Russian BRDM-2 Reconnaissance

Vehicle, Part 1, Revised March 24,

2001






Picture 1:
The BRDM-2 is a fully armored, four wheel drive, amphibious reconnaissance vehicle. Designed by
V. K. Rubstov of the Dedkov 0KB in the early 1960s, the BRDM-2 is the successor to the earlier
BRDM-1 and was first seen in public in the Moscow parades of 1966. The main improvements over
the earlier vehicle include its fully enclosed roof-mounted turret and more powerful rear-mounted
engine, giving better road and cross-country performance. The turret is manually traversed and
similar, perhaps identical, to the one mounted on the BTR-60PB armored personnel carrier. The
BRDM-2 is armed with a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun with a 7.62mm PKT machine gun
mounted coaxially. Additional internal equipment normally includes a NBC over pressure filtration
system, TNA-2 land navigation system, chemical agent detector, and a bow winch. Externally, the
vehicle has been equipped with infrared searchlights and driving lights with a periscope IR viewer
for the driver and possible IR viewer for the commander.

The original BRDM-1 is also known as the BTR-40P, and it first appeared in 1959. The BRDM-2 is
also known as BTR-40P-2 or BTR-40PB (as well as the BTR-40P-2rkh or BTR-40PB-rkh,
depending on role). After its introduction in the mid-1960's, the BRDM-2 gradually replaced the
BRDM-1 in Soviet and Warsaw Pact armies. The vehicle is still manufactured and used today in
Russia and has been sold to a number of countries that have trading relations with the past Soviet
Union or current Russia.

J im Hensley, who maintains the Washington Armor Club web site, recently sent us some
photographs he took inside a BRDM-2 stored at the US Marine Air-Ground Museum in Quantico,
Virginia. Most of our analysis of the interior and crew duties comes from these few, but excellent,
images. We do not have much intelligence information about the specifics of the BRDM-2, so a
good deal of the information provided on these pages comes from my analysis of these photographs
and what little unclassified information has been published for public consumption to date. J im also
took this picture; the vehicle is/was on display at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, USA.



Picture 2:
This is a Soviet/Russian publicity sales brochure drawing of the BRDM-2 illustrating some of the
interior layout. The hull is constructed of welded steel plates with a maximum thickness of only
14mm and it therefore can be penetrated by both artillery fragments and .50 caliber machine gun
fire. The driver and commander are seated in the front of the vehicle, the commander to the right
and the driver to the left. Both men have bulletproof windshields in front of them with external
armored shutters that are hinged at the top to lower over the windows by way of a control handle.
When the shutters are closed, forward view is still possible via a number of forward and side
viewing periscopes mounted in the ceiling at both positions. On the roof just behind the driver and
commander are two circular hatches that provide the only means of entry into to the vehicle. A
firing port and three vision blocks are located on each side of the hull, about even with the turret,
allowing some protected fighting potential from inside the hull (plus the firepower provided by the
armament in the turret).

The engine compartment is located at the rear of the vehicle and is separated from the crew by a
firewall bulkhead. There are two air inlets at the front end of the engine deck and four more at the
rear. Exhaust pipes are located on either side of the hull and lead to externally mounted mufflers.
Located between the main wheels on either side of the hull are two smaller, chain driven, belly
wheels that can be lowered by the driver to improve cross-country performance and to allow ditch
crossing. These were also found on the BRDM-1 and are very helpful. In effect, the retractable
wheels keeps the hull between the main wheels from becoming hung up on ground obstacles, a
problem with most wheeled vehicles with any appreciable space between the front and rear wheels.
The BRDM-2 is also fully amphibious by means of a rear mounted water jet.

The turret mounted in the center of the hull roof is very similar to the one on the BTR-60PB eight-
wheeled armored personnel carrier. The one-man turret is manually traversed and is armed with a
14.5mm KPVT machine gun as well as a coaxial 7.62mm PKT machine gun to its right.


Picture 3:
If you stand on top of
the flat turret roof a
look down at the front
of the Quantico
vehicle you can see
both the forward roof
hatches as well as the
opened armored flaps
over the front
windshields. Notice
how the hatches are
slightly staggered, t
commander's hatch
on the right set back
further than the
drivers. This is so a
spotlight or periscope
can be installed just
forward of his hatch,
as you see here. The
gun support attached to the front of the turret below us normally holds the barrel of the larger of the
two machine guns, the 14.5mm KPVT heavy, but the guns are not mounted on this vehicle. The slot
on the mantlet to the right of the support is for the 7.62mm coax MG and the opening to the left is
the window for the telescopic sight.

