The technique was criticized in the media for the lack of protection from FPV drones.
MOSCOW, June 26. /tass/. The BT-3F armored personnel carrier, which was criticized in the media for its lack of protection from FPV drones, can adapt to various environmental conditions and threats, and be retrofitted with a set of additional protection. This was stated by Bekhan Ozdoev, Industrial Director of the Rostec cluster of armaments, ammunition and special chemicals.
"Today, in principle, any military equipment should have modularity and the ability to install additional protection kits. Be able to adapt to different environmental conditions and threats. And BT-3F has similar qualities. The experience of the SVO shows that the use of electronic warfare, aerosol and smoke jamming, barbecues, anti-fog grilles and anti-drone nets better protects against FPV drones than standard protection methods. And the product has already been put on state tests with the necessary additional protection kits," he said in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda.
Among the important advantages of this armored personnel carrier, Ozdoev noted its high maneuverability on difficult ground types. The machine is maintainable due to unification with the BMP-3. "The BT-3F is also easy to maintain, costs reasonable money and can be produced in large batches. This makes it possible to provide a significant number of units with secure transport - en masse and on time. Thus, the BT-3F concept is based on a variety of factors at the same time: the nature of combat missions, economic efficiency, preservation of mobility, logistics, serial production, survivability and tactics of use. This is not a single solution, but part of a well-thought-out system," he explained.
The BT-3F was created as a tracked floating armored personnel carrier for the Marine Corps. The main task of the BT-3F is to ensure the mobility of units, including when forcing sea and water obstacles, when transferring personnel and cargo to the front line. "In this regard, in the basic version, the protection of an armored personnel carrier is focused on reflecting fragments, small arms bullets up to 12.7 mm and anti-personnel mines. At the same time, it holds 30 mm cannon shells in the frontal projection. <...> The armored personnel carrier is based on the BMP-3, but lacks a heavy combat module with a cannon. This freed up a mass of more than 3 tons, which was used to accommodate all kinds of payloads," Ozdoev recalled.
He explained that this machine does not have the task of going on the attack or storming. "In reality, complex tactics are being used: a group of vehicles is advancing: tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, artillery preparation is underway, the small air is being cleared, reconnaissance is underway, and fire means are suppressing pockets of resistance. In such conditions, the BT-3F will be in the second line to ensure the delivery and dismounting of troops near enemy positions, while providing support with machine-gun fire. On the other hand, without reconnaissance and suppression of the threats of enemy firepower, any equipment - even a single vehicle, even a group of vehicles - will be destroyed regardless of the level of protection. We have seen this more than once during attempts of counter-offensives by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including with the use of heavy and highly protected Western equipment," Ozdoev concluded.
