Wikipedia

MT-LB

The MT-LB (Russian: Многоцелевой Тягач Легкий Бронированный, romanized: Mnogotselevoy tyagach legky bronirovanny, literally "multi-purpose towing vehicle light armored") is a Soviet multi-purpose, fully amphibious, tracked armored fighting vehicle in use since the 1970s. It was also produced in Poland, where (starting in the mid-1990s) its YaMZ engine was replaced by a Polish 6-cylinder SW 680 diesel engine.[2]

MT-LB
MT-LB
TypeAmphibious armored personnel carrier
Multi-purpose armored vehicle
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In serviceearly 1970s – present
Used bySee Operators
WarsSoviet-Afghan War
Iran-Iraq War
Gulf War
Transnistrian War
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)
First Chechen War
Second Chechen War
Iraq War
Russo-Georgian War
Boko Haram insurgency
Syrian Civil War
War in Iraq (2013-2017)
Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
Russo-Ukrainian War[1]
Production history
DesignerCentral Auto and Tractor Directorate
Designed1950s
ManufacturerKharkiv Tractor Plant
Specifications
Mass11.9 tonnes (13.1 short tons; 11.7 long tons)
Length6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
Width2.86 m (9 ft 5 in)
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Crew2 ( 11 passengers)
Armor14 mm max.
Main
armament
12.7mm NSV/Kord heavy machine gun; or
30mm AGS17D/AGS-30 Automatic grenade launcher, or
30mm 2A42/2A72 autocannon
Secondary
armament
PKT (2,500 rounds)
Engine

  • YaMZ 238: 240 hp at 2,100 rpm
  • SW 680: 240 hp at 2,200 rpm
Power/weight20 hp/tonne
SuspensionTorsion bar
Operational
range
500 km (310 mi) (road)
Maximum speed 61 km/h (38 mph) (road)
30 km/h (19 mph) (off-road)
5 to 6 km/h (3.7 MPH) (in the water)

Development

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In the 1950s, the Soviet Central Auto and Tractor Directorate began a development program to replace the AT-P series of artillery tractors (which were based on the ASU-57 airborne self-propelled gun) with a new generation of vehicles. The MT-L was developed to meet this requirement based on the PT-76 amphibious light tank chassis. The MT-LB is the armored variant of the MT-L. Entering production in the early 1970s, it was cheap to build, being based on many existing components, e.g. the engine, which was originally developed for trucks.

It was built at the Kharkiv Tractor Plant[3] (KhTZ) in Soviet Ukraine, and in Bulgaria.[4][5] Formerly it was also manufactured under license in Poland by Huta Stalowa Wola[6]

Description

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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 kilograms (4,400 lb). A load of 6,500 kilograms (14,300 lb) can be towed. The vehicle is fully amphibious, being propelled by its tracks in the water.[7]

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 armored against small arms and shell splinters with a thickness of three to ten millimetres (0.12 to 0.39 in) of steel with a maximum of 14 millimetres (0.55 in) for the turret front.[8]

Several weapon systems are based on this hull (for example Strela-10 or SNAR-10).

Variants

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Former USSR

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9P149 vehicle based on the MT-LB of the Shturm-S tank destroyer.
  • MT-L
    • MT-LB (izdeliye 6) – basic model, often used as simple APC but also as artillery tractor or ambulance. In the West the term MT-LB Blade or MT-LB M1980 is used for vehicles that are fitted with a hydraulic dozer blade.[citation needed]

Bulgaria

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  • Bulgaria has various models of the MT-LB in service, as of 2016.[9] Along with the base model, between 1971 and 2012 Bulgaria manufactures MT-LB VM variation with improved snow and swamp-going capabilities.[10][11]
 
The upgraded MT-LBM 6MB with MB2 turret, whose main armament is a 2A72 30 mm automatic cannon.

East Germany

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  • MT-LB (Pi) – combat engineer vehicle.[12]
  • MT-LB (Pzj) – version for anti-tank units.
  • MT-LB (Pzj Fü) – command vehicle for anti-tank units.
  • MT-LB (BO) SFL – battery command vehicle in self-propelled artillery units.
  • San MT-LB – ambulance
  • MTP-LB – technical support vehicle.

Iraq

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Iraqi MT-LB converted into a SPAAG armed with a ZU-2 anti-aircraft gun.
 
Iraqi MT-LBV fitted with wider tracks.
  • MT-LB converted into a SPAAG by mounting a ZU-23-2 23×152mm twin anti-aircraft gun on the rear part of the vehicle. The gun had its wheels removed and as such cannot be easily dismounted and used separately. There were at least two variations of this conversion; one with the ZU-23-2 mounted in an open-topped turret, the other with the ZU-23-2 mounted on a platform extending beyond the hull of the MT-LB with a roof for the gun operators. The second version was most likely intended to be used in a fire support role, as the roof would hinder the gun's sights at high elevation.[13]

Poland

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Polish HSW S.A. (Huta Stalowa Wola S.A.) license produced MT-LB since 1976, and it also developed a modified chassis SPG-2, with better floating capabilities.[14]

