BTR-60

{{Infobox Weapon |name=BTR-60 |image= |caption=BTR-60PB |origin= |type=Wheeled Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier |is_vehicle=yes |service=13 December 1959 |length=7.56 m |width=2.825 m 7 mm turret sides
180 hp (134 kW) (combined) |suspension=wheeled 8×8 |clearance=475 mm

History

Origins

The BTR-152 and BTR-40, the first two Soviet mass produced APCs, developed after the Second World War given the Soviet Army useful experience with wheeled armoured personnel carriers. However even as they were designed they weren't suited for the needs of the Soviet Army as they lacked a roof (which was added in later versions designated BTR-152K and BTR-40B respectively). The low combat value of BTR-152 and BTR-40 was exposed during the Suez Crisis when the Egyptian Army used them. This was one of the reasons for which the new APC was developed.

Between 1956 and 1957 a decision was made to convert all rifle and mechanized divisions into new motor rifle divisions and a requirement for a new vehicle was drawn up.

BTR-60

Development proceeded along two paths, a more expensive vehicle, that would eventually become the BMP-1, for use in tank divisions and a cheaper vehicle for use in motor rifle divisions, that would eventually become the BTR-60. Two design bureaus were given the requirements, GAZ led by V. A. Dedkov, and ZiL led by Rodionov and Orlov. The requirements stated the vehicle should have all wheel drive, at least two turnable axles, independent suspension as well as mobility and fording capabilities allowing it to operate alongside tanks. The vehicle was also supposed to be amphibious.), Ob'yekt 1015 (developed by KAZ It had a non-standard layout for an APC. It has the crew compartment in the front, the troop compartment in the middle and the engine compartment in the rear. |colspan="2"| 10.2 |colspan="2"| 2.31 m

In the 1980s most of the BTR-60s were was replaced in the Soviet army by the BTR-70 and BTR-80, however a large number was still operated by the second-line and border troops. According to the data provided by the USSR during the signing of the CFE Treaty in 1990, there 4,191 BTR-60s in service with the units stationed in the European part of the Soviet Union.

Sino-Soviet border conflict

The first real combat use of BTR-60 took place during the Sino-Soviet border conflict on Zhenbao Island (Damansky Island at the time) in March 1969. The frontier units operating on the island were equipped with BTR-60PBs while the 57^th border detachment group was equipped with BTR-50Ps and BTR-50PKs. BTR-60 proved to be a good vehicle although it sustained high losses because of Chinese using a large amount of RPGs and mistakes made by the commanders of the APCs which originated from low amount of experience in combat use of the new vehicles. The high losses due to RPG hits weren't unexpected as the armour of BTR-60 was designed to protect the vehicle from small arms fire and shrapnel and not specialized anti-tank weapons. The most effective found out tactic for BTR-60PBs to be used in was covering the dismounted infantry.

Soviet War in Afghanistan

BTR-60PB was used in large numbers during the initial part of the Soviet War in Afghanistan. This was because the units that were originally used for this operation weren't the top priority of the Soviet military which prioritized the units stationed in East Germany. The same flaws of the design were present during this conflict and the vehicle became even more vulnerable due to the kind of fighting that took place in Afghanistan. The GAZ-40P gasoline engines experienced frequent losses of power and overheating due to the tropical highland climate not well suited for them. BTR-60PB's turret also could not elevate its armament high enough to fire at the Mujahideen attacking from high ground. Like during the Sino-Soviet border conflict many BTR-60PBs fell victim to RPGs. Because of those drawbacks the BTR-60PBs were replaced by BTR-70s as soon as possible to a point were only the BTR-60 command variants were used.

Soviet Union successor states

In 1991 the BTR-60s of the Soviet Army was passed onto the armies of the successor states and thus used in many regional conflicts. 27 BTR-60PBs

As of 2007 several hundred BTR-60s remain in service with USSR successor states and are in a process of being replaced by more modern vehicles.

Russia

Russia used BTR-60s during the First Chechen War, but since the mid-1990s BTR-60s have only been in use with the border troops. The most widely spread model is the BTR-60PB.

Although BTR-60 still remains in service with many of the world's armies it is almost never used as an APC anymore. They are still being used though as mobile command posts, artillery forward observation posts, airplane guidance posts, communication posts and many other specialized vehicles. These vehicles have previously been used in Afghanistan. They were later modified by adding an additional radio set. They were used by ZOMO. Some were modified by the MSW automobile plant in Łódź for use during the martial law in Poland which consisted of fitting the vehicles with breakers mounted on the front of the vehicle which were used for clearing obstacles (See Poland section in the Variants section for details). When the Milicja Obywatelska was transformed back into Policja in 1990 all BTR-60PBs had their armament removed. This was because Policja unlike MO didn't have a need for weaponry with such high muzzle velocity which made those weapons dangerous to use in urban areas. MO needed such weaponry because it was also supposed to carry out anti-partisan operations. Policja used unarmed BTR-60PBs for security during European Economy Summit 2004 in Warsaw as well as clearing blockades set up by the Samoobrona political party. A few Police BTR-60PBs are kept in storage for anti-riot duty as barricade breakers.

