15.09.2023, Moscow.
Roman Khromov, Kurganmashzavod deputy executive director, said that the Russian military showed interest in the production of a new BMP (infantry fighting vehicle). RIA Novosti wrote on September 14.
In an interview, Roman Khromov told reporters that the Russian Ground Forces are interested in a new version of the BMP-3 “Manul” with a front-mounted engine developed by Kurgan designers. The use of this combat vehicle in a special operation showed that the solutions incorporated in the Manul are useful on the battlefield.
Due to the front location of the engine and uninhabited combat module, “Manul” provides a convenient exit for infantrymen through the aft part. The new vehicle does not require a radical restructuring of the production process, as it has taken the running gear, transmission, electrical equipment, and a number of other components from the BMP-3.
The BMP-3 armored floating tracked combat vehicle was developed by the Kurgan Special Machine Building Design Bureau and adopted by the Soviet Army in 1987. It is currently produced by Kurganmashzavod OJSC, which is part of the High-Precision Complexes holding of Rostec State Corporation.
BMP-3 won the tender held by the UAE, showing itself better than similar vehicles M2A1 Bradley (USA) and MCV80 Warrior (UK). As a result, the United Arab Emirates purchased a batch of 600 vehicles.
The BMP-3 is the basis for a number of new military vehicles, such as the BRM-3K “Rys” (1995), BT-3F – armored personnel carrier for marines, 2S17 “Nona-SV” – a project of a battalion 120-mm self-propelled artillery vehicle, BMP-3M “Dragoon” (2015), BMP-3 “Derivatsiya” (2015), BMP-3 “Vityaz” and many others.
BMP-3 “Manul” (2020) differs from the basic BMP-3 by the frontal location of the UTD-32T engine with an output of 816 hp, (against the rear-engine layout with a 660 hp engine in the BMP-3). It is armed with a 30-mm cannon, 7.62-mm machine gun, and Kornet anti-tank guided missiles. Maximum speed on the highway is 70 km/hour, on water 9.5 km/hour. Crew of 3 men, troop of 8 men
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
