Basic Information

Name

R-149MA3 Russian 8x8 Amphibious Command and Signal Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)

Designation

R-149MA3

Alternate Designation

—

Equipment Type

—

Manufacturer

Gorkiy Automobile Factory

Date of Introduction

1990

Description

R-149MA3 unified command vehicle based on BTR-80 APC. Unified command vehicle R-149MA3 is designated for providing command management and communications for the units and servicemen of company-platoon-squad levels. See Communication Equipment. The BTR-80 is an 8×8 wheeled amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC) designed in the USSR. The BTR-80 is a modern, lightly armored vehicle with a diesel power plant. It is manufactured at the Gorkiy Automobile Factory in Nizhniy Novgorod and has been in service since the early 1980s. The BTR-80 is a lightly armored amphibious vehicle with a collective chemical-biological-radiological (CBR) protective system. Operated by a crew of three, the vehicle can carry a squad of seven infantry troops. The BTR-80 8 x 8 armored personnel carrier is intended to carry personnel on the battlefield and provide close fire support. It can also carry out reconnaissance, combat support and patrol missions. It entered service with the Russian army in the late 1980's and has since been used in a number of military conflicts, including UN peacekeeping operations. The vehicle is in production and in service with the Russian army and with a number of other countries.The BTR-80 is superior to BTR-60/70 with a larger chassis, high-angle-of- fire turret, and single more powerful diesel engine (vs gasoline). Although the armament is same as BTR-60 and BTR-70, except for added smoke grenade dispensers on the back of the turret, the conical turret has been improved and the gun can elevate higher.

Ground Specifications

Crew 3

Mobility Type Wheeled (8x8)

Engine Water-cooled, V8 Diesel

Variants

BTR-80 (GAZ-5903) Original w/ 3 firing ports on each side & smoke grenade launchers.

BTR-80A (GAZ-59034 Stabilized turret w/ 2A72 gun, 7.62-mm coax MG, & new right side firing port.

BTR-80AK BTR-80A CP variant with 1 firing port on right side and 2 whip antennas at rear corners

BTR-80K (GAZ-59031) Command Post for 6; different turret w/ MGs & 3 radios (R-173, R-173P & R-159)

BTR-80 Kushetka-B (M1989/1) Command vehicle with additional communications gear & gun removed

BTR-80 PBKM (KM-80) Command vehicle with increased radio communications equipment

BTR-805 Modular turret armaments system (14.5-mm KPVT MG) & better fire control/sights

BTR-80 with Cummins Diesel Western Cummins 6CTA 8.3-C250 diesel engine test model; road speed to 100 km/h and range to 600 km

BTR-82/BTR-82A (Russia & Kazakhstan) Latest version; see separate WEG sheet

BTR-80UP (Ukraine) BTR-80 with 300hp engine improved armor protection & air conditioning

BTR-80UP-KB (Ukraine) Battalion level command vehicle

BTR-80UP-KR (Ukraine) Company level command vehicle

BTR-80UP-S (Ukraine) Staff Vehicle

BTR-80UP-M (Ukraine) Battlefield Ambulance

BTR-80UP-BREM (Ukraine) ARV

BTR-80UP-R (Ukraine) Dedicated reconnaissance vehicle

BTR-80UP-T (Ukraine) Dedicated cargo transport variant

KShM Kushetka-B (Ukraine) Command vehicle based upon the K1Sh1

BTR-94 (Ukraine) Amphibious armored car with twin 23-mm 2A7M guns (same guns as the ZSU-23-4)

BTR-3U/Okhotnik (Guardian) (Ukraine) 2001 BTR-94 upgrade w/ Shkval 1man turret w/ 30-mm gun, twin AT-5 ATGM launchers, 30-mm AGL, & a 7.62-mm MG. Jordanian version uses twin 23-mm gun & donated to the new Iraqi armed forces

BTR-3E1 (Ukraine) Export BTR-3U with the Shturm turret; 30-mm ZTM cannon, a 40mm AGL, & a 7.62-mm MG & a twin Barrier ATGM system.