People's Republic of China

PRC reversed engineered BTR-60PB after capturing four examples during the Sino-Soviet border conflict on Zhenbao Island in March 1969. The program was completed in the late 1970s. However, the vehicle did not enter service in large numbers because the PRC's primitive road system and rugged terrain meant that the wheeled APC wasn't well suited for the Chinese conditions as it lacked the cross country capability of tracked APCs in Chinese inventory. The experience gained through reverse-engineering BTR-60 did help PRC in developing other more advanced wheeled APCs later in the 1980s.

passing by a halted column of Soviet BTR-80s, 1988.]]

List of Conflicts

1967 - Six Day War

1969 - Sino-Soviet border conflict

1971 - Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

1973 - Yom Kippur War

1975 - 1990 - Lebanese Civil War

1975 - 1991 - Western Sahara War

1975 - 2002 - Angolan Civil War

1978–1987 - Chadian-Libyan Conflict

1979 - 1988 - Soviet War in Afghanistan

1980 - 1988 - Iran–Iraq War

1983 - Invasion of Grenada

1988 - 1993 - Georgian Civil War

* 1992 - 1993 - War in Abkhazia

1988 - 1994 - Nagorno-Karabakh War

1989 - Romanian Revolution

1990 - 1991 - First Persian Gulf War

1992 - 1997 - Civil War in Tajikistan

1994 - Civil War in Yemen

1994 - 1996 - First Chechen War

1999 - 2009 - Second Chechen War

2001 - ? - United States War in Afghanistan

2003 - ? - Second Persian Gulf War

* 2003 - Invasion of Iraq

2011 - 2011 Libyan Uprising

Variants

Former USSR

BTR-60P (1959) (P stands for plavajushhijj - "swimming") The original turret has been replaced by a new type armed with NSVT 12.7 mm heavy machine gun The modernization is done by the Arzamas Engineering Plant. MWS - BTR-60PB modernization fitted with the OHM unmanned turret armed with a 30 mm autocannon and a machine gun and equipped with two clusters of three smoke grenade launchers. It also has a new engine with new exhaust pipes in a new, larger engine compartment which is higher than the roof the vehicle and has a service hatch and two stop lights on the back.

MWS-M - MWS with altered sides of the hull. On the left-hand side two handrails were removed (the center lower and the rear lower) and a stowage box was added in the center. On the right-hand side two handrails were removed (the center upper and lower), a new handrail was added to upper rear. The firing ports were removed on both sides.

9K35M3-K - SAM launch vehicle armed with the Strela-10 launcher fitted to the hull roof.

BTR-60PB fitted with stowage racks over the engine decks.

BTR-60PUM - BTR-60R-145BM "Chaika" upgrade with new communication equipment and armed with the NSV 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.

Finland bought later a BTR-80 for the tests and ended up to national XA-180 series of vehicles, known later as Patria Pasi.

Former East Germany

SPW-60P (SPW stands for Schützenpanzerwagen) - NVA designator for BTR-60P. BTR-60 modernization designed by Saymar. Following operations are carried out as a part of this modernization: Removing of all of the vehicle's systems and parts. Adding a bolted on superstructure with two hatches in its front, going all the way from the front hatches to the engine compartment which is necessary to adapt the vehicle to the new systems and parts (The engine compartment now externally resembles the one Russian MWS however it doesn't have a service hatch in the back and is angled near the top, also it too has rear lights mounted on both sides of the engine compartment although the lights themselves are different.). Sand blasting and repainting the hull. Resembling the vehicle with new and improved systems and parts as well as installing a new split transfer box that includes a limited split differential and a monitoring system allowing driving in rough terrain and improving the cross-country capabilities. Replacing the two GAZ-40P petrol engines with a single Caterpillar diesel engine developing 300 hp. Fitting a number of new parts for the new engine including a clutch system, split gear case, axillary engine systems, cooling systems, air inlet system, exhaust system. Converting and adapting a new fuel system for the diesel engine and integrating new and bigger fuel tanks to increase the maximum operational range. Installing a new and advanced electrical system including an advance control panel as well as replacement of all internal and external lighting. Increasing the driver's field of view by installing a rear view camera with an LCD screen. Improving the man-machine interface. The vehicle is armed with a pintle-mounted M2 heavy machine gun in the front and a second machine gun of a smaller caliber mounted on a "ring" in the rear. The rear machine gun is controlled from the inside, uses the "ring" to move and can rotate a full 360°. The vehicle als has two whip antennas in the front part of the superstructure. The modernization can also be applied to the BTR-70.

