BMD-3

Infobox Weapon
name= BMD-3


caption=
origin=Soviet Union
type=Infantry fighting vehicle
is_vehicle=yes
service= 1990 - present
used_by=
wars=
manufacturer= Volgograd Tractor Factory
length= 6m
width= 3.13m
height= 2.25m
weight= 12.9mt
suspension= hydroneumatic with variable height control (130mm-530mm)
speed= 70 km/h off-road: 45 km/h water: 10 km/h
vehicle_range= 500km
primary_armament= 2A42 30mm autocannon with coaxial 7.62mm PK machine gun, AT-4 Spigot or AT-5 Spandrel from turret mounted launcher
secondary_armament= bow-mounted AGS-17 "Plamya" 30-mm automatic grenade launcher and 5.45-mm RPK machine-gun
armour= turret - steel, hull - aluminum alloy
engine=2V-06-2 water cooled diesel
crew=3 (+4 passengers)
engine_power= 450hp
pw_ratio= 34hp/ton

The BMD-3 "Bakhcha" ("Boyevaya Mashina Desanta ", Russian "Боевая Машина Десанта", literally "Combat Vehicle of the Airborne") is a light infantry fighting vehicle of Russian origin that is fully amphibious and air-dropable with crew inside. It is intended to be a fire-support platform for use by airborne and air assault units. It is not an upgraded BMD-1 but a completely redesigned vehicle with a hydropneumatic suspension, new hull, a more powerful 2V-06-2 diesel engine and fitted with the complete turret of the BMP-2.

Production history

Manufactured at the Volgograd Tractor Factory, Volgograd, Russia under the industrial index Ob'yekt 950. Entered service in 1990.

Variants

* BMD-3 (Ob'yekt 950) - Basic type, as described.
** BMD-4 (Ob'yekt 960) - Modified chassis with new turret "Bakhcha-U" comprising: 100mm main gun 2A70, 30mm autocannon 2A72, 7.62mm machine gun, and new fire control system "Ramka". The bow-mounted AGS-17 has been removed. The armament is similar to the one of the BMP-3. BMD-4's are new-build or upgraded BMD-3's. The prototype was known as BMD-3M. [http://btvt.narod.ru/5/vdv2007/vdv2007.htm Photos]
** RKhM-5 (Ob'yekt 958) - Chemical reconnaissance vehicle, fitted with the same specialised equipment as the BTR-80 version RKhM-4. The turret has been removed; the RKhM-5 has a fixed superstructure with machine gun turret.
** BTR-MD “Rakushka” (Ob'yekt 955) - Multi-role transport vehicle with bigger hull and no turret. This type can be used to transport troops, fuel, ammunition and wounded personnel. It also serves as the basis for a new range of specialised vehicles for the Russian airborne forces, including a mortar platform, an ambulance BMM-D, a command post vehicle and a recovery vehicle. Some of the variants will have a longer chassis with 7 road wheels and probably the same 510hp engine as the 2S25.
** 2S25 "Sprut-SD (Ob'yekt 952) - Self-propelled anti-tank gun, armed with a 125mm gun 2A75 that has similar ballistics as the main gun of the 2A46 series and can also fire the ATGM "Svir". The chassis has 7 instead of 5 road wheels on each side and the engine is now the 2V-06-2S of 510 hp. The 2S25 has a combat weight of 18 tonnes and a crew of 3. It entered service in 2007. [http://btvt.narod.ru/5/vdv2007/vdv2007.htm Photos]

Users

*RUS - Some 1,000~ BMD-3/4; 500 BTR-MD and 57 2S25 ordered

Former Operators

*USSR - Passed on to successor states.

ee also

* BMD-1
* BMD-2
* BMP-1
* BMP-2
* BMP-3
* List of AFVs
* VDV

References

Resources

* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/bmd-3.htm FAS]
* [http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=48 Military Factory]
* [http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/supplement/lav/lav_bmd-3.shtml Janes]