Basic Information

Name

BMP-1AK Ukrainian Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)

Designation

BMP-1AK

Alternate Designation

—

Equipment Type

Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)

Manufacturer

Wtórplast. (A Polish company)

Date of Introduction

2018

Description

The BMP-1AK is an infantry fighting vehicle designed to transport a section of infantry into combat under protection, and provide fire support with its main armament, as well as a platform from which the infantry can fight. It is designed to be amphibious, and provide sufficient mobility to accompany main battle tanks wherever it might be needed. In 2018, the Ukrainian Army received an unspecified number of made-to-order BMP-1AK variants from the Polish company Wtórplast. The BMP-1AK is an overhauled version of the standard Polish BMP-1. The specific level of protection offered by the BMP-1AK variant is not known Its designation “1AK”, which reportedly stands for anti-Kumulyativnaya (HEAT round protection), suggests possible improvement to the armor through the addition of composites. The IFV also features improved night vision systems and Ukrainian-originated tactical radios. The ATGM launcher featured on previous BMP models has been removed from this model.

Ground Specifications

Crew 3

Engine Diesel (360 hp)

Active Protection None

Range 550.0 km

Variants

BMP-1P The BMP-1P is an upgraded variant of the BMP-1 and weighed 13.4 tonnes. Protection capabilities in the BMP-1P and its sub variant BMP-1PG ('Granatomyot' - grenade launcher) were improved by fitting them with the 81 mm 902V "Tucha" smoke grenade launcher and an AGS-17 "Plamya" AGL respectively.

BMP-1 Ambulance (Iraq) Evacuate wounded

BMP-1M Kliver turret & drop down gate

Type 86/WZ-501 (China) Chinese BMP-1 IFV

BMP-1G ICV AT-4/AT-5 ATGM & 30-mm AGS-17 AGL

BMP-1 with Soviet modifications in Afghanistan Applique armor, AT-4 ATGM mount; some with AGS-17 30-mm AGL

BMP-IRM (“Zhuk”-Beetle) Engineer recon vehicle with front mine claws; 1 MG only

BMP-1 with mine plow KMT-8 or KMT-10 mine-clearing plows attached

MP-31 Modernized command vehicle

BMP-R (BMP M1976) Recon vehicle with larger rear hatches & 2-man turret

BRM-1/BRM-1K Reconnaissance BMP-R with a GS-12 Tall Mike radar ILO AT-3 Sagger (see Chapter 1)

BREM-2 Light recovery vehicle w/crane

BMP-40 Larger turret; carries 6 soldiers, prototype model only

PRP-3/PRP-4 (Radar) Artillery recon vehicle with 7.62 MG ILO 73-mm cannon

VP-90 (Czech Republic) Recon with OT-64 turret; 14.5-mm & 7.62-mm MGs

SVO Mineclearer (Czech Republic) Turretless BMP-1 with 24 245-mm explosive rockets

BMP-PP0 Training variant w/o turret

Snezka (Czech Republic) Battlefield surveillance vehicle

PRAM-S (Czech Republic) SP 120-mm mortar carrier

BMP-1 Finnish variant East German vehicles with autoloaders removed

BMP-1 with Poyaud engine (Egypt) 150 with replaced 10.47-liter Poyaud 6-cylinder engine

BMP-1 with applique armor (Iraq) Armor added to resist 12.7-mm & 14.5-mm armor-piercing shells at 200 m

BMP-1A1 Ost In 1990, Germany created more space (6 passengers) & removed the automatic loader

BMP-1 with CERAWA armor (Poland) CERAWA ERA on the glacis, hull, & turret front

OT-90 (Czech Republic) OT-64 1-man turret with 14.5-mm & 7.62-mm machine guns

BPzV (Czech Republic) Recon with Tall Mike radar

DP-90 (Czech Republic) Recon with Tall Mike ra0T-90 maintenance variant adar

MU-90 (Czech Republic) Turretless mine-laying OT-90

MLI-84 (Romania) Larger & heavier w/ 12.7-mm machine gun

Pansarbandvgn 501 (Pbv 501 (Sweden) East German vehicles to mechanized Swedish infantry

BREM-4 recovery vehicle No turret & crane (Czech version is the VPV)

