Despite the launch of the new BTR-82 model, the BTR-80 is the most popular armored personnel carrier in the Russian army. This wheeled vehicle was created taking into account the experience of previous military conflicts. BTR-80 forces small water obstacles, quickly picks up speed, has good cross-country ability, coupled with weapons, armor for the engine and crew. There is also fire fighting equipment and radiation protection - a tribute to the capabilities of modern weapons. The main objective of the machine is to quickly deliver troops to the battlefield and provide cover. In the case of the organization of defense, an armored personnel carrier is dug into the ground, and a tower with a machine gun turns into a pillbox.
What troops is used
The scope of the APC is quite wide. If we talk about the BTR-80, the technical characteristics allow the use of this vehicle in a variety of troops. It is mainly used by motorized gunners. In any tactics textbook, you can find combat schemes in various situations with a motorized rifle platoon and three armored personnel carriers.
High speed and throughput make the BTR-80 an ideal technique for landing units. The ability to force water barriers and the possibility of transportation on landing ships allow it to be used in marine operations. Eight-wheeled vehicles easily slide down ramps directly into the water, within a few minutes, under cover of artillery, reach the shore and proceed to storm the land, and “black berets” are waiting in the wings.
It is also possible the dumping of equipment from aircraft, after landing, an armored personnel carrier immediately enters the battle. Modern parachute systems allow you to drop tanks and armored personnel carriers immediately with the crew, with minimal risk to people.
In addition to Russia, the BTR-80 is actively used in the CIS countries, Estonia, Turkey, etc.
Places of Military Glory
Since 1976, the BTR-70 was the main armored personnel carrier in the Soviet Union - the car is not bad, but it inherited the shortcomings of its predecessor, the BTR-60PB. He had a high fuel consumption, an insufficiently thought-out landing and landing system, and an unreliable power plant. In the early 80s, the design bureau of the Gorky Automobile Plant designed a new armored personnel carrier - BTR-80, the characteristics of which allow it to be used in a variety of conditions. The new equipment has earned its fame for hard work, having passed the roads of all military conflicts of the USSR and the CIS since the late 1980s: Moldova, Tajikistan, Chechnya, Nagorno-Karabakh, etc.
The BTR-80 was used as the main vehicle in the wars in the North Caucasus. The landing was carried directly on the roof of the transport carrier. In the event of a military clash en route, the soldiers jumped and hid behind the armored sides.
For foreigners, a Russian soldier is associated not only with a Kalashnikov assault rifle, but also with an BTR-80. Technical characteristics allow the efficient use of equipment in anti-terrorist operations. This is the most popular wheeled vehicle in the Russian army; modifications based on the BTR-80 are used by assault units, communications units, artillery, and also as a mobile first-aid post.
Appearance
Many combat vehicles have about the same appearance as the BTR-80. The photo below is presented for a better perception of information. The body is made of armored steel, welded rigidly and reliably. The main elements are the bow, feed, sides, roof and bottom. The transport carrier has a whole collection of hatches: for the winch in the bow, there are also inspection hatches, for the FVU, the hatches of the driver and the commander, the fighting compartment and the hatch over the power plant. Also in front there is a reflective shield.
The tower is made in the form of a truncated cone, has loopholes for the installation of coaxial machine guns. Welded from armored steel.
BTR-80. User's manual
The armored personnel carrier is controlled like a regular car, there is a steering wheel, pedals and a gear lever. On new models there is even an automatic transmission. The review for the driver is not enough, but this is not a race car. The main thing is to see everything that is ahead, but what is on the side, the BTR-80 with its mass and power will not even notice. It does not have such cross-country ability as a tracked vehicle, but in battles on flat terrain it is indispensable. The rapid movement of the landing will allow you to create a numerical and fire advantage at the desired points. Block the streets and certain areas of the city, force the river, press the enemy infantry with machine-gun fire - the BTR-80 was created to perform just such tasks.
Technical changes in the engine
In the 80s, the designers of the Gorky Automobile Plant were tasked with creating an armored personnel carrier, eliminating the shortcomings of the BTR-70. The BTR-80 device is very different from its predecessor. First of all, instead of two carburetor engines, they delivered one diesel from a KamAZ car - 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 the volume of its predecessor. A turbocharger is installed to increase power. As a result, the BTR-80 has 260 hp, accelerates to 100 km / h. It is in ideal conditions. On the highway - 80 km / h, on a dirt road - from 20 to 40 km / h. It can force water barriers at a speed of 9 km / h.
