Latest BMPT “Terminator” tank support vehicles for Russian army in 2018.

The Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) research-and-manufacturing corporation, a subsidiary of the Rostec state corporation, has announced that the Russian Army will receive the latest Terminator tank support armored fighting vehicles in the first quarter of 2018.

Latest BMPT Terminator was tested by the Russian army during the Zapad-2017 military exercise in September 2017 (Picture source: Russian MoD)

The contract for the delivery of the BMPT ‘’Terminator” tank support vehicle to the Russian army was signed in August at the Army-2017 exhibition held near Moscow. The Terminator is designed to ride shotgun with Russian tanks and rake the battlefield with firepower, killing enemy anti-tank teams or suppressing them so they are unable to aim properly.

Chief of the Main Armored Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry Lieutenant-General Alexander Shevchenko earlier said that "this is a brand-new class of vehicle" "that many countries, mainly Israel and Syria, are interested in."

The first batch of vehicles concerned by this contract are scheduled to be delivered this March - April. The whole contract will be completed by early 2019. The volume of deliveries is confidential, but overall it provides for the organization of operational testing for these vehicles.

The vehicle was invented to protect tanks from rocket attacks in an urban environment. Previously, UVZ designed two variants of the tank support vehicle designated BMPT “Terminator” and BMPT-72 “Terminator-2”, respectively. In 2017 the “Terminator” witnessed combat in Syria. The vehicles are intended to engage anti-tank (AT) threats, primarily AT soldiers armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers, man-portable anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems and small arms. The BMPT has two 30mm 2A42 automatic cannons and two 7.62mm PKTM machine guns. Its missiles can easily take out an enemy tank at a range of up to 5,000 m.

Up to seven BMPT-72 “Terminators” will take part in Moscow’s Victory Day Parade on May 9 for the first time.