BTR-4 (Ukraine) Soldiers enter & leave the vehicle through rear doors; Grom overhead weapons station with 30-mm automatic cannon, 7.62mm coax MG, & up to 4 9P135M Konkurs or Baryer ATGM missiles, & 1 30-mm AGL

BTR-80 GKKO (Hungary) Proposed vehicle with additional observation equipment, but no turret

BTR-80M (Hungary) 1993 Improvement with 240-hp DMZ-238M2 series engine

BTR-80 MPAEJ (Hungary) Battlefield engineer variant without turret

BTR-80 MPFJ (Hungary) Obstacle clearance vehicle without armament

BTR-80 MVJ (Hungary) ARV

BTR-80 SKJ (Hungary) Battlefield ambulance variant with enlarged passenger compartment

BTR-80 VSV (Hungary) NBC reconnaissance vehicle

TAB Zimbru (B33)(Romania) BTR-80 w/268hp Model 1240 V8-DTS engine, Romanian radios, & more 12.7-mm ammo storage space

Zimbru 2000 (Romania) Proposed improved TAB Zimbru with enlarged hull & 285-hp engine

Saur 1 (Romania) 2006 prototype with 275hp Cummins engine, rear entry/exit doors & new turret

Saur 2 (Romania) Improved Saur 1 prototype

BTR-80 "Caribe" (Columbia) Colombian designation for BTR-80 with 12.7mm machine gun

Kliver Turret System Prototype with the Kliver turret (see separate entry)

ZS-96 PSYOP variant w/ loudspeakers

ZS-88 Loudspeakers for PSYOP operations and riot control

“Tajfun” Prototype proposed for base security forces with a 7.62mm MG & the Kredo-1 radar

UNSh Standardized name for expanded chassis, but called Kusheta-B, ACRV, & BM

SPR-2 Wide Band Jamming System Turretless w/ large telescopic antenna to neutralize artillery shells with proximity fuses

RKhM-4-02 Upgraded RKhM-4 NBC reconnaissance vehicle

RKhM-4-01 Improved/modernized RKhM4 NBC vehicle

RKhM-4 NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle Outfitted with NBC equipment

RPM-2 (NKR) Radiological Reconnaissance Vehicle that first appeared in 2000

R-439-MD2 Satellite communications vehicle

R-439-BK1 Improved R-439-BK satellite communications vehicle

R-439-BK (Legenda 2BK) Satellite communications vehicle

R-165B Short-wave signal/ communications vehicle

R-149BM4A Command and Signal Vehicle

R-149BMR Signal/Communications vehicle

PU-12M7 (9S482MU) Improved PU-12M6 FA battery command vehicle

PU-12M6 (9S482M6) Field Artillery (FA) battery command vehicle

P-240BTZ Switchboard platform

K1Sh1 (GAZ-59032) (UNSH) Command Post with enlarged hull w/o turret armament

E-351BrM Mobile power station with diesel/electric generator

BREM-K (GAZ-59033) ARV Armored recovery vehicle with A-frame, tow bars, & stabilizers

BMM-80 (GAZ-59039 or Simfoniya) Battlefield ambulance for 9 sitting or 2 litter patients

BMM-3 Battlefield ambulance used as a mobile field hospital

BMM-2 Battlefield ambulance for use at the battalion level for field treatment

BMM-1 Battlefield ambulance for first aid & MEDVAC operations

BMM Medical series; BMM-1 (ambulance), BMM-2 (Bn Aid Stn), & BMM-3 (Bde Aid Stn)

2S23 (Nona-SVK) SP GunMortar System (Fire Support Vehicle) Breach-loaded 2A60 120-mm rifled mortar/gun system similar to the 2S9

BTR-80 R-975 Forward air control vehicle

BTR-80 1V152 Artillery C2 & forward observation vehicle w/ range finding, navigation & new optics

System

Description Command and Control Tactical 8 X 8 wheeled APC.

Crew 3 ea

Personnel 7 ea

In Service 1990-Present

Dimensions

Length 7.7 m

Width 2.9 m

Height 2.41 m

Weight, Combat 13.6 tons

Automotive

Engine Name KamAZ-7403

Engine Type Water-cooled, V8 Diesel

Automotive Performance 260 hp

Range, Cruising 600 km

Speed, Maximum Road 80 km/h

Speed, Maximum Off-Road 60 km/h

Speed, Maximum Swim 10 km/h

Gradient 60 deg

Side Slope 40 deg

Vertical Step 0.5 m

Trench 2.0 m

Fording Depth Amphibious m

Communications

Radio #1

Name R-168-0.1UM

Quantity 1 ea

Type VHF

Frequency 44-56 MHz

Capabilities Voice Data

Maximum Range 1.2 km

Mount Type Portable

In Service Yes

Radio #2

Name R-168-25U-2

Quantity 2 ea

Type VHF

Frequency 30-108 MHz

Capabilities FH Voice Data Retrans

Maximum Range 25-40 km

Mount Type Vehicle

In Service Yes

Radio #3

Name R-168-MRA

Quantity 1 ea

Type UHF

Frequency 1.5-1.75 GHz

Capabilities Voice and Data

Maximum Range 6-20

Mount Type Vehicle

In Service Yes

Main Weapons System

System

Name KPVT 14.5mm Heavy Machine Gun (KPV)