Mexico

APC-70 - Turret-less APC used by the Mexican marines, based on a civilian variant of the BTR-60 without firing ports, periscopes and with additional bulletproof windows. Armament consists of a single machine gun (either the Heckler & Koch HK21 or FN MAG-58 7.62) or a Mk 19 grenade launcher. It is also known under the designation BTR-60PB-MX. 300 BTR-60s are currently in service. - - 74 BTR-60PBs were ordered in 1975 from the Soviet Union and delivered between 1975 and 1976. 175 BTR-60PBs and BTR-60PB-based command vehicles were ordered in 1980 from the Soviet Union and delivered between 1981 and 1985 (the vehicles were probably previously in Soviet service, some could be BTR-50P). 250 BTR-60PBs and BTR-60PB-based command vehicles were ordered in 1987 from the Soviet Union and delivered between 1987 and 1988 (the vehicles were probably previously in Soviet service). 100 BTR-60s are currently in service. - 25 in service with the armed forces as of 1994, 19 as of 1995, 1996, 14 as of 1997 and 1998, 11 as of 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. 3 in service with the ministry of internal affairs as of 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. 5 in service with the ministry of national safety as of 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. Some in service with the police. - 15 in service with the armed forces as of 1992, 11 as of 1993, 8 as of 1994, 25 as of 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and 23 as of 2006. 21 in service with the internal forces as of 1992 and 1993, 2 as of 1994, 3 as of 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. 12 in service with the boundary forces as of 1992 and 1993, 13 as of 1994, 19 as of 1995 and 1996, 14 as of 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. - Currently 30 BTR-60s are in service. - including 150 BTR-60PBs modernized to the BTR-60PB-MD1 standard. - Captured 4 BTR-60PBs from the Soviet Union during the Sino-Soviet border conflict in March 1969. Produced and operated a small number of copies designed through reverse engineering. - - - Currently 65 are in service. - - - 6 BTR-60PBs were ordered in 1981 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1982 (the vehicles were probably previously in Soviet service). BTR-60PU-12s are probably still in service. - - There were 300 BTR-60s and BTR-50s in service as of 2000, 2002 and 2005. - Currently 1,000 BTR-60s are in service. - There were 96 in service as of 1995 and 53 as of 2000 and 2005. - Captured a number from Egypt or Syria. Currently 540 BTR-50s and BTR-60s are in service. service.]] - were ordered in 1992 from Russia and delivered in 1992 (the vehicles were previously in Soviet and later Russian service, some lacked their armament). - Currently 150 BTR-60s are in service. - 10 BTR-60s in service as of 2001. - - There were 4,900 BTR-60s, BTR-70s and BTR-80s in service as of 2002 and 2003 including 750 in service with the Naval infantry and 280 in service the coastal defense forces. 6,000 BTR-50s, BTR-60s, BTR-70s, BTR-80s and BTR-152s in service as of 2000, 2005 and 2008. Currently 17 are in active service and some are kept in storage. - - - 600 BTR-60PBs are currently in service. - 7 were inherited from Soviet Union. 1 in service as of 2000 and 2005. - - 20 BTR-60s in service as of 1999. - 500 were inherited from the Soviet Union. 220 in service as of 1995, 202 as of 2000 and 176 as of 2005. - There were 24 in service as of 2000 and 2005. Currently 24 are in service. - - Produced around 25,000 BTR-60s. 35,500 BTR-50s, BTR-60s, BTR-70s, BTR-80s and BTR-152s in service as of 1985. 4,191 BTR-60s in service with units station in the European part of Soviet Union as of 1990. Passed on to successor states. - 150 BTR-60PBs were ordered in 1979 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1980 (the vehicles were probably previously in Soviet service). - 100 BTR-60PBs were ordered in 1981 from the Soviet Union and delivered between 1981 and 1982 (the vehicles were probably previously in Soviet service). 40 BTR-60PBs were ordered in 1986 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1986 (the vehicles were probably previously in Soviet service). - 80 BTR-60Ps were ordered in 1965 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1966. 40 TAB-71s were ordered in 1978 from Romania and delivered between 1980 and 1981 (used by the police). - 18 BTR-60PBs delivered by Iraq to the Lebanese Forces in 1988. Unknown number of vehicles delivered by Syria to the Druze Progressive Socialist Party militia in 1983. - 10 BTR-60PBs were ordered in 1980 from an unknown supplier and delivered in 1980 (the vehicles were probably second-hand). Passed on to the successor state.

See also

OT-64 SKOT - Polish/Czechoslovak answer to Soviet BTR-60.

BTR-70- Successor to the BTR-60

BTR-80

'''BTR-90

Notes

References

Hull, A.W. , Markov, D.R. , Zaloga, S.J. (1999) Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to Present. Darlington Productions. ISBN 1-892848-01-5.

A.V. Karpenko (1996) Obozreniye Bronetankovoj Tekhniki (1905-1995 gg.) Nevskij Bastion

External links

Data sheet and pictures BTR-60PB ArmyRecognition.com

Fas.org

Description (in russian) and photo gallery at armoured.vif2.ru

P-238xx,P-240xx, P-241xx, P-242xx, P-244xx

link BTR-60 walkaround photos

Category:Armoured personnel carriers of the Soviet Union Category:Armoured fighting vehicles of Romania Category:Armoured personnel carriers of the Cold War Category:Cold War Soviet armoured fighting vehicles Category:Command vehicles Category:Amphibious vehicles