Arsenal for Aggression: Armored Vehicles of the Warsaw Pact [Concord 2017]

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Robert Michulec

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PUBLICATIONS COMPANY

Editor: James R. Hill Copyright © 1994 by CONCORD PUBLICATIONS CO. 603-609 Castle Peak Road Kong Nam Industrial Building lOjF, B1, Tsuen Wan New Territories , Hong Kong All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

Front Cover A good overhead study of a unit of Poli sh T-72M tanks_ The T-72M was c hybrid type, having the thinner armor of the Soviet T-72 tank, but thE improved laser rangefinder fire controls of the Soviet T-72A.

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Back Cove r In this photo is the right side of a Kub. On the rear part of the roof is , lowered brace for keeping the missiles stable when driving _ Note the "sho down" aircraft emblem painted on the front side of the superstructure_ In thE background is another launcher vehicle being reloaded_

ISBN 962-361-917-0

Printed in Hong Kong

2

INTRODUCTION

1:- is a " -shot the

-"e armed forces of the Warsaw Pact, posed of the armies of seven diverse _ untries, deployed most powerful ground = c es in the history of 20th century Europe. --'e most important elements of the Warsaw ~ c t armies were their armored forces. - ~ igned to fight in western Europe, they were d er the complete control of Soviet ::;enerals. From the end of the 1940s, to the te 1980s when the Warsaw Pact .... sintegrated, their ostensible objec1-ive was to :o feguard the Communist bloc. But their real -8 sk was to carry the war onto the territories of - e neighboring NATO countries. This was the -eason for their need for strong armored : rees. The specific tasks of the non-Soviet a rsaw Pact armies depended on their c ation . The East German NVA was an tegral part of planned Soviet operations g ainst West Germany. The Czechoslovak SLA was given a significant role in Soviet p erations towards Austria and southern ---ermany. Poland was assigned the task of ~ i zing and holding the Danish straits, as well s operations against Sweden, hence its sig nificant amphibious warfare capabilities. The armed forces of the Warsaw Pact .vere neither well motivated nor parl-icularly ./ell equipped, with the possible exception of -' e East Germans. In many cases, particularly -' e Balkan countries of Romania and Bulgaria, -' ey were armed with second-rate weapons. T e quality of their armored vehicles left much f O be desired. For example, the thickness of rmored plates on the standard Warsaw Pact ormored infantry transport used from the 1960s -'-' rough the 1980s- the BTR-60 and BTR-70 was nly a thin 6mm. Many armored vehicles ::uffered engine problems, and during field exercises, commanders had to halt attacks ue to the large number of vehicles which ad broken down in a field or were helplessly ;stalled in the middle of a river. By the mid- 1980s, there were about 39,000 Nheeled and tracked vehicles in the 40 first­ ine Warsaw Pact divisions posted at the ATO-Warsaw Pact border, with some 19,000 ::::ombat vehicles in the second-line divisions.

Opposing them were about 40,000 NATO combat vehicles, some of which were of better quality. While many NATO armies consisted of well-trained and well-equipped professional troops, the Warsaw Pact forces did not hold all of the NATO forces soldiers in high esteem. Some of the NATO armies were not considered a major challenge. Many people in eastern Europe, whether specialists in military affairs or not; thought that the armies of Warsaw Pact could simply plow through western Europe by brute force to win a war if needed. Whether this view was correct or not, such a war in Europe could have been the bloodiest war Europe ever experienced. It is fortunate for the Warsaw Pact, and all other nations that would have been involved, that such a war never occured. This book is not meant to be an encyclopedia of all the armored vehicles of the Warsaw Pact. So many different types of vehicles were built, often in small numbers, and many vehicles were modified during their service. To cover all these permutations would be very difficult and is not the intention of this book. Instead, in this book you will find a review of the main types of combat vehicles used by -~he armored and mechanized units of the Warsaw Pact from the 1950s until the 1990s, with a special focus on those used by the non-Soviet Warsaw Pact countries. It is my intention to provide readers with a visual picture of what war in Europe might have looked like from the perspective of photos taken during Warsaw Pact wargames. I would like to -~hank Mr. Staszynski, Vadim Siesarev, Inga and my mum for their materials, information and help. I would also like to offer a very special word of thanks to Miss Paciorek for her time and patience.

3

The first standard tank in all the Warsaw Pact armies was the T-34-85 in its 1944 version. It was armed with a 85mm ZIS S-53 gun and two mach·­ guns. The T-34 Model 1944 served to the end of 1950s when it was, theoretically, replaced by the T-34-85 Model 1960. The T-34-85 in this photo is in . service of the East German Army (NVA).

The T-34-85 was in service up to the beginning of 1970s. So countries used them even until the middle of the 1970s. In th is photo, Bulgarian Army T-34-85 drives through a shallow river. Note the red-whit blue Bulgarian national emblem visible on the turret.

The NVA's T-34-85 Model 1960s were configured with an addition storage box at the rear of the turret. The metal boxes on the right fender a chocks used to prevent the tanks from moving during rail transport. Ti white bands painted on these vehicles identify them as opposing fore, during wargames.

4

A shot of the Czechoslovak Army T-34-85 Model 1944. This type of tank ,'Ias produced in Czechoslovakia from e end of 1952 until 1960. Note the WWII German pattern Notec night 'riving headlight on the left side of the superstructure's front plate.

Here a Polish T-34-85 storms over some shore defense barriers. This is a good example of why combat engineer forces are needed to clear obstacles, as such tank traps could easily stop a tank such as this. Note the small identification number "409" painted on the end of the log attached to the top of the right mud guard. The early "white eagle" Polish national insignia seen on the turret would be replaced on future Polish tanks by the checkered red and white design .

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18-2s and IS-3s were used in the :'et Union as a support for units =-~sd with medium tanks, but in the - : Ie of 1960s they were judged : :: lete. Their combat characteristics 0-8 unsatisfactory, so they were ~ -:linated from combat units. Here is a Oo--S: of an 18-2 in Polish service with 7 - Jiory" X markings painted on the gun :.2.-rel. ~

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In the Soviet Union, thei­ were no light tan manufactured after 1943's rai­ T-80. In early 1951 a new ligr. tank the PT-76, we.. developed. "PT" mear. "swimming tank", and "76" the caliber of a gun. The pho'­ shows a PT-76 with a raise:: driver's central periscope. belongs to a Soviet Grou : Force's reconnaissance unit.

All reconnaissance units of the Warsaw Pact armies were equippe:: with PT-76 tanks. A Romanian vehicle is shown in this photo. The turret"., hatches, clearly seen here blocking the two crew members, were ver similar to those found on the T-34, and were just as troublesome. On th', vehicle, the muzzle brake has been removed for some unknown reason.

PT-76Bs were usually used in the first wave of marine units. The one shown here is part of a Soviet Naval Infantry unit in the beginning of 1980s Note the four added fuel tanks on the engine roof and the Soviet nava ensign painted on the side of the vehicle.

Another example of a tank missing its muzzle brake. This is a PT-76E without a fording trunk. The tank is marked with markings of the "crew of the socialist duty" , Polish national emblems and the emblem of the 7th Nava Assault Division which are painted on both sides of the hull and turret.

6

This rear view of a Soviet PT-76B .',s the open ports of the hydrojet _ _: .Jlsion system nozzles . The PT­ ~: 3 as been in service since 1962 and := increased armor and the improve:: 55U engine. The BOD (Horse-sl-:-" applique armor that surrounds ~ turret was nicknamed "bra armo( ~ the Warsaw Pact troops . It consis:E steel boxes filled with layers of rr,,­ and penapolyeurethane. While trs ­ 55AM can be hard to drive in dir: terrain, the parameters of its fire CO" ­ system are equal to the T-72.

A pair of muddy T-55AMs. The first tank clearly shows the Polish version of T-55AM2 with the large armored covering over the gunner's sight, and a hammerhead wind sensor, characteristic of the Polish Merida fire control system.

36

- --55A, moderately camouflaged with a few pine branches and mud, escorting several BMP-1 infantry combat vehicles on maneuvers.

During this exercise, all Polish tanks and other armored vehicles were painted in sand camouflage color over standard khaki. Only the Czechoslovak Army camouflaged its vehicles in the 1950-70s, but the Poles began doing so later. Soviet and East German vehicles were for many years painted only in the standard Soviet green color.

