BRDM-2

BRDM-2 Amphibious Scout Car (Russia)

KEY RECOGNITION

FEATURES

• Lower part of hull has vertical sides and rear, upper part slopes inwards, engine compartment roof slopes down to rear

• Belly wheels raised when travelling on roads, trim vane under nose when not required

• Turret on centre of hull roof with flat top. Only means of entry and exit via two circular hatches forward of turret

286

SPECIFICATIONS

Crew: Configuration: Armament:

Ammunition:

Lengthy Width: Height: Ground clearance: Wheelbase: Weight, combat: Power-to-weight ratio: Engine:

Maximum road speed: Maximum water speed: Road range: Fuel capacity: Fording: Vertical obstacle: Trench: Gradient: Side slope: Armour: Armour type: NBC system: Night vision equipment: c ^ aass ^ 0A" ~\ BRDM-2 (4x4)

4 4x4 1 x 14.5mm MG (main), 1 x 7.62mm , MG (coaxial) 500 x 14.5mm, 2,000 7.62mm 5.75m 2.35m 2.31m 0.43m 3.1m 7,000kg 20hp/tonne GAZ-41 V-8 water-cooled petrol developing 140hp at 3,400rpm 100km/hr lOkm/hr 750km 290 lit Amphibious 0.4m 1.25m 60% 30% 3-7mm Steel Yes Yes (driver and commander, infra-red)

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DEVELOPMENT

BRDM-2 was developed as the replacement for the BRDM-1 (4x4) and was first seen in public during 1966. Main improvements are better road and cross-country performance, heavier armament in fully enclosed turret, more powerful rearmounted engine, improved amphibious capabilities, NBC system and night vision equipment.

Commander and driver sit side-by-side at front with roof hatch behind. Turret is the same as on the OT-64 Model 2A (8x8), BTR-70 and BTR-60PB (8x8) armoured personnel carriers and has no roof hatch. The 14.5mm KPVT MG is mounted on left with 7.62mm PKT MG right; both have manual elevation from -5° to +30° and manual traverse through 360°.

Standard equipment on all BRDM-2s includes central tyre pressure system, decontamination kit, winch and land navigation system. Two powered belly wheels can be lowered to the ground each side to improve cross-country mobility.

VARIANTS

BRDM-2-RKhb radiological-chemical reconnaissance vehicle has two rectangular racks, one each side at rear, which dispense lane marking poles with pennants.

BRDM-2U command vehicle retains turret of BRDM-2 but has additional communications equipment. BRDM-2U command vehicle normally has turret replaced by small roof-mounted generator and two roof-mounted antennas. SA-9 Gaskin SAM system is based on BRDM-2 chassis. BRDM-2 with Sagger ATGWs (see TDs). BRDM-2 with Spandrel ATGWs (see TDs). BRDM-2 with Swatter ATGWs (see TDs).

STATUS

Production complete. In service with Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gaza, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzberkistan, Vietnam, Yemen, Yugoslavia and Zambia

MANUFACTURER

Molotov GAZ Plant, Gorkiy, former USSR.

Above: BRDM-2 with commander's and driver's hatches open (Richard Strickland)