The Iranian armed forces continue to operate more than two hundred BMP-1s. Some of this equipment was supplied by the Soviet Union back in the 70s, other samples were captured during the eight-year war with Saddam's Iraq.
Thanks to the qualified operation, these infantry fighting vehicles remain in combat-ready condition. At the same time, local sources have repeatedly noted that they are already outdated in terms of their tactical and technical characteristics and have long needed modernization.
For this purpose, according to the Iranian Tasnim news agency, a new combat module has been created at the research institute in Isfahan, part of the Organization for Research and Self-Support of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
According to military expert Yuri Lyamin, this novelty, which has never been demonstrated anywhere before, is armed with a 30-mm automatic cannon, 7.62-mm and 12.7-mm machine guns, as well as a 30-mm grenade launcher.
At the next stage of work, it is planned to install anti-tank guided missiles on it.
"Apparently, the ammunition is completely isolated from the servicemen in the armored vehicle. However, the gunner's workplace is located under the module itself and rotates with it," Lyamin notes.
Previously, work was carried out to improve the capabilities of the BMP-2. In particular, they began to install Cornet-E ATGM clones produced by the local industry.
The BTR-50PK was also refined, which even outwardly became very different from the base sample.
Alexey Brusilov