This unusual photo depicts a GSP - ~:hanized ferry) transporting a T­ - .: - across a body of water. River --:-3sing practice was one of the most - :vrtant aspects of the Warsaw Pact =-cises due to its offensive =ltation. The numerous rivers in , ~[ ern Europe would pose a , idable problem for any invading Jred units.

37

Stretching back into the horizor column of T-55As adds the impri r ~ their tracks to ground that has obvio ~ seen a lot of earlier tank maneuv,,­ The additional storage box on the ,.. side of the turret was characteristic Polish and Czechoslovak manufactL =' T-55s. The orange circle with b =..;; triangle is a Polish traffic ma ­ indicating a dangerous or wide veh i: '"

A T-55A carrying the standard 200-liter barrels of fuel is seen here fording a river. With this additional external fuel supply, the tank can increase its range from about 310 miles (500 km) to nearly 440 miles (700 km). It takes about 200 extra liters on the road (and 320 liters in open terrain) to travel an extra 100 km.

To create as accurate a scena" = as possible of what kind of resistar:-~ Warsaw Pact armored units mi: ­ encounter during an invas ion : western Europe, concrete ta­ obstacles are deployed to slow advance of the troops involved in ;- " exercise. Here crew members of a - ­ 55A employ their tow cables in ~­ attempt to remove the concre~ fortification by force.

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38

A company of T-55As is shown O'-e in attack formation. The mud ::=...~e d on the fenders and underbelly of -= tanks attests to the T-55's ability to '= Jotiate all kinds of terrain. The four­ ; ·1 numbers on the sides of the tanks' __·-sts can be seen to have been :"" l Ied with a stencil; four-digit . _, bers were common in many Polish _ sions in the Cold War years.

Due to its design, this vehicle presents the appearance of a battle tank, but it is really a PT-76B reconnaissance vehicle. No NATO force had an amphibious scout tank like it until the appearance of the US Army's M551 Sheridan in 1969. This particular PT-76B sports two additional external green fuel tanks located on the engine deck, as well as a 12.7mm DShK heavy AA machine gun . These tanks were widely used by Poland's 7th Naval Assault Division on the Baltic, the Polish equivalent of the US Marines .

.: _G bridging tanks have been in use in the Polish Army since the - " hey were jointly manufactured by Poland and East Germany. This .:. sh ows a modernized version of an BLG-60MP (designed for T-72 _ : uring summer exercises in 1992. The "MP" version has its channels -- ~ by four inches (10 cm), new surfaces and a slightly different

,:n mechanism than earlier models. Note the colorful summer

_·age.

39

A rear view of an East German Army (NVA) BLG-60M carrying two external fuel drums. The detail of the extension mechanism located at the middle of the brid ge is clearly visible. The bridge itself unfolds to a length of 71 It (21.6 m) and has a support capacity of 50 tons.

Another special version of tI-. ~ ­ is a technical recovery vehicle knc Polish as the WZT-2. It has a ­ spacious superstructure than the . --:: 1 and it is more useful on a ~ : :­ battlefield.

A group of Polish BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles waiting for their marching orders. While the BMP-1 was fitted with the Malyutka anti-tank missiles in the 1970s, the vehicles were usually seen without them in the 1980s, partly due to the fact that some armies converted over to the BMP-1 P model which was armed with the dismountable 9P135 Konkurs launcher, usually left stowed in the hUll .

In Poland the BMP is referr~ : as BWP (Bojowy woz piechota) . -­ camouflaged BWP-1 s advanc ~ formation . With the possibility nuclear weapons might be emp': ­ Warsaw Pact troops used the me: of their armored vehicles to conce ­ for assaults, and to disperse to d ~ ·= themselves against fire strikes. ­ BWP allowed the soldiers to fire the interior of the vehicle where would be protected from nu c"" biological and chemical wea;: They would also enjoy the supp: ­ the BWP's gun.

40

An exercise provides an excellent opportunity to practice crossing a river using different bridging techniques. The crossing is accomplished over three : ;es. The first is a pontoon bridge, the second is made by the two bridging tanks (with a pontoon in the center) and the third is built on four mechanized "T. vehicles (GSPs).

3ecause of modern Europe's urban congestion, street fighting would _-e in any Warsaw Pact-NATO confrontation. These skills were actively _~'lt by the Warsaw Pact armies. In this photo, a BWP-1 patrols along the ~ o~s of a mock-up city. Here is a close-up frontal view of the new turret of the BWP-2 entrenched during a summer exercise. The crew wears the usual Soviet style tanker's helmet, but the infantry squad wear normal steel helmets. There are about 200 BWP-2s in Poland.

This shot of a BWP-1 being refueled gives a good idea of the vehicle's size relative to the height of a man; it stands only 6 It (2.9 m) tall. It "drinks" 101 gallons (460 liters) of fuel which provide it with a maximum range of 310 miles (500 km). Both rear doors contain fuel cells, and there is a large central tank in the infantry compartment that is being filled by the crewman on the roof. The unditching beam at the back is to help extract the vehicle from mud.

41

The TOPAS-R2M is a modifie: TOPAS designed for use by compa ­ commanders. The one shown he-o from the 7th Naval Assault Division ; the command vehicle for an anti-ta­ company. Note the open turret shie : for a machine gunner (absent t 0 weapon in this view) that I'E o developed by the Polish Milit,, ­ Institute for Automotive and Armor~ : Technology (WITPiS).

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The TOPAS is a Czechoslovak version of the Soviet BTR-SOPK. 1­ photo it is in its final Polish modification (TOPAS-2AP) armed v. ·­ 14.Smm KPVT heavy machine gun in the turret originally develop - : Poland for the OT-64 SKOT wheeled APC. This version is equipped more effective fording trunk and four fuel tanks.

The MT-LB is a multi-purpose light armored tracked vehicle which has been built in the Soviet Union, Poland and Bulgaria. They have been in the service of all the Warsaw Pact member armies since the end of the 1970s. The MT-LB served in recovery, artillery, engineering and other units. Here is one of the Polish vehicles during a 1987 exercise.

The Soviets employ the IRM (built on the chassis of the BMP-IK) in its engineer reconnaissance units. In the Polish army, the MT-LB TRI is used instead as its engineering recce vehicle, since the basic chassis is built under license in Poland. This version was locally developed in Poland. It is armed with a 12.7mm NSVT heavy machine gun and can carry up to nine soldiers. Among the many features of the vehicle is the capability of detecting mines in the ground and in the water.

42

The MT-LBu universal chassis has been used as the basis for I and and control vehicles for battery and battalion staffs. They differ ' .2.. -Iy in the radio equipment used. This photo shows a MP23 Rangir air ~lse command vehicle. Note the emblem of the Polish Armored Forces . -'e front plate.

Three Soviet Naval Infantry BTR-60PBs emerge from the gaping "mouth" of a landing ship in the largest exercises in the history of the Warsaw Pact, the "anti-Solidarity" maneuvers of 1980. These BTR-60PBs have a speed in the water of 6 mph (10 km/h). They have a normal complement of eleven men (3 crewmen and 8 SOldiers).

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The SKOT has been in service since 1964, but this -'- version SKOT-2AP has been around only since - 3. Notice the water deflector screen mechanism on ' " 'lull front. The main problem with the SKOT is its ~s engine which made the vehicle as tricky to drive in "-' "r as the BTR-60. A small tactical insignia is painted - '-e hull front.

SKOTs were produced in many modifications, among them five command versions with about eight to ten modifications. They differed in radio equipment and superstructures. In this photo are two SKOT-R3s camouflaged with spots of sand color and foliage.

43

Along with recce units, special troops, staff units and a variety of C' units are also equipped with BRDM-2s. This photo depicts the BR: 2RKhb (called BRDM-2RCh in Poland) used to locate NBC-wea ~ :­ contamination. On the "b" of this vehicle, the turret has been modifie: . deleting the 14.5mm heavy machine gun, replacing it with a 7.6 ~ ­ machine gun and a flare dispenser. At the rear is a flag dispenser wh l ~' used to mark contaminated areas; the flags are in bright yellow.

