BMP-1

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Rank 7 USA
F-5C Pack
ussr_bmp_1.png
BMP-1
AB RB SB
7.7 8.0 8.0
Class:
Research:105 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:300 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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This page is about the Russian light tank BMP-1. For the German version, see SPz BMP-1. For other uses, see BMP (Disambiguation).

Description

GarageImage BMP-1.jpg


The BMP-1 is a rank V Soviet light tank with a battle rating of 7.7 (AB) and 8.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.71 "New E.R.A.".

The BMP-1 is a shoot-and-scoot type of vehicle as an exposed BMP-1 is a dead BMP-1 - avoid being a target at all costs. Use your mobility to find reasonable sniping spots (for your ATGM) and only use your cannon if an enemy is close and unaware of your presence. Remember that if anything sees you, it can destroy you - even a .50 cal will make quick work of the BMP-1 from the sides or back.

General info

Survivability and armour

The BMP-1 has very little to speak of in the armour department. Minimal frontal and nearly non-existent side armour results in the vehicle being vulnerable to almost any incoming fire. As such, the vehicle's survivability stems entirely from its mobility and reasonably small profile. Where possible, utilise hills or other cover, only exposing as much of the vehicle as is necessary to engage an unaware target.

Despite the lack of armour, however, the BMP-1 will, on occasion, survive hits unexpectedly - the internals of the vehicle are largely non-critical and many rounds will over-penetrate.

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 7-12 mm (80°) Front glacis
19 mm (56°) Lower glacis
16 mm (3-18°) Top
18 + 4 mm Bottom
16 mm (12°) Top
12 mm (48°) Bottom
12 mm (8-51°) Doors
6 mm
5 mm Engine exhausts
Turret 23 mm (0-53°) Turret front
33 + 26 mm Gun mantlet
13-23 mm (24-37°) 13 mm (23-26°) 6 mm
Armour Sides Roof
Cupola 7 mm 7 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels and tracks are 10 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 6 mm thick.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 73 12 13 465 572 35.77 44
Realistic 66 11 265 300 20.38 23.08

The BMP-1's mobility is reasonably good, although somewhat lacking relative to other IFVs. Despite that, once it gets moving it can travel at a decent pace.

Be aware when attempting flanking maneuvers and early pushes that there are vehicles with better mobility characteristics, and in many cases you'll encounter a vehicle before reaching a desirable position.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: 2A28 (73 mm)

The 2A28 main cannon, despite being the 'main' armament will more often than not act more as secondary armament, at least once the BMP-1P upgrade is researched, due to the 9M113 ATGM proving significantly more controllable and effective at all engagement ranges. Despite this, the PG-9 HEAT round proves valuable in a pinch, with well-placed shots able to disable critical components on most vehicles the BMP-1 will face. Keep in mind that the BMP-1 does not feature any sort of stabilisation at all, and due to its light weight the gun is near impossible to get on target at speed.

The main cannon's primary drawback is its mediocre ballistic performance, with the HEAT round travelling at only 665 m/s and the HE round travelling at an abysmal 290 m/s. As such, the projectile drop is extreme, albeit not the worst in-game. The HEAT round also has relatively poor slope characteristics, with the penetration dropping to just 150 mm if it hits an armour plate with more than 60 degrees of slope.

73 mm 2A28 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 40 -4°/+30° ±180° N/A 19.04 26.35 32.00 35.39 37.65 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00
Realistic 11.90 14.00 17.00 18.80 20.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
PG-9 HEAT 300 300 300 300 300 300
OG-9 HE 11 11 11 11 11 11
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
PG-9 HEAT 665 2.6 0.05 0.1 1,130 65° 72° 77°
OG-9 HE 290 3.7 0 0.1 735 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the BMP-1
Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
40 1 (+39) No

The single ammunition rack consists of a shell barillet located around the turret basket.

Additional armament

Main articles: 9M14, 9M113 Konkurs

9M14

The BMP-1 comes with a rail-mounted manually-guided ATGM as stock, initially aimed manually and with somewhat mediocre penetration and explosive mass values. While occasionally useful, generally the main gun is easier and more reliable to use.