As I mentioned earlier, the BRDM-2 is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water via a single
water jet opening at the rear of the hull. Before entering the water, a trim vane, which is stowed
under the nose of the hull when travelling on land, is erected at the front of the hull by the driver.
The vane keeps bow waves from washing up over the front of the vehicle and possibly swamping it.
When not in use, the water jet outlet is covered by a triangular plate that pivots at the top. The
hydraulic control that activates both the water jet drive and the trim vane is located to the front of
the driver.

When in the water, the driver uses the steering wheel as he does on land with the water rudders on
the hull rear connected to the steering wheel. One of the problems with amphibious travel, though,
is an awkward transition between land and water locomotion, for to activate the water jet drive the
transmission must be in neutral. That means the vehicle has to be driven into the water until it floats
before the gearshift can be moved to neutral and the water jet activated. The same is true for exiting
the water, but in reverse. The vehicle has to be propelled onto the shore by the water jet before the
transmission can be shifted to drive and the vehicle can haul itself out onto land. In the water, the
BRDM-2 can travel at a speed of around 7kph and its turning radius is about 10m.

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Picture 4:
When we drop down
into the BRDM-2 at
Quantico through the
commander's hatch,
we have this view of
the equipment in
front of his seat and
to the right along the
hull wall. The large
equipment box to the
right is, I believe, p
of the TNA-2 land
navigation system
that provides
coordinate readings,
and the second,
smaller box is the
radiation detector. I
have also found the
large TNA-2 system
box (the one mounted at an angle) in Russian command tanks, like the T62K. The larger dial you
see on the faceplate has a small picture of the vehicle and there are degree markings around it that
rotate in order to show which compass direction the BRDM-2 is currently pointing.

The radiation detection unit is the smaller box to the left of the TNA-2, and it seems to be a DP-3
unit, perhaps a DP-3A or B. This is a simple dose rate meter intended for measurement of the
exposure to troops to radiation. Generally, the DP-3 is a gamma detection and measuring device
designed for use in large area rapid surveys. It receives its power from a vehicle battery and it can
be mounted in aircraft, motor vehicles, and ships. Measurement range is said to be from 0.1 to 500
rads per hour in four subranges (thanks David Keeley). The system is made up of the instrument
box and panel you see here and a cable leading to a cylindrical sensor that can be mounted
anywhere inside or outside the vehicle. Some Russian vehicles may have these metering systems
connected to automatic closing systems on hatches and vehicle doors. These two systems (land
navigation and radiation detector), combined with a chemical agent detector and the radio, are
normally installed in these reconnaissance vehicles near the commander's station.

The commander's windshield is to the upper left in the photo and a couple of the periscopes that are
aimed forward and to the right are visible at the top of the picture. These are the typical Russian
design scopes and are easily removable from inside the vehicle and replaced if they are damaged by
moving the retaining clips at the bottom and dropping the periscopes down and out of their holders.
The green canvas cover at the right hides the main radio set, which is siting on top of the front-right
wheel well.

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Picture 5:
This is the main radio
set in this particular
vehicle, now
uncovered, which sits
on the wheel well to
the right of the
vehicle commander.
It appears to be a
typical R-123M tank
set with a frequency
range of 20 to
51.5Mhz and a
25Watt output. These
sets can be
continuously tuned
over the entire
frequency range or
you can set one of
four pre-set
frequencies. Range is
reported to be from 10 to 35 miles (16 to 55 kilometers) depending on the type of antenna used.
Some platoon commander's vehicles also have an R-126 radio transceiver. The R-123 series are
often seen inside Russian AFVs.


Picture 6:
If we move back
behind the driver's
seat, we have this
view of the front of
the BRDM-2 interior.
Notice that the access
panel to the winch
(located in the front
of the hull) is open
and the cable reel is
visible through the
access opening.
Normally, 30 feet of
cable is wrapped on
the drum and the
winch has a
maximum load
capacity of 4,000kg.
To our left is the
driver's position,
complete with traditional steering wheel and instrument panel, with a speedometer and tachometer
and other basic engine gages. Steering is hydraulically assisted at the front two wheels with the
sealed brakes on the other wheels having air-assisted hydraulic actuators.