The BRDM-2 was built on a modified BRDM-1 chassis but its superstructure was completely changed so that its interior became more spacious. It was armed with a 14.5mm heavy machine gun installed in a turret, derived from the type used on the BTR-60PB. In this photo is a command version, the BRDM-2D, locally developed in Poland, and serving with the 7th Naval Assault Division. Note the folding antenna mount on the left hull side.

Another famous armored vehicle created by the Soviet military industry is the ZSU-23-4 Shilka, a self-propelled air defense system. The ZS_ entered service in the Warsaw Pact countries in the mid-1960s, about four years later than in the Soviet Union. The photo shows the later model ZS _-_ 4V1.

44

A close-up of the front of a Polish This time it is the earlier ~ J-23-4V Shilka version . Under the ~ - =Is there is an inscription in Russian ""_ 19, "Do not stand under barrels". -. ~ Polish national markings on the -: -: plate of a turret ( on both sides of ~ 9uns )have been painted out. The o '/ of four-commander, driver, radar =~:;rver and gunner· are visible here .

== ) -23-4.

Since its earliest development, the most impressive aspect of the ZSU-23­ 4 Shilka has been the powerful quadruple 23mm AZP-23 cannon. The practical rate of fire of this weapon is about 200 rounds per minute per barrel. The weakest element of the ZSU-23 has been its RPK-2 radar and the electronic equipment. This photo shows a ZSU-23-4V1, the standard production variant.

Sand colored paint has been -= sd over the green base coat of ' .7 281 Gvozdikas to break up the - ines of their nearly 24 It (7.3 m) ~ ulls. This battery of 2S 1s are participating in maneuvers .; the summer of 1987. A UAZ-469 - ':: 910nging to the staff of a unit can ~sn in the background.

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This photo shows two more 2S1 s as they negotiate a slippery, muddy slope . For all their positive aspects, the 2S1 has some flaws. For insta- :-" seems odd that the vehicles are not armed with a 12.7mm AA machine gun and that the drivers have no infrared night vision system. Also, notice fK driver has limited visibility to the right side of the road.

The largest producer of armaments in the Warsal was the Soviet Union. The second was Polaoo Czechoslovakia had more independence in its military ir : It was the only Warsaw Pact country that was allo',' ~ : produce a relatively wide range of weapons. One of th e­ the Dana 152mm self-propelled gun , several of which a r~ here in Polish service.

This shot of a 2S1 , taken while the 4-man crew replenishes the howitzer's ammunition supply, displays a good close-up view of the vehicle's turret and roof. The 2S1 's cannon can fire the complete range of Soviet 122mm ammunition. It can fire a standard high-explosive round about 9 miles (15.2 km).

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The camera is literally looking down the barrel of the 85mm gun - :)unted on the ASU-85 tank destroyer that leads this foliage-covered ==-; ade. These vehicles were used in Poland's 6th Pomeranian Airborne : .lision, the only country other than the Soviet Union to use the ASU-85. - :hough the ASU-85 is very thinly armored (its frontal armor is only 1.5 in - mm) thick), it carries variety of ammunition that is eHective against many :es of targets, and it is equipped with various night-vision systems. ASU­ ..5s in the Soviet Union at the end of the 1980s were additionally armed with , ·2.7mm AA machine gun .

Here is a good shot of the left side of a mobile rocket launcher with a Luna-l (NATO: FROG) tactical missile. Four of these short range rockets, each with the range of 21 miles (35 km), were in a divisional artillery-rocket regiment. They were later replaced by the Luna-2 rockets which could carry nuclear warheads .

.- S 19505, Soviet tactical Luna =- ':,-surface rockets were __ n the chassis of PT-76s. slicles did not adequately '- e job, however, so in the -;; Soviets produced their first : - of multi-purpose eight­ - :' Jcks for second line duties. ' - em , the ZIL-135/BAZ-135, -= : ped for the Luna-M (FROG­ " 'ocket launcher. Here is a ~ Luna-M in firing position - ~ l euvers in the summer of

47

In the 1950s, the first long '", 8K11 (Scud) missiles were mo u r: ~ : the best available chassis at the t - .­ the IS/ISU heavy tank tracked c"' 03 In the middle of the 1960s, the "~ the so-called "eight-legged" \' .. chassis entered service. In tt"o 1960s, the 8K14 missile syste, mounted on the MAZ-543 chas3~ the first time in the Soviet Union ­ missile launcher became famous : . the coverage of the Gulf War v.. '" was used to launch Scud missile3

==

A close-up of three 9M9s with combat warheads (white color) at a camouflaged combat position. The Kub launcher system, known in the west as the SA-6 "Gainful", formed AA regiments on the divisional level. In each battery there were four of these vehicles with a mobile radar station on a fifth vehicle and a command vehicle on a sixth.

This profile view of a ZIL-131 supply truck shows exactly he; vehicle's crane is employed in the loading of missiles. The crane car ­ to 1,400 Ibs (640 kg). Note how the soldier holds the Kub missile ste~: it is lowered into place.

Here a lengthy convoy of ZIL-131 trucks delivers a fresh supply c' : :.. missiles to an anti-aircraft battery made up of SA-3 Goa static lau r : ' , The convoy consists of six supply trucks and between five and eig hi : vehicles, including a fire truck. Note the manner in which the missi l ~~ secured while en route.

48

Another battery of 2S1. Theoretically, there were four battalions in a division which should have had eighteen 2S1 sin each. However as it was frequently unattainable in the Warsaw Pact countries, battalions very often used towed D-30s or even Model 43 howitzers. In the LWP (Polish Army) in the 19aOs there were even Model 3a howitzers still in use!

Mechanised units of the Warsaw Pact armies received their modern SPGs in the beginning of 1970s. The Soviets were iled to build two main types of SPGs - one with 122mm and - - ~n d with 152mm howitzers - because those were the two =... types of artillery still in the Soviet Army service at the end -S60s and they thought that both calibers were still useful. -=.-" is a squadron of 2S1 "Carnation" SPGs (in their first :BI) in Hungarian service in 19aO.

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The 2S1was the most numerous SPG in the Warsaw Pact armies, its use being more prevalent by a margin of anywhere between 3:1 and 6:1 over the 2S3 (Akatsiya) or its Warsaw Pact equivalent, the Dana. For example, when the Warsaw Pact dissolved, there were 49a 2S1 s compared to 93 152mm Danas in the Polish People's Army. A Polish Army 2S1 is shown here in an entrenched position.

he profile view of these two 2S1s shows two sets of

_, inexperienced and cold crew members receiving their

3ssons on driving these formidable vehicles. Note how the

--:zers are secured with their muzzles covered. In operation, " n can fire only 9 miles (15 km) compared to the 15 miles ) range of an American M109 SPH.

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The 2S1 weighs in at just ~ 35 ,000 Ibs (16,000 kg). It is pov. by a V-8 engine that can achieve :: hp. The mobile howitzer can travf. to 37 mph (60 km/h). The vehic :: also fully amphibious and can err : its tracks to propel it through water =. speed of 3 mph (4.5 km/h).

At the end of the 1970s, the Warsaw Pact countries were offered the new Soviet 2S3 SPG with a 152mm howitzer. About the same time, Czechoslovakia developed a new and much cheaper SPG , known as the Dana, that was mounted on the wheeled Tatra 815 chassis. Shown here is a four-gun battery of Czechoslovak Danas.

The massive turret that oCClf: almost 60% of the whole superstructure is clearly visible in ­ photo. This turret houses automatically loaded 152mm S­ vz.77 howitzer. The gun hao maximum range of 12.4 miles (20 with 0-20 howitzer shells, and . miles (18.5 km) using CzechosI and Soviet ML-20 shells.

50

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The vz. 77 152mm Dana SPG can drive through rivers up to a depth of 4.5 ft (1.4 m). It has a range of 372 miles (600 km), weighs a heavy 29 tons, nas a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h). It has a crew of five. Those with inquiring minds will be interested to learn that the full name of the gun's c .s.sis is VP31 29265 8X8.1 R. ~

ere a battery of vz.77 Dana SPGs in Polish service

-..::.: Is into formation. Only three of the Warsaw Pact nations ~

the 152mm Dana-Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the . t Union. Depending upon on the military industry policy "S: 9 the Warsaw Pact, Czechoslovakia was willing to produce ~ n armored infantry vehicles because they were cheaper or ~ - than those made by the Soviets. In this case, though, the - "-.-=- was of a lesser quality than the 2S3, even though it was - - -. This view shows an excellent close-up of the Dana's - -.m AA machine gun .

