The winged infantry continues to be equipped with serial BMD-4M amphibious assault vehicles and BTR-MDM "Shell" armored personnel carriers. On the eve of the professional holiday of the Airborne Troops, who will be 91 years old in a few days, the first batch of such equipment - 37 units-was received by the Ivanovo 98th Airborne Division.
It is unrealistic to transfer the entire compound to modern armor overnight. Therefore, the command drew up a schedule for its re-equipment. First, six new armored personnel carriers and 31 BMD-4M will be mastered in one regiment. Previously, all its crews were retrained for two months at the Airborne Forces training center in Omsk. Then the turn will reach other units and divisions.
If we talk about the airborne forces as a whole, then in some divisions and brigades there will be companies with the same type of equipment-only with BMD - 4M or "Shells". In other connections, a mixed principle of technical configuration will be preferred. Everything will depend on the tasks solved by the military formations. One thing is invariable here: the supplies of the new arsenal go to the troops not" piece by piece", but to the whole unit. As a rule, immediately with a battalion set. This is exactly what happened on Monday in the Ivanovo Airborne Division. In total, the Blue Berets have already received 11 such kits. Before the end of the year, they will be given two more.
The upgraded version of the BMD-4M in Kurgan and the armored "Shell" winged infantry seem to be absolutely satisfied. According to the deputy commander of the Airborne Forces for armament, General Alexey Ragozin, the new vehicles are considered the best of their kind and will increase the combat capabilities of the parachute units.
A digital fire control system, a 100-mm 2A70 gun with guided projectiles fired through the barrel, a 30-mm 2A72 automatic gun mounted on the BMD-4M allow this machine, like artillery, to shoot from a closed firing position and destroy any tanks without entering the zone of destruction with their weapons. As an additional weapon, you can use a PKT machine gun, as well as ATGM "Arkan" and "Competition". In addition to the three crew members, the car has a landing compartment for five people. The new amphibious armored car floats, goes along the highway at a speed of up to 70 kilometers per hour and has a power reserve of half a thousand kilometers. But the most important thing is that it can be dropped from airplanes, if necessary-together with the crew.
The multi-purpose amphibious modernized armored personnel carrier BTR-MDM "Shell" accelerates to 70 kilometers per hour on the highway and is able to transport people and cargo at a distance of up to 500 kilometers without refueling. In addition to two crew members, up to 13 servicemen can be placed in its landing compartment.
Yuri Gavrilov