BRM-23 (Bulgaria) Recon with 23-mm cannon

82-mm SP Automatic mortar (Hungary) Vasilyek mortar ILO troop compartment

BMP-1K / BMP-1KSh / BMP M1974 Command Vehicle This is the company command version of the BMP-1. It has additional communications equipment, an additional radio aerial on the right rear of the hull, a redesigned troop compartment to incorporate tables and a map board. The firing ports were eliminated. The BMP-1K has two roof hatches, each equipped with a roof-mounted TNPO-170A aiming device. The 73-mm gun is provided with 20 rounds of ready use ammunition, which is loaded manually. Two man-portable surface-to-air missiles are carried. The BMP-1K1 and K2 are equipped with two R-123M radios and a semi-telescopic antenna. The K3 features an R123M radio, R130M and a 33-ft (10-m) telescopic antenna. Another variant, the BMP-1KSh (not to be confused with the KShM) was a regimental and divisional command post vehicle. It was similar to the BMP-1K, except that it was unarmed, has a larger Hawk Eye radio antenna and carries more radio equipment (R-137, R-140M or R-145BM, each with four or five radios). A TNA-3 navigation system is fitted. The crew is provided with a portable 7.62-mm PK machine gun for self-defense. Ref: Military Periscope, April 2016

BMP-1KSh (Ob'yekt 774, 9S743) BMP-1KSh (Ob'yekt 774, 9S743) (KSh stands for komandno-shtabnaya – command and staff) – Command and staff variant of the BMP-1 for motorized rifle and tank regiments with a TNA-3 gyroscopic navigation device, two R-111, one R-123MT and one R-130M additional radios as well as telegraph and telephone equipment. The armament was replaced by the AMU "Hawkeye" 10 m long telescopic mast and the turret was fixed. It also had a tubular case for the AMU "Hawkeye" antenna parts on the right rear of the vehicle, an AB-1P/30 1 kW box-shaped portable petrol-electric generator set at the center of the rear part of the hull's roof instead of two roof hatches (two roof hatches immediately behind the turret remain) and four elevatable whip antennas at the rear (two on the left and two on the right). The vehicle weighs 13 tonnes and has a crew of 3 + 4. It is armed with one 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. It officially entered service with the Soviet Army in 1972, production did not start until 1976. It saw service in Afghanistan and Chechnya. There were three variants of the BMP-1KSh, one being the "Potok"- 2, each had different additional equipment (including R-137 or R-140 or R-45 radios). NATO gave it the designation BMP M1978.

System

Alternative Designations BMP-1AK

Type Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV)

Manufacturer Wtórplast. (A Polish company)

Configuration Track

Crew 3 ea

Passengers 8 ea

Driver's Station The driver sits in the front on the left side of the hull. He has three TNPO-170 periscope vision-blocks to provide vision when his hatch is closed. The driver's center vision block can be replaced with a TVNO-2 active night binocular vision device for use in night and poor visibility conditions or with a TNPO-350B extended periscope when swimming with the trim vane erected. The BMP was the first Soviet armored vehicle to use a simple yoke steering system.

Commander's Station The commander's station is located behind the driver's station and is provided with a removable OU-3GA2 or OU-3GK infrared searchlight with an effective range of about 400 metres (440 yd). A dual mode (day/night) TKN-3B 5x/4.2x magnification binocular vision device is coupled to the infrared searchlight. Two periscope vision blocks are also fitted with a heating and cleaning system. The commander's station is equipped with an Improved R-123M radio set.

Turret The BMP-1AK has a conical turret equipped with a fume extraction system and an electric traverse drive with a manual backup system.[14] The main gun has a dead-zone over the commander's hatch (between the 10:00 and 11:00 o'clock positions), where the gun must be elevated over the infra-red searchlight to avoid crushing it. When the gun is facing backwards, it prevents hatches on top of the troop compartment from opening. The low profile of the turret makes it a difficult target. The same turret is used in the BMD-1.

Gunner's Station The gunner's station is located to the left of the main gun. The gunner has a dual mode (day/night) 1PN22M1 6x/6.7x magnification image intensifying monocular periscope sight, four day-use periscope vision blocks, and an OU-3GK removable infrared or white-light searchlight. The 1PN22M1 sight has a maximum range of 400 metres (440 yd) at night, 900 metres (980 yd) with the use of the infra-red searchlight. The sight is marked stadiametric with the apparent size of a 2.7 metres (8.9 ft) tall tank at various ranges. The original sight was replaced with the 1PN22M2, which has an additional scale for the OG-15V HE-Frag rounds used by the Ob'yekt 765Sp3, produced from July 1974. The new sight has two day scales for the two projectiles – one from 200 to 1,600 metres (220 to 1,750 yd) and the other from 400 to 1,300 metres (440 to 1,420 yd).