The Czechoslovak 152mm Dana self-propelled gun is not as good a weapon as the SPGs developed by the Soviets or the United States, but it has many laudable features. It has an automatic loader which permits the firing of four shells per minute (two if manually loaded). Today in Czechoslovakia the same turrets on the same chassis are being tested with 30mm AA guns for an anti-aircraft version called Strop.

51

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The history of the 2S3 is a long one. The oldest "ancestor", known as the SU-100P, was introduced in 1949. Next came two SPGs (mou- ­ 152mm guns) and a transport vehicle. The first true prototype of the 2S3 was built in 1965 and had an M-69 gun mounted in a closed turret. At tr ~ the 1960s, a design change was made and a D-20 howitzer was installed, along with light armor. That model , which appears here , was produceD beginning of the 1970s to the beginning of the 1980s.

This is a photo of seve=. German 2S3 SPGs gather€': training field. Only in the Sov': ' and East Germany were many 152mm SPGs found . In HE Warsaw Pact countries, 152mm gun batteries were to\',~ only a few units being armed self-propelled howitzers . Unl ·­ 2S1 , the 2S3 is armed with a .:. NSVT AA machine gun. Toda CIS, the 2S3 is being replace d _ 2S 19 which is built on the T-72

Included in this group of various Warsaw Pact vehicles is the IV-13-the command and communication vehicle used by battery commanders. It is located at the extreme right of the photo. Lined up behind it is a battery of 2S1s.

Rocket artillery has had good and bad times in the Soviet Union. This sort of artillery was very successful for almost 20 years until the way style of thinking was changed from a point of view of rockets to "smart" weapons and systems. In the photo is a group of BM-13 multiple rocket launchers on the ZiL-157 truck which were in service up to the end of 1960s.

1964 the Soviets started producing a new version of the - - ~ 5D truck. From the beginning it was built in different s, one of them as a platform for the multiple rocket ~ -sr ( MRL) - the BM-21 Grad . In the end of the 1960s, they -,"= :lxported to the Warsaw Pact countries, for example to - J . where BM-21 s replaced the old standard BM-13s in

A profile shot of the highly acclaimed BM-21 multiple rocket launcher (MRL) mounted on the chassis of the capable Ural· 375D truck. This one serves in the Polish 7th Naval Assault Division judging from the insignia on the cab side. This system can rain down a salvo of rockets in a concentrated area with terrible effect.

-,m the BM-21 entered service, it was quickly seen that ~

ery good rate of fire, especially when compared to the

=-. the BM-31 MRLs. It proved to be an amazing and very ~ leapon. Here is a battery of Soviet BM-21s during an s=. in the mountains.

53

This view of the rear of the BM-21 shows eight stan Go:.. M-21 OF rockets in tubes. This Soviet MRL has 40 tubes w can fire 40 rockets in 20 seconds at a range of 12 miles (20 There are 18 BM-21 s in each rocket launcher battalion of eo::: divisional artillery regiment.

The insignia on the door of the middle truck shows that this battery of BM-21 multiple rocket launchers is in East German (NVA) service. The BM-21 is a hefty vehicle, weighing a little over 13 tons. It can achieve a speed of 47 mph (75 km/h), and can fire its 122mm rockets up to a range of 12.7 miles (20.5 km).

The camera has captured a display of Warsaw _ firepower in this photo of a portion of an MRL battery firing sc­ of its rockets. While the 20-second salvo, or ripple, displ& ­ here is very impressive, it is also highly visible to the enem. is easy to imagine how unsafe the position would be for the = crewmen during actual combat.

The BM-21 Grad ( Hail) is served by a crew of 4 soldiers who load tubes and aim at a given target manually. The Grad is still the standard MRL in service in the ex-Warsaw Pact armies. In the CIS it has been replaced since 1978 by the same MRL, but on the stronger Ural-4320 chassis and by other MRLs with a larger caliber.

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A squadron of a Czechoslovak Army multiple rocket launchers mounted on Praga V3A three-axial trucks. This 32-tube rocket system was manufactured at the end of 1950s, and it was used only by the Czechoslovak Army. It was not as good a combat vehicle as the BM-21, but unlike the BM-21 , it could carry additional ammo for a second salvo.

In 1970, the more efficient Soviet 122mm MRL (built on the ..::3Choslovak mUltipurpose Tatra 815 chassis and pictured ??) replaced the MRL on the V3A chassis. This change -:'. ed to be a success for the Czechoslovak military industry. BM-21 on the Tatra chassis, known as the RM-70 (vz.70) , - ore mobile and has better cross-country capabilities, plus it - e s additional ammo in a rapid-reload system located in the --.:er of the vehicle.

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This Czechoslovak RM-70 sends a rocket skyward in this photo. This model has been built since 1970 in two modifications : one with an armored cabin to protect the crew (vz.70) and an unarmored version with changes in the engine's exhaust system (vz.70/85 ).

The vz.70/85 MRL was put to use by the Polish Army too. The 7 visible differences between this model and those of other Warsal' :; countries. For instance, the design of the truck is obviously altered be ~ ­ the wheels. Also , a new exhaust system appears behind the unarr:- _ cabin on this new model that is not on the earlier vz.70.

East German NVA vz.70s thrill a crowd of patriotic onlookers during a parade commemorating the 25th anniversary of the "good" Germany in 1974. The vz.70 MRL can be armed with a 12.7mm heavy AA machine gun, but only a few of the Czechoslovak Army vehicles actually have one installed on their cab 's roof.

The Luna-1 was quite a small rocket. I 1950s its builders thought that it did not nec.: chassis that was larger than the rocket itset' they used the PT-76 chassis. These caI' gave good protection to its crews, but the roo was ineffective. They were replaced by a ~ ~ model of the Luna rocket, the Luna-2, s r: here.

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This is an East German version of -2ce at the rear of the vehicle makes it ile. When the Luna-2 was removed '= icles remaining in the Warsaw Pact '=" 'cles.

the Luna-2. Note how the lack of difficult for the crew to operate the from service in the mid-1980s , the countries were used as recovery

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This is a battery of Czechoslovak 8K11 tactical missiles mounted on the IS chassis. These big , powerful and heavy vehicles were well suited for this purpose. Like the PT-76, though, they proved to be difficult to use and were too cramped for the missile. The heavy IS chassis was replaced in the 1960s by a larger wheeled vehicle. The missile system shown in this photo ended its service at the end of the 1970s.

Here is the Luna-M rocket on the ZIL-135LM rocket launcher camouflaged with sand , ochre and light green colors. This vehicle is manned by crew members who probably like paint very much . They marked one of the vehicle's cabins with five emblems of the Polish Armored Forces: one on the left part of the front window, two on the doors, and two on the mask. Note that the information on the crane says it can lift up to 2.6 tons.

There are two methods for transloading Luna surface-to­ " ce missiles onto a ZIL-135 missile carrier vehicle. Here a 2 F (FROG-7) is hoisted onto the ZIL-135 by means of a =:--B mounted on a STAR 100 truck. The ZIL-135 itself is :-"gured with an onboard crane so is also able to load them :self.

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This photo shows the ZI .­ crane loading on a 9M21' .: (FROG-7B) from a BAZ -1 ::'~­ transloader vehicle. The crane (­ launch vehicle allows for rapid =­ reducing the reload time from or= to about 20 minutes. Note the information stencilled on the from ~ bumper indicating th e 2.8 m (9 ft) of the truck.

The rear view of a 9P113 Luna-M launcher vehicle with a 9M21 , also known as the R-65 rocket. Two BAZ-135LTM tranloader tru cks ca n carry six Luna-M rockets for the whole battery of launchers.

The production of the 9P' started in 1966 and the first vehiC2 reached the Soviet allies' armies in -­ beginning of the 1970s. The ZIL-13~ powered by two ZIL-375 engines (ec_ with 180 HP) which make it very diffi to drive.

