BTR-40

BTR-40
BTR-40
	BTR-40 at a public exhibit in Poland, 2008
Type	WheeledArmoured Personnel Carrier; Reconnaissancevehicle
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1950–1980s
Used by	SeeOperators
Production history
Designer	V. A. Dedkov
Designed	1947–1950
Manufacturer	Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod; unknown Chinese manufacturer
Unit cost	US$30,000 (export price toLibya,1970-1973)
Produced	1950–1960 (BTR-40ZhD produced until 1969)
No.built	8,500
Variants	SeeVariants
Specifications
Mass	5.3 tonnes
Length	5 m[citation needed]
Width	1.9 m
Height	2.2 m (1.83 m without armament)
Crew	2 + 8 passengers (BTR-40 and BTR-40V); 2 + 6 passengers (BTR-40B)
Armor	6-8 mm
Main; armament	7.62SGMBmediummachine gun(1,250 rounds (total)) (optional)
Secondary; armament	2×7.62SGMBmediummachine gun(1,250 rounds (total)) (optional)
Engine	6-cylinder GAZ-40; 80 hp (60 kW) at 3,400 rpm
Power/weight	15.1 hp/tonne (11.3 kW/tonne)
Suspension	4x4 wheel,leaf spring
Ground clearance	400 mm
Fuel capacity	122 l
Operational; range	430 km (road); 385 km (cross country)
Maximum speed	80 km/h

TheBTR-40(БТР, from Бронетранспортёр, orBronetransporter,literally "armoured transporter".†) is aSovietopen-topped, wheeledarmoured personnel carrierandreconnaissance vehicle.^[3]It is often referred to as theSorokovkain Soviet service.^[4]It was eventually replaced in the APC role by theBTR-152and in the scout car role by theBRDM-1.

Development history

The BTR-40's development began in early 1947 at the design bureau of theGorky Automobile Factoryunder the leadership of V. A. Dedkov. The concept was a successor to theBA-64B armoured car which went out of production in 1946. The design team also included L. W. Kostikin and P.I. Muziukin. Two prototypes designated BTR-141 were completed in 1947. The first was armed with two coaxial 14.5 mmKPVTheavy machine guns on a rotatable mount which was protected by armour plate at the front and sides. The second had no fixed armament. Neither one was accepted for service. In 1950 two new prototypes were produced. Those had a different shape of armour including an upright rear armour. Again one prototype had no fixed armament and the second was armed with two coaxial 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine guns. These were accepted into service as BTR-40 and BTR-40A respectively.^{[citation needed]}

The vehicle's drawbacks, such as its poor cross-country performance and problems with crossing water obstacles, compelled the design team to produce, in late 1954, what was planned to be an amphibious variant of the BTR-40. It received the designation BTR-40P (with the 'P' standing for plavayushchiy – "floating" ). During the design process, the vehicle moved away from the APC concept and became an amphibious armoured scout car. It received a new designation,BRDM.

Description

Overview

The BTR-40's design was based on theGAZ-63four wheel drive truck which went into production in 1946, using its chassis and most other internal mechanical components, while the six-cylinder engine was based on the design of theGAZ-12 ZIMunit. The design featured a self-bearing body which was a new feature in Soviet vehicles. The hull has two side doors for the commander and driver and a back door. The vehicle can transport up to eight fully equipped soldiers or 1 tonne of cargo.

Protection

The BTR-40's armour is from 6 mm to 8 mm thick which gives it protection fromsmall armsfire and the shell splinters of its time, but does not protect it against modern artillery fragments and.50-calibre machine gun fire. The BTR-40-series tyres are not protected by armour. They are particularly vulnerable to puncture from fire of all kinds. The vehicle has no roof and is normally covered with a tarpaulin to protect the crew, transported cargo or troops from rain and snow. However this makes it unable to mount any of the SGMB machine guns.

Armament

The APC variant has no permanent armament but it has pintle mounts for three 7.62 mmSGMBmedium machine guns, one at the front of the troop compartment and the other two at the sides. The vehicle also has two firing ports on both sides of the hull which allow up to four soldiers to use their weapons while being protected by the APC's armour.

Maneuverability

Like the GAZ-63 truck on which it is based on, the BTR-40 has a four-wheel drive. The chassis, however, is shorter compared to the GAZ-63. The only other thing that distinguishes the chassis of the BTR-40 from that of the GAZ-63 are additional shock absorbers. The BTR-40 also has a more powerful engine. The turning angle is 7.5 m.

