The Ground forces of Ukraine have announced indicative requirements for a new light-class infantry fighting vehicle. According to the Defense Express portal, it is assumed that the design will be traditional, with a front-mounted engine and transmission compartment, while maintaining the ability to overcome water obstacles by swimming.
The landing compartment will increase, special anti-traumatic seats will be placed in it.
Boarding and disembarkation will be carried out through a hydraulically driven ramp located in the stern.
The protection of the BMP is supposed to be carried out in a modular two-level - basic and additional, using optoelectronic counteraction systems. The bottom will also undergo revision.
Armament - a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon, a 7.62mm twin machine gun, a 30-mm automatic grenade launcher and an anti-tank missile system "Barrier" with two launchers will be placed in an uninhabited module with remote control. The sighting complex is supposed to be equipped with modern thermal imaging devices.
It provides for the use of new means of communication, navigation and integration into a promising unified combat control system. The combat weight will not exceed 18,000 kg. There are no exact data on the type of engine and possible mobility characteristics.
They hope that in the future this new light BMP should replace the Soviet BMP-1 and BMP-2. In addition to it, a new heavy infantry fighting vehicle should appear in the APU.
However, according to Russian military experts, the depressing state of the Ukrainian industry will not allow mass production of such equipment.
Alexey Brusilov
