The current assertion by Russian state protection conglomerate Rostec concerning the mine-resistant capabilities of the BMP-3 infantry combating car has been met with skepticism and astonishment from army consultants and analysts.
Rostec’s declare, made by media specialists in the course of the handover of one other batch of BMP-3 autos to Russian troops, has ignited debate attributable to its stark distinction with the car’s efficiency in actual fight, significantly in Ukraine.
In accordance with Rostec officers, the BMP-3 autos manufactured by Kurganmashzavod, a subsidiary of Rostec’s Excessive Precision Programs holding, are purportedly able to safely traversing minefields with out sustaining harm. The declare hinges on the car’s light-weight design, which Rostec asserts permits it to drive over mines unscathed.
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“Due to its light-weight design, this tools is able to driving over mines with out sustaining any harm,” the information launch says.
The BMP-3, succeeding the famend Soviet-era BMP-2, includes a hull and turret constructed from aluminum alloy armor, supplemented by metal exterior straps, aspect armor displacement panels, and a double-bottom on the car’s entrance. Regardless of these design options, empirical proof from ongoing conflicts, notably the battle in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, suggests a special actuality.
Roughly 400 BMP-3 autos have been visually confirmed destroyed for the reason that battle started, underscoring their vulnerability to trendy anti-tank weaponry resembling Javelin missiles and Carl Gustav recoilless rifles, in addition to standard munitions like mines.
Extra Russian losses on the Vuhledar/Pavlivka entrance, together with a BMP-3 hitting a mine and broken BMP-1, BMP-1, and T-80BV tank with a mineroller. 15/ pic.twitter.com/qonkgMpX2Y
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) February 9, 2023
📽️Russian forces tried to advance within the neighborhood of Yehorivka. Minus two BMP-3 IFVs (doubtless mines), infantry retreated. #UkraineRussiaWar pic.twitter.com/cqRFn3Z6Zf
— MilitaryLand.internet (@Militarylandnet) August 27, 2022
Destroyed Russian BMP-3 doubtless attributable to a mine. pic.twitter.com/5mmQH1vcu4
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) Might 30, 2022
The Ukrainian third Spartan Brigade picks off Russians with drone-dropped munitions after their BMP-3 hits a mine
Location: close to the village of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia area) pic.twitter.com/XqZxd5qKWv
— OSINTNic (@OSINTNic) January 19, 2024
Quite a few movies circulating on-line depict moments when BMP-3 autos are destroyed by mines, highlighting the absence of sufficient mine safety measures and leading to important crew casualties. In response to this vulnerability, Russian army personnel usually choose to journey atop the car’s roof to boost their probabilities of survival within the occasion of a mine detonation.
Regardless of efforts by Russian propaganda to painting the BMP-3 as mine-resistant, the empirical proof from the battlefield paints a special image, casting doubt on the accuracy of official statements concerning the car’s capabilities.