Equipment

The vehicle has the 10RT-12 receiving and airing radio which has a range of 20–25 km and a winch at the front, with a maximum capacity of 4.5 tonnes and 70 m of cable. It has no protection against nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons. It also has no night vision equipment.

Service history

Soviet Union

The BTR-40 was produced at theGorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod(Gorkovsky Automobile Factory) from 1950 to 1960. It was first shown publicly at the military parade in Moscow in 1950. It was issued to the Red Army in 1950 and was used in the APC, reconnaissance and command post roles. After several years of service,^[5]it became apparent that it did not fit the modern battlefield. It was replaced by theBTR-152.

Foreign service

The BTR-40 began to enter service with two other Warsaw Pact members in late 1949, namely East Germany and Poland, where it was used as a standard APC until more advanced vehicles like theBTR-152were available. The last BTR-40s were withdrawn from Warsaw Pact countries in the early 1970s. The vehicle was also sold to many Arab and African nations in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

The People's Republic of China (PRC), had developed a copy of the BTR-40 called the Type 55. It is unknown how many of these vehicles entered service with thePLA.The vehicle was also exported to North Korea, probably as part of a military assistance programme during theKorean War,where it saw combat for the first time. It was later used by the North Vietnamese Army during theVietnam War.^[6]

BTR-40 also saw combat service during theNorth Yemen Civil Warduring which at least one was captured from the Egyptians by the royalist guerrillas.

List of conflicts

1956 –Hungarian Revolution of 1956(Soviet Union)
1955–1975 –Vietnam War(Vietnam)
1961-1962 –Operation Trikora(Indonesia)^[7]
1962-1970 –North Yemen Civil War(Egypt)
1966–1991 –South African Border War(Angola, Cuba)
1967 –Six-Day War(Egypt, Syria)
1968 –Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia(Soviet Union)
1969 –Sino-Soviet border conflict(Soviet Union)
1970–1975Cambodian Civil War(Cambodia)
1973 –Yom Kippur War(Egypt, Syria)
1974–1991 –Ethiopian Civil War
- 1961–1991 –Eritrean War for Independence
1975–1990 –Lebanese Civil War
1975–1991 –Western Sahara War(Polisario)
1975–2002 –Angolan Civil War(Angola)
1977–1978 –Ogaden War(Somalia)
1978–1987 –Chadian–Libyan conflict
1979–1988 –Soviet–Afghan War(Soviet Union, Afghanistan)
1980–1988 –Iran-Iraq War(Iran)
1982 –1982 Ethiopian–Somali Border War
2003–2005 –Insurgency in Aceh(Indonesia)^[8]

Variants

Soviet Union

BTR-141(1947) – The original prototype with a faceted rear hull had two variants. The first was armed with twin ZPTU-2 14.5 mmKPV heavy machine gunsplaced in a rotary platform with armour protection at the front and sides. The second version had no permanent armament but later became the BTR-40.
- BTR-40(1950) – Original production model.
  - BTR-40A(1950) – BTR-40 converted into a SPAAG armed with twin ZPTU-2 14.5 mm twin anti-aircraft gun (2400 rounds) in a turret, later also used in theBTR-152A, manually operated by a single soldier. The turret is placed inside the troop compartment. It can make a full turn and its guns can elevate between -5 and +80 degrees. This variant does not have the firing ports in the hull sides.
  - BTR-40V(1956) – BTR-40 fitted with an external tyre pressure regulation system.
  - BTR-40B(1957) – BTR-40V with an armoured roof with four hatches. The vehicle has a filtering/ventilation system, NBC protection system and central tyre pressure regulation system. It also has a pintle mount for a 12.7 mm or 14.5 mm heavy machine gun, although the standard version of the BTR-40B had no fixed armament. It was designed for use as a reconnaissance vehicle. Crew was reduced from 2 + 8 passengers to 2 + 6.
  - BTR-40Kh– NBC reconnaissance vehicle.
  - BTR-40ZhD(1959) – BTR-40 equipped with small rail wheels mounted to the front and rear of the vehicle on special supports.
  - BRDM-1– Armoured car which uses a number of BTR-40 components. Originally planned to be an amphibious variant of the BTR-40 and therefore it received the designationBTR-40P.

People's Republic of China

Type 55–Chinese copyof the BTR-40.^[9]^[10]Possibly also a designation for the Soviet-supplied BTR-40s.

