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BTR-60

History

The 1960 8x8 wheeled BTR-60 armoured personnel carrier was developed as a direct replacement for the 1950 BTR-152 6x6 wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) line. The BTR-60 was a major improvement over its predecessor in many respects and was actually quite revolutionary, providing the Soviet Army with a very capable and powerful off-road/amphibious performer.

The BTR-60 was the first in a long line of modern "BTR-designated" vehicles, including the successor series BTR-70, BTR-80, and BTR-90, whose influence extended beyond Soviet stocks. Introduced in December 1959, the BTR-60 entered series production (hence the name) in 1960, with local assembly continuing until 1976, with approximately 25,000 units produced.

This model was also manufactured under license in Romania (as the TAB-71), bringing an additional 1,872 vehicles into circulation.

The design of the BTR-60 began in 1955 and was primarily driven by the tactical constraints of the BTR-152 and BTR-40 series that emerged after World War II. The move was driven by a major restructuring of the Soviet Army Association. The BTR-60 was subsequently developed together with the more complex and track-driven armored "BMP-1" series, which was mass produced and used around the world. The design of the BTR-60 is credited to V.A.

Dedkov, and the name "BTR" was formed from the word "BroneTRansporter", which means "armored transport".

The BTR-60 was very traditional by modern standards, even though it was a big departure from the APC standards of the time. The hull is mounted on an independently suspended chassis that manages eight large wheels, four on each side (two axles are steerable).

The fuselage is made of welded steel with sloping glass panels, side panels and an angled fuselage top cover. Weapons are concentrated in turret locations in front of the center and behind the cab (mostly found in finished/advanced production models). Gross weight is approximately 11.4 tonnes (short), while the standard operator consists of three people (driver, vehicle commander and dedicated gunner) with optional passenger space in the center compartment.

The fighting compartment makes it possible to transport combat-ready infantry in relative safety, provides protection from small arms fire and in-game artillery jets, and is accessed through several hinged hatches on the sides and roof of the vehicle. The driver and commander received their own hatches in the left and right front parts of the body, respectively.

Armor protection ranges from 5mm (bottom of hull) to 10mm (front of turret). The main weapon is a 500-round 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun. This is supported by a 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun with 3,000 rounds of ammunition.

Power for the BTR-60 is provided by 2 GAZ-40P series 6-cylinder gasoline engines, each producing 90 hp (180 hp) at 3,400 rpm. The engines are paired at the rear of the fuselage, prohibiting the large power entry/exit doors common to more modern APCs.

This gives the vehicle a range of up to 310 miles at a maximum road speed of 50 mph. Designed with full amphibious character in mind (like many other Soviet vehicles used to operate in Europe), the BTR-60 can reach speeds of 6 mph when powered by rear jets, And is wrapped by two hinged door panels.

After passing state trials in 1959, the car was officially adopted by the Red Army on the basis of the Ob'yekt 1015B prototype, becoming the first BTR-60P brand to enter service. These vehicles can accommodate 16 people and have a primary armament of 1 x 7.62mm PKT, SGMB or PKB machine gun, with optional 2 x 7.62mm machine gun positions on the sides of the hull. The P-type's design featured an open hull that did not provide any protection for the crew, which soon forced an improved fully enclosed form to be introduced in 1963 as the slightly heavier BTR-60PA.

However, all other qualities remain similar. Later BTR-60PA model vehicles added a 12.7mm DShK 1938/46 heavy machine gun with 500 rounds of ammunition. This resulted in a slight increase in the weight of the improved BTR-60PA-1 series models. It was followed by the upgraded BTR-60PAI, which contained a machine gun armed turret housing a 1965 14.5 KPVT heavy machine gun (500 rounds of ammunition) while powered by a 1 x 7.62mm PKT machine gun with a coaxial support shaft assembly. The PAI model reduces the interior seating configuration to 14 passengers (from 16).

The final BTR-60 form was the BTR-60PB, another slightly improved version with a more refined scope (with 14 seats).

The BTR-60 was first used to anger the Soviet Army during the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia, which officially led to a permanent Soviet presence in the country until the collapse of the Soviet Empire in 1991. The vehicle was used as an armed armored personnel carrier, infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) and reconnaissance vehicle for most of its lifespan before being replaced by the BTR-70, which came out in 1972.

Although thousands of BTR-60 series vehicles were still in circulation by the 1990s, these vehicles were further supported by the arrival of the similar BTR-80 series in 1986. Mass production of this type ensured its practical use in the 1979-1989 Soviet-Afghan War, although its service there (in drought, heat and mountains) proved mixed with vehicles designed for the European battlefield.

Rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) have proven to be one of the greatest threats to BTR-60 vehicles in conflict, especially when only light armor protects the crew. The insurgents became increasingly skilled and patient in the ambush, eventually driving the Soviets away in incredible defeat.

With the BTR-60 being supplied to dozens of Soviet allies and nations, combat use went beyond Soviet service. These include major powers in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia, North America (Mexico) and South America.

Many vehicles were transferred to former Soviet territory, as evidenced by Belarus, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine.

The Soviet factory released a large number of production models over the life of the vehicle, including many sub-variants with additional major variant marks. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the newly formed Russian Federation was also modernized. Localized variants for Bulgaria include the BTR-60PAU, PB and PB-MD brands (the latter being a modernized form). Cuba has registered four of its own brands, each with a different available weapon. Influenced by the Soviet Union after World War II, Finland managed four major brands including modernized forms.

The East German Army operated various versions of its own and designated local brands under the general name "Schutenpanzerwagen". The Mexican Marine Corps uses the turretless variant codenamed "APC-70". Romania operates BTR-60 under the name "TAB-71" and promotes the variant.

The Polish variant is based on the BTR-60PB. The BTR-60PB is also (illegally) made in China due to a reverse engineering effort.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have captured numerous BTR-60 armored vehicles in campaigns against neighboring Egypt and Syria, many of which have been converted for other battlefield roles.

Former operators of the BTR-60 include Czechoslovakia, Germany (the grandfather version that was phased out after reunification), Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Yugoslavia, and Zaire (the latter is now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Beginning with the Six Day War in 1967, the Indo-Pakistani War in 1971, the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the Iran-Iraq War in 1980 and the Gulf War in 1991, the range of the BTR-60 series has ensured its use in a variety of conflicts , the First and Second Chechen Wars, and more modern conflicts such as the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. military became familiar with the vehicle during the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983.

The BTR-60 was also used in the recent Libyan civil war and the 2011 (still ongoing, 2013) Syrian civil war.

Over 40 countries have or have used the BTR-60 series, making this design a true Cold War success story.