The Russian BMD-4 is the main combat vehicle for the Russian Airborne Troops. The vehicle has become indispensable for sabotage operations, as mobile artillery. TASS talked with the developers of the BMD-4M about the deterrent factor of this machine on the battlefield and the promising improvements that it can receive based on its experience.
The Russian Defense Ministry regularly talks about the use of BMD-4M to cover assault groups and destroy enemy strongholds, including with fire from closed positions. According to the High-Precision Complexes holding (the developer of the combat vehicle, part of Rostec State Corporation), this is possible thanks to powerful weapons similar to the BMP-3.
Characteristics of the BMD-4M
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the tracked amphibious combat vehicle has a combat weight of 14 tons, its crew is three people, the vehicle can carry five paratroopers, and is capable of swimming. A 500 hp V10 multi-fuel diesel engine accelerates the BMD-4M to 70 km/h on the highway and up to 10 km/h on the water. The power reserve allows the car to make marches along the highway for 500 km. The BMD-4M is armed with two guns at once - a 100 mm caliber firing both projectiles and guided missiles, and an automatic 30 mm caliber. The armored vehicle has a 7.62mm machine gun.
"Given the high maneuverability — the BMD-4 is lighter than the BMP-3 — they perform assault and sabotage operations where it is necessary to quickly deliver personnel and start working," the holding explains. The military appreciates the unpretentiousness and a good set of weapons, but first of all, the maneuverability of the BMD. "Especially [maneuverability is valuable] in those areas where chernozem prevails in the coating. Wheeled vehicles do not pass through there, and such a light machine as this BMD easily overcomes such areas," the developer notes.
The ability to swim is another advantage of an amphibious vehicle, albeit not the most obvious one. "Thanks to this characteristic, a potential threat is provided by the possibility of opening a front through a water barrier somewhere," the representative of the holding emphasizes. "And a potential adversary must take this possibility into account." For the opposing side, this means the need to withdraw some of the forces from other directions in order to keep them somewhere nearby in case of a similar breakthrough by the paratroopers.
The BMD-4M, like the rest of Russian military equipment, is being rapidly improved based on the experience of combat operations in the special operation zone. According to the holding, taking into account the demand at the front, a set of additional protection has been developed for her. Vehicles with it are already regularly delivered to the military department. They also began to be equipped with electronic warfare equipment, additional protection from FPV drones - for example, a lattice screen is installed on top, informally called a "barbecue".
To date, we are working on equipping both infantry fighting vehicles and amphibious assault vehicles with anti—drone protection systems, including those with active protection elements, such a system is capable of accurately destroying projectiles flying towards vehicles with special ammunition. Threats are detected by the radar station. As the developer notes, similar plans remain in place today. "There are no active protection systems in our lightly armored vehicles yet. This is due to a number of limitations, but nevertheless we are working on creating specifically such systems that could be implemented," High—Precision Complexes said. "We need simple and efficient systems, optimal in terms of price—performance ratio, that can work against UAVs." The holding indicates the presence of enterprises with relevant competencies in the contour.
Foreign experience is being studied
During the special operation, a number of Russian enterprises received captured samples of Western military equipment for study.
"Of course, we carefully look at the captured products. We see her weaknesses and strengths. Today, it is not uncommon to hear that foreign technology is no match for Russian technology. That's not so. In some ways we are better, in some ways they are. It must be remembered that we are fighting a strong and technically well-equipped enemy. In fact, more than 50 countries are acting against us today. Including the leading Western powers," said Sergey Chemezov, quoted in the Telegram channel of Rostec State Corporation.
"We are now closely studying the captured equipment. It is also located at our enterprises," High-Precision Complexes reported. "Western technology has a good manufacturing quality." At the same time, experts note similar design solutions in foreign machines and add that due to more affordable technologies in Russia, it is possible to ensure better mass production.
At the same time, some additional equipment is not just installed on the machine - in the course of its development, the BMD—4 design itself is evolving. "It is the bottlenecks that are being changed. No matter what tests were carried out in peacetime, it is impossible to identify all the nuances of machine operation in this way," says the developer. — For example, in the early stages, in some cases and under certain conditions, tracks were dropped. Therefore, we have implemented a jackhammer in the design, similar to the BMP-3." In addition, as they add in the "High-precision complexes", there are a number of individual elements, the security of which has also recently been increased. "We are currently working on what has already been implemented for the BMP-3: automatic gearshift and video surveillance. All this will appear on the BMD-4 in the near future," they noted.
In the future, the BMD-4M may receive an improved set of weapons. We are talking about the development of a new 30-millimeter cannon. The issue of its use to combat drones is being considered — they are supposed to be hit by projectiles with remote detonation. "It all depends on the scope and its ability to track all elevation angles. Roughly speaking, the angle of the "pumping" of the sight will be enough to aim the weapon system normally," the source said. In addition, the "main caliber" projectiles can be improved — 100-millimeter ammunition can also be remotely detonated.
Today, there is a tendency to unify an infantry fighting vehicle and an amphibious assault vehicle, and as a result, a single vehicle may appear: an infantry fighting vehicle that can be landed. The fact is, according to High—Precision Complexes, that initially the infantry fighting vehicle was conceived as an amphibious vehicle - there are 38 successful landings on the account of the BMP-2. "Therefore, there is nothing supernatural here. And yes, it's more about them merging into a single machine," says a representative of the developer, noting that this may happen over the next 10 years.
Export prospects of the BMD-4M
Rosoboronexport (part of Rostec State Corporation) is ready to offer foreign customers assistance in organizing and equipping airborne troops as part of their national armed forces.
"As part of this export offer, we offer our partners the BMD-4M amphibious assault vehicle, which has been tested in real combat conditions and fully meets the current and promising challenges of the time. The key advantages are a powerful set of weapons and high mobility," the special exporter notes.
It is important to note that the design of the BMD-4M provides the possibility of air transportation and parachuting from the latest IL-76MD-90A (E) military transport aircraft. The Russian "transportnik", which has seriously increased interest after its world premiere at Dubai Airshow 2023 and re-demonstration at the World Defense Show 2024, is capable of transporting up to three BMD-4MS and ensuring their landing using parachute-free systems.
Georgy Sultanov, Viktor Bodrov