Cuba

BTR-40A-AA– A Cuban air defence vehicle. It uses the chassis and the armoured front of the BTR-40 but the troop compartment has been removed in favour of a square sided platform mount with drop down sides and rear on which twin ZPTU-2 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine guns are placed.
BTR-40A-PB– A Cuban BTR-40 armed with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launcher. While travelling, the launcher is hidden in the superstructure so that from a distance, the vehicle cannot be easily distinguished from a normal BTR-40. The superstructure also provides the launcher with armour protection. When in position, the roof of the superstructure is opened sideways and the launcher is elevated.
Jababli– Is a Cuban BTR-40 fitted with a 3M11 Falanga (AT-2 Swatter) ATGM launcher on a launch platform in a cut-down superstructure. Only a limited number were built. NATO gave it the designationM1975/4.

East Germany

SPW-40– The East German designation for a BTR-40.
- SPW-40A– The East German designation for a BTR-40A.
- SPW-40Ch– The East German designation for a BTR-40Kh.
- SPW-40converted into a tank destroyer armed with an elevatableATGMlauncher capable of firing six9M14 MalyutkaATGMs with an armoured roof over it in a cut down troop compartment. This variant does not have the firing ports in the hull sides.^[11]

Indonesia

BTR-40converted into an armoured car armed with a medium machine gun in a cube-shaped turret on top of the superstructure inside the troop compartment. It also has four smoke grenade launchers on both sides of the hull.
BTR-40converted into an armoured car armed with a 40 mm gun in an angular turret on top of the superstructure inside the troop compartment, it also has four smoke grenade dischargers on both sides of the hull. It has a searchlight on the left hand side of the hull. It is intended to be used for fire support.

Israel

BTR-40fitted with pintle mounts for the USM1919A47.62mm light machine guns, one in the forward part of the troop compartment and two on either side as well a large number of equipment holders on the hull.
BTR-40fitted withTCM-20anti-aircraft turret.

Operators

Current operators

Burundi:20^[12]
Guinea:16^[9]
Guinea-Bissau:15^[9]
Indonesia:100;^[9]85 operational.^[8]
Laos:10^[9]
North Korea:450^[9]
Tanzania:Type 55variant.^[3]^[13]
Vietnam:100^[9]
Yemen^[3]^[14]

Former operators

Albania:200([1])
Angola:32^[9]
Botswana:3^[15]
Afghanistan:100^[9]
Algeria:100^[9]
People's Republic of Bulgaria:150^[9]
People's Republic of China:Unlicensed variant designedType 55;^[9]retired in the 1990s.^[10]
People's Republic of the Congo:20;Type 55variant.^[13]
East Germany:300^[9]
Hungarian People's Republic:200^[9]
Israel:Used by theIsrael Border Police.^[16]
Mongolian People's Republic:200^[9]
Mozambique^[17]
Polish People's Republic:400^[9]
Somalia:60^[9]
Soviet Union^[3]
Uganda:60^[9]
North Yemen:70^[9]
South Yemen:60^[9]
Yugoslavia:40^[9]

References

^Efrat, Moshe (1983)."The Economics of Soviet Arms Transfers to the Third World. A Case Study: Egypt".Soviet Studies.35(4): 437–456.doi:10.1080/09668138308411496.ISSN 0038-5859.JSTOR 151253.
^Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006.
^^a ^b ^c ^dChristopher F. Foss (16 May 2000).Jane's Tanks and Combat Vehicles Recognition Guide(2000 ed.). Harper Collins Publishers. p.290.ISBN 978-0-00-472452-2.
^ibid.
^Tanks and armored fighting vehicles: visual encyclopedia.New York, N.Y.: Chartwell Books. 2012. p. 244.ISBN 9780785829263.OCLC 785874088.
^"North Vietnamese Armor"
^"Sejarah Hari Ini: Mengenal BTR-40, Ranpur APC Peninggalan Operasi Trikora yang Lahir Kembali".11 January 2023.
^^a ^b"BTR-40: Panser Yang Nyaris Jadi Besi Tua".IndoMiliter.Archived fromthe originalon 24 December 2014.Retrieved24 December2014.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u"Trade Registers".Retrieved24 December2014.
^^a ^bJohn Pike."People's Liberation Army".Retrieved24 December2014.
^Bronetransporter BTR-40."SPW-40 East German Experimental mounting ATGM Maljutka".Retrieved15 May2021.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^The Military Balance 2021,p. 453.
^^a ^bUnited States Army War College (August 1993).The Challenge of Chinese Arms Proliferation: U.S. Policy for the 1990s(PDF).Strategic Studies Institute(Report).Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 December 2022.
^"Yemen"(PDF).Tel-Aviv: Institute For National Security Studies. 6 October 2013. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 26 July 2017.Retrieved26 July2017.
^"Handbook of Major Foreign Weapons Systems Exported to the Third World: 1981-86"(PDF).Langley:Central Intelligence Agency.November 1987. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 23 January 2017.Retrieved20 June2017.
^Cordesman, Anthony (October 2016).After The Storm: The Changing Military Balance in the Middle East.London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 241.ISBN 978-1-4742-9256-6.
^Keegan, John (1983).World Armies(Second ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan. p. 408.ISBN 978-0333340790.

