The More Wheels the Better
Unique to the BRDM-2's design is the use of a smaller pair of road wheels located along the middle of the hull sides. There systems can be raised or lowered "on-the-fly" by the driver and aid in cross-country performance by applying more surface to the terrain. Upgraded BRDM-2s have removed these belly wheels to make additional internal space for the crew.
Armor Protection
Armor protection for the BRDM-2 runs from 14mm to 3mm. 10mm thickness is afforded to the front face of the turret. All other turret sides are 7mm thick. The hull is supplied with thicker armor at the front top and lesser armor along the floor and rear. The hull nose plate alone carries 14mm armor thickness. The rear measures in at 7mm. Armor is of welded steel construction.
The BRDM-2 Crew
Crew accommodations include four personnel made up of the driver, commander, assistant driver and gunner. The driver and commander are seated at the front in a side-by-side fashion with access to a pair of roof-mounted entry/exit hatches. Interestingly, this is the only means of entry/exit for the personnel within the vehicle for the turret holds no hatches of its own, nor do the hull sides. The gunner sits within the powered turret during action but takes a place within the hull during standard travel. The crew has access to a land navigation system and a decontamination kit (the latter to combat the effects of a nuclear battlefield).
Armament
Base armament for the BRDM-2 scout car is a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun tied to a co-axial 7.62mm PKT general purpose machine gun. These are both fitted to the enclosed power turret and operate along the same firing arcs with elevation limited to -5 to +30 degrees. In fact, the BRDM-2 makes use of the same turret system as used on the BTR-60PB, BTR-70 and OT-64 Model 2A armored personnel carriers. 500 rounds of ammunition are afforded to the 14.5mm system while 2,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition are carried. Other variations of the BRDM-2 carry anti-tank or anti-aircraft missile system launchers in place of the machine gun armament.
Powerplant and Performance Marks
Power is supplied from a rear-mounted GAZ-41 series V-8 water-cooled gasoline engine delivering 140 horsepower at 3,400rpm (a bigger, more powerful engine over that in the BRDM-1). The placement of the engine in the rear makes it less susceptible to incoming enemy fire. Additionally, armor separates the engine compartment from the crew for added survivability. Maximum road speed is listed at 62 miles per hour while operational range is listed at about 466 miles. When fording water, the BRDM-2 can sustain a top speed of approximately 6.2 miles per hour. The vehicle measures in at 5.75m in length with a width equal to 2.75m while carrying a 2.31m height. The BRDM-2 grosses a 7,000kg operating weight and features a 430mm ground clearance. She has full 4x4 wheeled support. Upgraded BRDM-2s have featured improved engines.
Treading Water
As an amphibious-minded design, the BRDM-2 makes use of a single four-bladed water jet for propulsion in water. The jet is protected by an armor covering when the vehicle traverses land but must be removed before entering a body of water. Though the speed of the BRDM-2 in water is not excellent, it is serviceable and allows for an overall dynamically-minded platform.
Notable Variants
While the BRDM-2 extends well beyond its basic scout roles and appears in a myriad of battlefield forms, a few notable variants deserve mention. The BRDM-2-RKhb is a radiological-chemical reconnaissance variant and identified by her carrying of twin rectangular-shaped racks along her superstructure. The BRDM-2U is a command vehicle with specialized communications equipment. Anti-tank forms include the BRDM-2 chassis mounted with launchers for "Sagger", "Spandrel" and "Swatter" anti-tank missile systems. The BRDM-2 has also been converted to fire the SA-9 "Gaskin" anti-aircraft missile system.
BRDM-2 Drawbacks
As with many of the Cold War implements fielded by the Soviet Union, systems such as the BRDM-2 lack much in the way of "refinements" common to her Western counterparts. Little is given to general crew comfort and the GAZ engine is noted as being a thirsty beast, limiting her useful range. The crew is nary protected from many of the modern battlefield weapons that would be used against her armor, though this helps to keep her somewhat light and mobile. Of particular note is the use of the twin access hatches. These are fitted to the front of the vehicle, forcing a crew to abandon their mount, most likely in the line of enemy fire. Most modern systems feature some sort f emergency exit and this usually fitted to the rear hull.
Combat Forays
The BRDM-2 has since become a combat-tested system, and this occurring in a variety of climates and environments and under the direction of a multitude of users. The system was fielded by the Soviet Army in their War in Afghanistan to which some systems inevitably became part of the Afghan National Army, in turn, as captured spoils. The BRDM-2 was also fielded by Arab operators in the Six Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition (1968-1970) and the Yom Kippur War of 1973 against Israel. Israel captured some of these vehicles only to fit the TOW anti-tank missile launcher on the hull superstructures and use them against their former owners. A few retained models were made into museum "victory" pieces. American forces tangled with, and captured, several BRDM-2s during the 1983 invasion of Grenada through "Operation Urgent Fury". The Iraqi Army made use of the scout car in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 with limited success and, later, in the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 with even lesser success. The type also served in the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995) and the Kosovo War (1998-1999), proving her a viable player in the European environment.
Final Notes
The BRDM-2 has since (at least in theory) been replaced by the BRDM-3 series 8x8 wheeled reconnaissance vehicle. The BRDM-3 is based on the BTR-80 8x8 wheeled armored personnel carrier. The BTR-80 has itself replaced the BTR-60 and BTR-70 wheeled vehicles since its inception.
The United States evaluated captured BRDM-2s following the 1991 Persian Gulf War. One such example resides on display at the US National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia. During the Cold War years, HMMWVs (Humvees) were externally modified to resemble BRDM-2s during identification training / war game exercises. East German BRDM-2s became part of the unified German Army following the collapse of the Berlin Wall.
Many nations have already passed their BRDM-2s to other buyers or scrapped their existing fleets entirely.
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