BTR-50

BTR-50
BTR-50PU of Serbian Army.
Type	APC
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Specifications
Weight	14.5 t
Length	7.07 m
Width	3.14 m
Height	2.03 m
Crew	2+20
Armor	6-13 mm
Primary armament	none or 7.62 mm SGMB machine gun or 14.5 mm KPV machine gun.
Engine	V-6 diesel 240 hp (177 kW)
Power/weight	16.6 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	240 km
Speed	44 km/h

The BTR-50 (БТР, from Бронетранспортер, or Bronetransporter, literally "armoured transporter".†) is a Soviet amphibious armoured personnel carrier based on the PT-76 tank chassis. The BTR-50 was tracked, unlike all other members of the BTR series, which were wheeled.

History and description

The BTR-50 was a Soviet amphibious armoured personnel carrier. The vehicle, based on the PT-76 amphibious tank chassis, was developed in 1952 and entered service with the Soviet Army in 1954. BTR stands for Bronetransportyor (БТР, Бронетранспортер, literally "armoured transporter") †. Like the PT-76, the BTR-50 has a flat, boat-shaped hull, and ready to swim after merely erecting the trim vane on the bow. In water it is propelled by two hydrojets, one in each side of the hull, with the exits at the rear of the hull. The rear exits have lids that can be fully or partially closed, redirecting the water stream to the forward-directed exits at the sides of the hull, thus enabling the vehicle to turn or float reverse.

Employment history

APCs of the BTR-50 series served in motorized rifle regiments of tank divisions in the Soviet and East German armies. Command vehicle variants were employed by many Warsaw Pact armies. Finland still employ the BTR-50 chassis as the basis for a communication vehicle used within the latest digital field communication network. The BTR-50 and its Czech/Polish clone OT-62/TOPAS were used by Egypt and Syria in the Six-Day War (1967). Some vehicles were captured and commissioned by the Israel Defense Forces, so in the Yom Kippur War (1973) the BTR-50 was employed by both sides. Some of the Israeli BTR-50s were later transferred to the South Lebanon Army.

Improvised medevac vehicle used by the South Lebanon Army.

Variants

Russian Federation

• BTR-50P (Ob'yekt 750) (1952) - the first version. Open-topped crew compartment, no integral weapons.
  • ZTPU-2 (zenitnaya samokhodnaya ustanovka) - air-defence version of the BTR-50P, equipped with two 14.5mm heavy machine guns KPVT and 1,280 rounds. Prototype.
  • ZTPU-4 (zenitnaya samokhodnaya ustanovka) - air-defence version of the BTR-50P, equipped with four 14.5mm heavy machine guns KPVT and 2,560 rounds. Prototype.
• BTR-50PA (Ob'yekt 750M) (1954) - a 14.5mm KPV machine gun mounted on the roof of the commander's cupola.
• BTR-50PK (Ob'yekt 750K) (1958) - fitted with an armored roof and armed with a 7.62mm SGMB machine gun.

BTR-50PK.

• • BTR-50PN (1958) - early command vehicle with 3 radio sets (including an R-113) and with only 3 whip antennas. Only a small number was build.
  • BTR-50PU (mashina upravleniya) (1959) - unarmed command vehicle. Carries crew of 10. Has an armoured roof with oval hatches and 4 whip antennas. Most of the BTR-50PU's have two projecting bays on the front of the vehicle instead of one (respective NATO codes: BTR-50PU(2) and BTR-50PU(1)). The specialised equipment consists of navigation devices KN-2 and KP-2, a 1kW generator AB-1-P/30, three VHF radio sets R-105, R-105U and R-113, an HF tranceiver R-112, an HF receiver R-311, a collapsible 11m mast antenna (for R-105U), a light 10m telescopic mast (for R-112), a relay-set R-403BM, an intercom R-120 and a switchboard P-193A with six field telephones TAI-43 and cable reels.

BTR-50PU command vehicle. Note the second bay and the oval hatches.

• • • BTR-50PU-2 - improved version with more modern radio equipment, most probably the R-123 and R-130M. Externally similar to the BTR-50PU but with the portable generator located immediately behind the troop compartment.
    • BTR-50PUM - modernised model, equipped with a large telescopic antenna mast AMU and radio sets R-123 (3x), R-130, R-326, R-405D and T-218. This model has a square antenna stowage box on the right front side of the hull.
    • BTR-50PUM-1 (1972) - latest model with a crew of up to 8 and fitted with radio sets as mounted in the R-145BM (BTR-60): R-111 (2x), R-123MT, R-124 and R-130M.
  • MTP-1 (mashina tekhnicheskoj pomoshchi) - technical support vehicle with a raised troop compartment and equipped with a light crane.
    • Polyesye - civilianised version.
• UR-67 (ustanovka razminirovaniya) - mine-clearing vehicle equipped with a launcher that fires tubes UZP-67 or UZR-3, filled with explosives. The cleared lane is usually 60 to 150 m long and 2 to 5 m wide. Crew: 3. Used to be known in the West as MTK. Only a small number remains in service, most have been replaced by the UR-77.
• Ob'yekt 914 - experimental IFV with the 73mm gun turret of the BMP-1. The vehicle was developed in the early 1960's and had a crew of 2+8. Its combat weight was 14.4 tons. After a series trials in 1964, the competitor Ob'yekt 765 was selected to become the new BMP-1.

Belarus

• BTR-50PKM - upgraded BTR-50PK with UTD-20 engine of 300hp, new steering and brake systems.

