Post by lordroel on Oct 14, 2024 15:08:45 GMT
With permission from Matt Wiser over at HPCA, The BMP Family in the War and what is cannon in Red Dawn + 40.
The BMP Family in World War III
The Soviet BMP-1 was the world's first mechanized infantry combat vehicle, and directly inspired efforts in the U.S that ultimately led to the M-2 Bradley, the Marder in West Germany, and the Warrior in the U.K. First produced in 1966, it became the standard IFV of the Soviet Army, WARPAC countries, and many Soviet allies and client states worldwide. In 1985, the vehicle was standard in many Cat 1 Motor-Rifle Divisions, and in tank divisions as well, with each MR division at Cat I or II having one BMP regiment, except for those in East Germany, which had two BMP Regiments and one BTR Regiment. In addition, the MR regiment in each Soviet tank division was equipped with the BMP. An improved version, the BMP-2, first entered service in 1980, and was also widely used during the war. In addition, the BMD family of airborne infantry vehicles were descended from the BMP, and saw combat in the initial Soviet airborne drops into Alaska, New Mexico, and Colorado, on the outbreak of war, and saw service whenever Soviet airborne divisions were encountered. This work will cover all versions, from the BMP-1 onward, that saw service in the war.
BMP-1: Still in widespread service in 1985, and saw action from the first day of war. Initially equipped with a 73-mm gun and the AT-3 Sagger ATGM, and encountered in both theaters in North America, the BMP-1P with the AT-5 Spandrel ATGM was the main BMP-1 version seen in the Southern Theater.
BMP-1K: Command version of BMP-1. Versions for Platoon, Company, Battalion, and Regimental commanders. Most firing ports sealed, and ammunition capacity reduced to make room for additional radios and staff equipment.
BMP-1KSH: Command and Staff version: used at battalion and regimental levels. Firing ports except for two sealed, and no ATGM.
BMP-1D: Assault version with additional armor installed. Vehicle lost amphibious capabilities with extra armor. Used in several urban battles, and also on convoy escort.
BRM-1: Reconnaissance version of BMP-1. Turret repositioned, Tall Mike ground surveillance radar, and land navigation system. No ATGM.
BREM-1: Armored recovery version with no turret, 1 ½ ton crane, 6 ½ ton winch, and additional recovery tools and equipment.
PRP-3: Artillery reconnaissance version for artillery spotters. Turret repositioned and armed only with PKT machine gun. Night vision, counterbattery/surveillance radar, and several radios installed. Used at the battalion level in artillery battalions, and in the target acquisition battery in artillery regiments.
BVP-1: License produced version of BMP-1 by Czechoslovakia. Reconnaissance, command, ARV, and armored ambulance versions developed by Czechs. Some Soviet units in North America were BVP equipped in lieu of BMPs.
BMP-2: Successor to BMP-1, with 30-mm cannon, AT-4 or AT-5 ATGM, redesigned interior with seven-man squad instead of eight, commander with gunner in turret, two instead of three roof hatches. Mainly used in Southern Theater beginning 1986, with first major use at Wichita in 1987.
BMP-2K: Command version of BMP-2.
BMP-2D: Assault version with additional armor installed. Due to extra armor, vehicle is no longer amphibious. Mainly used for convoy escort despite “assault” designation.
BVP-2: Czech produced version under license. Command and ARV versions developed.
BMP-3: Ultimate BMP version with 100-mm low pressure gun, 30-mm coaxial cannon, AT-10 Stabber missile fired through gun tube. Developed in response to M-2 Bradley and Warrior outclassing both the BMP-1 and -2. No examples reached North America, but the vehicle did see service in limited numbers during the Second Russian Civil War and the fall of the Rump USSR. Versions planned but not built included command, special version for Naval Infantry, fire support with 120-mm mortar, artillery spotting, tank destroyer, and ARV.
BMD-1: Airborne Infantry Fighting Vehicle, could be airdropped from either An-12, An-22, An-124, or Il-76. Same turret and armament as BMP-1 (73-mm gun and AT-3 Sagger ATGM), plus two bow machine guns. Two regiments in each Soviet Air Assault Division equipped with the vehicle. Also used by independent Air Assault Brigades, and by Naval Infantry.
BMD-1K: Command version with two radios for battalion command and above.
BMD-1P: Modernized version with AT-3 replaced by AT-4 or AT-5 ATGM.
BMD-2: Improved version with 30-mm cannon replacing the 73-mm gun. AT-4 or -5 ATGM standard. First seen in North America in 1987.
