The Soviet BMP was the world's first major infantry combat vehicle. Previous mechanized infantry vehicles, usually called APC (armored personnel carrier), were designed merely to transport infantry to the battlefield. In contrast, the BMP was designed to permit the infantry to fight from the vehicle. The requirement for such a vehicle stemmed from changes in Soviet operational doctrine in the late 1950s. The Soviets began examining how an army would fight on a battlefield where tactical nuclear weapons were being used. It became obvious that foor soldiers could not survive in radioactively contaminated areas where a nuclear weapon had been detonated. Armored vehicles were the obvious solution since the steel of the hull protected the crew from most residual radioactivity, and the air could be filtered to remove contaminated dust. The vehicle needed firing ports to permit the infantrymen inside to fire their weapons. In addition, the vehicle needed an anti-armor weapon system to protect itself against similar enemy infantry combat vehicles, as well as tanks. So the BMP was born.
Concord Publications 1006 Firepower Pictorials 1990 BMP Infantry Combat Vehicle
Автор: Steven J. Zaloga
Издательство: Wydawnictwo Militaria
ISBN 962-361-006-8
Год издания: 1990
Язык: английский
Страниц: 61
Формат: PDF
Размер: 39 Mb
=============================