Using one engine pulled other changes. In the transmission, mechanical force through a dry friction double-disc clutch with a hydraulic drive is transmitted to a 5-speed gearbox. All transmissions except the first are equipped with synchronizers.
Increased patency through differential lock
The BTR-80 differential has been improved over the BTR-70. From the gearbox, the moment is transmitted to the two-stage transfer case. Differential distribution is made in two streams: to the first-third and second-fourth bridges of the BTR-80. The center differential lock is forced, it works in difficult road conditions. In this case, the reduction gear and differential lock occurs only when the front axles are on. In order to increase the service life and avoid breakdowns during overloads, a clutch limiting the maximum torque is provided in the transfer case.
Vitality BTR-80
The armored personnel carrier has bulletproof tires with adjustable pressure. After all, it depends on mobility how much this equipment will live on the battlefield. The BTR-80 device is such that failure of one or two wheels does not stop it. The technical characteristics of even an anti-tank mine are such that the energy of the explosion will damage only one wheel, and anti-personnel armored personnel carriers of this model are not at all afraid.
The desire to protect the crew is understandable, but the thicker the armor, the heavier the car and the slower it moves. The description of the BTR-80 makes it possible to recognize the features of the BTR-70 in it, the differences in appearance are insignificant, especially for indiscriminate in military equipment. The BTR-80 has a longer body and slightly improved armor. Even in this case, the mass increased by 18 percent - up to 13, 600 kg. Thanks to changes in the hodovka and in the engine mobility remained the same. The power reserve, thanks to the diesel engine, increased to 600 km along the highway.
Increased firepower of equipment at the expense of the crew. Shooting ports on the sides of the hull are deployed in the direction of the front hemisphere, an embrasure has also appeared, allowing the commander to fire.
Water movement
An amphibious car is easily distinguished by a bulging nose - such as that of the BTR-80. The photo above shows the process of landing from the ship. A second car is floating in the background, and the first has already climbed ashore. The operation of the BTR-80 when forcing a water barrier is simple. The design provides one water cannon with an axial pump located in the aft. Motion control on the water is carried out using the steering wheel. In addition to the two front axles, which also move on land, water helps to turn the water rudders and the damper. An armored personnel carrier is a heavy machine, and it could not do without a power steering.
Initially, the BTR-80 was conceived without a water jet, but the command of the Navy needed a machine capable of landing from ships and adapted to the needs of the marine corps. Marine units — from assault troops to command communications — all sit on the BTR-80.
Equipment BTR-80
The technical characteristics of the BTR-70 needed to be expanded to adapt to the conditions of modern warfare. On the BTR-80, a BPU-1 machine gun turret was installed, the vertical pointing angle of which is 60 degrees. Together with the 1PZ-2 optical sight, it allows for anti-aircraft fire. Like the ninja from the films, the BTR-80 can create a smoke screen and hide: for this, the 902V system, which is six grenade launchers, is installed on the roof.
Initially, the armored personnel carrier, like its predecessor, was armed with a KPVT paired with PKT.
During the creation of this technique, Afghanistan was the main training ground for use, nevertheless, the designers took care of the conduct of the battle in cold climates. At a temperature of from -5 to -25 ° C, a pre-heater is arranged based on the principle of an electric torch device. When the engine warms up, a flame is formed from the combustion of the diesel engine, which also raises the temperature.
Initially, the R-123 radio station available in the BTR was replaced with the newer and more efficient R-163-50U.
BTR-80 with an automatic gun
In 1994, a modification of the BTR-80A armored personnel carrier was put into service. The machine for the landing was first equipped with a 30 mm 2A72 automatic gun, an ammunition load of 300 shells. A similar cannon is used on infantry and landing fighting vehicles, as well as on Ka-50, Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopters. A 120 mm tank armor can penetrate a line of eight shells from such a BTR-80 cannon.
The technical characteristics of the new tower allow you to hit targets with a large elevation angle - up to 70 degrees. Shot range - up to 4 km. The same FCT of 7.62 caliber with 2000 rounds is paired with the cannon. All weapons are located outside the habitable compartment so that powder gases do not enter the premises. For firing at night, the TPN-3-42 “Crystal” night vision sight was installed, the range of targeted shooting with its use was up to 900 m.
