Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) News:

Hopefully the final solution will be a lightened Boomerang Kurganets combo with the new electronics suite and all new stuff... for heliborne and airborne attack roles.

Perhaps Typhoon evolved for airborne and Boomerang and Kurganets for heliborne use?

GarryB wrote:Hopefully the final solution will be a lightened Boomerang Kurganets combo with the new electronics suite and all new stuff... for heliborne and airborne attack roles.

Perhaps Typhoon evolved for airborne and Boomerang and Kurganets for heliborne use?

Rear engined?   

There will be a rear engined version of armata, but all the other vehicles (Kurganets, Boomerang, and Typhoon) will all be front engined... just like the BMP-1 and BMP-2.

GarryB wrote:There will be a rear engined version of armata, but all the other vehicles (Kurganets, Boomerang, and Typhoon) will all be front engined... just like the BMP-1 and BMP-2.

Then could you explain to me why we haven't seen airborne versions of BTR and BMP instead of BMD?

Then could you explain to me why we haven't seen airborne versions of BTR and BMP instead of BMD?

The BMD is the VDV version of the BMP. The BTR is a cheap model APC and they even had a special BTR model but it wasn't cheap... it was the equivalent of the BMP with no turret armament so the size of the troop compartment could be increased so more troops could be carried.

So instead of using just BMP and BTR they had their own version of BMP and a BTR version of the version of the BMP.

I suspect they will likely go for tracked vehicles with a BMP and BTR based on the Kurganets chassis though light high mobility vehicles might appeal to them too so Boomerang and Typhoon might be considered the latter not requiring weight reduction...

GarryB wrote:

Then could you explain to me why we haven't seen airborne versions of BTR and BMP instead of BMD?

The BMD is the VDV version of the BMP. The BTR is a cheap model APC and they even had a special BTR model but it wasn't cheap... it was the equivalent of the BMP with no turret armament so the size of the troop compartment could be increased so more troops could be carried.

So instead of using just BMP and BTR they had their own version of BMP and a BTR version of the version of the BMP.

I suspect they will likely go for tracked vehicles with a BMP and BTR based on the Kurganets chassis though light high mobility vehicles might appeal to them too so Boomerang and Typhoon might be considered the latter not requiring weight reduction...

No, it isn't. Crew placement, general configuration, armor plates, suspension, tracks, engines are different. It's like saying that Egyptian Fahd is an Egyptian version of BTR-90  

And let's consider this. Kurganets is gonna weigh 25 tonnes. Having airborne machine above 18-19 tonnes is not possible, and 15 tonnes is actually preferable. So how it would be modified to meet this weight?
I speculate, that armor could be reduced, engine placed in the back, crew compartment reduced from 6 to 4 people, the vhole vehicle narrowed, crew capsule, likely, deleted....
So, all this costly modernization, and kurgie effectively becomes a bmd-4m   
Now, is there actually any sense to it, or is it better to just stick with good ol' bmd-4?

[No, it isn't. Crew placement, general configuration, armor plates, suspension, tracks, engines are different. It's like saying that Egyptian Fahd is an Egyptian version of BTR-90

Perhaps you need to look up the dictionary definition of the term version.

The M16 is the US version of an assault rifle, the SA80 is the UK version, and the AK-74 is the current Russian version of the assault rifle in service.

The BMP is the expensive well armed and reasonably well armoured troop transport for the Russian army. It is called an infantry fighting vehicle or IFV. This means it stays and supports its troops in combat. An APC like the BTR just transports troops around the battlefield and will generally withdraw to safety during combat though it often does have modest firepower of its own.

The BMD shares the same weapons as the BMP but in a redesigned package to allow air dropping, which required a revision of the arrangement of its bits... actually the BMD is more similar in arrangement to the BMP-3 than the two earlier model vehicles.

A tradeoff of balancing the vehicle so it remains amphibious despite a heavy turret, heavy frontal armour and a rear mounted engine to balance the front armour and central turret.

(heavy is a relative term in this case as the vehicle is actually very light).

And let's consider this. Kurganets is gonna weigh 25 tonnes. Having airborne machine above 18-19 tonnes is not possible, and 15 tonnes is actually preferable. So how it would be modified to meet this weight?

Make it shorter by a few metres and reduce the troop capacity, and also reduce the armour in some places.

Reduce the ammo capacity and turret weight.

I speculate, that armor could be reduced, engine placed in the back, crew compartment reduced from 6 to 4 people, the vhole vehicle narrowed, crew capsule, likely, deleted....
So, all this costly modernization, and kurgie effectively becomes a bmd-4m Shocked
Now, is there actually any sense to it, or is it better to just stick with good ol' bmd-4?

That is basically what they did with the BMP to create the BMD... why do you think they wont do it again?

The Typhoon class is another option... they might use Typhoon class vehicles for air dropping and Boomerang and Kurganets for air delivery with airborne assault forces.

To GarryB:
Since this is an English language forum, the term should be IFV, and not BMP, which would refer to series of Russian BMP1/2/3. At least, I thought so.






"actually the BMD is more similar in arrangement to the BMP-3 than the two earlier model vehicles."