Bulgaria

• R-82 - improved BTR-50PU command vehicle with different radio sets and with a collapsible AZI frame antenna.

former Yugoslavia

BTR-50PK Yugoimport SDPR upgrade package

• BTR-50PK (Yugoimport SDPR upgrade) (2005) - upgrade package for the BTR-50PK offered by the Serbian defense firm Yugoimport SPDR. The package adds a turret (from the Yugoslav M-80 APC), a 30 mm cannon, a 7.62 mm Zastava M86 machine gun, four smoke grenade launchers and two AT-3 Sagger anti-tank missiles.

Poland

• TOPAS (transporter obrneny pasovy) - similar to BTR-50PK but with hatches in the hull sides, stronger engine PV-6 of 300hp and with two projecting bays like the BTR-50PU. The CSLA model is called OT-62.
• TOPAS-2A - fitted with small turret that is armed with a 7.62mm machine gun vz.59T and a 82mm recoilless gun T-21 "Tarasnice".
• TOPAS-2AP - Polish upgrade with a WAT turret that features 14.5mm and 7.62mm machine guns. The same turret can be found on the SKOT-2AP. Withdrawn in 1994.

OT-62. Note the second bay and the side door.

• WPT-TOPAS (wóz pogotowia technicznego) - technical support vehicle.

Polish WPT-TOPAS.

• TOPAS R-2M - signals vehicle.
• TOPAS R-3M - signals vehicle.

former Czechoslovakia

• OT-62 (obrněný transportér) - similar to BTR-50PK but with hatches in the hull sides, stronger engine PV-6 of 300hp and with two projecting bays like the BTR-50PU. The LWP model is called TOPAS.
• OT-62B - fitted with small turret that is armed with a 7.62mm machine gun vz.59T and a 82mm recoilless gun T-21 "Tarasnice".
• OT-62D - designator for OT-62 that carries the 82mm recoilless gun vz.59 on the rear deck.
• DTP-62 (dilna techniké pomoci) - technical support version of OT-62.
• OT-62 R-2 R-105 - signals vehicle. Photos
• OT-62 R-2 R-108 - signals vehicle.
• OT-62 R-2M - signals vehicle.
• OT-62 R-3MT - signals vehicle. Photos
• OT-62 R-4MT - signals vehicle.

former East-Germany

• SPW 50P (Schützenpanzerwagen) - NVA designator for Russian-build BTR-50P.
• SPW 50PK - NVA designator for Russian-build BTR-50PK.
  • SPW 50PK(Akl)
  • SPW 50PK(D)
  • SPW 50PK(B) (Bergefahrzeug) - recovery vehicle with cabels and search light.
  • SPW 50PK(LA) (Luftabwehr) - command vehicle for air defence units.
  • SPW 50PK(MRF) (Minenräumfahrzeug) - with mine clearing system.
  • SPW 50PK(Pi) commando vehicle for combat engineer (Pioniere) units.
  • SPW 50PK(S) - command and staff vehicle.
  • SPW 50PK(BBS) (Batteriebeobachtungsstelle) - artillery forward observer vehicle.
• SPW 50PU - NVA designator for BTR-50PU.

India

• FRT TOPAS (forward repair time vehicle) - technical support version of the TOPAS-2A.

Finland

• BTR-50YVI (yhtymän viestijärjestelmä) - command and staff version of the BTR-50PK, fitted with digital communication system YVI-2, a telescopic mast, NSVT machine gun and additional armour. Fielded in 1994.
• BTR-50PUM - upgraded BTR-50PU with the equipment of the R-145BM (BTR-60) and with smoke grenade launchers, NSVT and additional armour.
  • BTR-50PUM1 - modernised PUM with Western radio sets.

Peoples' Republic of China

• Type 77 Amphibious Armoured Vehicle - a Chinese vehicle based on the Type 63 amphibious tank which in turn is a derivative of the PT-76. Although not a clone of the BTR-50, the Type 77 has similar hull shape and layout. The industrial designator is WZ511.
  • Type 77-1 (WZ511-1) - amphibious armoured personnel/artillery carrier designed to carry a disassembled gun (85 mm towed anti-tank gun or 120 mm towed howitzer) on the roof. The vehicle has hydraulic winch and ramps to load/unload the gun.
  • Type 77-2 (WZ511-2) - amphibious armoured personnel carrier. No winch and ramps.
  • Type 76 ARV - recovery vehicle.

Operators

•  Afghanistan
•  Albania - 200 (BTR-50) 150 (Type 77)^[1]
•  Algeria
•  Congo-Brazzaville
•  East Germany
•  Egypt - 250 BTR-50 and 500 OT-62; partially upgraded to BTR-50PKM.
•  Finland - BTR-50PK withdrawn, only BTR-50PUM1 and BTR-50YVI left.
• Guinea
•  Hungary - 14 BTR-50PU-II
•  India - TOPAS and FRT TOPAS
•  Indonesia
•  Iran - 300 BTR-50 and BTR-60 ^[2]
•  Israel
•  Morocco
•  Nicaragua
•  North Korea
•  Russia - APC withdrawn, only BTR-50PU/PUM, MTP-1 and UR-67 left.
•  Serbia - 14 BTR-50PU
•  Somaliland
•  Syria
•  Vietnam
• South Lebanon Army
•  Zimbabwe

Former Operators

•  Czechoslovakia - Passed on to successor states
•  Croatia - 26 captured from JNA, later scarped.
•  Iraq
•  Poland - withdrawn
•  Soviet Union - passed on to successor states.
•  Yugoslavia - passed on to successor states.

References

External links

• FAS.org
• (French) Armyrecognition.com
• (Russian) Armoured.vif2.ru
• Communication system of a formation at the Finnish Defence Forces website
• OT-62 / TOPAS at Globalsecurity.org
• Type 77 APC at Sinodefence.com