Combat vehicles / Armored personnel carriers / BTR-80
BTR-80
General Facts
- TYPE
Armored personnel carrier - ORIGIN
USSR - NICKNAMES
GAZ-5903 (BTR-80)
GAZ-59031 (BTR-80K)
GAZ-59032 (increased roofline BTR-80)
GAZ-59033 (BREM-K)
GAZ-59034 (BTR-80A)
GAZ-59039 (BMM-80) - DESIGNED
Early 1980's - DESIGNER
Arzamas Machine Building Plant (AMZ) - PRODUCTION
1986 - present - PRODUCERS
Russia - AMZ
USSR - AMZ - QUANTITY
Unknown - UNIT COST
About $ 500.000 for BTR-80A in 2002 - CHARACTERISTICS
Improved protection over older BTR models
Reliable automotive components
Powerful armament on some variants
Good mobility and amphibious capability
Too little armor for true IFV role
Introduction
The BTR-80 is an armored personnel carrier of Soviet origin. It was developed as a follow on to the successful BTR-70 and BTR-60PB. The general layout remains similar but the design has been improved in every aspect.
Layout
The BTR-80 has the same general layout as the earlier BTR-70. The driver and commander are seated in the front, the turret and crew compartment is located in the middle and the engine is located at the rear. The crew may enter the vehicle through two part doors on each side and via roof hatches. The BTR-80 chassis is used for a wide variety of specialist vehicles in the command, reconnaissance and recovery role.
Firepower
The original BTR-80 is armed in the same manner as the BTR-70. It has a turret with a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and coaxial 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun. The increased elevation allows it to target helicopters and low flying aircraft. The BTR-80A is much better armed since it is fitted with an overhead weapons system with 30mm 2A72 autocannon and 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun.
Protection
The protection level of the BTR-80 is improved over the earlier BTR-70, especially regarding mines. The steel armor protects the crew from small arms fire and shell splinters all around and from 12.7mm rounds over the frontal arc. An NBC system is standard and smoke grenade launchers are fitted to the turret.
Mobility
The 8x8 chassis provides good mobility on roads and in the field. The maximum speed is 80 km/h on roads. A single 260 hp diesel engine provides propulsion. The single engine setup makes the BTR-80 much more reliable than its predecessors. The amphibious capability has been slightly improved.
Users
The BTR-80 is widely used by Russian forces and various Eastern European nations. Large quantities have been exported, but not to the extent as earlier designs. The newer models with autocannon make the BTR-80 design a very attractive all-round and cost effective combat vehicle.
BTR-80
The BTR-80 is the baseline vehicle from which the BTR-80 variants are derived. The BTR-80 is armed with a similar turret as the BTR-70. The BTR-80 series can be easily identified by the two part doors on the sides and rear engine deck.
BTR-80: Standard and most common version of the BTR-80 series.
BTR-80K: Command version of the BTR-80. It features a telescopic antenna mast and additional radios.
BTR-80AK: A BTR-80K with the same BPPU turret as used on the BTR-80A.
RKhM-4: NBC reconnaissance vehicle based on the BTR-80.
- Specifications:
- BTR-80
| Type | Armored personnel carrier |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 + 8 (driver, gunner, 8 infantry) |
| Length | 7.65 m |
| Width | 2.90 m |
| Height | 2.35 m (turret top) |
| Ground clearance | 0.48 m |
| Weight | 13.6 t combat load |
| Ground pressure | ? |
| Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 8x8, 4.4 m wheelbase, 2.41 m track |
| Turn radius | 13.2 m |
| Engine | KaMAZ-7403 V8 diesel, 260 hp |
| Power ratio | 19.1 hp/t |
|---|---|
| Transmission | Manual, 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Speed | 90 km/h on road, 10 km/h in water |
| Fuel | 300 L |
| Range | 600 km on road |
| Wall | 0.5 m |
| Trench | 2 m |
| Gradient | 60% gradient, 42% slope |
| Fording | Amphibious |
| Armor | Steel |
| NBC equipment | Yes |
| Night vision | Yes |
|---|---|
| Smoke | 6x 81mm smoke grenade discharger |
| 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 -4 to +60° 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 | - |
BTR-80A
The BTR-80A is a version of the BTR-80 with improved armament. The original turret is replaced by the BPPU overhead weapon system which is fitted with a 30mm 2A72 autocannon and 7.62mm PKT machine gun. The 2A72 has a longer effective range than the KPVT and is much more powerful, allowing it to engage most light and medium combat vehicles.