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In the 1960s and 1970s, the famous "Scud" missile was probably the - - -: secret weapon in the Warsaw Pact countries. A combination of the R­ - -:>eket and the MAZ-543 truck, the 8K14 Scud has shown itself to be a idea that has proven successful up to the present time. This is a Polish :i:Jd B" in its older modification.

Framed between two birch trees , a Soviet BK14 rocket (also known as the R-17 and R-300) sits waiting to be put to use. In Warsaw Pact war doctrine, the Scud , with its range of over 43 miles (70 km), was acknowledged as a tactical nuclear weapon for use at the army level. Brigades of Scuds are placed in the hands of army commanders.

In the 1960s, the Soviet Union was so proud of its missile forces that the Soviet generals considered replacing almost all other parts of the army with ile units . In this photo, a number of rocket systems await the beginning of a May Day parade in Red Square. In the middle of the picture are supply icles for AA units carrying, among other things, S-75 (SA-2) and System A (GriHon) missiles. In the left corner are BM-25 MRLs on Kraz-214 trucks and ' -21s on Ural-375D trucks. At right are two UR-96 missiles being towed by MAZ-537 tractors. In the "second wave" are Luna-2s on PT-76 chassis and 1s on IS-2 tracks.

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The BTR-152, produced in 1950 and mounted on th e 151 chassis, was the first armored personnel carrier built i:" Soviet Union since 1939. The Soviet Army needed a fast, f _ to-produce infantry transport, though , so they decided or "armored truck". This East German BTR-152 is armed \" 7.62mm machine gun . Note the firing ports on the side ana ­ of the superstructure.

A pair of East German NVA BTR-152Vs in the company of a Mi-4 helicopter. This modification was built on the ZIL-157 chassis from 1955 to the beginning of the 1960s. The BTR-152V was not a very good vehicle especially due to its poor cross­ country capability.

A Polish Army BTR-152V in a photo taken in the middle of 1960s. T­ APC could carry 19 soldiers and was armed with one 7.62mm machine G­ or KPVT 14.5mm heavy meachine gun. In special versions "A" and "VI­ was equipped with the ZTPU-2 system (two 14.5mm AA KPVT hmg-s) or ­ ZTPU-4 system (four 14.5mm KPVT's). Note the tire-pressure regula ~ system.

The first batch of Soviet APCs were used throughout all of the Warsaw Pact nations, except in Czechoslovakia where they produced their own OT­ 810. This photo shows a BTR-152, armed with a 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun, that belongs to a Soviet reconnaissance unit. These vehicles were used in the East European armies until the end of the 1960s.

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A BTR-60P from a Soviet Naval Infantry unit during the 1980 - euvers. This vehicle is armed with a 14.5mm KPVT hmg , and it is partly sred by a canvas on a top of the vehicle which used as a roof. The main "~ ne ss of the BTR-60 were two GAZ-40P engines with 180 HP which had --hronization problems.

The next generation of wheeled APe's was developed at the end of the 1950s and built from 1960 to the middle of the 1970s. The BTR-60P was a completely new 8x8 design for 16 soldiers. It was armed with two 7.62mm machine guns and one 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun. In this photo is a column of BTR-60Ps during a parade in Red Square in Moscow at the end of the 1960s.

The first modification of the BTR-60 took place in 1963; it consisted of - -::mping the superstructure and adding an armored roof. This vehicle, the -60PA, was armed with one 7.62mm SGMB machine gun . It could also ~r-y 10 soldiers who were able to more easily fire their weapons from inside s ehicle since their positions faced the interior walls of the hull.

In 1965, the BTR-50 was modified again. This version, the BTR-60PA, had two new GAZ­ 49B engines. Also in that year, the next model-the BTR-60PB-entered service. This modification was equipped with two improved stations (for the driver and commander) and a turret with a KPVT heavy machine gun. The BTR-60PB shown here has its water deflector in the raised position.

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The command modification of the BTR-60 is known as the BTR­ Note the additional antennae. Three of these vehicles form a staff co l_ every battalion. In this photo, two BTR-60PUs froni the staff of a '­ Naval Infantry unit participate in the 1980 exercises.

Half of the Soviet mechanised infantry units have been equipped with the BTR-60PB eight-wheeled armored personnel carriers since 1960. Almost all BTR-60 vehicles in the Warsaw Pact armies were produced in the Soviet Union, with the exception of Romanian variants. It was not exported to Czechoslovakia, though, since this country produced its own eight­ wheeled vehicle. Here is the view of the front of a BTR-60PB from the Soviet Naval Infantry.

This photo shows a pair of BTR­ 60PAs from the Bulgarian Army. Note the spare wheels carried on the rear of the hull roof. The Bulgarians were rarely seen guests at the Warsaw Pact maneuvers in central Europe because it was expensive to transport their armored units to exercise areas.

At the beginning of the 1970_ license for the BTR-60 was so: Romania where this vehicle produced in the early 19805 as TAB-71, 77 and 79. In the Romo.­ language, "TAB" means the samo BTR does in Russian- "arm: transporter".

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Here is a BTR-60PB marked with the "C-172" identification number of the Hungarian Army. The BTR-60 is armored with thin plates of 6mm. Only the _ t of the vehicle is armored with 8mm plates. The whole vehicle weights 10.5 tons. Today the BTR-60 is still the standard Hungarian transport, along with ~r 100 BTR- 80s .

These three BTR-60PBs of East =s m any's NVA churn the water to a :::E1l1y white as they cross a river. The :R-60 is able to reach a speed of 6 _ (10 km/h) as it swims through '=. ~e r. These vehicles are also -_ ~i pped with grapnels.

A company of the NVA BTR-60PBs in the course of passing over a river by using a pontoon bridge. The BTR-60 family was the most widely used in the Warsaw Pact armies although they were not popular among their crews. These vehicles were produced in the Soviet Union for almost 15 years for a total of about 20,000 pieces in some 20 modifications.

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A pair of East German NVA BTR-60PBs on exercise. Note the fake windmill in the background.

Four years after the birth of the BTR-60, another eight-wheele:. ­ entered service. Known as the OT-64 in Czechoslovakia and as the ­ in Poland, it has proven to be a slightly better vehicle than the equivalent, and a little larger, too. The SKOT-2AP in this photo is tall,, ­ the BTR-60PB by 16 in (41 cm).

The smooth-as-glass body of water in the foreg ro.­ this photo has produced a mirror image of a row Czechoslovak/Polish-produced SKOT. It is considered ­ better and more "European" than the Soviet BTR-60PB i is more comfortable, better armored and has two gears for driving.

The SKOT was designed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia and Poland. This photo shows an example of a basic model Czechoslovak OT-64 taking part in exercises in 1980. Upon close inspection of the vehicle, a camouflage paint job of two shades of green divided by outlines of a sand color becomes visible.

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About ten different command and communication vehicles were built on the original SKOT chassis. Among them is the SKOT-R2 shown in this photo which is equipped to mount all kinds of radio masts. The antenna these men are erecting is the telescoping "Hawk Eye" type.

Sitting alone on a rail platform is an SKOT-R2 model of the SKOT wheeled troop transport. The SKOT in the R2 and R3 versions were built on the SKOT-2 superstructure. The R2 version has additional radio sets and is able to mount a variety of radio masts. Note the frame antenna visible in this photo.

Here is another example of a command model SKOT, this time an R3. - is parading through a town as part of the 1980 exercises. Due to some - anges in its superstructure and the addition of extra radio equipment, this = hicle may seem to have a different appearance than other SKOTs.

This view into the interior of an SKOT transport shows the vehicle ployed in sapper duty. Here these soldiers demonstrate the technique for E.ying mines manually. Those with an interest in scale modeling will note -.;at the interior of the infantry compartment of the SKOT is painted white ile the interior side of the doors are painted a standard green color.

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An optional method of la) mines on a battlefield is present€'[ this photo . SKOT-1 version t r~ transports are hauling the mine la! machines . The -1 version of the S ­ can be distinguished by the absen c.~ any armament .

When a SKOT's infantry contingent has to fight during a raid through enemy positions or when using a "deep penetration" tactic, they can shoot from the interior of their compartment as well as from the roof hatch where they are protected by roof doors. It was the desire to make an improvement over the design of the exit doors of the infantry compartment in the Soviet BTR-60PB that prompted the Polish army to adopt the SKOT.