BMD-3: All-new version with 30-mm gun, bow-mounted AGS-17 grenade launcher, and AT-4/5 ATGM. Used by Rump USSR in Second Russian Civil War and in the final fall of the Soviet Union. Now produced by Russian Republic at Volgograd.
BTR-D: APC version of BMD-1. No turret, ten-man troop capacity, bow MG armament of BMD-1 retained; turret armament replaced by pintle mounted machine guns or AGS-17 AGL. One regiment of each air assault division equipped with BTR-D vice BMDs; also used by SAM teams in regimental level air defense.
Users:
Soviet Union: in many MR and Tank Divisions, and in a number of Independent Tank and MR Brigades/Regiments. Some used by KGB for rear-area convoy protection and “pacification.” Also in Naval Infantry Service. BMD family used by airborne and by Naval Infantry.
Czechoslovakia: BVP-1 and -2 in Czech divisions deployed to North America. Several Soviet divisions received BVP-1 in lieu of BMPs.
Cuba: Used in the MR Regiment in Cuban Tank Divisions. Cuban Naval Infantry Brigade had one BMP equipped battalion.
East Germany: BMP-1P standard in MR Divisions and in Tank Division deployed to North America. BMP-2 delivered to East German Army in 1988 and saw action in the 1989 campaign in Europe.
Hungary: Lone Hungarian division in North America had BMPs in its tank regiment.
North Korea; 820th Armored Division in Canada was equipped with BMP-1s in its Mechanized Infantry Regiment.
Poland: Polish forces used both BMP and BVP. Mainly -1s, but a few -2s did appear in Polish service in North America. Saw extensive service in 1989.
Postwar user:
Mexico: Many BMP-1s, -2s, and BMDs left behind by Soviet bloc forces after the armistice. Vehicles saw extensive service in COIN, and were also used in the Baja War. Some have fallen into insurgent hands and are used against the Mexican Government Forces.
Captured Vehicles:
A number of captured examples saw service for brief periods with the Allies. A number fell into Canadian hands during the Vancouver campaign, and saw action against their former owners. Others fell into guerrilla hands in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and were likewise in action against their former operators. The famous “Rag-tag-Circus” of the 83rd Mechanized Infantry Division fielded a battalion's worth of captured BMP-2s to supplement their captured T-72s. Other examples were briefly used by other units, and captured examples were evaluated at Fort Knox, KY, and at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.
The BMP Family in World War III
The Soviet BMP-1 was the world's first mechanized infantry combat vehicle, and directly inspired efforts in the U.S that ultimately led to the M-2 Bradley, the Marder in West Germany, and the Warrior in the U.K. First produced in 1966, it became the standard IFV of the Soviet Army, WARPAC countries, and many Soviet allies and client states worldwide. In 1985, the vehicle was standard in many Cat 1 Motor-Rifle Divisions, and in tank divisions as well, with each MR division at Cat I or II having one BMP regiment, except for those in East Germany, which had two BMP Regiments and one BTR Regiment. In addition, the MR regiment in each Soviet tank division was equipped with the BMP. An improved version, the BMP-2, first entered service in 1980, and was also widely used during the war. In addition, the BMD family of airborne infantry vehicles were descended from the BMP, and saw combat in the initial Soviet airborne drops into Alaska, New Mexico, and Colorado, on the outbreak of war, and saw service whenever Soviet airborne divisions were encountered. This work will cover all versions, from the BMP-1 onward, that saw service in the war.
BMP-1: Still in widespread service in 1985, and saw action from the first day of war. Initially equipped with a 73-mm gun and the AT-3 Sagger ATGM, and encountered in both theaters in North America, the BMP-1P with the AT-5 Spandrel ATGM was the main BMP-1 version seen in the Southern Theater.
BMP-1K: Command version of BMP-1. Versions for Platoon, Company, Battalion, and Regimental commanders. Most firing ports sealed, and ammunition capacity reduced to make room for additional radios and staff equipment.
BMP-1KSH: Command and Staff version: used at battalion and regimental levels. Firing ports except for two sealed, and no ATGM.
BMP-1D: Assault version with additional armor installed. Vehicle lost amphibious capabilities with extra armor. Used in several urban battles, and also on convoy escort.
BRM-1: Reconnaissance version of BMP-1. Turret repositioned, Tall Mike ground surveillance radar, and land navigation system. No ATGM.
BREM-1: Armored recovery version with no turret, 1 ½ ton crane, 6 ½ ton winch, and additional recovery tools and equipment.
