The armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicle BRDM-2 is a logical continuation of the line of vehicles of the first model. The brainchild of the Gorky Automobile Plant was nicknamed the "Mess" in wide military circles.
A little about the technical characteristics of the BRDM-2
The armor plates mounted on this vehicle will protect only from small-caliber small arms or various fragments. The thickness of the sheets is from 3 to 14 millimeters, depending on the place of booking.
The main technical advantage of such a machine is its very high cross-country ability. It has an extra pair of wheels that extend. This engineering feature allows the armored vehicle to force obstacles such as wide ditches and ditches.
After curtailing the production of such a machine in the Soviet Union, its production continues, but already in Poland. The operation of the armored car is carried out by a crew of four people. It should be noted that more than fifty countries of the world successfully use it for various purposes.
Description BRDM-2
Over the years, its various modifications have been released, in which additional measuring or observation equipment was installed for specific reconnaissance tasks.
In addition to land barriers, the car also overcomes water obstacles well.
The heavily bulged front of the vehicle contributes to a more even redistribution of the shock wave in the event of a mine explosion, which increases the crew’s security, viable characteristics of the BRDM-2 armored vehicle, and also reduces drag when moving through water.
Moving
For efficient and quick movement through the water, the machine has a water engine operating on the principle of a water jet. A powerful jet of water is thrown against the direction of movement of the machine, forcing it to swim forward.
The fuel tanks of the car can hold up to 280 liters of fuel, which allows it, moving along the highway, to travel up to 750 kilometers without refueling. In this case, the maximum speed of movement can be 100 km per hour.
The heart of the car is the GAZ-41 140-horsepower gasoline engine. A similar power unit can be found in cars of the brand "Seagull" and some other cars. An equally important technical characteristic is the fuel consumption of the BRDM-2, which is from 22 to 38 liters per 100 km.
Armament car
To control the situation on the battlefield and firing, a tower with a rotation angle of 360 degrees is provided. The turret is equipped with a coaxial large-caliber machine gun of the Vladimirov system with a caliber of 14.5 mm. A very formidable weapon. There is also a machine gun with a caliber of 7.62 mm. It has less destructive power, but is effective against infantry.
Machine gun Vladimirova is one of the most powerful in the world. The energy of a bullet fired from this weapon exceeds the energy of the shell of a German twenty-millimeter Schwak aviation gun from the Second World War.
Ammunition from such weapons is capable of hitting an armored barrier 3 cm thick at a distance of 0.5 km. The firing range of such a machine gun is two kilometers. Used to combat lightly armored targets of the enemy. The high rate of fire plus the lethal force of an anti-tank rifle makes the car's armament a formidable weapon on the battlefield and enhance the performance of the BRDM-2.
To cut off enemy infantry, a smaller machine gun (7.62 mm) is used. Ammunition of a combat vehicle is 10 bands of 50 rounds for a large-caliber Vladimirov and 8 bands of 250 ammunition for a standard machine gun. A set of ammunition can consist of both conventional shell bullets and bullets with an armor-piercing core.
Aiming the machine gun is carried out by turning the tower, as well as a small horizontal angle directly by the shooter. The appearance and brief technical characteristics of the BRDM-2 in the photo below can also be seen.
Surveillance tools
The crew commander has the opportunity to observe the battlefield through a binocular tank panorama. This optical device has a fivefold zoom and allows you to see at a distance of up to three kilometers. In the dark, observation is carried out through a thermal imager or night vision device. In addition to the basic tools, there are six more static observational devices on board the machine, allowing you to have a circular view around the combat unit.
At low ambient temperatures, observation through the optical system is difficult due to the presence of condensate or its freezing. Therefore, the designers provided for electric heating of the details of the optical surveillance systems, which allows using the technical characteristics of the BRDM-2 to the maximum.
Outside the military situation, surveillance could be conducted through an open hatch in the machine-gun tower.
Modifications and characteristics of the armored vehicle BRDM 2 in the photo below are described in detail.
Power Department
Under the power compartment, the designers took the front of the car. It housed a 140-horsepower engine, a 5-speed gearbox and differential. The gearbox is designed so that the rear drive is turned on and off independently of the clutch. In addition, an emergency winch for evacuation was located in the department. A compressor is provided to regulate the pressure in the tire chambers. This technical characteristic of the BRDM-2 shows its increased survival.
Use in armed conflict
- The invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968.
- Doomsday War in October 1973. During it, the Egyptian troops, having at their disposal armored vehicles BRDM-2, equipped with anti-tank defense, were able to repel the offensive and defeat the Israeli tank division near the Suez Canal. In total, more than 150 tanks were burned. During this operation, the Israelis suffered heavy combat losses. The use of armored vehicles with anti-tank missiles on board fully met all expectations.
- The armored car was widely used in the war in Afghanistan. The troops of the USSR often used it as a convenient vehicle in mountainous terrain and in a dry and hot climate.
- It was seen in the Chechen campaign. Actively used by both parties to the conflict. Increased survivability and unpretentiousness in operation made it an indispensable combat vehicle.
- During the conflict in South Ossetia. Also used by all parties. From the Russian Federation, only three combat units were lost.
- According to unverified data, during the coup in Russia under the name "Black October". During the conflict, the current government was overthrown and presidential rule established.
Conclusion
It is noteworthy that the BRDM-2 armored vehicle is in high demand not only among military professionals, but also among civilians. At the moment, on various popular trading floors for buying or selling, you can find many ads on the purchase of a spare part for this car.
Many enthusiasts, who are well-provided financially, appreciated the technical characteristics of the BRDM-2 and buy it for the purpose of further modification and tuning. Of course, weapons, surveillance and communications on such a machine will be completely absent. After alterations to the taste of the owner, such cars often participate in various specialized shows and exhibitions.
And for some people, this is a versatile vehicle, since in addition to excellent off-road driving, it can be floated on water. Some companies, for example, offer for a moderate fee to take a fascinating tour on an exclusive armored car in a particular city. And the most desperate owners arrange races on these types of cars.