D
Land ForcesRussia

BTR-D (BMD M1979)

Amphibious/airborne armored personnel carrierFielded 1974Pending verification
Land ForcesRUS
BTR-D (BMD M1979)
Photo: Dmitry Terekhov from Odintsovo, Russian Federation · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Fact cardConfidence · Source
System
TypeAmphibious/airborne armored personnel carrier
Date of introduction1974
ProliferationAt least 11 countries
ManufacturerVolgograd Tractor FactoryMed[1]
Crew1Med[1]
Dimensions and weight
Length5.88 m19 ftMed[1]
Width2.63 m9 ftMed[1]
Height2.05 m7 ftMed[1]
Combat weight8.2 tMed[1]
Automotive performance
Engine5D20 V6 DieselMed[1]
Engine power240 hpMed[1]
SuspensionhydropneumaticsMed[1]
Cruising range450 km280 mi · 243 nmiMed[1]
Protection
Hull ArmorBuilt from welded aluminum armor and the turret from welded steel. It is thought to be capable of stopping 12.7 mm rounds fired at the front of the vehicle from a range of 200 m. The sides are likely to provide protection from 7.62 mm roundMed[1]
Applique ArmorAvailableMed[1]
NBC ProtectionYesMed[1]
Smoke EquipmentType 920G Toucha 81 mm smoke grenade launchers that are used to obscure the vehicle from view.Med[1]
Armament
Elevation+30° (533 mils)/-4° (-71 mils)Med[1]
Rate of fire (max)650 rds/minMed[1]
Main armament2 × Bow-Mounted 7.62 mm PKT machine gun, 7.62 mmMed[1]
Fire control
Thermal Sight Vehicle CommanderYesMed[1]
Thermal Sight GunnerYesMed[1]
Variants
BTR-DG (Ob'yekt 925G)Cargo variant without bow machine guns, firing ports and periscopes. The troop compartment was modified to serve as a cargo compartment.[1]
BTR-DGconverted into an airborne SPAAG fitted with a specially built three-legged ZU-23-2 twin anti-aircraft autocannon mount over the roof of the cargo compartment.[1]
BTR-D SanBTR-D converted into an airborne armoured ambulance.[1]
BREM-D(BREM-D stands for bronirovannaya remonto-evakuatsionnaya mashina desanta – armoured maintenance-recovery vehicle of the airborne) (Ob'yekt 932) – BTR-D converted into an airborne ARV. It carries specialized equipment fo[1]
BTR-RD "Robot"BTR-D converted into an airborne ATGM team carrier with two 9P135M-1 ATGM launchers capable of firing 9M113 "Konkurs" (AT-5 Spandrel), 9M113M "Konkurs-M" (AT-5B Spandrel B), 9M111 "Fagot" (AT-4 Spigot) and 9M111-2 "Fagot[1]
BTR-ZD "Skrezhet"(ZD stands for zenitnaya ustanovka) – BTR-D converted into an airborne air defense vehicle for carrying two MANPAD teams. The vehicle is fitted with racks for spare MANPAD missiles. It also is fitted with external stowag[1]
Summary

The BTR-D (BMD M1979) Russian Amphibious/Airborne Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is a Soviet airborne multi-purpose tracked armored personnel carrier that was introduced in 1974 and first seen by the West in 1979 during the Soviet-Afghan War.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.
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Operators
AzerbaijanBelarusKazakhstanKyrgyzstanMoldovaRussiaTurkmenistanUkraineUzbekistanVietnam
Sources
  1. BTR-D (BMD M1979) Russian Amphibious/Airborne Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)
    Published/updated 2026-03-20 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-10-10
Change log
  • 2026-10-10 Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import
  • 2026-10-10 Added photo (CC BY-SA 2.0)