The BTR-60PB is an eight-wheel-drive vehicle with evenly spaced wheels, except for a slightly larger space between the second and third wheels. It has a long, boat-like hull with well-sloped armor on the sides and overhead armor cover. Its small conical turret is identical to that of the BRDM-2.

The turret sits over the second set of wheels and mounts co-axial 14.5-mm and 7.62-mm machine guns. The BTR-60PB has a three-man crew: the commander, the driver, and the gunner. There are two semicircular hatches for the crew in front of the turret.

The vehicle also has two rectangular hatches behind the turret for mount and dismount of up to eight passengers. There are three firing ports in each side of the troop compartment.

The rear-mounted power plant employs two 6-cylinder, 90-hp gasoline engines. A single waterjet propels the vehicle through water. The tires are partially filled with a foam-rubber-like substance. They have a centralized pressure regulation system. The hull of the BTR-60PB is all-welded steel with the driver and commander seated at the front of the hull, personnel compartment behind them and the engine compartment at the very rear of the hull.

The turret, which is identical to that fitted to the BRDM-2 and the Czechoslovak OT-64 (8 x 8) APC, is armed with a 14.5-mm KPV machine gun and a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun mounted coaxially to right with the telescopic sight mounted coaxially to the left.

The two gasoline engines are mounted at the rear of the hull: the first and third axles are powered through the transmission of the right engine and the second and fourth axles through the transmission of the left engine.

All eight wheels are powered and the first four, which are used for steering, are power-assisted. The vehicle can be driven with one wheel missing from the second axle.

A central tire-pressure regulation system fitted as standard on all BTR-60 series APCs enables the driver to adjust the tire pressure to suit the ground being crossed. The BTR-60P is fully amphibious being propelled in the water by a single water-jet mounted at the rear of the hull.

BTR-60P This is the original BTR-60, and it has no overhead cover or turret. The troop compartment is completely exposed and is often covered with bows and canvas.

BTR-60PA This model, also referred to as the BTR-60PK, has complete overhead armor protection for the troop compartment and is fitted with an NBC system.

BTR-60PBK This is a command variant of the BTR-60PK used by company commanders.

BTR-60 1V18 This vehicle serves as an artillery observation post and is fitted with additional radios and fire direction computers.

BTR-60 1V19 This vehicle serves a the fire direction center for wheeled artillery and MRL batteries. It is also equipped with additonal radios and fire control computers.

BTR-60PU Command Vehicle The vehicle, which serves as a mobile command post, consists of a BTR-60PA with a generator mounted on the roof, and various antennas mounted on the roof and hull sides. Most often, this vehicle is fitted with a 10-m HAWKEYE antenna at the right front, and often with a CLOTHESLINE rail antenna running along thefront, left, and rear of the hull roof.

BTR-60PU-12 Command Vehicle

BTR-60PU-12M This is a BTR-60PU-12 fitted with equipment to serve as an air defense command post vehicle.

BTR-60P Maintenance Assistance A number of older BTR-60P APCs have been converted for use in the maintenance assistance role and have a raised tarpaulin cover over the troop compartment that runs almost to the rear. This may have the designation of MTR-2.

BTR-60PB Forward Air Control Vehicle With the armament removed and replaced with a plexiglass window, and additional radios fitted, this vehicle acts as a forward air control vehicle. A generator is mounted on the hull rear to provide power for the additional electrical equipment.