General Facts

TYPE
Armored personnel carrier

ORIGIN
USSR

NICKNAMES
M1978 (US designation)
Schutzenpanzerwagen 70 / SPW-70 (East Germany)

DESIGNED
Early 1970's

DESIGNER
Dedkov design bureau

PRODUCTION
Late 1970's - mid 1980's

PRODUCERS
USSR - Arzamas

Licensed production:
Romania - RATMIL

QUANTITY
Unknown

UNIT COST
Unknown

CHARACTERISTICS
Improved armor protection over BTR-60
Difficult for infanty to enter and exit
Unreliable twin engine setup

Introduction

The BTR-70 is an armored personnel carrier of Soviet origin. The BTR-70 was developed in the mid 1970's to supplement the BTR-60 used by the Soviet motorized infantry. The BTR-70 was in turn replaced by the further improved BTR-80. The TAB-77 is a Romanian derivative of the BTR-70.

Layout

The design of the BTR-70 is largely based on the earlier BTR-60PB and can be considered a further improved version. The driver and commander are seated side by side at the front of the vehicle. The one man turret is installed just behind them. The infantry compartment is in the middle of the vehicle and can be accessed by doors fitted between the 2nd and 3rd roadwheel and from large hatches in the roof. The two engines are installed at the rear.

Firepower

The BTR-70 is fitted with the same armament as the BTR-60. The 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun is the main armament and a 7.62mm PKT machine gun is mounted as a coaxial weapon. The KPVT can be used against light armored vehicles, soft skin vehicles and infantry behind sandbags or within buildings. It is also more capable of engaging infantry at long range than the PKT. At the time of development most Western armored personnel carriers could be engaged, although nowadays protection against 14.5mm rounds is rather common.

Protection

The sloped steel armor protects the crew and infantry from small arms fire and shell splinters. Over the frontal arc there is protection against 12.7mm rounds. Overall the BTR-70 has a higher level of protection than the older BTR-60PB. An NBC system is fitted as standard, but smoke grenade launchers are not.

Mobility

The BTR-70 has a good mobility on roads and speeds of up to 80 km/h can be achieved. The off road capability is rather good as well, but cross country mobility is limited under certain conditions. The BTR-70 is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water by means of a single water jet. Two 120 hp gasoline engines provide propulsion.

Users

The main user of the BTR-70 was the USSR and large quantities remain in use with ex-USSR nations. Many Eastern European nations also acquired the BTR-70 and some developed their own versions. Unlike most Soviet equipment the BTR-70 was hardly exported to other parts of the world and thus the BTR-70 is very uncommon in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

BTR-70

The BTR-70 is an armored personnel carrier that can be considered a further improved version of the BTR-60PB. It can be distinguished from the BTR-60PB by its reshaped nose and rear sections, different wheels, more distinct wheelbays and low mounted doors between the 2nd and 3rd wheel. Early versions were fitted with 115hp gasoline engines until the more 120hp gasoline engines were introduced. Several command and specialist versions have been developed, but these are rather uncommon.

Specifications:
BTR-70

Type	Armored personnel carrier
Crew	2 + 9 (driver, gunner, 9 infantry)
Length	7.54 m
Width	2.8 m
Height	2.24 m (turret top), 2.32 m (overall)
Ground clearance	0.48 m
Weight	11.5 t combat load
Ground pressure	?
Wheelbase	Wheeled chassis, 8x8, 2.4 m track
Turn radius	13.2 m
Engine	2x ZMZ-4905 V8 petrol, 120 hp

Power ratio	20.9 hp/t
Transmission	Manual, 4 forward, 1 reverse
Speed	80 km/h on road, 10 km/h in water
Fuel	350 L
Range	600 km with external fuel tanks
Wall	0.5 m
Trench	2 m
Gradient	60% gradient, 40% slope
Fording	Amphibious
Armor	Steel
NBC equipment	Yes

Night vision	Yes
Smoke	No
Remarks	-
Armament	14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun 7.62mm PKT machine gun
Weapon1	14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun in turret 500 rounds, 50 ready to fire -5 to +30° elevation, manual 360° traverse, manual non-stabilized
Weapon2	7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun 2.000 rounds, 250 ready to fire traverse and elevation as main armament
Weapon3	-
Weapon4	-
Weapon5	-
Weapon6	-

TAB-77

The TAB-77 is the Romanian production version of the BTR-70. The TAB-77 has a different fire control system and two 132hp diesel engines instead of the 120hp gasoline engines. Several command versions of the TAB-77 have been developed.

Specifications:
TAB-77

Type	Armored personnel carrier
Crew	2 + 9 (driver, gunner, 9 infantry)
Length	7.42 m
Width	2.95 m
Height	1.92 m (hull top)
Ground clearance	0.53 m
Weight	12.3 t empty, 13.4 t combat load
Ground pressure	?
Wheelbase	Wheeled chassis, 8x8, 2.39 m track
Turn radius	12 m
Engine	2x Model 797-05M1 diesel, 132 hp

Power ratio	19.8 hp/t
Transmission	Manual
Speed	83 km/h on road, 10 km/h in water
Fuel	290 L
Range	550 km on road
Wall	0.5 m
Trench	2 m
Gradient	60% gradient, 30% slope
Fording	Amphibious
Armor	Steel
NBC equipment	Yes

Night vision	Yes
Smoke	No
Remarks	-
Armament	14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun 7.62mm PKT machine gun
Weapon1	14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun in turret 600 rounds, 50 ready to fire -5 to +30° elevation, manual 360° traverse, manual non-stabilized
Weapon2	7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun 2.500 rounds, 250 ready to fire traverse and elevation as main armament
Weapon3	-
Weapon4	-
Weapon5	-
Weapon6	-