4 x 9M14 ATGM

  • Guidance type: MCLOS
  • Firing range: 3 km

9M113

Once the BMP-1P upgrade is researched, the rail-mounted 9M14 ATGM is replaced with a spindle-mounted 9M113 ATGM. This ATGM is significantly more powerful and easier to use due to its semi-automatic guiding system. Improved penetration values and significantly increased explosive mass will result in far more reliable destructive power. Keep in mind that the ATGM can only be fired when stopped or at extremely low speeds.

4 x 9M113 ATGM (BMP-1P)

  • Guidance type: SACLOS
  • Firing range: 3 km
9M14 ATGM / 9M113 ATGM Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 4 -5°/+10° -15°/+37° N/A 19.04 26.35 32.00 35.39 37.65 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Realistic 11.90 14.00 17.00 18.80 20.00

Note: The vertical and horizontal traverse depend on the turret position and are only relevant to the 9M113 ATGM.

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
9M14 ATGM 400 400 400 400 400 400
9M113 ATGM 600 600 600 600 600 600
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
9M14 ATGM 120 10.90 N/A 0.1 2,600 80° 82° 90°
9M113 ATGM 205 14.50 N/A 0.1 2,750 80° 82° 90°

Ammo racks

Full
ammo
Visual
discrepancy
4 No

Notes:

  • The missiles are listed from M1 to M4 (see the picture above).
  • Missiles are modeled individually and disappear after having been launched.
  • It is not possible to select how many missiles to bring into battle.

Machine guns

Main article: PKT (7.62 mm)

The BMP-1 comes equipped with a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. This is only useful for clearing small obstacles or exposed crew in open-top vehicles.

7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,000 (1,000) 700 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The BMP-1's limitations as a light tank hinders its ability to directly fight enemy vehicles, nor survive any punishment sent its way. It needs to play with cover and concealment frequently as any vehicle with a heavy machine gun, be it ground or air, can quite easily shred the BMP-1 apart if a round hits the side or roof armour. Considering one of the common enemy nation of the BMP-1 is the USA, which has a habit of putting a heavy machine gun on any tank, means that the BMP-1 needs to be extremely careful and aware of their surroundings before moving up, lest it gets torn apart by a barrage of bullets.

However, the BMP-1's traits in mobility and firepower makes the vehicle a good scout and ambush vehicle.

Scouting

The BMP-1 in War Thunder can't serve as an IFV as it is in real life due to the lack of infantry, but it does have the ability to active scout. This role makes the BMP-1's mobility an important factor of the vehicle's success, as getting to places that the enemy is not aware of to scout out can mean a lot to the team's successes. Even in the active scouting's cooldown period, do not be afraid to communicate to the team where the enemy is with the map and chat function.

In this role, the BMP-1 should avoid contact with the enemy. Utilise useful camouflage and whatever cover is available to make sure the enemy cannot see the BMP-1 at a first glance (or without switching to any available special optics like thermals). One can also use the amphibious nature of the BMP-1 to get into areas through paths that the enemy would not expect. Although this role may mean the BMP-1 is not as active in destroying the enemy, it is an important role for the team overall that the scout continues to observe the enemy so that battlefield information is kept up to date.

The BMP-1 of course may be spotted during this endeavor, and so an exit strategy should be maintained. Should an enemy round start flying around the BMP-1's direction, or an enemy was observed trying to move onto the BMP-1's position, begin exfiltrating. Utilise smoke for concealment (default with the ESS, but smoke grenades are available with the BMP-1P modification upgrade) if needed.

Ambushing

Though the BMP-1 is not good standing up against enemy tanks, the BMP-1 still has the necessary firepower to deal with most. The 73 mm has decent amount of penetration for a hit, but the low muzzle velocity is detrimental for long-range targets (although, it can be utilised for a parabolic firing arc against enemies beyond hills). The key weapon on the BMP-1 is the four ATGM mounted on the turret, with either the manual 9M14 or the semi-active 9M113 missle (the latter with the BMP-1P upgrade) as options. Although both have better penetration values than the 73 mm cannon, the 9M113 missile with the BMP-1P upgrade is a much better candidate for this role due to the increased missile velocity and lethality.

