Russian MoD receives 42 BMD-4M AIFVs from Kurganmashzavod plant.

The Russian Armed Forces have received forty-two BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles from Kurganmashzavod plant, which failed to deliver them in 2018 after France had refused to supply some of the components, Russian Vice-Premier Yuri Borisov said on Friday.

BMD-4M in action at Army 2016 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Earlier, Borisov told a conference in Kurgan that Kurganmashzavod had not executed a number of state contracts but had not specified what vehicles were in question. "In 2018, the enterprise broke the deadlines on a number of state contracts but BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles were an exception. Due to force majeure circumstances (France’s refusal to supply thermal imaging modules) the time of delivery of forty-two BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles was put off until 2019. At present, the aforesaid contract has been executed," the Russian vice-premier said when asked about the situation with the Kurganmashzavod plant. "There are no preconditions for disrupting the program in 2019," he added.

The BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicle weighs 14 tons. It is armed with a 100mm gun, which also serves as a launcher for the Arkan anti-tank guided missiles (the ammunition load consists of 34 shells and 4 missiles); a 30-mm automatic gun (the ammunition load is 500 shells) and a 7.62mm machine-gun. The BMD-4M can reach 70 km/h and float at a maximum speed of 10 km/h. The crew consists of three men. The vehicle can carry up to five paratroopers.