The BMP-T is a Russian rarity: a heavily armed vehicle that is neither a tank nor a true infantry carrier. The Russians have built only a few BMP-Ts, and these are extremely rare on the Ukrainian front, even in the context of rebuilding Russian mechanized forces. The very high density of Ukrainian mines and drones makes the BMP-T unable to survive long enough to justify its presence on the battlefield.
Russia’s rarest armored fighting vehicle (AFV) has emerged from the shadows for the first time this year. The heavily armed BMP-T “Terminator” is back! However, don’t expect any significant difference on the ground, in Ukraine, writes euromaidanpress.com.
The BMP-T was designed to escort tanks and to neutralize infantrymen hunting them through ambushes. The problem for the 90th Tank Division, the only confirmed unit using this 48-ton vehicle with a five-member crew, is that infantry ambushes have become increasingly rare. Today, the main threats to Russian tanks are mines and drones. And for mines and drones, the BMP-T is just another target.
A photograph recently appeared online shows a BMP-T equipped with additional anti-drone protection. It is one of about 20 examples ever produced by the Russian vehicle manufacturer Uralvagonzavod for the Russian army – one of the rarest combat vehicles in an army that has tens of thousands of tanks, BMP-2, BMP-3 and other armored vehicles.
The BMP-T is special. It’s not as well-armed or protected as a tank, but it is better equipped and protected than a standard BMP infantry armored carrier. With its small turret, equipped with two twin 2A42 cannons, 30 mm caliber, capable of firing 300 gram projectiles, at a rate of about 200 hits per minute, the BMP-T can deploy considerable firepower.
“The most important thing is to support the tanks”, declared the commander of a BMP-T for the Russian publication Izvestia. This emphasis on supporting the tanks explains why the BMP-T does not transport infantry, unlike other BMP models, primarily designed as troop carriers.
Ukrainian forces have destroyed or damaged several instances of BMP-Ts since their entry into combat, earliest at the beginning of 2023. By the end of last year, Uralvagonzavod produced a new limited batch of BMP-Ts to supplement the initial lot of 12 vehicles.
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