The BTR-50P entered serviCE 1952 as a supplement to six-wheE:; BTR-152 APCs, but it was not bui' so large a number. It was 5( :' replaced by the BTR-50PK which ­ an armored roof. In the photo is a Br= 50PK with one cupola for the veil::. commander. Note the raised roof the::. typical of vehicles produced in -­ Soviet Union.

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Two columns of Czechoslovak BTR-50PKs and a Mi-4 helicopter with a Polish flag are shown preparing for a post-exercise parade. The first modifications of the BTR-50 were used as a mUlti-purpose transporter, including roles such as a carrier for an 85mm anti-tank gun or a battery of 82mm mortars. Later it was used as a standard APC.

An NVA BTR-50PK , called SPW-50PK by the Germans, with heavy .2ge camouflage. These vehicles are better armored and have better -Dility than the BTR-60/70. BTR-50s were, for a long period, the best - ::Cs in the Warsaw Pact armies. Due to this fact, they were produced - : er license in Czechoslvakia as the OT-62 from 1962 to the end of the

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Another SPW-50PK, this one marked with the number "542" of the East German NVA armored unit. It has been photographed in action near a forest. Note the ventilation mushroom on the roof. In other series, it was transferred to the rear corner of the infantry compartment. These vehicles have been in the East German Army since 1962.

The last vehicles in the final waves of landing forces belong to unit "Oiaffs. In the foreground is a command BTR-50PU (a modification of the -TR-50PK) with fuel drums on the roof of the engine compartment and the ushroom" of a modernised venlilation system in the corner of the crew x>mpartment roof. In the background is a MT-LB armored transport vehicle its standard modification . Both are from one of the Soviet Naval Infantry :rigade staffs.

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The vehicle in the foreground is a BTR-50PN, one of about eight command/communication versions. Since the late 1950s, this vehicle has been built in small numbers as an option for lower command level staffs. It differs from the BTR-50PU only in its radio equipment. The PU had four radio stations while the PN had three.

The first series of the Czechoslovak OT-62 were armed with the 82­ Tarasnice recoilless gun and 7.62 machine gun in the modified right tL...." In this photo is an anti-tank unit additionally armed with 107mm B- 1- ­ recoilless guns. The OT-62 was produced on the base of the BTR-50PA ::;. had a lower roof over the infantry compartment.

The OT-62, known as TOPAS _ abbreviation for "tracked, arma­ transporter"), has been in service in ­ Polish Army since 1963. In this ph ot ~ seen the TOPAS in its first stane-,,­ version without any armament, but some interesting winter camouflage.

These TOPAS armored personnel carriers move steadily on through the surf during amphibious landing exercises. Note the new ventilation system designed by the WITPiS research institute in the 1960s. The stand for a 7.62mm AA machine gun located on the right turret was installed in a workshop of the Polish 7th Naval Assault Division.

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=: : osn d in the middle of the 1970s. A new enclosed turret of Polish design - h featured a KPVT heavy machine gun was installed in the middle of the vehicle. This turret replaced the small, open turret that sported a - ~2 mm machine gun which was seen on earlier versions. The TOPAS-2AP _ ~ here belongs to the 7th Naval Assault Brigade (formerly the 7th Naval - =ult Division until the late 1980s) .

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A view of the rear of the final version of the TOPAS - the TOPAS-2AP. The rear of the turret and the open hatches of the hydrojet systems are visible. On the roof and inside the infantry compartment are four doors for eight soldiers of an infantry section.

The MT-LB (multi-purpose, lightly armored tractor) is quite an old ehicle, but it is still considered very useful. One of its main assignments as serving with anti-tank artillery units in mechanized divisions. Here are : T-LBs of the East German Army rolling along in a parade in 1980.

A Soviet Naval Infantry staff amphibious vehicle slips into the surf. This MT-LB armored transport is a special staff version. Note the special cupola located in the middle of the vehicle behind the turret which mounts an infrared searchlight.

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The BMP-1 infantry fighting vehi ­ entered service in 1966. One year later participated in a parade in Moscow, and 2-: years afterwards it was sold to Warsaw P ~ member nations. It can travel in water a: ~ speed of 4 mph (7 km/h) to a range of a Ii;;;= over 60 mph (100 km). Note that the W2.-­ deflector shield , the central periscope and ­ gun barrel have all been raised. This is standc:.­ procedure when entering into a river.

The BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle, several of which are shown here, was the next step in the evolution of armored warfare. It provided quite a shock to NATO specialists when it appeared on the scene at the end of the 1960s. The versatile fighter would prove its value in subsequent years.

A view of a pair of swimrr. Polish BWP-1s. In Poland the BM F referred to as BWP. The crew of B\ -: consist of three men: the driver (in :..­ photo, in the first hatch on the left), ::­ vehicle commander (in the secc hatch) and the gunner. In the infar compartment are eight soldiers. N­ the fording trunk behind the turret :" the vehicle in the background.

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These BWPs are camouflaged with a combination of sand colored paint applied over a green base color. Crew members have finished the job by adding -?Jlotches of fresh mud over the paint scheme. Notice that there is waterproof caulking around the side firing ports.

The BWP was the first infantry combat vehicle in the world armed with a major caliber gun in the turret (the earlier German HS.30 had a 20mm cannon). : gave good protection to its crew and was characterized by very good mobility. It was perceived in the 1960s as an ideal vehicle.

The BWP in this photo presents a - ne example of what the vehicle would .oak like in an actual combat situation . With the appropriate camouflage of Jine branches and earth tone paint, it Jlends in easily with its surroundings. :-Jate the three open firing ports on the ear hull sides.

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A shot of deployed mechan· ­ infantry going into action with BWP~ support. In a standard battle format _ BWPs would be in the second and waves of the attack after the first v.z: of tanks (or in the third and fou rt­ there were two waves of tanks) . attack with deployed troops is prefe ­ in difficult terrain and during figh: heavily forested regions only.

A repair unit at work on a BWP's UTO-20 engine under the shelter of camouflage netting in a field recovery station . The UTO-20 weighs 1,463 Ibs (665 kg) and produces 300 HP at 2,600 rpm . It can take the BWP up to a maximum speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).

A view of a pair of command BV,-:­ lOs, called BMP-1 KSh by _ Russ ians. The letter "0 " (in Ru s ~ "K") means dowodczy (koman d shtabniy) - command . This vers ion the BWP family is equipped with spe communication equipment, and its c '" consists of five people. There are f­ BWP-10s in one battalion staff.

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The sleek profile of the BWP-1 is shown to advantage here as the 22-foot-long infantry fighting vehicle roars over sandy ground during an exercise in -992. Note that this vehicle has its mud guards knocked off, and the various camouflage colors on its hull seem to have been painted in haste. Since -990/1991, the potential enemy of the Warsaw Pact nations has disappeared. So during maneuvers in Poland, soldiers "fight" with an "'enemy" that uses the 3ame armament as they do. Prior to the end of the Communist threat in Europe, the "enemy" during maneuvers was equipped with imitations of Leopard 3nks.

BMPs were commonly seen in all armies of the Narsaw Pact coalition. Usually they composed 30% ­ 50% of the infantry fighting vehicles of all mechanised nfantry regiments. The rest were equipped with IIheeled infantry fighting vehicles and, especially in ?oland , BTR-50/0T-62 vehicles. Here is a BMP-1 of the NVA coming out of a river.

In this photo is a close-up of an East German BMP-1. armed with one 7.62mm PKT machine gun , the smoothbore gun and a rocket launcher for 9M14M AT missiles installed on the infantry compartment, there are 9K32 (SA-7 Grail) weapons, both standard squad armament.

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The BMP is 73mm 2A28 the turret. In and RPG-7

Here is a front view of a Hungarian BMP-1. 1-..:­ the national insignia outlined on the turret. The Sc ­ Union built about 25,000 vehicles of the BMP-1/2 far Apart from Russia, many of them can be found i Czech and Slovak republics-over 2,000.

This photo shows a Czecholsovak BMP-1 practicing at a driver training field. The Czechoslovak Army was the best equipped army of the Warsaw Pact nations when it came to armored vehicles. At the end of the 1980s, it had at its disposal 2,538 infantry fighting vehicles, some of them in the Czechoslovak modification known as OT-90 (a BMP-1 with a KPVT heavy machine gun).

