruments and optics, and the hatch is perhaps the narrowest. It’s not surprising: nearby on the roof are mounting elements for a remote-controlled all-round machine gun, sighting and instrument systems, and an illuminator. Another machine gun, a course one, is installed in the front part on the right, in front of the paratrooper’s seat. It's also quite comfortable here.

RPM, speed, distance traveled, engine hours are displayed on a color monitor. Other readings can also be displayed. The driver’s place is in the center of the car. The commander is on the left, the paratrooper and part-time machine gun shooter is on the right. The semi-automatic gearbox lever and control wheel. The black button in the center of the hub turns on the rotating mode.

The driver's workplace is similar to that in the BMD-4M. Instead of a rudder there is a steering wheel. Nearby is the lever of a four-speed semi-automatic transmission. There are two pedals: gas and brake. It is easy to lift the chair up to operate the car by sticking your head into the open hatch.

In a combat situation (with the hatch closed), they are guided by three periscope observation devices, and the central one, if necessary, is replaced by a night vision device. There are no analog devices in Rakushka. The driver has a huge display of the digital information and control system at his disposal. All parameters - temperature, pressure, voltage, revolutions, speed, etc. - are displayed on a color LCD screen.

In the troop compartment, each side has three double seats. They look simple, but comfortable. It’s nice that a tall person’s knees don’t rest against the backs of the front seats. These seats can be reclined to the sides. If you need to transport boxes of ammunition, barrels of fuel and lubricants, spare parts and other cargo, they are secured with belts. Along the sides there are devices for fixing stretchers with wounded. The stretcher can be arranged in three tiers.

Rakushka has an outdoor air purification system with a filter and ventilation unit. What is important is that the smoke of your own diesel engine does not leak into the cabin. The engine and transmission compartment is well isolated from the habitable compartments.

The troop compartment can accommodate 13 soldiers or 2 tons of cargo. For a Spartan armored vehicle interior, it is quite spacious.

The BTR-MDM had a predecessor, put into service in 1974, a landing transporter. It was considered a successful car and became the basis for countless modifications. It is curious that, unlike other Soviet armored vehicles, it was never exported. The new product is superior to the old transporter in all respects: it is better armored, the engine is twice as powerful. So the Shell has every chance to become an equally versatile and sought-after machine.

Two auger-type water-jet propulsors allow you to swim at a speed of 10 km/h.

For landing equipment, variable ground clearance is a necessity. This is how the Shell changes the ground clearance from minimum to maximum.

The current commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov, unveiled plans for the rearmament of paratroopers: by 2025, the troops should receive one and a half thousand new BMD-4M and two and a half thousand BTR-MDM.

, at the beginning of January, at the Slobodka Airborne Forces training ground, this is the base of the Tula Airborne Forces, rig tests of the newest armored transporters entering the Russian troops since 2013 took place.

armored personnel carrier btr mdm shell

“Object 955”, also known as the MDM armored personnel carrier, was developed at VgTZ as part of the Rakushka design and development project. Design and technical specifications, multi-purpose amphibious high-speed armored airborne and air-transportable tracked vehicle for solving transport problems of amphibious assault units and airborne troops. Unlike the popular BMD-BTR-D family used by the troops, the airborne BTR-MD differs from the BMD-3 airborne combat vehicle in its slightly increased hull dimensions and the absence of a turret.

armored personnel carrier md shell

BMD-BTR-D, BTR-MD airborne armored personnel carrier

, were tested in order to ensure the timely equipping of the Airborne Forces with modern weapons. For the landing force, this type of equipment has a unique armored, super-maneuverable tracked vehicle “Minibus” for use in conditions of direct enemy influence. In addition, the vehicle commander now has the ability to fire a machine gun on the move in a 360” sector without putting his life in danger.

new armored personnel carrier shell

During controlled military operation, regular crews of units, under the control of representatives of the manufacturer, test the latest equipment in conditions close to combat.
Let's watch a selection of videos from MDM Shell.

This machine has recently been tested. All crews are exclusively contract military personnel. The latest models of military equipment Armored personnel carrier MDM "Shell" armored personnel carrier photo come within the framework of the state defense order.

BTR MDM Shell photo

At the Slobodka Airborne Forces training ground, the delivery of airborne combat units and evacuation from operation sites was demonstrated, regardless of the complexity of the terrain or the combat situation on the BTR-MDM. At the same time, combat vehicles carried out automatic fire in defense from standard weapons, passed a tank route with shooting, overcame a rutted bridge, scarp, anti-tank ditch, mound, slope, mine-explosive obstacles, etc. In addition, the capability of the predecessor of the “Rakushka” - the BTR- D, which has been in service with the Airborne Forces since the 1970s.

Shell armored personnel carrier Slobodka base of the Tula Airborne Forces

Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier MD

Armored personnel carrier modifications

1. BTR-MD - basic modification based on the BMD-4 airborne combat vehicle
2. BMM-D - armored medical landing vehicle (armored ambulance transporter - BMM-D1, armored medical platoon vehicle - BMM-D2
3. BTR-MDM - a modernized version based on the BMD-4M airborne combat vehicle

newest armored personnel carriers photos

On this moment there are about 30 units in military units "Armored personnel carrier Shell photo", about 10 more MDM armored personnel carriers will enter service in 2015 as part of the state defense order.