Moving around the flanks, the BMP-1 should try to find a nice, open field of fire against common enemy paths. Try to establish the BMP-1 around objectives so as teammates fire upon the enemy and force them to take cover, the BMP-1 can manouvre to an ideal angle and hit the enemy thinking they are in cover. The ideal manner of firing on the enemy is, if the target is less than 500 m, to engage first with the 73 mm cannon. If this does not destroy nor critically damage the enemy to disable their movement or firepower, then follow up with a missile into the hull. If the target is at farther ranges, engage first with the missile to ensure the first shot hits the target. Be wary of longer engagements as there are only 4 missiles onboard the BMP-1, and more shots will mean the enemy have a better idea of the BMP-1's position.

If a hit from the side is not ideal to the map, a "shoot-and-scoot" tactic of hiding behind cover and exposing the BMP-1 only long enough to fire a missile or shot can be sufficient too in dealing with the enemy. However, beware of exposing the BMP-1 by manner of going over hills, as the turret's gun depression is only -4 degrees (-5 degree for the 9M113 missile launcher) and doing so will expose a large portion of the BMP-1's hull to the enemy.

Should the BMP-1's position become compromised, dump smoke and exfiltrate the area.

Night-fighting
The BMP-1's with the fixed hull-mounted IR spotlight on in NVD mode. One can observe that the spotlight does not follow the turret.

Either of the role above can still be performed at night, but one must utilise the tools available in the BMP-1 to make the most of the environment.

The BMP-1 can research the Night Vision Device (NVD) modification, which can help during night battles to help with visibility. NVD is available in commander, gunner, driver and outside view ports. Utilising the NVD can brighten up a hazy horizon due to the night.

Another tool with the NVD modification is an infrared spotlight, which can help illuminate targets if they are hard to see even with the NVD. However, the spotlight is fixed to the hull and does not move with the gun, requiring alignment of the hull towards the target requiring illumination. The infrared spotlight, when on, also marks the BMP-1 with a giant light that any enemy with the same NVD can spot easily. As such, usage of the infrared spotlight should be minimised, with total reliance on the base NVD by itself or only periodically switching on the spotlight and quickly turning it off once a picture of the battlefield is obtained.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire Airstrike
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism BMP-1P
IV Transmission Engine ESS Artillery Support Improved optics NVD

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Fairly mobile, both weapon systems are particularly effective against the lightly armoured vehicles it will encounter often such as the Leopard I, OF-40, etc
  • One of the earliest ATGM vehicles available and the earliest to receive mouse-guided (SACLOS) ATGMs (with the BMP-1P modification)
  • Decent main gun HEAT round penetrating up to 300mm of armour at any range, effective against last-gen heavy tanks like the Conqueror, M103, etc
  • Amphibious ability which can allow it to reach positions that other vehicles struggle to
  • Functional even in uptiers, due to its piercing ATGM and HEAT
  • All ammunition types are default and as such have no cost
  • Night Vision allows effectiveness in night battles
  • Very good in flanking the enemy team due to its mobility

Cons:

  • Mediocre reverse speed, particularly for a light tank
  • Default missiles are manually guided, upgraded missiles must be unlocked with the BMP-1P research
  • Vulnerable to hull breaks, particularly from HEAT-FS rounds
  • Chemical ammunition only, may struggle to damage vehicles with ERA like the M60A1 RISE (P)
  • All available ammunition is hyper-sensitive and will detonate on hitting light obstacles such as fences or bushes
  • Somewhat large silhouette for a light tank. Will get seen and shot at easier
  • Minimal gun depression makes it struggle in hills
  • Has no stabiliser, accurate shots on the move or in water are often not possible
  • Only three crew members, two of whom sit extremely close together, reducing the vehicle's survivability
  • Vulnerable to heavy machine gun and light cannon fire, particularly from the sides or top
  • Vulnerable to aircraft and helicopters
  • Bombs and artillery can deal significant damage, even when at a distance
  • Infrared Spotlight mounted to hull, won't rotate with turret when NVD is on