The tall gearshift lever is set into the floor between the two front seats, and located just forward of
the gearshift is the transfer case shift lever. The complete drive train starts at the rear and includes
the engine, single plate clutch, manual gearbox, reduction gearbox and transfer case, which in turn
provides power to the front and rear wheels, each with its own self-locking differential. The manual
transmission is hydraulically assisted with the third and fourth gears being synchronized with
lockouts in first, second, and reverse gears. The small black electric motor mounted just below the
commander's window is the windshield wiper motor and you can see the connecting arms leading to
each wiper. A heater/defogger vent is visible to the lower right of the window, with its supply duct
leading down and forward to a heater located at the front of the compartment. A similar duct leads
over to the driver's window, which we will see in a minute.


Picture 7:
The driver has a f
conventional driving
control layout, w
brake, clutch and
accelerator pedals
down on the floor an
a steering wheel just
forward of his padded
seat. To the left of hi
seat are the control
levers for lowering
and raising the
auxiliary sets of
wheels on both hull
sides. The presence o
these wheels requ
the wheel wells on
both hull sides to
extend the length of
the hull from the fr
to rear of the BRDM-2, which produces a fairly narrow floor area from steering wheel to rear
engine firewall. The tire pressure of the four main tires can be controlled from inside the vehicle
like it was in the BRDM-1, and I believe the control panel you see to the left operates that system,
either regulating the pressure of all tires simultaneously, or individually. Increasing the tire pressure
allows increased speeds on roads, while decreasing the pressure provides for better traction when
off road or driving in sandy/muddy conditions. Near the driver's windshield you can see the
heater/defroster for his window as well as the connecting shaft from the windshield wiper motor
that crosses to the wiper arm shaft on this side.

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Picture 8:
This is a very nice
photograph of some
of the many
periscopes in the
ceiling just forward
of the two over-head
hatches. The two
periscopes on the left
are part of the five
around the driver's
station (actually six,
if you count the
periscope in the hull
wall to the left of the
driver). The p
on the right begins
the ring of periscop
that continue aro
the commander's seat
area-- there are fou
up there also. A portion of the driver's hatch is visible at the top of the photo and it seems to be
painted Russian green, which is the same original color on the exterior. The green is also the
primary color of the floor and the lower half of the hull walls; the rest of the interior is painted glo
white, wearing to flat white in areas of heavy use. The round opening to the upper right is where
spotlight or additional periscope for the commander may be mounted.

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Picture 9:
A Soviet BRDM-2
would typically be
crewed by four men,
and this TAS
photograph provides
us with views of the
front and top of this
reconnaissance
vehicle. In the image
you can see the small
periscopes around the
driver's and commander's position, and the spotlight above the commander's windscreen cover that
could be covered with a IR filter when necessary. This is also one of the few images we have of the
front of the turret, showing both the 14.5mm KPVT main armament and the 7.62mm PKT coaxial
MG as well as the large opening for the sight window. On the horizontal armor plate directly in
front of the commander's position you can also see part of the winch compartment cover.

This concludes Part 1. Part 2 will continue our exploration of the BRDM-2 with the hull, turret and
engine.

TO BRDM-2, PART 2

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(c) 2001, 2003 AFV INTERIORS Web Magazine
Russian BRDM-2 Reconnaissance
Vehicle, Part 2, Revised March 15,
2001




Picture 1:
This is Part 2 of a two-part exploration of the interior of the BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicle. The
picture illustrates the right hull wall, just behind the commander's seat. The oval port in front of us
is the firing port-- the handle below opens the protective armor flap outside. I don't believe there is
an adapter to accept a weapon into this port like there is in the BMP, so once the port is opened
there is the potential of NBC contamination into the vehicle. Down to the left is the radio antenna
base connection, the antenna base is attached outside to the small flat rim on the hull that separates
the upper hull from the lower. To our right are the three periscopes on this side, the first and last are
angled forward and backward to provide a good overall view out the right side of the BRDM-2. At
first I didn't recognize the black pipe clamped over the periscopes, but a number of readers have
written to say it is the barrel for the larger of the two machine guns (KPVT), and I think they are
correct. A dome light is to the upper right and a roof stiffener crosses from side to side just in front
of it. This provides the necessary strength for the weight of the turret just behind.


Picture 2:
This is the right hull outside the same
area we were viewing previously,
showing the location of the antenna base
and the right hull periscopes. Notice also
the periscopes above at the commander's
position and the armored flap that
protects his windshield and you can also
see the windshield wiper at the bottom of
the windshield. His D-shaped over-head
hatch is still open on the roof. The
vehicle was normally provided with
infrared night driving equipment, so th
are IR driving lights on the bow, one of
which is seen here. The comman
was normally provided with a spotlight
just forward of his hatch, which could
also be fitted with an IR lens for night
viewing.

