BTR -70

The BTR-70 is a combat wheeled amphibious vehicle designed to transport personnel of motorized rifle units of land forces. It is a four-axle vehicle with independent suspension, eight-wheel drive (with all wheels steering), high dynamic characteristics, smooth ride, circular armor, and machine gun armament (KPVT machine gun of 14.5 mm caliber and PKT machine gun of 7.62 mm caliber).

In order to improve the characteristics of the BTR-60PS, a new armored personnel carrier – the BTR-70 was developed based on it and adopted by the Soviet army in 1971. Serial production began in 1976. Initially, the vehicle was manufactured at the Gorky Automobile Plant. From 1981, production was transferred to the Arzamas plant for automotive parts. The first vehicle was produced on February 23, 1981.

The BTR-70 is a combat wheeled amphibious armored vehicle designed to transport personnel of mechanized units and their fire support. The hull of the vehicle is closed, with a smooth bottom, waterproof, sealed, made of steel armored sheets, designed to accommodate the crew and troops, protect them from small arms fire, as well as from direct exposure to light radiation, radioactive and poisonous substances. The body consists of a frontal part, sides, aft part, roof, and bottom. The frontal parts have armor thickness of 8-10 mm. The turret of the armored personnel carrier is welded from armored sheets with a thickness of 6 mm in the front part and has the shape of a truncated cone. It is designed for circular aimed fire at ground targets from paired KPVT and PKT machine guns installed in it. The hull is a load-bearing structure on which all the vehicle's units and mechanisms are mounted, and it has three compartments.

In the stern of the hull there is a power plant compartment, in which two engines, a clutch and a gearbox are mounted on one frame. The power plant compartment is separated from the rest of the hull by a bulkhead with hatches for access to the engines. The power compartment also houses fuel tanks, which are isolated from the rest of the compartment.

In the middle part of the hull is the combat compartment, which houses the turret mount, ammunition stacks, surveillance devices and other equipment. In addition, the combat compartment has two twin three-seat and two single seats for troops.

In the front of the hull is the control room, which houses the vehicle’s controls, observation devices, a winch, a radio station and workstations for the driver and commander of the BTR.

The main armament is a 14.5-mm KPVT machine gun with a maximum range of 2 km. The ammunition capacity is 500 rounds.

Additionally, the turret mount is equipped with a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun paired with the KPVT. The firing range is up to 1.5 km. The transportable ammunition is 2000 rounds.

The commander’s observation devices include three TNPO-115 and one TPKU-2B, and a TKN-1S device for night observation, with an OU-3GA-2M illuminator installed on the shield. The driver has three TNPO-115s, one TPN-B, and a TVNO-2B for night observation. The turret mount has a PP-61AM sight and a TNPT-1 observation device. The trooper has seven hatches in the hull for observation, as well as two TNP-B observation devices.

To ensure external communication, the R-123M radio station is used, which is located to the right of the commander's seat. For internal negotiations, a three-subscriber R-124 intercom is used.

Two ZMZ-4905 gasoline engines are used as a power plant. Their total power is 240 hp.

The transmission has a single-disc, friction, damper clutch. The transmission is manual, with four front and one rear gear. There are synchronizers in third and fourth gears.

The chassis is wheeled, has 8 wheels with a size of 9-18” with split rims. Wheel tires are pneumatic modification K-58, size 13.00-18”, with the ability to adjust the pressure depending on road conditions.

The suspension of the machine is independent lever-torsion, consisting of 8 torsions, 16 suspension levers, as well as 12 double-acting hydraulic shock absorbers.

• The BTR-70DI (BTR-7) is a Ukrainian modernization of the BTR-70 produced by the Mykolaiv Armored Plant. The vehicle is equipped with the Zaslin active protection system, a television, combined day and night sight with a laser rangefinder and Panorama panoramic view system, an automatic fire extinguishing system, air conditioning, two FPT Iveco Tector diesel engines (Euro 3), and a six-speed manual transmission. Mine protection has been enhanced, 3A and 3B according to NATO classification. The combat compartment has been modernized, equipped with a 30-mm automatic grenade launcher AGS-17, Barrier ATGM (4 ATGM). It can be equipped with a 30-mm ZTM-2 automatic cannon and an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of conducting reconnaissance within a radius of about 20 km.
• BTR-70M is a Ukrainian modification of the BTR-70. The modernization was carried out by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau as part of the state Defence order to equip peacekeeping units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A multi-fuel diesel engine was installed instead of two gasoline engines. It is armed with a 14.5 mm heavy machine gun KPVT and a 7.62 mm twin machine gun PKT.
• BTR-70 KBA-2 is a Ukrainian modernization of the BTR-70 produced by the Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau. It is equipped with a Ukrainian-made UTD-20 diesel engine with a capacity of 300 hp instead of two gasoline engines and a 30-mm KBA-2 gun instead of a KPVT machine gun.
• BTR-70T is a Ukrainian modernization of the BTR-70 manufactured by Tekhimpeks. It has new side airborne hatches like the BTR-80, a R-173 radio station, two new D245.30E2 diesel engines with a total capacity of 312 hp, front and rear marker lights of the BTR-80, and new wheels with tubeless tires. It is also possible to install other combat modules.
• AMV Kovcheg is a Ukrainian armored medical vehicle manufactured by the Mykolaiv Armored Plant.
• Varan is a deep modernization of the Ukrainian company Tekhimpeks on the BTR-70 chassis.