The Ukrainian BTR-4 Armoured Personnel Carrier

The BTR-4 “Bucephalus” (BTR; Бронетранспортер / Bronetransporter, literally Armoured Transporter) is an 8×8 wheeled APC that was first shown to the public in 2006 by its Ukrainian manufacturer, Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (KMDB) at a defence show. It is beleived to have been used by both sides of the Ukrainian revolution and may have been (speculation) used in the current troubles in Iraq.

The Ukrainian BTR-4 Armoured Personnel Carrier Operators

Indonesia: 55 ordered (x5 for Marine Corps & x50 Indonesian Army)

Iraq: 88 out of 420 ordered were accepted in 2013. Order was cancelled due to poor quality control off vhicles made in other deliverys.
Ukraine

Kazakhstan: 100 vehicles ordered in 2012.

Ukraine: Initial order of 10 vehicles, entered service in 2009. Further orders in 2014 and believed 50+ are in service, 1 has allegedly been captured by Rebel Forces.

The Ukrainian BTR-4 Armoured Personnel Carrier Description

The BTR-4 armoured personnel carrier (APC) is intended to transport personnel of mechanized infantry units and to provide fire support in combat. The APC is used for equipping military units capable of carrying out combat actions in various conditions, including NBC environment. The APC can be used as a basic vehicle for equipping quick reaction forces and marine corps. The APC can fulfil its tasks both by day and at night, in various climatic conditions, on hard surface roads and in cross-country. The operating temperature range of the APC is -40 to +55°C.

inside

The front compartment (driving compartment)
The middle compartment (power pack compartment)
The rear compartment (fighting and troop compartments)
This layout makes it possible to re-design the fighting and troop compartments for various applications without having to change the layout of the power pack and transmission.

The carrying capacity of the APC’s chassis makes it possible not only develop various vehicle versions and other vehicle types, but also install additional armour protection against automatic small-calibre guns.

The Ukrainian BTR-4 Armoured Personnel Carrier Variants

BTR-4K command vehicle
BRM-4K combat reconnaissance vehicle
repair and recovery vehicle
MOP-4K fire support vehicle
BTR-4KSh command and staff vehicle
BSEM-4K armoured ambulance, etc.

The basic’s of the BTR-4 APC

Weight of the vehicle version:
Basic protection
17.5tons
With additional protection
25tons
Crew commander, gunner, driver
Troops 7-9
(Depending on the type of the fighting module)
Power-to-weight ratio:
Basic protection
28.6 hp/ton
With additional protection
20 hp/ton
Maximum speed:
Road 110km/h
Water 10km/h
Cruising range: 690km
Gradient: 30 degrees
Side slope: 25 degrees
Engine:
3TD two-stroke engine 500hp
(600hp version is also available)
Model and type of reserve version of engine DEUTZ ЕВРО ІІІ four-stroke engine
Max output 489hp or 598hp
Armament: Depending on the type of the installed fighting module

The Ukrainian BTR-4 Armoured Personnel Carrier “fighting modules”

GROM module

Crew: 1
Armament:
Automatic gun 1 x 30mm – 360rds stored
Grenade launcher 1 x 30 mm – 150rds stored
Machine gun 1 x 7.62 mm – 1200rds stored
Anti-tank missile system 9P135M Konkurs or Baryer – 4 missiles stored

Shkval module

Crew: 1
Armament:
Automatic gun 1 x 30mm – 360rds stored
Grenade launcher 1 x 30 mm – 150rds stored
Machine gun 1 x 7.62 mm – 2000rds stored
Anti-tank missile system 9P135M Konkurs or Baryer – 2 missiles stored

BAU 23×2 module

Crew: 1
Armament:
Automatic gun 2 x 23mm – 400rds stored
Machine gun 1 x 7.62 mm – 2000rds stored

BTR-4K Command Vehicle

Weight: 20.2ton’s

Crew: 7 – vehicle commander, driver (electrician and mechanic), gunner, unit commander, three officers

Auxiliary power unit: EA-8

Communications devices:

R-173-M radio set
R-173PM radio receiver
R-163-50K radio set
R-163-KP radio receiver
R-159 radio set
Severok-K radio set oral and written information cryptographic protection equipment
TA-57-U telephone set
TK-2 telephone spool

Navigation support systems:

TIUS-NM satellite navigation system
Inertial navigation support system
SN-3003 Bazalt portable satellite navigation support system

Portable devices for observation and orientation:

aiming circle
binoculars
long-distance night vision device
illuminator

BTR-4KSh Command and Staff Vehicle

Weight: 18.5ton’s

Crew: 7 – vehicle commander, driver (electrician and mechanic), commander, four officers

Auxiliary power unit: EA-8

Armament: TKB-01-1 12.7mm machine gun

Communications devices:

T-173M radio sets
R-173PM radio receivers
R-163-50K radio sets
R-163-KP radio receivers
R-159 radio sets
Severok-K radio set
AVSK-1 crew intercom system
oral and written information cryptographic protection equipment
TA-57-U telephone sets
TK-2 telephone spool

Navigation support systems:

TIUS-NM satellite navigation system
Inertial navigation support system
SN-3003 Bazalt portable satellite navigation support system

Portable devices for observation and orientation:

aiming circle
binoculars
long-distance night vision device
illuminator

BRM-4K Reconnaissance Vehicle

Weight: 20.7ton’s

Crew: 6 – commander, driver, gunner, navigator, two reconnaissance men

Auxiliary power unit: EA-8

Observation devices of reconnaissance men: TKN-3MU combined day/night periscopic binocular devices

Communications devices:

T-173M radio sets
R-173PM radio receivers
R-163-50K radio sets
Severok-K radio set
oral and written information cryptographic protection equipment
TA-57-U telephone sets
TK-2 telephone spool

Navigation support systems:

TIUS-NM satellite navigation system
inertial navigation support system
SN-3003 Bazalt portable satellite navigation support system

Portable devices for observation and orientation:

aiming circle
binoculars
long-distance night vision device
illuminator

Reconnaissance devices:

PSN Kredo radiolocation station
receiver/direction finder
mine detector
PRKhR-M radiation and chemical agent detector

BREM-4K Repair and Recovery Vehicle

Weight: 19ton
Crew: 4 – vehicle commander, driver, rigger, welder

Engine: 2DT-AV

Special equipment:

Crane equipment with lifting capacity of up to 3ton’s
Winch with cable pulling force of up to 6.8 ton’s
Welding equipment with current intensity of up to 350Amp’s
Towing devices