Saha Expo International Defense Exhibition Turkey Istanbul

TATA Motors revealed Kestrel AFV fitted with Russian BMP-2 turret during DefExpo 2016 TASS 30404161

Military Defense Industry Technology - Armoured fighting vehicle

TATA Motors revealed Kestrel AFV fitted with Russian BMP-2 turret during DefExpo 2016

Indian TATA Motors company has developed the variant of Kestrel 8x8 armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) fitted with Russian BMP-2 manned combat turret. The upgraded AFV was shown for the first time at the DEFEXPO India 2016 defense show.

New Kestrel 8x8 armoured fighting vehicle fitted with Russian BMP-2 manned combat turret at DefExpo 2016

The new Kestrel modification has received basic BMP-2 turret armed with 30mm stabilized 2A42 automatic cannon, co-axial 7.62 PKT machinegun and six Tucha 902V smoke grenade launchers. The 9M111 Fagot (AT-4 Spigot)/9M113 Konkurs (AT-5 Spandrel) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) launching unit installed on the roof top is removed. The combat module retains basic armour protecting against 14.5mm bullets (Level 4 STANAG 4569, Ed.2). The organic sighting systems of basic BMP-2`s turret (TNP-165A and TNPO-170A) have not been replaced.

The basic modification of Kestrel AFV was demonstrated for the first time at the DEFEXPO India 2014 defense show. It received MCT-30R combat module armed with 30mm automatic cannon. The vehicle has a maximum combat weight of 26,5 t, a length of 7.8 m, a width of 2.95 m, a height of 2.28 m and a capacity to carry 10 mounted soldiers. The vehicle`s hull has Level 4 STANAG 4569 Ed. 2 ballistic protection and Level 3 counter-mine protection. Kestrel is equipped with nuclear/biological/chemical protection system, radios, infrared vision system and inertial/GPS combined navigation system.

Despite the India`s efforts to upgrade its armoured vehicles fleet, BMP-2 still remains the workhorse of Indian Armed forces. As of early 2016, India deployed 980 Sarath infantry fighting vehicles (a licensed copy of Soviet/Russian BMP-2), 125 command & control BMP-2K (K stands for Komandirskaya, Command), over 350 ageing BMP-1 armed with 73mm 2A28 semi-automatic cannon. The decision of TATA Motors to equip Kestrel with BMP-2`s combat module reveals the company`s intention to participate in tender for replacement of ageing IFVs of Indian Armed Forces.

As a Russian diplomatic source told, TATA Motors might arm Kestrel with B05Ya01 Berezhok manned turret developed by Tula-based KBP company (a subsidiary of the High-Precision Weapons holding). Berezhok is the latest upgrade of the basic BMP-2`s combat module. It incorporates 30mm 2A42 automatic gun as a main weapon with coaxial 7.62mm PKT/PKTM machinegun. B05Ya01 is equipped with anti-tank guided missiles, namely, four ready-to-launch 9M133 Kornet-E ATGMs.

TATA Motors Kestrel AFV fitted with Russian BMP 2 turret during DefExpo 2016 640 001

The module has also received 30mm AG-30 automatic grenade launcher (AGL) and six 902B Tucha smoke grenade launchers. 2A42 gun can fire armor-piercing and high-explosive shells, being able to destroy targets at the distances up to 2000 m and 4000 m, respectively. The gun has ammunition load of 500 shells. AG-30 AGL can fire three types of grenades, namely, VOG-17M, VOG-30, GPD-30, being able to destroy personnel targets at the distances up to 1700-2100 m.

Berezhok can fire five types of Kornet munitions, namely anti-tank tandem-warhead 9M133-1/9M133-2 and anti-personnel thermobaric 9M133F-1/9M133F-2/9M133F-3 missiles. Kornet -E ATGMs can penetrate 1000-1300mm armour behind explosive reactive armour (ERA), being able to eliminate targets at the distances up to 5500 m.

B05Ya01 is equipped with independent sights of commander and gunner, allowing them to work in 'hunter-killer' mode. The gunner`s sight has four channels: optical, thermal imaging, laser rangefinder and ATGM control channel. The commander has received panoramic sight with laser rangefinder and television channel. Berezhok can be installed on either BMP-1 or BMP-2 IFVs, the source added.