BTR-80: specifications and operation

Despite the release of the new BTR-82, the BTR-80 is the most popular armored personnel carrier in the Russian army. This wheeled vehicle is created taking into account the experience of previous military conflicts. BTR-80 boosts small water obstacles, quickly gaining speed, has good cross-country capability, along with weapons, armor for the engine and crew. There is also fire fighting equipment and protection from radiation - a tribute to the capabilities of modern weapons. The main task of the machine is the rapid delivery of troops on the battlefield and providing cover. In the case of the organization of defense, an armored personnel carrier is dug into the ground, and the tower with a machine gun turns into a pillbox.

In which troops is applied

The scope of APC is quite wide. If we talk about BTR-80, the technical characteristics allow the use of this transport in a variety of troops. It is mainly used by motorized rifles. In any textbook on tactics, you can find combat schemes in various situations by a motorized rifle platoon and three armored personnel carriers.

High speed and patency make BTR-80 an ideal technique for landing units. Ability to force water obstacles and the possibility of transportation on amphibious ships allow using it in marine operations. Eight-wheeled technology easily rides over the ramp directly into the water, within a few minutes under the cover of artillery reaches the shore and begins to storm the land, and under the armor waiting for his "black berets".

It is also possible to dump vehicles from aircraft, after landing an APC immediately enters into battle. Modern parachute systems allow dropping tanks and armored personnel carriers at once with the crew, with minimal risk for people.

In addition to Russia, BTR-80 is actively used in the CIS countries, Estonia, Turkey, etc.

Places of military glory

Since 1976 in the Soviet Union the main armored personnel carrier was BTR-70 - the car is not bad, but inherited the shortcomings of its predecessor - BTR-60PB. He had a large fuel consumption, an inadequately designed landing and landing system, an unreliable power plant. In the early 80's, the design bureau of the Gorky Automobile Plant designed a new armored personnel carrier - BTR-80, whose characteristics allow it to be used in a variety of conditions. The new technology has earned its fame with hard work, having traversed the roads of all military conflicts between the USSR and the CIS since the late 1980s: Moldova, Tajikistan, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, etc.

BTR-80 was used as the main vehicle in the wars in the North Caucasus. Landers drove directly on the roof of the transporter. In the event of a military encounter on the way, soldiers jumped off and hid behind armored sides.

For foreigners, the Russian soldier is associated not only with the Kalashnikov assault rifle, but also with the BTR-80. Technical characteristics make it possible to effectively use technology in anti-terrorist operations. This is the most popular wheeled vehicle in the Russian army, modifications based on BTR-80 are used by assault units, communications units, artillery, and also as a mobile medical center.

Appearance

Many combat vehicles have about the same appearance as the BTR-80. The photo below is for better information perception. The body is made of armored steel, welded rigidly and reliably. The main elements are the bow, forage, sides, roof and bottom. The tractor has a whole collection of manholes: for the winch in the bow, there are also manholes for the HVF, maneuvers for the driver and commander, the combat compartment and the hatch above the power plant. Also ahead is a wave shield.

The tower is made in the form of a truncated cone, has embrasures for the installation of coupled machine guns. It is welded from armored steel.

BTR-80. User's manual

The armored personnel carrier is operated as a conventional car, there is a steering wheel, pedals and a gearshift lever. On new models there is even an automatic gearbox. The review for the driver is not enough, but it's not a racing car. The main thing is to see everything that lies ahead, but that from the side, the BTR-80 with its mass and power will not even notice. It does not have such a passableness as caterpillar technology, but in battles on flat terrain is indispensable. The rapid movement of troops will create a numerical and fire superiority at the right points. Block the streets and parts of the city, force the river, press enemy infantry with machine-gun fire - the BTR-80 is designed to accomplish exactly such tasks.

Technical changes in the engine

In the 1980s, the designers of the Gorky Automobile Plant were given the task of creating an armored personnel carrier, eliminating the shortcomings of BTR-70. The device BTR-80 is very different from its predecessor. First of all, instead of two carburetor engines, one diesel from the KamAZ truck was delivered - a 4-stroke 8-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine. Such an engine is less likely to explode, and its volume is 30 percent higher than its predecessor. A turbocharger is installed to increase power. As a result, the BTR-80 has 260 hp, accelerates to 100 km / h. This is in ideal conditions. On the highway - 80 km / h, on a dirt road - from 20 to 40 km / h. Can force water obstacles at a speed of 9 km / h.

The use of one engine has dragged along and other changes. In the transmission, the mechanical force through a dry, frictional two-disk clutch with a hydraulic drive is fed to a 5-speed gearbox. All transmissions, except the first, are equipped with synchronizers.