  • MT-LB-2AP – APC variant with a turret from SKOT-2AP, armed with high elevation 14.5mm KPVT MG and 7.62mm PKT CMG. Prototype only.
  • WEM Lotos – medical evacuation vehicle with four stretchers.
  • WPT Mors – armored recovery and repair vehicle, produced from 1983.
  • R-137T (radiostacja ruchoma UKF) – signals vehicle with VHF radio set R-137. Entered service in 1987 and has a range of 70 to 150 km.
    • ZWD-1 "Irys" (zautomatyzowany wóz dowodzenia) – command vehicle, belongs to the automated command set "Irys".
  • MT-LB-23M "Krak" – APC variant with a 23 mm gun in an unmanned turret. Prototype only.
  • Promet – self-propelled AA gun with twin 23 mm guns, from 1979. Four prototypes only.
  • "Przebiśnieg" – electronic warfare system, consists of three different vehicles:
    • SZ or MT-LB Z (stacja zakłóceń) – EW/Jamming vehicle;
    • SR or MT-LB R (stacja rozpoznania) – Comint/Sigint vehicle;
    • WD krel – command post vehicle (wóz dowodzenia kompanii radioelektronicznej).
  • SPG-2 – much-modified base vehicle, with reworked nose section and hydro jets for better floating:[14]
    • TRI Hors – engineering reconnaissance vehicle, built in series from 1983, armed with 12.7mm NSVT AAMG mounted on a turret;[14]
    • WPT Mors-II – armored recovery and repair vehicle, produced from 1986, armed with 12.7mm NSVT AAMG mounted on a turret;[14]
    • Opal-I and Opal-II – artillery command vehicles, with a turret with NSWT-12.7 Utios: Opal-I with a 245 hp (180 kW) turbocharged diesel engine SW680/167/1, Opal-II with a 300 hp (220 kW) engine SW680T (YaMZ-238N) and a longer chassis with 7 road wheels on each side.[15] Prototypes only
Main article: Opal (armoured personnel carrier)
    • BWO-40 – infantry fighting vehicle with 40 mm Bofors gun. A similar turret was mounted on the BWP-40 (BMP-1 upgrade). Prototype only.

Russia

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Vehicle in service

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  • MT-LB
  • MT-LBV - entering service in 1972, introduced new roadwheel swing arms, fenders and mudguards to accommodate a wider set of tracks. A modification with wider tracks (670mm instead of 350mm) for lower ground pressure for snow/swamp operations.
  • MT-LBVM - equipped with the NSVT 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun mount instead of the TKB-01-1 turret.
  • MT-LBVMK – a modification of MT-LBVM with a 12.7mm Kord instead of a 12.7mm NSVT machine gun.[16] Engine: YaMZ-238VM with rated power of 240 hp.
  • MT-LBVM1K - mountain modification, equipped with the new YaMZ-238BL-1 engine with rated power of 300 hp, new on-board radio station and new heater.
  • MT-LBu – a bigger, unarmed version that is used as the basis for many specialised vehicles. It has a more powerful engine, a 40 cm higher hull and a longer chassis with 7 road wheels on each side, instead of 6.
  • MT-LBM 6MB - 30mm autocannon turret mounted above the main compartment.

Prototypes

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  • MT-LB 6MB3 - Modification from Muromteplovoz with AG-17 grenade launcher, 12.7mm Kord and a GSh-23-2. Possibly only one made.[17]
  • MT-LB 6MA - Modification using BPU-1 turret mounted above main compartment.

Hybrid vehicles:

  • MT-LB with ZU-23 AA gun[18]
  • MT-LB With 14.5mm BPU-1 Turret
  • MT-LB with 14.5mm 2M-7 naval gun mount
  • MT-LB with AZP S-60 AA gun
  • MT-LB with 100mm MT-12 anti-tank gun
  • MT-LB with 82 mm automatic mortar 2B9 Vasilek
  • MT-LB with 25mm 2M-3 naval gun
  • MT-LB with 140mm Ogon-18 MLRS

Vehicle not in service

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Sweden

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Swedish MT-LB converted into Pbv 401
  • Pbv 401 (pansarbandvagn) – a modified former East-German vehicle with 7.62 mm machine guns Ksp 95 and Ksp 58.[21]

Ukraine

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  • MT-LBMSh – announced in 2017, and built for Myanmar by the Kharkiv Tractor Plant. Equipped with a KBA-105 "Shkval" combat module with a 30 mm autocannon, KT-7,62 machine gun, KBA-117 30 mm grenade launcher, six smoke grenade launchers 902B Tucha, and Barrier ATGM system. The vehicle also has reinforced armor and a new YaMZ-238B engine with a power of 330 horsepower.[22]

Operators

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Map of MT-LB operators
  Current
  Former

Current operators

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Bangladesh Army MT-LB on exhibition.

