| General Characteristics (BMD-1) |
| Length: | 6.74 m |
| Width: | 2.94m |
| Height: | 2.15m |
| Weight: | 13.3 tons |
| Speed: | 65 km/h (road)
40 km/h (off-road) |
| Range: | 600 km |
| Primary armament: | 73mm gun |
| Secondary armament: | three 7.62mm machineguns
AT-3 Sagger ATGM |
| Power plant: | 240 hp Diesel |
| Crew: | 2 + (5 passangers) |
The BMD-1 is a Soviet airborne tank which was introduced in 1969 and first seen in 1970. It can be dropped by parachute and although it resebles the BMP-1 it is in fact much smaller. The BMD-1 was used as a infantry fighting vehicle by the Red Army's "Desant" airborne divisions. It is armed with a 73mm gun and three machineguns. An AT-3 Sagger launcher is mounted on the main gun. The BMD-2 is a BMD-1 variant equipped with a new turret, 30 mm cannon and AT-4 Spigot or AT-5 Spandrel ATGM launchers.
The BMD-1's armor was made from cast magnesium alloy, in order to save weight. Combat experience in Afghanistan demonstrated that the armor itself would catch fire and burn quite merrily when hit with a weapon such as an RPG, often killing the crew and passengers outright. Later variants of the BMD had aluminum armor instead.
The Russian military is currently considering replacing the BMD series altogether with the GAZ3937, a very lightweight wheeled armored personnel carrier incorporating plastic and carbon fiber in its construction as well as aluminum. The GAZ3937 can be air-dropped like the BMD, and is considerably lighter, less expensive to manufacture, and easier to maintain. It does not have the heavy armament of the BMD series, and is armed only with a PKM machine gun in an antiaircraft mount in front of the commander's hatch.
See also
Armored personnel carriers
Russian and Soviet armored personnel carriers
Cold War armored personnel carriers