Increase of the passableness through the differential lock

The differential of BTR-80 was improved in comparison with BTR-70. From the gearbox, the moment is transferred to a two-stage dispenser. The differential distribution is performed in two streams: on the first-third and second-fourth bridges of the BTR-80. The inter-axle differential lock is forced, it works in severe road conditions. At the same time, the lower gear and the differential lock only occur when the front axles are switched on. To increase the service life and avoid breakages during overloads, a transfer clutch limiting the limiting torque is provided in the transfer case.

Vitality BTR-80

The armored personnel carrier has bullet resistant tires with adjustable pressure. After all, it depends on the mobility, how much this technique will live on the battlefield. The device BTR-80 is such that the failure of one or two wheels it will not stop. Technical characteristics of even anti-tank mines are such that the energy of the explosion will damage only one wheel, and anti-armored vehicles of this model are not at all terrible.

It is understandable the desire to ensure the protection of the crew, but the thicker the armor, the heavier the car and the slower it moves. Description BTR-80 allows you to recognize the features of BTR-70, the differences in appearance are insignificant, especially for those who do not disassemble in military equipment. The BTR-80 body is longer and armor is slightly improved. Even in this case, the mass increased by 18 percent - up to 13,600 kilograms. Due to changes in the walker and in the engine, the mobility remained the same. The power reserve, thanks to the diesel engine, increased to 600 km along the highway.

Increased the firepower of technology due to the crew. Shooting ports in the sides of the hull are deployed in the direction of the front hemisphere, and an embrasure has appeared, allowing fire to the commander.

Movement on water

The amphibian car is easy to distinguish by the bared nose - the same as in the BTR-80. The photo above shows the process of disembarkation from the ship. In the background a second car is floating, and the first one has already climbed ashore. The operation of the BTR-80 during the crossing of the water obstacle is simple. In the construction there is one water cannon with an axial pump, located in the stern. Control of movement on water is carried out by means of a wheel. In addition to the two front bridges that move both on land and on the water, help to turn the water rudders and the damper. Armored personnel carrier - the car is heavy, and without the power steering there was not.

Initially, the BTR-80 was conceived without a water cannon, but the command of the navy required a machine capable of landing from ships and adapted to the needs of the marines. Subdivisions of the Marine Corps - from assault troops to command communications - all sit on BTR-80.

Equipment BTR-80

Technical characteristics of the BTR-70 had to be expanded to adapt to the conditions of modern warfare. On the BTR-80 was installed a machine-gun turret machine BPU-1, the vertical angle of which is 60 degrees. Coupled with the optical sight 1PZ-2, it allows you to carry anti-aircraft fire. Like a ninja from films, BTR-80 can create a smoke screen and hide: for this, a 902B system is installed on the roof, which is six grenade launchers.

Initially, the armored personnel carrier, like its predecessor, was armed with a CPVT, paired with PKT.

During the creation of this technique, Afghanistan was the main testing ground for the application, nevertheless designers took care of fighting in a cold climate. At a temperature of -5 to -25 ° C, a pre-heater is provided, arranged according to the principle of an electro-flare device. When the engine is warmed up, a flame is formed from the combustion of the diesel engine, which also raises the temperature.

Initially, the radio station P-123 that was in the BTR was replaced by a newer and more efficient R-163-50U.

BTR-80 with automatic cannon

In 1994, the armored personnel carrier BTR-80A was put into service. The landing vehicle was first equipped with a 30-millimeter automatic gun 2A72, an ammunition of 300 rounds. Such a cannon is used on infantry and landing combat vehicles, as well as on helicopters Ka-50, Ka-52 and Mi-28. Tank armor of 120 mm is able to break through a line of eight shells from such a cannon BTR-80.

Technical characteristics of the new tower allow to hit targets with a large angle of elevation - up to 70 degrees. The range of the shot is up to 4 km. With the gun, the same PKT of 7.62 with 2,000 cartridges is paired. All weapons are located outside the habitable compartment, so that the propellant gases do not enter the premises. For shooting at night, the sight of night vision TPN-3-42 "Kristall" is installed, the range of aimed shooting with its use is up to 900 m.

Other modifications of BTR-80

Characteristics of the armored personnel carrier allow its further improvement. For the needs of internal troops, the BTR-80S was developed, which has a 14.5-mm KPVT instead of an atomic cannon. The photographs of OGNAZ units always show this technique.

BTR-80M was developed after a fire at the Gorky Automobile Plant. Nobody expected that production and equipment would be restored in less than a year, so we used a weaker engine YaMZ-238, but the tires KI-128 are more resistant to damage.

For field command posts, several variations of command and staff machines were developed, for example BTR-80K equipped with an additional communication device. Machines for controlling artillery and establishing communications were also established, which had large antennas instead of weapons. There is even a self-propelled howitzer with a 120mm gun.

Cumulative antitank missiles are a real scourge for armored vehicles. As a result, armored vehicles have been equipped with mesh screens, which also protect against bullets of large caliber. There is experience in installing dynamic protection on the BTR-80, and the chassis is covered with shields from the T-72.

Modifications based on BTR-80 are being created in other countries.