...Actually it's the other way around. It was initially planned for BMP-3 to be air-droppable.






"That is basically what they did with the BMP to create the BMD... why do you think they wont do it again?"

Because there's no point in having two vehicles with the same features and performance?






"The Typhoon class is another option... they might use Typhoon class vehicles for air dropping and Boomerang and Kurganets for air delivery with airborne assault forces."

Even by the looks of it, vpk-2927 Volk is FAR superior in this role.

Since this is an English language forum, the term should be IFV, and not BMP, which would refer to series of Russian BMP1/2/3. At least, I thought so.

This is the VDV section in the Russian Armed Forces section of the forum... should you be mentioning BMP?

You should be talking about BMD only...

I think in the context IFV and BMP and BMD are pretty much interchangable.

If you didn't know that before... congratulations... you just came to an english based forum about Russia and learned something...

...Actually it's the other way around. It was initially planned for BMP-3 to be air-droppable.

Which does not change the fact that the BMDs internal arrangement is more like the BMP-3 than the BMP or BMP-2.

Because there's no point in having two vehicles with the same features and performance?

The Navy is modifying the Kurganets to make it better suited to the amphibious role at sea because the standard army model is only designed to swim rivers and lakes.

They are spending money to modify the vehicle to suit their needs... ie be capable of landing on a beach.

Why wouldn't the VDV spend money modifying the vehicle so it can be delivered by parachute?

Or conversely why would the Army accept a vehicle that is made lighter and otherwise modified so it can be air dropped?

BTW the Kurganets is a FAMILY of vehicles they will already have a MBT, an APC, an IFV, a command vehicle, a transport vehicle, and engineer vehicle, an artillery vehicle, a recon vehicle, and air defence vehicle, and ambulance vehicle and likely plenty more... why would the VDV accept what the army or navy wanted and just buy off the shelf a vehicle that they can't drop by parachute?

Even by the looks of it, vpk-2927 Volk is FAR superior in this role.

Based on what?

What level of protection will the Typhoon class vehicle family have?

Keep in mind we are talking about families... they wont just adopt the Kurganets as an IFV replacement... it will also replace Sprut (MBT) and the troop transport models BTR-D, and NONA and other VDV vehicles.

Nice ...   


The exercise paratroopers apply the latest automated control system "Andromeda-D"

Russian Army is practicing like in Soviet times or even more   


Mass paratroopers landing first in the history of Russia held in the Arctic

etaepsilonk wrote:
Border guards also do trainings with parashute jumping. I was saying, that naval infantry wouldn't see the same format para-landings, as VDV.

What do yoiu mean by "formal"? There are number of air-assault naval infantry battalions, which are airborne-trained. Most of the naval infantry tactics includes airborne and helicopter operations before the initial landing of main forces

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDhegG-pLkw

Video shows BMD-4M, BTR-MDM, and interestingly, first mention (though not sighting) of BMD-2M, being a BMD-2 with elements of the Б05Я01 module (i.e. the gunner's sight + 2 Kornet ATGMs).

If anyone can understand Russian, does the VDV plan on getting BMD-2M?

Not sure, that vehicle has been testing for like 5 years.

Personally, I doubt it.

In other news, new Sprut modification in the works. New sights, supposedly T-90MS like .

TR1 wrote:
In other news, new Sprut modification in the works. New sights, supposedly T-90MS like .

Thank goodness!

If anyone can understand Russian, does the VDV plan on getting BMD-2M?

Shamanov have said previously VDV have plenty of older BMD modifications kept in reserve that will be upgraded to BMD-4M level (armament module is the main point)

Russian, Chinese Paratroopers to Exchange Skills in Beijing

MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti) – A delegation of Russian airborne forces has arrived in Beijing to exchange skills and knowledge with their Chinese colleagues, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

"During the visit, the Russian military delegation will familiarize itself with the training and resources facilities of the school of China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)," said Yevgeny Meshkov, a representative of the ministry's press service.

“For five days, the Russian delegates will exchange their experience in training airborne subdivisions of both countries,” he added

The Russian and Chinese navies recently conducted large-scale joint drills, attended by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month. The two presidents agreed to conduct joint military exercises next year to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the countries' victory in World War II.

In recent years, Russia and China have been enjoying close cooperation in many spheres, including on military issues. Russia has been supplying China with weapons and hardware, such as Su-27 fighter jets, air defense systems and air defense missiles.

Russian and Chinese ground forces are taking part in annual military drills to prepare cooperative responses in case of destabilization in Central Asia.

http://sc.uploads.ru/rpiQJ.jpg
http://sb.uploads.ru/cYwbq.jpg

Dozen + BMD-4s on train cars.

TheArmenian wrote:

Can you elaborate on this? Is this BMD-2 modernization, or conversion of BMD-1s into BMD-2s (including overhaul, of course).

Because I'm noticing the advanced laser IR searchlights and similar changes.

Russian Paratroopers to Receive 800 Automatic Cannons by Year’s End

MOSCOW, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russian paratroopers are to receive more than 800 30-millimeter 2A42 automatic cannons by the end of the year, military spokesman Yevgeny Meshkov said Monday.

