A Visit to the Soviet Airborne Training Center at Ryazan

MSG William T. Powers of Dedham. Mass. forwarded these photos of Soviet airborne armor taken on a recent visit to the Ryazan Airborne Training Center in Russia. The vehicles on exhibition at this static display show the wide range of smaller armored vehicles tailored for air drop, in some cases fully rigged. I BMD-1, at left, with suspension collapsed and prepared for air drop. Note two soldiers in foreground, mounted in special seats, called "Kintava." that are custom-formed for each man. These two crewmen remain inside the vehicle during the air drop, and the swcial seats cushion impact. Above right. a BMD variant called the 1V119, similar to a FIST vehicle, is at the center of the static display. with a 2S9 mo&rhowitzer version beyond it at far left. I Above, a BMD-2 with 30-mm cannon identical to the 30-mm on the BMP armored personnel carrier. On the turret roof is a launcher mount for the AT-4 missile. 2S9 SP MortadHowitzer with suspension collapsed and prepared for air drop. Later BMD variants, like this fire-support vehicle, use longer chassis with six roadwheels. rather than five. This BMD-2 carries its ZSU-23 twin antiaircraft gun on the top deck during air drop, then acts as its prime mover once on the ground.

This variant of the BMD is the BTR-RD antitank missile vehicle, with launcher on top deck and an additional launcher used in ground mount configuration.

ARMOR -