Russia has developed new amphibious armored vehicle BMMP


The Russian Defense Company Uralvagonzavod, manufacturer of main battle tanks has developed a new concept of tracked amphibious armoured vehicle, called BMMP, which can be used by naval infantry units. The development of the BMMP will be lead by the Russian Company OmskTransMash, a subsidiary of UralVagonZavod.


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Drawing of  IFV version of Russian projcet of tracked amphibious armored vehicle IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) variant (Picture source OmskTransMash)


The idea of the BMMP project is to provide a new high speed amphibious armoured vehicle with more fire power to the Russian Naval Infantry units. Currently, amphibious version of the BTR-80 and BTR-82AM are the standard vehicles of Russian Naval Infantry Units. The BMP-3F is the tracked IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) which was developed for amphibious operations based on the standard BMP-3, using the same armament which consists of one 100mm cannon, one 30mm automatic cannon and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

The new BMMP could be replaced all these vehicles using a common tracked chassis and hull that can be equipped with different types of weapons stations. A briefing published on Internet shows that the new BMMP will be developed under different variants to offer a new family of amphibious vehicles that can be used as IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle, APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier), command and reconnaissance vehicles, as well as fire support with one 125mm cannon.

According to the Russian briefing, the vehicle is based on a tracked chassis using the same components as the BMD-4M airborne tracked IFV or the new family of infantry fighting vehicle Kurganets-25. Depending on the variant and payload, the BMMP will be fitted with a suspension with 5 or 6 wheels on each side. The vehicle has been especially designed and powered to offer high speed in the water that can reach 32 km/h and 75 km/ on the road. Current amphibious vehicles used by the Russian armed forces has only the capacity to swim at a maximum speed of around 10 km/h.


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The new BMMP will be developed under different variants to offer a new family of amphibious vehicles that can be used as IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle, APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier), command and reconnaissance vehicles, as well as fire support with one 125mm cannon.


The IFV version of the BMMP could be fitted with the new AU-220M Baikal Remote Controlled Weapon Station armed with one 57mm automatic cannon and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The BMMP has crew of three including driver, commander and gunner and can carry a total of 10 infantrymen. The vehicle will also be fitted with latest generation of night vision, sighting systems, firing control systems to perform combat operations during night and day in all weather conditions.

The BMPP could be equipped with other weapon stations as the standard BMP-3 turret armed with one 100mm 2A70 semi-automatic rifled gun / missile launcher, which is stabilized in two axes and can fire either 3UOF HE-FRAG rounds or 3UBK10 anti-tank guided missiles. Second armament includes one 30 mm 2A72 coaxial cannon and one 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun. The dual-feed 30 mm 2A72 cannon can engage ground targets at ranges of 1,500 to 2,000 m and helicopters out to 4,000 m.

According to the briefing of OmskTransMash, the final development of the new BMMP amphibious armoured vehicle could be finished by the end of 2019 with first prototypes ready to be tested between 2020 and 2022. The first production vehicle is expected to be delivered at the beginning of 2023.