Three years after the BMP-1 was produced, a vehicle called the BMD-1 was designed. It I'.;:: basically a BMP-1 for Soviet para units. In para units : the other armies of the Warsaw Pact, the BMP-1 I'.;>;: used even though it was heavier than the BMD-1 by tons. Here some Polish soldiers of the 6th Pomeran ~ Airborne Division pose with their BMP-1.

A squad of soldiers and a BMP-1 are presented in shadowy silhouette in this photo thanks to the flashes of light that split the darkness during a night firing exercise. The crew of the BMP-1 are able to perform night operations with the help of several infrared night vision systems: the TKN-3B (for the commander), the TVNO­ 2 (for the driver) and the TNP-350B (for the gunner).

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This is a rear view of a pair of Soviet BMP-1 s taking part in the spring exercises. Clouds rise behind them as they create a smoke screen to mask their presence . There is a box located atop the rear of the right mud guard which identifies this vehicle as one of the relatively rare early production BMPs. Note the unit number painted on the right side of the turret, as well as the faded tank identification number on the entry hatch at the rear of the infantry compartment.

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Here is a view shot of Soviet BMP-1 Ps, this time during .' inter exercise. The BMP-1 P had the Malyutka missile launcher 'emoved and a simple piece of steel rod welded to the roof for llounting the 9P135 launcher for the Konkurs (AT-5) missile. Juring training, the launcher was usually left inside the hull. This ersion also had Type 902 Tucha smoke grenade launchers 110unted on the turret rear, but in this view, only the attachments :lre visible.

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This Soviet BMP-1 has an added fuel tank on the infantry compartment roof. In the background are a few Soviet T-72As with side skirts partly painted .vith green color.

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Another version of the BMP, the BMP-2 , entered service in 1981. In this photo, Soviet BMP-2s train to perform a four-wave attack. new turret (with additional armor but without smoke mortars) and the long, thin barrel of the 30mm 2A46 gun .

In 1950, along with the BTR-152 , the BTR-40 entered service in the Soviet armed forces. It was known to the world as a scout car but it was, i­ fact, a small armored transporter used for multiple purposes by differen­ subunits, especially reconnaissance troops. In its first modification , eig r: soldiers could be placed in its infantry compartment.

A Polish BWP-2 rests inside a prepared entrenchment. These concrete lined entrenchments were a characteristic feature of many Warsaw Pact training areas, especially firing ranges where they assisted in training armored vehicle crews to fire from hUll-down position.

The BTR-40 was built in three main modifications : the standard "A" (since 1950), "B" with an armored roof (since 1957) and "V", with a tire-pressure regulation system (since 1956). In this photo is a BTR-40A fire support vehicle. It is armed with a ZTPU-2 AA system which consists of two 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine guns. This vehicle is from a Soviet recce troop. On the side of the vehicle is the unit identification marking "6N2". Note the lack of firing ports in the side of the hull.

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The BRDM prototypes did not have an armored roof , but the 1958 production model was fully armored. The BRDM-1 was produced from 1957, and entering service in the Warsaw Pact armies at the beginning to the middle of the 1960s. This photo shows the East German NVA BRDM-1 from a recce unit. In the East German Army it was known as SPW-40P, and it has been in service since 1964.

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Based on wartime experience, the Soviets attached a great deal of importance to delivering secret messages without risk of eavesdropping or being jammed due to the lack of high quality radio and electronic equipment. Here is an example of how a message from a pair of recce BRDM-2s can be sent with the assistance of an Mi-4 helicopter at the end of the 1960s.

When the Soviets began selling the BRDM-1 to its allies, the Soviet reconnaissance units were issued a new armored scout car-the BRDM-2. Having been in the Soviet service since 1962, it began to be used by the Warsaw Pact nations in the mid-1960s. It is one of the most famous armored fighting vehicles in the history of the Soviet military industry. About 20 ,000 of these vehicles were built in three versions: standard, anti-tank and anti­ aircraft. A Polish BRDM-2 is shown here crossing a river on a PTS-M ferry vehicle.

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For many years the Warsaw Pact forces employe: light armored cars in their reconnaissance units. Tr" most famous of these was the BRDM-2, shown here ­ its standard version. The red and white checkerec insignia on the turret indicates that the vehicle is in tt-,. service of the Polish armed forces.

There are two main types of the BROM-2 command vehicle: the Soviet "U" modification and the Polish "0" modification, visible here in this photo. The first two vehicles have fitted antennae of an R-113 radio (on the left side of the hull) and a frame antenna of a long range radio station. This sort of antenna is a Poli sh equivalent of the Soviet "clothes-line" antenna used on BTR-60s.

The most typical arrangement of a recce troop i­ action comprises three BROM-2s. One serves as co command/communication post while the others car r~ out miscellaneous reconnaissance tasks. Here two c' the armored vehicles embark on a recce missio­ involving a water obstacle. Note the rubber raft carriec by the second BROM-2.

A BROM-20 in flood waters. The command BROM is equipped with several radio stations , among them is one for a long range communication with a frame antenna. This vehicle has three antennae ; usually these vehicles are used with only two.

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When Poland and East Germany bought Soviet BRDM-1 armored vehicles in the first half of 1960s, the Hungarian military industry developed ~ heir own equivalent at the Csepel motor plant. This FUG scout car entered production in 1963. It was a much better vehicle than the BRDM-1, and it was sold to Poland, Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia. Here is a Hungarian FUG in its standard model.

A column of Hungarian PSzH-IV armored scout vehicles on exercise. Many of the Warsaw Pact countries preferred building armored vehicles locally, as Soviet prices were often quite high.

Already in 1966, Hungary had started to build a completely new scout car armed with a heavy machine gun installed in the turret. This vehicle, originally named the FUG-2, was modified at the end of 1960s and entered service at the beginning of the 1970s as the PSzH-IV. There are still about 1,000 of them , exclusively in Hungarian service.

The Soviet Union was slow in developing anti-tank missiles due to resistance by the GRAU artillery directorate. The first type in common service was the 3M6 Shmel (AT-1 Snapper). These wire-guided rockets were first installed on mobile platforms like the modified GAZ-69 chassis which were known as 2P26 , and nicknamed "Baby carriages" because of the folding canvas cover over their rear ends. Here is a battery of this combination in the service of East Germany's NVA.

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, :u.>d_>"\.:c.";.'li"·.~, ~•••?e~~~';:':;:"';;'·:,,,,; Here is a column of vehicles in an AT unit. All these units are equippec with the 9P122 tank destroyers constructed on the BRDM-2 chassis. Th~ 9P122 is still a standard tank "killer" in all ex-Warsaw Pact armies except ., the former Soviet Union where the 9P133 replaced many 9P122s.

This photo shows a rear view of a 2P27 belonging to the Polish Army as it performs coastal defense duties along the Baltic coast. Although not specifically designed for the task, the Shmel could seriously damage a typical landing craft. The configuration of the rocket launchers is clearly visible here. The three main modifications of tank destroyers built on the BRDM-1 chassis used the 3M6 Shmel (AT-1 Snapper), the AT-2 (Swatter) and the 9M14M Malyutka (AT-3 Sagger) missiles. They served as the nation 's principal anti -tank vehicles up until the beginning of the 1970s.

At about the same time, the more reliable BRDM·1 hull was being fitted with 3M6 Shmel missiles. Because of the large size of the missiles, though, only three could be carried. The BRDM-1 missile-launcher entered service about 1960 as the 2P27 self-propelled tank destroyer. The one shown here bears Romanian markings.

Another famous vehicle, the 9P122. appeared in the Warsaw Pact armies AT units ir. the middle of the 1960s. It was built on th e BRDM-2 hull and was armed with six 9M14 missiles. The enclosed gunner's optical sight i:: clearly visible on the armored front of the vehicle.

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There were also some very important anti-aircraft weapons in the Warsaw Pact armies based on the BRDM-2 . The Soviets did not believe in . using strong aircraft cover for armored units during deep ground penetration so they developed a number of anti-aircraft vehicles. This photo shows one of the most rarely seen AA systems mounted on a BRDM-2-the Strela-1. The Polish Army models shown here are armed with 9M31 M missiles.