Type Heavy Machine Gun (KPV)

Caliber 14.5mm mm

Manufacturer V.A. Degtyarev Plant

In Service 1949-Present

Proliferated Widely Proliferated Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Armenia Bangladesh Benin Bulgaria: locally produced Cambodia Cameroon Congo China: Type 56 machine gun, produced by Norinco Cuba Czechoslovakia (ex) Egypt Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Finland (KPVT) Georgia Guinea-Bissau Hungary India - Manufactured at Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli Iraq- Iraqi Armed Forces Popular Mobilization Forces Iraqi Kurdistan Iran Islamic State Ivory Coast Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Laos Lebanon Libya Malawi Mali - Armed and Security Forces of Mali Malta - North Korea-made KPVs Mongolia Mozambique Myanmar North Korea Nicaragua Pakistan: Used by the Pakistan Army. Panama Poland Romania: KPV and KPVT built under license Russia Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic São Tomé and Príncipe Serbia (KPVT) Sierra Leone: Chinese QJG56 and Polish KPVT Slovenia (KPVT) Somalia South Africa Sudan Syria Togo Ukraine Yemen Vietnam Tanzania Zimbabwe

Weight 49 kg

Length, Total 1.980 mm

Barrel Length 1,346 mm

Width 162 mm

Height 225 mm

Rate of Fire 600 rds/min

Maximum Firing Range 4,000 m

Effective Firing Range 3,000 m

Feed System 40-round belt

Sights iron or optical

Maximum Elevation +60 deg

Minimum Elevation -4 deg

Fire on the Move Yes

Ammunition

Name INA

Type API-T

Caliber 14.5 mm

Cartridge 14.5×114 mm

Muzzle Velocity 1,005 m/s

Basic Load 500 ea

Effective Range (Day) 2,000 m

Effective Range (Night) INA

Tactical Range 1,500-2,000 m

Armor Penetration 20 at 1,000 m/ 30 at 500 m

Note Additional Ammo includes: API, I-T

Auxiliary Weapon System

System

Name 7.62mm PKT (Kalashnikov's Machine Gun)

Caliber 7.62 mm

Function In use as a front-line infantry and vehicle-mounted weapon with Russia's armed forces.

In Service 1961-present

Manufacturer Degtyaryov plant

Proliferation 1 Million +

Max Rate of Fire 650 rds/min

Effective Rate of Fire 250-300 rds.min

Weight (Gun Only) 9 kg

Weight (Tripod Only) 7.7 kg

Length, Total 1,203 mm

Length, Barrel 605 mm

Action Gas-operated, open bolt

Feed System Non-disintegrating metal 50 round belts in 100 and 200/250 round ammunition boxes

Sights Tangent iron sights (default); Optical, Night-vision, Thermal and Radar sights

Effective Firing Range (With Sight Adjustments) 100-1,500 m

Ammunition

Name 57-N-323S

Type Rifle

Caliber 7.62 mm

Cartridge 7.62×54mmR km

Muzzle Velocity 855 m/s

Basic Load 2,500 ea

Accuracy of fire at 300 m 90 mm

Fire Control

Name INA

Computerized FCS INA

Thermal Sight Vehicle Commander INA

Thermal Sight Gunner INA

Gunner Day Sights 1P3-6, 1.2x/4x

Main Gun Stabilization No

Infrared Searchlight OU-3GA2M

Protection

Hull Armor Front armor of the BTR-80 APC protects against 12.7 mm rounds. All-round protection is against 7.62 mm rounds and artillery shell splinters.

Turret Armor Protection against 12.7mm and shrapnel

Applique Armor Available

Explosive Reactive Armor INA

Active Protection System INA

Mine Clearing INA

Self-Entrenching Blade INA

NBC Protection Yes, Collective

Smoke Equipment 6 x 81-mm smoke grenade launchers

Image Sources

Notes https://www.russiadefence.net/t4933p600-russian-military-photos-and-videos-3; https://www.armatec.bg/products/btr-80;