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Picture 3:
Back inside the
vehicle now, this is
the front section of
the ammo rack lining
the left side of the
hull interior, showing
both types of MG
ammo boxes
installed. Typically,
there are around 500
rounds stored inside
the larger boxes for
the 14.5mm KPVT
main weapon, and
2,000 rounds of
7.62mm for the
coaxial PKT MG.
The clamps and
straps that normally
hold these ammo cans
in place are laying unfastened, and you can see the hinged opening at the top of the cans for the
ammo belts to feed out from. The round opening at the top of the can opens to let you reach into the
container to grab the front of the belt so it can be inserted through the hinged feed opening.
Apparently there is room for six 14.5mm ammo cans on this rack; one is missing on this side but I
think has been installed up in the turret. Notice the lower parts of the hull are painted a pale shade
of green while the upper portions, as well as the turret interior, are painted gloss white.


Picture 4:
This is the rear
portion of that same
rack on the left hull
wall. I see five ammo
cans for 7.62mm
rounds stored here,
the cans set on their
sides. In this case the
retaining straps are
mostly installed with
only one or two
opened or unlatched.
Again, the opening
for feeding the metal
linked cartridges out
of the cans can be
seen on the top
(closest to us) and the
wire carrying handle
next to the feed
opening is also visible, in this case they are folded down flat.

The 7.62mm general purpose machine gun Pulemyot Kalashnikov (PK) is a gas-operated, belt-fed
weapon. The PK fires 7.62 x 54R rimmed cartridges using a metal non-disintegrating belt. The
basic PK model is fed from a 100-round belt carried in a box fastened to the right side of the
receiver, the weapon weighs nine kilograms and is constructed partly of stamped metal and partly of
forged steel. The PKT is the tank-mounted version of the PK. Late-model FSU tanks, turreted APCs
and IFVs, and amphibious scout cars mount it as a coaxial machine gun. It has a longer and heavier
barrel than the stock PK and also lacks the PK's stock, sights, bipod, and trigger mechanism. The
PKT has a solenoid at the rear for remote-controlled firing, although it also has an emergency
manual trigger. Either 200 or 250 round belt boxes can also feed the PKT and these are what we see
in our photos in this page. Effective range of the PK-series machine guns is around 1,000 meters
and they have a cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute and a practical rate of fire of 250 rounds
per minute. Ammunition types include ball, ball-tracer, armor-piercing incendiary, armor-piercing
incendiary-tracer, and incendiary-ranging.


Picture 5:
The back of the
conical turret is
devoid of any
openings and you
may recall that there
is no hatch on the
roof. We can see the
ventilator dome on
the hull to the lower
left of the turret and
also some of the
many louver covers
on the engine
compartment deck
that J im is standing
on to take this
picture. Notice the
small sighting
periscope hood on t
turret roof; these were
added later during production. The periscope is usually an IPZ-2, which is the same periscope as
installed in the later BTR-60PZ turrets. The sight is linked directly to the KPVT heavy machine gun
inside and I believe that in these turrets the original telescopic sight is still retained at the left side o
the gun mantlet. Elevation of the two machine guns mounted in this turret is +30 degrees to -5,
which is not very high if you are shooting at helicopter targets.

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Picture 6:
This is the only
picture we have of t
turret equipment
inside this vehicle, so
let's see how much
we can identify.
Behind the gentleman
is the black air duct
coming down from
the dome ventilator,
which connects to an
NBC filter unit on the
back firewall. This
system is called an
"over-pressure
system" as the air
pulled from outside
the vehicle is forced
through filters and
then into the closed
cabin. Air escapes back out again though all the small openings that are impossible to completely
he
seal, but the air pressure inside is greater than outside and therefore keeps potentially contaminated
air from entering the BRDM-2, if the vehicle remains sealed properly. In this way the crew are not
required to wear respirators or other NBC gear that might slow their operation inside the BRDM-2.
To our right is the traverse hand wheel for the turret, appearing larger than it really is because of its
proximity to the camera. There seem to be two trigger buttons on the traverse handle, probably to
fire either of the machine guns that would normally be fitted, but are missing in this case.