A close-up of a Strela 1 vehicle known in NATO codename as the SA-9 "Gaskin". Note the Warsaw mermaid emblem of the 1st "Warsaw" Mechanised Regiment. The mode of installation of the missile launchers is clearly shown. The pristine appearance of the vehicle on parade is impressive, and only two missiles are loaded on the racks.

In 1968, anti-aircraft weapons (four 9M31 missiles) were installed on the BRDM-2 chassis. Two extra weapons were occasionally stored on the racks on the side of the hull (shown empty here). These vehicles were used at the regimental level.

More popular in the Warsaw Pact AA units was the Strela 10M3 system, called SA-13 Gopher in NATO. It was installed on the MT-LB chassis and armed with four 9M333 missiles. Here two "Gophers" of the Czechoslovak Army are sent skyward during night firing exercises.

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In the Warsaw Pact armies, different AA systems were used for different sized units of troops. The 2P24 self-propelled rocket launcher shown here is representative of the first generation of fully mobile surface­ to-air missile systems for use at the army level. The photo shows 9M8 rockets (SA-4 Ganef) being reloaded from a Ural-375 supply truck onto a 2P24 launcher in the service of the East German Army.

A view of the front of the Krug missile vehicle in Soviet service. The~ 2P24s were concentrated in independent brigades which were in the han~ of army commanders in all of the Warsaw Pact countries. In the Sovi6: Union , they were used up to the end of the 1970s as the standard AJ. weapon to combat aircraft at high altitude .

The 2P25 Kub launcher is based on the same chassis which is used for the ZSU-23 AA vehicle. On the front plate of the hull are two hatchways for the 3-man crew. The crew consists of a commander, a driver and the operator of the system. These 9M9 rockets, NATO codename SA-6 "Gainful", have been the most popular AA missiles since the beginning of the 1960s. They were mounted on a modified ASU-85 chassis and were used as the standard air defense weapon against aircraft flying at low-medium altitudes.

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This photo shows the left side of the Kub ("Cube" in English) air defense system in Polish service. None of these weapons were license produced by the Warsaw Pact countries, and so had to be imported from the Soviet Union at considerable cost. Fixtures for hanging tools are visible at the rear of the vehicle on the side of the hull.

Reloading of 9M9 missiles from a ZIL-131 supply truck onto a launcher. Each truck can carry a set of two rockets which is not enough for one load for one launcher vehicle.

A rear view of the 1S91 (NATO: Straight Flush) radar station of the Kub battery in combat position. Radar stations were built on the same chassis and lightly armored like all Kub launchers, but sometimes other special tracked chassis were used for radars, notably the AT-S unarmored tractor with the P-40 surveillance radar. Quite often Kub batteries were not equipped with armored command vehicles, but truck mounted types.

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One of the latest AA systems in the Warsaw Pact armies is the combination of the 9M33M2 missiles mounted on the BAZ-5937 six­ wheeled vehicle. It is known in the West as the SA-8b (Gecko) and in the Warsaw Pact countries as the Osa-AK (Wasp). The photo shows reloading of containers of 9M33M2 rockets onto a launcher.

Another view of the reloading of missile containers. The containers are meant to protect the missiles from inclement weather while they are bein g transported in a loaded position. The radar seen in these photos is the H band early warning and search radar. It indicates that this is a newer system , the SA-8b Gecko Mod 1, which carries six missiles. The earlier version carried only four.

The BAZ-5937 was one of a family of vehicles that entered service in the middle of 1970s as a chassis for two main missile systems : one for the Tochka-U (SS-21 Scarab) and one for anti-aircraft Osa (SA-8 Gecko). This system, seen here in Polish markings, was known as the "Romb" (Square) in its Soviet version and the "Osa" (Wasp) in its export model.

Tracked vehicles were also used in support units for jobs such as towing missiles. In this photo, an ATS-59 mUlti-purpose vehicle is used as a tractor for a battery of S-75 (SA-2 Guideline) air defense missiles.

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ZSU-57-2s were exported to all of the Warsaw Pact countries in the late 1950s, and they used them up to the end of the 1970s. The ZSU -57-2 could carry 300 rounds of ammunition, among them being anti-tank and shrapnel ammo. This photo shows Hungarian ZSUs being loaded with ammunition.

The Soviets started to manufacture the ZSU-57-2 in 1950, but the first time it was seen was at the end of 1957 during a parade in Moscow. The ZSU-57-2 combined two S-68A guns and a modified T-54 tank chassis. In the photo are Soviet ZSUs waiting to join the parade near Red Square in Moscow. --,

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This battery of spotlessly clean Polish Army ZSU-57-2s are lined up prior to participating in a celebration of the birthday of Communist Poland. The last ZSU-57s in Polish service were still seen on exercise fields at the end of the 1980s. The dual 57mm caliber gun armament is an impressive feature of these ZSU-57-2s, but their lack of radar fire control made them inadequate in the jet age.

The Polish LWP was one of the first Warsaw Pact armies to be equipped when it appeared in the early 1960s. This is one of the ZSU-23-4V Shilka, distinguished by the configuration of the vents on the turret side . This particular version was notoriously inhospitable for the turret crew, as the use of tube electronics meant that it heated up the turret interior to an unbearable degree during the warm summer months.

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In every tank and motor rifle regiment there are two batteries of air defense and anti-tank vehicles. The air defense batteries consist of four ZSU-23­ 4s and four Strela 10Ms (known by the NATO code of SA-13). Normally the ZSU-23-4s operate in pairs, and the one seen here is a ZSU-23-4M , sometimes called the Biryusa rather than Shilka. However, the name did not stick, and most Soviet troops called all ZSU-23-4 versions the Shilka.

Camouflaged as it is, this ZSU-23­ 4 Shilka disappears in the cloud of dust that it kicks up during the summer exercises of 1992. Powered by a V-6 240 HP engine, the vehicle can achieve speeds up to 27 mph (44 km/h).

Instead of using the ZSU-57-2, the Czechoslovak Army opted for their own locally produced version of an anti­ aircraft vehicle which they called the vz.53/59. Built on the chassis of the Praga V3A truck, it was armed with twin 30mm guns and partially armored with thin armor plates over the cab. This photo shows a vz. 53/59 vehicle painted in a two-tone green camouflage scheme at the beginning of the 1980s.

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Two vz.53/59s in the front of a column of a company of 2P122s during 1980 maneuvers in western Poland. The vz.53/59's guns are neither the newest nor the most effective weapon , but it has seen widespread combat in recent years in Yugoslavia.

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In Poland, the chassis of unarmored trucks like the GAZ-63, the STAR-100 and the STAR-266 were used to create light, mobile anti-aircraft artillery vehicles. This photo shows the latter truck configured with twin ZU-23 (2A14) guns. Each AA squadron in all of the mechanized regiments have eight of these vehicles at their disposal.

The K-61 amphibious transporter was designed for transport duties at the beginning of 1950s when not all combat vehicles could "swim", but it was still considered useful up to the end of the 1970s. It was used as a supply carrier or assault vehicle for infantry attacking across rivers. In the photo is a K-61 with twin 14.5mm AA heavy machine guns which belongs to the Polish 7th Naval Assault Division.

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K-61 s have been in the service 0 East Germany's NVA since 1957. ThE NVA K-61 shown in this photo i~ transporting an 85mm SO-44 anti-tanf gun along with its crew. This versatilE amphibious vehicle can carry 50 troop ~ or up to 5 tons of equipment. .

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The K-61 was replaced by a new transporter in the 1960s-the PTS-M. It was larger than the K-61 and was able to carry 70 soldiers or over 10 tons of equ ipment. The PTS -M in the foreground of this photo is a Czechoslovak version . Note how large the vehicle is compared to the size of the driver.

This Hungarian Army PTS-M flies a "red cross" flag and is being used for medical evacuation . Note the soldier erecting the frame for a soft-top roof. This profile shot gives a good view of the long, low-profile chassis on which the transporter is mounted .

All pristine, and decorated with a consp icuous Communist star, the --" two Bulgarian PTS-M tracked amphibious transports make an impress' = addition to a parade. Each one carries a "crew" of finely dressed Commu officials and carries an impressive 100mm T-12 anti-tan k gun.

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