MT-LB
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| Image:MT-LB APC.jpg | |
| General Characteristics (MT-LB) | |
| Length: | 6.45 m |
| Width: | 2.86 m |
| Height: | 1.865 m |
| Ground clearance: | 0.4 m |
| Ground pressure: | 0.46 kg/cm² |
| Weight (combat): | 11,900 kg |
| Weight (empty): | 9,700 kg |
| Speed: | 61 km/h (road) 30 km/h (off-road) 5 to 6 km/h (in the water) |
| Range: | 500 km (road range) |
| Fuel capacity: | 450 litres (road range) |
| Primary armament: | 7.62mm PKT machinegun 2,500 rounds |
| Secondary armament: | - |
| Power plant: | YaMZ 238, V-8 diesel developing 240 hp at 2,100 rpm |
| Crew: | 2 (+ 11 passengers) |
The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully-amphibious armoured personnel carrier which was first introduced in the 1970s. Initially the vehicle was known as M 1970 in the west.
Development
In the 1970s the Soviet Central Auto and Tractor Directorate embarked on a development program to replace the AT-P series of artillery tractors (that where based on the ASU-57) with a new generation of vehicles. The MT-L was developed to meet this requirement based on the PT-76 chassis. The MT-LB is the armoured variant of the vehicle. Entering production in the early 1970's, it was cheap to build, being based on many existing components including the engine which is actually a truck engine. It was built at the Kharkov tractor plant in the USSR as well as Poland and Bulgaria.
Description
The crew, a driver and a commander/gunner sit in a compartment at the front of the vehicle, with the engine behind them. A compartment at the rear enables up to 11 infantry to be carried or a cargo of up to 2,000 kg. A load of 6,500 kg can be towed. The vehicle is fully amphibious, being propelled by it's tracks in the water.
A small turret at the front of the vehicle fits a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun with 360 degree manual traverse and an elevation of -5 to +30 degrees. The vehicle is lightly armoured against small arms and shell splinters with a thickness of 3 to 10 mm of steel. The infantry compartment has two hatches over the top, which open forwards. There are 3 firing ports - one in the left side of the hull, the other two in the rear twin doors of the infantry compartment.
The commander is provided with a TVN-2 infra-red periscope, which in combination with the OU-3GK infra-red/white light search light provides a range of about 40 m. All vehicles include a NBC system.
Variants
- MT-L
- MT-LB
- MT-LBV Low pressure track version, with 565 mm tracks giving a ground pressure of 0.27 kgf/cm² (26 kPa). Used in arctic regions instead of BMP or BTR wheeled vehicles.
- MT-LBU Command vehicle with additional radios, land nav, and fold-out canvas tent.
- MTP-LB Repair version with no turret, an A frame and stowage on the roof.
- TT-LB M1975 Fitted with folding SNAR-10 Big Fred artillery/mortar locating radar.
- MT-LBu Reconnaissance version.
- MT-LBus VHF jamming vehicle. Fitted with R-330P VHF jammer.
- MT-LBT Artillery tractor version.
- MT-LB Ambulance with stretchers in rear compartment.
- MT-LB Engineer Stowage on the roof and a blade at the back.
- 9A34/9A35 SA-13 Gopher SAM vehicle based on the MT-LB.
- 9P149 with AT-6 Spiral ATGM.
- 2S1 120 mm self-propelled howitzer.
- RKhM Chemical reconnaissance vehicle.
- MT-LB
Users
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, Poland and Yugoslavia
News
In January 2006 Bob Woodruff was injured when riding a MT-LB when an explosive damaged the MT-LB he was riding in.
See also
References
- Hull, A.W. , Markov, D.R. , Zaloga, S.J. (1999). Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to Present. Darlington Productions. ISBN 1-892848-01-5.