To our left, up in the turret, are the feed and discharge chutes for the MG ammo and on the other
side of the traverse handle is the elevation hand wheel, only part of which can be seen here. I was
under the impression that there was a simple seat hanging from a support bar from these turrets, but
it is not visible in this picture. Perhaps that is the support bar hanging down behind the gentleman's
right shoulder. Notice how the turret occupies most of the space in the roof behind the front hatches,
both from front to back and side to side. There is not much room inside this vehicle and the normal
compliment of crew fills it up. Crew positions include driver, assistant driver, commander, and
gunner. The assistant driver takes turns driving and also feeds ammunition up to the gunner when
he is not driving. He also watches for activity outside the vehicle through the many hull periscopes.


Picture 7:
The Vladimirov KPVT 14.5mm machine gun ("T" stands
for Tank) is a powerful automatic weapon mounted on
armored vehicles and boats, in both movable and
stationary mounts. The KPVT is a recoil-operated, fully
automatic weapon which fires from the open-bolt
position. It is belt fed using metallic non-disintegrating
link belts that are coupled together in 10-round sections.
The quick-change barrel is removable with the barrel
jacket as a unit and the bore is chromium-plated to
increase barrel life. The weapon normally fires the FSU
14.5 x 114-mm cartridge. The gun was designed for use against lightly armored targets, ground
weapons, and ground forces located in light shelters at distances of up to 2000m. The KPVT can
also be used against air targets at similar ranges and altitudes up to 1500m. Typical cartridge types
include armor-piercing incendiary B-32, armor-piercing tracer BZT, and incendiary rounds called
"instant action MDZ" which are used for firing at both surface and air targets. Cartridge feed (right
or left hand, depending on how the weapon is mounted) is via a metallic link belt. Rate of fire can
be as high as 550 to 600 rounds per minute, but in real combat situations it is reduced to 70 to
80rpm. This is a manufacturer's promotional photograph showing the weapon removed from its
turret mount. We are looking at the breech end with the weapon rotated so the belt feed is from the
right.


Picture 8:
The last of J im's
interior photos shows
the right hull side
with empty MG
ammo racks below
and equipment bins
above, including a
fire extinguisher
bracket on the back
firewall. Again notice
how the three
periscopes are angled
to provide a good
field of view out this
side of the BRDM-2.
Reports indicate that
each former Soviet
motorized rifle
division had a total of
28 BRDM-2s, twelve
in the reconnaissance battalion and four each in the tank regiment, BMP-1/BMP-2 equipped
motorized rifle regiment and in each of the two BTR-60/BTR-70 equipped motorized rifle
regiments. Each tank division had a total of 28 BRDM-2s, twelve in the reconnaissance battalion,
four in the motorized rifle regiment and four in each of the three tank regiments. This same general
structure was used in other Warsaw Pact countries and is probably close to what is still used in
Russian units now.


Picture 9:
This is the large
engine deck that
covers the engine
compartment located
at the rear of the
vehicle and separated
from the crew by a
firewall bulkhead.
There are two air
inlets at the forward
part of the engine
compartment closest
to us and four
additional covered
inlets at the rear. The
exhaust pipes are
located on either side
of the hull and you
can also see the
mufflers in this photo.
The engine hiding under the deck is a GAZ-41, V-8, water-cooled, gasoline engine, develop
around 140hp at 3,400rpm. The manual transmission mounted directly on to it provides four
forward and one reverse gears; top speed on paved roads is reported to be around 100kph. Rang
466mi (750k) on roads using the full 76.3gal (290 liters) from the internal gas tanks. As I mentioned
earlier, I believe the BRDM-2 is still in production, probably at the Molotov GAZ Plant, in Gorkiy,
E.B.S.I.S.

Due to its utilitarian design and excellent cross country abilities, the BRDM-2 has been modified
into a number of other support vehicles. The most numerous of these variations mounts anti-tank
missiles in place of the turret, and a number of different types have been fielded over the years.

Once again I thank J im Hensley of the
ing
e is

Washington Armor Club for providing us with the interior
images of this BRDM-2. J im continues to be a valued contributor to AFV INTERIORS and I
greatly appreciate his support. I also would like to thank David Keeley who helped us identify some
of the equipment around the commander's seat in the front of the vehicle and provided what little
information we now have on the navigation and radiation detection equipment. Should you have
additional information about this AFV and would like to share it with our readers, please do not
hesitate to contact me. There is a lot more to learn about this vehicle and hopefully with time we
will have additional information for you.

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(c) 2001, 2003 AFV INTERIORS Web Magazine