Former operators

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Lithuanian Army MT-LB on exhibition.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Kadam, Tanmay (7 March 2023). "Desperate For 'War Machines', Russia & Ukraine Turn Their 70-Year-Old Armored Vehicles Into Fire Support Weapons". Latest Asian, Middle-East, EurAsian, Indian News. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  2. ^ "MT-LB multipurpose tracked armoured vehicle technical data sheet specifications pictures video". Archived from the original on 3 November 2018.
  3. ^ vehicles Archived 2 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "US Analyst Expects Bulgaria to Renew Production of BMP Armored Vehicles". Novinite.com. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Bulgaria has signed contract for sale of 500 MT-LB multirole tracked armored vehicles to Iraq". Army Recognition. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  6. ^ http://hsw.pl/czytaj/765 Archived 11 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine Light Armoured Multipurpose Tracked Tractor MTLB
  7. ^ Pike, John (16 January 2000). "MT-LB Multipurpose Armoured Vehicle". Federation of American Scientist Military Analysis Network. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  8. ^ "MT-LB Light Armored Multi-purpose Vehicle". www.inetres.com. Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  9. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 97.
  10. ^ Петров, Генерал-майор (рез.) Петър Петров (9 May 2016). "Бойната техника, произведена в комбината "Девети май", Червен бряг, още е на въоръжение в армията". Отбрана.com (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  11. ^ Александрова, Галина (24 April 1995). "Министерството на промишлеността търси решение за лошите кредити на военните заводи". Capital.bg (in Bulgarian). Economedia. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  12. ^ Gau L-R., Plate J., Siegert J. (2001) Deutsche Militärfahrzeuge – Bundeswehr und NVA. Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02152-8
  13. ^ Jim Webster. "MT-LB [ZU-23 – Iraq] tracked armoured fire support vehicle". Jedsite.info. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d Jerzy Kajetanowicz, Prace nad rozwojem sprzętu pancernego w Polsce – przegląd lat 1955–1990 in: Poligon nr.5/2010, pp.12–18 (in Polish)
  15. ^ "Lekki samobieżny zestaw przeciwlotniczy Sopel/Stalagmit" (in Polish). Militarium. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. ^ Транспортер-тягач МТ-ЛБ ВМК (in Russian). Muromteplovoz. Archived from the original on 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  17. ^ https://dzen.ru/a/ZYsx3LChZQJnYMbC [bare URL]
  18. ^ "ЦАМТО / / На учениях в ЗВО впервые применили модифицированные бронированные тягачи в качестве платформы для ЗУ-23". armstrade.org.
  19. ^ "Russia could order Toros tracked armoured vehicle for military units deployed in the Arctic Region". 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018.
  20. ^ Behrendt, Paweł (11 October 2015). "Nowa wersja MT-LB dla brygad arktycznych".
  21. ^ Lindström, Rickard O. (18 October 2014). "Pbv 401 (MT-LB)". ointres.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Myanmar rebels seize Ukrainian-made MT-LBMSH infantry fighting vehicle". www.armyrecognition.com. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  23. ^ Twitter https://twitter.com/UAWeapons/status/1574802751959273472. Retrieved 27 September 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  24. ^ David Axe (27 October 2022). "Ukraine Is Collecting A Lot Of Russia's Old T-62 Tanks". Forbes.
  25. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 199.
  26. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 201.
  27. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. Taylor & Francis. p. 448. ISBN 9781032012278.
  28. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 274.
  29. ^ a b c International Institute for Strategic Studies: The Military Balance 2024
  30. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 203.
  31. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 508.
  32. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 511.
  33. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 205.
  34. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 380.
  35. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 206.
  36. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 209.
  37. ^ The Military Balance 2023, p. 275.
  38. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 528.
  39. ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (29 October 2021). "Kurdish Armour: Inventorising YPG Equipment In Northern Syria". Oryx Blog.
  40. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 212.
  41. ^ "В России модернизируют бронетранспортер МТ-ЛБ". 14 May 2018. Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  42. ^ "ЦАМТО / / Горные мотострелки ЮВО получили партию модернизированных бронированных тягачей-транспортеров". armstrade.org.
  43. ^ Oryx. "Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine". Oryx. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  44. ^ SAA’s MTLB with the ZU-23-2
  45. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 228.
  46. ^ John Pike. "Ground Forces Equipment – Ukraine". Globalsecurity.org. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  47. ^ "Drgnęło w eksporcie broni". www.rp.pl.
  48. ^ "Attack on Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During the Russian Invasion of Ukraine".
  49. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 472.
  50. ^ Mitzer, Stijin; Oliemans, Joost. "Documenting Equipment Losses During The September 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict". Oryx. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  51. ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost. "Vehicles and equipment captured by the Islamic State inside Syria until November 2014". Oryx Blog.
  52. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 133.
  53. ^ The Military Balance 2017, p. 145.
  54. ^ "Puolustusvoimat hankkii miehistönkuljetusajoneuvoja". The Finnish Defence Forces. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  55. ^ Kočevar, Iztok (August 2014). "Micmac à tire-larigot chez Tito: L'arme blindée yougoslave durant la Guerre froide" [The Yugoslav armored arm during the Cold War]. Batailles et Blindés (in French). No. 62. Caraktère. pp. 66–79. ISSN 1765-0828.

References

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