“About 800 new 30-millimeter [2А42] automatic cannons will be delivered to paratrooper units by the end of 2014,” Meshkov said.

The procurement of the new hardware is connected to the routine replacement of a BMD-2 airborne infantry-fighting vehicle currently employed by Russian paratroopers.

Meshkov noted that in the near future paratroopers are to gradually replace expired hardware.

The 2А42 automatic cannon is designed to shoot at light armored targets up to 1,500 meters away, and anti-tank guided missile launchers and enemy troops up to 4,000 meters away. The cannon can also shoot at airborne targets travelling at subsonic speeds at altitudes of up to 2,000 meters.

Russian airborne troops to expand presence abroad — commander

MOSCOW, August 01. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s Airborne Troops (VDV) plan to expand the zones of their presence outside the country, VDV Commander Colonel General Vladimir Shamanov said on Friday.

“We plan to further build up our combat potential and zones of our troops’ presence outside the country,” he told reporters.

Shamanov added that under the state defense order, VDV will receive before 2025 more than 1,500 new BMD-4M airborne fighting vehicles and more than 2,500 armoured personnel carriers of different versions. “All this will in full measure ensure VDV technical re-equipment and by the end of 2025 will enable the troops to operate far outside Russia,” he said.

Russia’s Air Force to receive over 260 new aircraft in 2014 — deputy defense minister
Shamanov said on TV on Thursday that in 2015 the Airborne Troops would receive 64 BMD-4M vehicles and more than 20 Rakushka armored personnel carriers. Simultaneously it is planned to complete modernization of the Sprut SP gun.

Shamanov also said it was planned to create attack drones, which will support reconnaissance units deep in enemy territory.

He said the Airborne Troops were cooperating closely with a whole range of industries of the Russian defense industry and several initiative groups to create attack drones that would support the newly formed units (special task forces and reconnaissance battalions).

Such drones will allow VDV reconnaissance units to conduct operations deep in enemy territory, “that is, we will create the continued presence zone, thus creating intolerable conditions for the enemy,” Shamanov said.

According to him, first attack drones may be delivered to the Airborne Troops in 2015.

Three excellent news for Russian VDV

Russian Airborne Troops will receive more than 1,500 new airborne combat vehicles

Three more will appear in the Special Forces Recon structure Russian Airborne Troops

Russian Airborne Troops with armored vehicle KAMAZ create universal

Number of troops increasing as well as number of new vehicles plus new vehicles   

Russian, Belarusian paratroopers to hold joint exercises

MOSCOW, August 13./ITAR-TASS/. Russian Airborne Troops and Belarusian Special Operations Forces will hold joint exercises in Russia’s north-western Pskov region to hone their skills in seizing and destroying simulated enemy bases, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

Servicemen of the Belarusian Special Operations Forces arrived in Pskov on Tuesday. Together with a unit of Russia’s 76th Airborne Division they will take part in a two-stage command and staff exercise, the ministry said.

Airborne Troops spokesperson, Major Irina Kruglova said earlier that about 3,000 paratroopers would be airdropped from 17 Il-76 transport planes in two districts of the Pskov region on August 11-16. This is the first time so many troops would be participating in an airborne landing operation in unknown terrain.

Participating in the exercises will be over 30 aircraft and helicopters, including Su-34 frontline bombers, and Ka-52, Mi-28, Mi-24, and Mi-8 helicopters.

Russian paratroopers to be airlifted to Kazakhstan for security drills

MOSCOW, August 13. /ITAR-TASS/. The Russian Airborne Force has started to airlift paratroopers to Kazakhstan to take part in the drills of the Russia-led security alliance of former Soviet republics, Airborne Force spokeswoman Irina Kruglova said on Wednesday.

The Russian paratroopers will take part in the rapid reaction force drills dubbed Interaction-2014, which the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) will hold in Kazakhstan on August 18-22, the spokeswoman said.

“The first operational group of the Russian military contingent has been airlifted from the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny aerodrome to the Karaganda airfield,” the spokeswoman said.

Russian military transport planes will airlift more than 500 paratroopers with military equipment and armaments to Kazakhstan within two days or twice as many as last year,” the spokeswoman said.

It was earlier reported that the drills would involve about 3,000 personnel, about 200 pieces of combat and special hardware and about 30 aircraft and helicopters.

Russian paratroopers will be joined by personnel from a Kazakhstani air mobile brigade, a Belarusian special operations mobile brigade, a Kyrgyz special unit and an air assault company from Tajikistan.

CSTO spokesman Vladimir Zainetdinov earlier said the drills would for the first time practice measures to organize and conduct information and psychological war and ensure cyber-security.

The CSTO, which is comprised of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, regularly holds military drills on the territories of its member states.

Last year, the post-Soviet security organization held a total of six large-scale military exercises. The largest of them, codenamed Zapad -2013 (West-2013) was held last September in Belarus.

Zapad military drills have been held biannually since 2009 and last year’s six-day exercise involved up to 13,000 military servicemen from Russia and Belarus, some 350 armored combat vehicles, including 40 tanks, over 50 aircraft as well as warships from the Russian Baltic Fleet.