International Institute for Strategic Studies(February 2021).The Military Balance 2021.Vol. 121. Routledge.ISBN 9781032012278.

External links

BTR-40 foto and forum
globalsecurity.org
(in Russian)Description and photo gallery at armoured.vif2.ru
(in Russian)Description and photo gallery at legion.wplus.net
Website and Pictures

[1] Efrat, Moshe (1983)."The Economics of Soviet Arms Transfers to the Third World. A Case Study: Egypt".Soviet Studies.35(4): 437–456.doi:10.1080/09668138308411496.ISSN 0038-5859.JSTOR 151253.

[Janes-2] Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006.

[Recognition-3] Christopher F. Foss (16 May 2000).Jane's Tanks and Combat Vehicles Recognition Guide(2000 ed.). Harper Collins Publishers. p.290.ISBN 978-0-00-472452-2.

[4] ibid.

[5] Tanks and armored fighting vehicles: visual encyclopedia.New York, N.Y.: Chartwell Books. 2012. p. 244.ISBN 9780785829263.OCLC 785874088.

[North_Vietnamese_Armor-6] "North Vietnamese Armor"

[7] "Sejarah Hari Ini: Mengenal BTR-40, Ranpur APC Peninggalan Operasi Trikora yang Lahir Kembali".11 January 2023.

[btrindo-8] "BTR-40: Panser Yang Nyaris Jadi Besi Tua".IndoMiliter.Archived fromthe originalon 24 December 2014.Retrieved24 December2014.

[SIPRI-9] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u"Trade Registers".Retrieved24 December2014.

[Global_Security_PRC-10] John Pike."People's Liberation Army".Retrieved24 December2014.

[11] Bronetransporter BTR-40."SPW-40 East German Experimental mounting ATGM Maljutka".Retrieved15 May2021.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[FOOTNOTEThe_Military_Balance_2021453-12] The Military Balance 2021,p. 453.

[Gill-13] United States Army War College (August 1993).The Challenge of Chinese Arms Proliferation: U.S. Policy for the 1990s(PDF).Strategic Studies Institute(Report).Archived(PDF)from the original on 1 December 2022.

[Security3-14] "Yemen"(PDF).Tel-Aviv: Institute For National Security Studies. 6 October 2013. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 26 July 2017.Retrieved26 July2017.

[CIA1-15] "Handbook of Major Foreign Weapons Systems Exported to the Third World: 1981-86"(PDF).Langley:Central Intelligence Agency.November 1987. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 23 January 2017.Retrieved20 June2017.

[Cordesman2016-16] Cordesman, Anthony (October 2016).After The Storm: The Changing Military Balance in the Middle East.London: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 241.ISBN 978-1-4742-9256-6.

[Keegan-17] Keegan, John (1983).World Armies(Second ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan. p. 408.ISBN 978-0333340790.

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v t e Modern wheeledinfantry fighting vehiclesandarmoured personnel carriers
Overviews	Armored car Scout car Reconnaissance vehicle Armoured reconnaissance
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10×10	GPV General Piranha JRVG-1A
Related	Motor pool Mechanized infantry Navboxes: {{WWII US Soft Vehicles}} {{Modern reconnaissance vehicles}} {{Modern UK fighting vehicles}}

Development history

Description

Overview

Protection

Armament

Maneuverability

Equipment

Service history

Soviet Union

Foreign service

List of conflicts

Variants

Soviet Union

People's Republic of China

Cuba

East Germany

Indonesia

Israel

Operators

Current operators

Former operators

See also

References

External links