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^ AJAJK-4UAPC (Russia)
KEY RECOGNITION FEATURES • Engine front with opentopped troop compartment rear, firing ports each side and entry door at rear which normally has spare wheel and tyre • Armoured air intake grille under nose, engine compartment roof sloping up towards commander's and driver's flap that can be locked in horizontal open position
SPECIFICATIONS Crew: Configuration: Armament: Ammunition: Length: Width: Height: Ground clearance: Wheelbase: Weight, combat: Power-to-weight ratio: Engine:
2+8 4x4
1 x 7.62mm MG 1,250 x 7.62mm 5m 1.9m 1.75m (without armament) 0.275m 2.7m 5,300kg 15hp/tonne GAZ-40 6-cylinder water-cooled in-line petrol developing 80hp at 3,400rpm 80km/hr Maximum road speed: 285km Range: 120 lit Fuel capacity: 0.8m Fording: 0.47m Vertical obstacle: Trench: 0.7m (with channels) 60% Gradient: 30% Side slope: Armour: 8mm (maximum) Armour type: Steel NBC system: None Night vision equipment: Yes (driver only, infra-red]
Entered service with the former Soviet Army in 1950 and used both as ARC and command and reconnaissance vehicle; in the latter role it was replaced in the late 1950s by BRDM-1 (4x4] which had better cross-country mobility and was fully amphibious. Three pintle mounts for MGs round hull top. In the former Soviet Army the BTR-40 was often referred to as the Sorokovke. As far as it is known, none remain in front line service with the former Soviet Army.
VARIANTS Original version did not have firing ports. Models built from the 1950s were designated BTR-40Vand have central tyre pressure regulation system. Some BTR-40s have 4,500kg winch mounted at front of vehicle. BTR-40A anti-aircraft vehicle has same turret as BTR-152A armed with twin 14.5mm MGs; no longer in front line Soviet service. BTR-40B APC has overhead armour protection for troop compartment, carries six troops plus two-man crew. BTR-40Kh is chemical reconnaissance vehicle with equipment at rear to dispense marking pennants. BTR-40 zhd has steel wheels for running on railway lines. STATUS Production complete. In service with Afghanistan, Burundi, Cuba, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, North Korea, Laos, Mali, Mozambique, Syria, Tanzania, Vietnam and Yemen. In many of these countries the vehicle is in second line use, often with militia units.
DEVELOPMENT BTR-40 was developed from 1944, essentially a lengthened and modified GAZ-63 (4x4j truck chassis with fully armoured body.
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MANUFACTURER Russian state arsenals.
