20 BTR-80 APC, Former Soviet Union

MT-LB Carrier

The MT-LB is not really an APC but an amphibious multi-purpose tracked carrier which may be adapted to meet virtually any armoured support vehicle requirement conceivable, for its simple basic design has proved to be highly adaptable.

First seen in 1970, the MT-LB was originally employed as an artillery tractor but is now only rarely encountered in this role. Instead, the MT-LB can carry up to 11 troops in its main load-carrying compartment behind the two-man crew compartment, which may be surmounted by a 7.62 mm MG in a small turret for the commander. However, the MT-LB can function as a front line load carrier for anything from ammunition to fuel, or as a mobile platform for numerous weapon systems and even as the basis for a self-propelled 122 mm howitzer (the 2S9). One variant, the MT-LBV, has extra-wide tracks for operations over snow and soft terrain.

There are also light repair and recovery variants, 82 and 120 mm

Former Soviet Union

mortar carriers, combat engineer reconnaissance vehicles, battlefield radar carriers, armoured ambulances, air defence missile carriers, the seemingly inevitable command posts for all roles, NBC reconnaissance vehicles, and so on - the list seems endless and probably is. Just one series of examples may suffice. In 1993 Sweden purchased some 800 former East German MT-LB carriers (at a very favourable price). Some of these wl be modernised, with about 200 being stripped down for spares. Once updated these will be used by the Swedish Army as command vehicles, load carriers, and to carry mortars and other weapons. Swedish expertise has also been employed to mount a 40 mm Bofors Gun turret on a Polish licence-produced MT-LB chassis, possibly for Polish Army service.

MT-LBs have also been licenceproduced in Bulgaria; their BMP-23IFV is based on the MT-LB and they have developed their own array of variants.

MT-LB Carrier

Crew: 2 Seating: up to 11 Weight: (combat) 11,900kg Length: 6.454 m Width: 2.86m Height: 1 865 m Ground clearance: 0.4 m Track: 2.3m Max speed: (road) 61.5 km/h Fuel capacity: 450 litres Range: 500 km Fording: amphibious Vertical obstacle: 0.6 m Engine: YaMZ 238 V V-8 diesel Power output: 240 hp Suspension: torsion bar Armament: 1 x 7.62 mm MG Variants: Many - see text

A captured Iraqi Army MT-LBAPC, a versatile and much-used general purpose carrier.