BTR-80A: BTR-80 with the BPPU turret with 30mm 2A72 autocannon.
BTR-80S: BTR-80 with the BPPU turret with 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun.
- Specifications:
- BTR-80A
| Type | Armored personnel carrier |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 + 8 (driver, gunner, 8 infantry) |
| Length | 7.7 m |
| Width | 2.95 m |
| Height | 2.80 m (overall) |
| Ground clearance | 0.48 m |
| Weight | 14.5 t combat load |
| Ground pressure | ? |
| Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 8x8, 4.4 m wheelbase, 2.41 m track |
| Turn radius | 13 m |
| Engine | YaMZ-238M2 V8 diesel, 240 hp |
| Power ratio | 16.5 hp/t |
|---|---|
| Transmission | Manual, 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Speed | 80 km/h on road, 9 km/h in water |
| Fuel | 300 L |
| Range | 600 km on road |
| Wall | 0.5 m |
| Trench | 2 m |
| Gradient | 60% gradient, 42% slope |
| Fording | Amphibious |
| Armor | Steel |
| NBC equipment | Yes |
| Night vision | Yes |
|---|---|
| Smoke | 6x 81mm smoke grenade discharger |
| Remarks | - |
| Armament | 30mm 2A72 autocannon 7.62mm PKT machine gun |
| Weapon1 | 30mm 2A72 autocannon in turret 300 rounds, all ready to fire -5 to +70° elevation 360° traverse 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 | - |
BTR-82
The BTR-82 is an improved version of the BTR-80 that is produced since 2010. The improvements include a spall liner, new night vision sights, GLONASS navigation, more powerful engine and same BPPU turret as fitted on the BTR-80A/S.
BTR-82: BTR-82 with the BPPU turret with 14.5mm KPVT as used on the BTR-80S.
BTR-82A: BTR-82 with the BPPU turret with 30mm 2A72 as used on the BTR-80A.
BREM-K
The BREM-K is a recovery vehicle that is based on the BTR-80. The turret is armed with only the PKT machine gun and features a winching installation that is used in conjunction with the A-frame that can be fitted at the nose of the vehicle. Two outriggers at the front provide stabilization when the A-frame is used. A stowage platform is installed on the rear deck.
BMM-80
Since 1993 the increased roofline BTR-80 has been used for the ambulance role. Three types of vehicles are used in conjunction to provide a medical infrastructure on the battlefield.
BMM-1: Battlefield ambulance used in the first aid and evacuation role.
BMM-2: Ambulance used for medical treatment at battalion level.
BMM-3: Mobile field hospital.
GAZ-59032
A wide variety of command and control and signals and communications vehicles are based on the increased roofline model of the BTR-80. These vehicles are unarmed and provide a wide variety of services.
K1Sh1: Air defense command post.
PU-12M6: Air defense command post for use with SA-8, SA-9, SA-13, 2S6 and ZSU-23-4.
1V152 Kapustnik-B: Artillery spotter vehicle with a variety of optics and navigation systems.
R-149BMRA: Command and signals vehicle with large extendable antenna mast.
R-149MA3: Command and signals vehicle.
Media
14.5mm KPVT
The 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun is used as primary armament on the BTR-80 and is also fitted to the overhead weapon station of the BTR-80S and BTR-82.
30mm 2A72
The 2A72 autocannon is fitted in the overhead weapon system mounted on the BTR-80A and BTR-82A.
7.62mm PKT
The PKT machine gun is mounted as a coaxial weapon on all armed versions of the BTR-80.