BMP-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (Russia) KEY RECOGNITION FEATURES • Pointed nose with almost horizontal ribbed glacis plate, driver front left, engine compartment louvres in roof to right, turret slightly to rear of vehicle, troop compartment rear with two roof hatches. Vertical hull rear with two bulged doors opening rear. Similar in appearance to BMP1 but with different turret and wider hull • Turret has long-barrelled 30mm cannon with muzzle brake, three forward-firing smoke dischargers each side of turret, ATGW launcher in centre of turret at rear. Four firing ports in left side of hull and three in right plus one in each rear door • Suspension each side has six road wheels, drive sprocket front, idler rear, track-return rollers covered by skirts with horizontal ribs
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SPECIFICATIONS
DEVELOPMENT
Crew: Armament:
The BMP-2 IFV is a further development of BMP-1 and was first seen in public during a Moscow parade in 1982. In addition to a more powerful engine BMP-2 has a new two-man turret with different weapons. Driver sits front left with one of the seven infantrymen to his rear, engine compartment to his right. Turret is slightly to rear with troop compartment far rear. Six infantrymen sit three each side back to back, each man with firing port in side of hull and periscope above. Two-man turret has commander on right, gunner on left, new 30mm cannon with powered elevation up to +75° for use against helicopters and slow-flying aircraft, turret traverse 360° and 30mm cannon fully stabilised. 7.62mm MG is mounted coaxial to left of 30mm cannon. Mounted on turret roof rear is launcher for AT-5 Spandrel ATGW which has maximum range of 4,000m. Some vehicles have launcher for 2500mm AT-4 Spigot instead. Some BMP-2s have applique armour on turrets and hulls. BMP-2 is fully amphibious, propelled by its tracks. Before entering the water a trim vane is erected at front of hull and bilge pumps switched on.
3+7 1 x 30mm cannon, 1 x 7.62mm MG (coaxial), 1 x Spandrel ATGW launcher, 2 x 3 smoke grenade dischargers Ammunition: 500 x 30mm, 2,000 x 7.62mm, 4 x Spandrel ATGW 6.735m Length: 3.15m Width: Height: 2.45m 0.42m Ground clearance: Weight, combat: 14,300kg Power-to-weight ratio: 20.30hp/tonne Model UTD-20 6-cylinder diesel Engine: developing 300hp at 2,600rpm Maximum road speed: 65km/hr Maximum water speed: 7km/hr Maximum road range: 600km Fuel capacity: 462 lit Fording: Amphibious Vertical obstacle: 0.7m Trench: 2.5m Gradient: 60% Side slope: 30% Armour: Classified Armour type: Steel NBC system: Yes Night vision equipment: Yes (commander, gunner and driver)
VARIANTS BMP-2D, late production vehicle with applique armour and provision for fitting mine clearing equipment under nose of vehicle. BMP-2K, command version with additional communications equipment. BVP-2, Czechoslovakian designation for BMP-2. A number of upgrades are available including the Kliver turret and another with standard turret but with new sights and 30mm grenade launcher.