History

Development

In the 1950's, Soviet armored personnel carrier (APC) tactics consisted of lightly armored vehicles that would transport soldiers to combat zones, and then head back behind the lines to safety. During this time, the West German Bundeswehr was using the Schützenpanzer Lang and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) tactics, where the vehicles would work with the infantry and tanks in order to support them, especially against lightly armored targets. The BMP was a Soviet IFV design created in the late 1950's. Some of the requirements were the ability for all of the infantry carried to be able to fire from within the vehicle, which was unseen before in IFV designs. It was intended to support the infantry and combat enemy light vehicles. The design placed emphasis on speed and maneuverability, potent armament, and sufficient armament to protect against 23 mm autocannons over the frontal arc. There was a debate over how the vehicle should be wheeled or tracked, and a number of options were explored including hybrid designs with both. The design that was chosen was a tracked vehicle with the engine in the front and the crew compartment in the rear; it was designated the Object 764. A prototype was created in 1964, and the final design was chosen in 1965 - an improved model called the Object 765. In service the production model was called the BMP-1.

Design

The BMP-1 features a fully tracked hull, with a sharply angled glacis at the front, a centrally mounted turret, and a crew compartment in the rear of the hull, with doors for the infantry to mount and dismount the vehicle. The hull layout is as follows: the engine was in the front right section of the hull. The driver sat to the front left of the vehicle, the commander sat right behind the driver, and the gunner sat in the right side of the turret. The troop compartment located at the rear of the vehicle could seat 8 infantry soldiers. The ability to fire from inside the vehicle was provided by four firing ports on each side of the hull and one in the left door. There are also four hatches in the roof. The infantry sit on two benches with padding, back to back, facing the outer sides of the vehicle. The armor of the frontal arc is enough to generally protect against 20 mm autocannon fire, the side armor generally protects against 12.7 mm machine gun fire, and the roof and rear armor protects against small arms fire and shell fragments. In addition, the sloped glacis on the front of the hull also increased the chances of shells bouncing, because of the extreme angles. The protection level depended somewhat on the version of the BMP-1 in question, as different nations had differing levels of armor quality. The main armament consisted of a 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore semi-automatic cannon, along with a 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). Secondary armament consisted of a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. The engine provides 300 hp, and is a six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine. The suspension system used was a torsion bar suspension system. The BMP-1 is fully amphibious with little preparation. Before entering the water a trim vane has to be raised, which provides additional frontal armor when in the lowered position. It can achieve 65 kph (40 mph) on road and 8 kph (5 mph) in water.

Production and Service

Over 20,000 BMP-1's were produced in the Soviet Union alone, with many more produced in China and Czechoslovakia. The BMP-1 was widely exported and saw significant combat worldwide. BMP-1's participated in the Yom Kippur War, the Angolan Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and many other conflicts. It was well liked for its maneuverability, but it was found that the cannon lacked effective range and the 9M14 ATGM's were hard to control. During the Gulf War it was found that the 25 mm Bushmaster cannon found on the M2/M3 Bradley could consistently penetrate the frontal armor of the BMP-1, even at range.

BMP-1P Upgrade

The BMP-1P was an upgrade to the ATGM systems of the BMP-1. It replaced the 9M14 Malyutka missiles with 9M113 Konkurs or 9M111 missile. This increased the weight of the vehicle, leading to a slight decrease in maneuverability.

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

Same vehicle serving in other nations
Similar Soviet vehicles

External links


USSR light tanks
T-26  T-26 · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26-4 · T-26E
BT  BT-5 · RBT-5 · BT-7 · BT-7 TD · BT-7M · BT-7A (F-32)
T-50  T-126 · T-50
T-70  T-70 · T-80
PT-76  PT-76B · PT-76-57 · Object 906
BMP  BMP-1 · BMP-2 · BMP-2M · BMP-3
BMD  BMD-4
2S25  2S25 · 2S25M
Wheeled  BA-11 · BTR-80A
Other  T-60 · Object 685 · 2S38
China  ▂Type 62