PRP-3: Artillery reconnaissance version for artillery spotters. Turret repositioned and armed only with PKT machine gun. Night vision, counterbattery/surveillance radar, and several radios installed. Used at the battalion level in artillery battalions, and in the target acquisition battery in artillery regiments.
BVP-1: License produced version of BMP-1 by Czechoslovakia. Reconnaissance, command, ARV, and armored ambulance versions developed by Czechs. Some Soviet units in North America were BVP equipped in lieu of BMPs.
BMP-2: Successor to BMP-1, with 30-mm cannon, AT-4 or AT-5 ATGM, redesigned interior with seven-man squad instead of eight, commander with gunner in turret, two instead of three roof hatches. Mainly used in Southern Theater beginning 1986, with first major use at Wichita in 1987.
BMP-2K: Command version of BMP-2.
BMP-2D: Assault version with additional armor installed. Due to extra armor, vehicle is no longer amphibious. Mainly used for convoy escort despite “assault” designation.
BVP-2: Czech produced version under license. Command and ARV versions developed.
BMP-3: Ultimate BMP version with 100-mm low pressure gun, 30-mm coaxial cannon, AT-10 Stabber missile fired through gun tube. Developed in response to M-2 Bradley and Warrior outclassing both the BMP-1 and -2. No examples reached North America, but the vehicle did see service in limited numbers during the Second Russian Civil War and the fall of the Rump USSR. Versions planned but not built included command, special version for Naval Infantry, fire support with 120-mm mortar, artillery spotting, tank destroyer, and ARV.
BMD-1: Airborne Infantry Fighting Vehicle, could be airdropped from either An-12, An-22, An-124, or Il-76. Same turret and armament as BMP-1 (73-mm gun and AT-3 Sagger ATGM), plus two bow machine guns. Two regiments in each Soviet Air Assault Division equipped with the vehicle. Also used by independent Air Assault Brigades, and by Naval Infantry.
BMD-1K: Command version with two radios for battalion command and above.
BMD-1P: Modernized version with AT-3 replaced by AT-4 or AT-5 ATGM.
BMD-2: Improved version with 30-mm cannon replacing the 73-mm gun. AT-4 or -5 ATGM standard. First seen in North America in 1987.
BMD-3: All-new version with 30-mm gun, bow-mounted AGS-17 grenade launcher, and AT-4/5 ATGM. Used by Rump USSR in Second Russian Civil War and in the final fall of the Soviet Union. Now produced by Russian Republic at Volgograd.
BTR-D: APC version of BMD-1. No turret, ten-man troop capacity, bow MG armament of BMD-1 retained; turret armament replaced by pintle mounted machine guns or AGS-17 AGL. One regiment of each air assault division equipped with BTR-D vice BMDs; also used by SAM teams in regimental level air defense.
Users:
Soviet Union: in many MR and Tank Divisions, and in a number of Independent Tank and MR Brigades/Regiments. Some used by KGB for rear-area convoy protection and “pacification.” Also in Naval Infantry Service. BMD family used by airborne and by Naval Infantry.
Czechoslovakia: BVP-1 and -2 in Czech divisions deployed to North America. Several Soviet divisions received BVP-1 in lieu of BMPs.
Cuba: Used in the MR Regiment in Cuban Tank Divisions. Cuban Naval Infantry Brigade had one BMP equipped battalion.
East Germany: BMP-1P standard in MR Divisions and in Tank Division deployed to North America. BMP-2 delivered to East German Army in 1988 and saw action in the 1989 campaign in Europe.
Hungary: Lone Hungarian division in North America had BMPs in its tank regiment.
North Korea; 820th Armored Division in Canada was equipped with BMP-1s in its Mechanized Infantry Regiment.
Poland: Polish forces used both BMP and BVP. Mainly -1s, but a few -2s did appear in Polish service in North America. Saw extensive service in 1989.
Postwar user:
Mexico: Many BMP-1s, -2s, and BMDs left behind by Soviet bloc forces after the armistice. Vehicles saw extensive service in COIN, and were also used in the Baja War. Some have fallen into insurgent hands and are used against the Mexican Government Forces.
Captured Vehicles:
A number of captured examples saw service for brief periods with the Allies. A number fell into Canadian hands during the Vancouver campaign, and saw action against their former owners. Others fell into guerrilla hands in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and were likewise in action against their former operators. The famous “Rag-tag-Circus” of the 83rd Mechanized Infantry Division fielded a battalion's worth of captured BMP-2s to supplement their captured T-72s. Other examples were briefly used by other units, and captured examples were evaluated at Fort Knox, KY, and at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.