Note #1 IFV with exit doors in the rear with space for 8 soldiers; 4 firing ports on each side; 1 firing port in left rear door

Note #2 Features improved and modernized optics and communication equipment.

Dimensions

Length 6.735 m

Width 2.94 m

Height 2.15 m

Track 2.75 m

Track Width 300 mm

Weight, Standard 12,500 kg

Weight, Combat 13,500 kg

Ground Clearance 0.39 m

Ground Pressure 0.60 kg/cm² (58.840 Pa) (8.53 psi)

Automotive

Engine Name UTD-23 (Upgraded Engine)

Engine Type Diesel

Engine Power 360 hp

Fuel Capacity 462 liters

Electrical System 24 V

Suspension torsion bar

Range 550 km

Speed, Maximum Road 65 km/h

Speed, Maximum Swim 7 km/h

Speed, Average Cross 45 km/h

Gradient 60%

Side Slope 30%

Trench 2.2 m

Vertical Step 0.80 m

Fording Depth Amphibious

Communications

Type R-123M Radio (Systems upgraded with Ukrainian tech improvements)

Radio Range 16-55 km

Main Weapon System

System

Name 1 × turret-mounted 73 mm 2A28 smoothbore gun

Type Smooth bore semi-automatic gun

Caliber 73 mm

In Service 1966 - Present

Manufacturer KBP

Length 1,195 mm

Width 218 mm

Height 322 mm

Weight 115 kg

Barrels 1 ea

Loader Type Autoloader

Maximum Elevation +33 deg

Minimum Elevation -4 deg

Traverse Range 40 deg

Traverse Left 20 deg

Traverse Right 20 deg

Rate of Fire 8 rds/min

Maximum Firing Range 4,500 m

Sights 1PN22M, 1PN22M2

Ammunition (Option 1)

Name PG-15V

Type HEAT

Caliber 73 mm

Muzzle Velocity 665 m/s

Maximum Firing Range 4,500 m

Shell Variants PG-15V (HEAT), OG-15V (HE-FRAG), PG-15VN (HEAT-DP)

Basic Load 40 ea

Coaxial Weapon System

System

Name 1 x PKT (Kalashnikov's Machine Gun)

Type General-Purpose 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 +

Length (Overall) 1,203 mm

Length (Barrel) 605 mm

Weight (Gun Only) 9 kg

Weight (Tripod Only) 7.7 kg

Action Gas-operated, open bolt

Max Rate of Fire 650 rds/min

Effective Rate of Fire 250-300 rds/min

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

Sights Iron Sights

Note The 7.62mm PKT can be controlled remotely and is slaved to the main gun,

Ammunition

Name 57-N-323S

Type Rifle

Caliber 7.62 mm

Cartridge 7.62×54mmR

Muzzle Velocity 855 m/s

Accuracy of fire at 300 meters 90 mm

Basic Load 950 ea

Fire Control

Name INA

Computerized FCS Yes

Thermal Vehicle Commander Yes, TKN-3B day night sight with variable magnification

Thermal Gunner Yes, TVNE-1PA active IR night vision metascope

Main Gun Stabilization No

Gyrocompass Yes, GPK-59 electrical gyrocompass

Firing Ports 4 ea

Day Periscopes 4 ea

Search Light OU-3GK IR search light

Search Light Range 400 m

Protection

Hull Armor Steel 19 mm. The hull of the BMP-1 is made of all-welded steel, which provides the crew with protection from small-arms fire and shell splinters.

Turret Armor Steel 23 mm

Applique Armor Available

Explosive Reactive Armor Available

Active Protection System No

Self-entrenching Blade No

NBC Protection System GO-27 radioactive and chemical agent detector

Chemical Decontamination Kits TDP chemical decontamination kits

Smoke Equipment To create a smokescreen, BMP-1AK has a built in TDA thermal smoke emitter in the engine compartment that creates smoke by injecting small amount of diesel onto the engine manifold.

Mine Plough Yes, KMT-10 plough-type mine-clearing system

Image Sources

Notes https://twitter.com/Defence_blog/status/982543913545281541; https://www.armyrecognition.com/april_2018_global_defense_security_army_news_industry/poland_delivers_bmp-1ak_ifvs_to_ukraine.html; https://en.topwar.ru/204465-grecija-peredaet-ukraine-partiju-bmp-1p-na-fone-vizita-v-kiev-prezidenta-i-ministra-oborony-strany.html;