Tank support combat vehicle is a highly protected combat track vehicle having powerful multi-channel armament with three independent zones of fire, high maneuverability and perfect fire control devices. In combined-arms battle the vehicle is used for destruction and neutralization of manpower dangerous to tanks, for destruction of armoured means and demolition of heavy shelters or strengthened weapon emplacements.

The vehicle is used under different climatic conditions by day and at night. It may be used in wooden and mountainous country and in urban zones.

During the Ural 2000 defence exhibition, Russia showed the Tank Support Combat Vehicle (BMPT). This has been developed by the Urals Transport Machinery Design Bureau Federal State Unitary Enterprise and the Uralvagonzavod Production Association State Unitary Enterprise.

During the fighting in Chechnya, Russian armoured fighting vehicles, such as the T-72 and T-80 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), and Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), such as the BMP-2, were attacked and neutralised at short ranges by man-portable anti-tank weapons.

The role of the new BMPT would be to provide fire support for the MBT with the aim of neutralising infantry, especially those equipped with anti-armour weapons. It has not been designed for use as a heavy infantry fighting vehicle.

Brand new vehicles could be built to the BMPT standard or surplus T-72 MBT chassis could be rebuilt to this configuration.

In Russian the designation BMPT stands for Boyevaya Mashina Podderzhki Tankov - or Tank Combat Support Vehicle.

As mentioned below, two versions of the BMPT have been developed to the prototype stage. It is understood that the second version described below is the one now entering production for the Russian Army and that these will be based on the chassis of the more recent T-90 MBT.

The prototype of the BMPT is based on the chassis of the well-known T-72 MBT which is used in large numbers by the Russian Army and has been manufactured under licence by many countries.

To the rear of the driver's compartment, at the front of the vehicle, the hull has been raised providing greater internal volume. On top of the hull is mounted a new turret armed with an externally mounted 30 mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon with a cyclic rate of fire of up to 600 rds/min. A total of 500 rounds of ready use ammunition are carried.

This 30 mm 2A42 cannon can fire a wide range of ammunition types including High Explosive - Tracer (HE-T), Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS), High-Explosive FRAGmentation (HE-FRAG) and Armour-Piercing - Tracer (AP-T).

Mounted coaxial with the 30 mm cannon is a 30 mm AG-30 or AGS-17A automatic grenade launcher which can be a stabilised in two axis.

Mounted on the left side of the turret is a four-round launcher for the KBP Instrument Design Bureau 9M113 Konkurs (NATO AT-5 Spandrel) Anti-Tank Guided Weapon (ATGW) which has a maximum range of 4,000 m and can be fitted with various types of warhead. These include a tandem HEAT warhead to defeat targets fitted with explosive reactive armour.

To enable targets to be engaged under day and night conditions when the BMPT is stationary or moving, a computerised fire-control system is fitted, which uses proven elements from that fitted to the T-90S series MBT.

This includes a PNK range-finding sight, day and thermal sighting systems, Agat-MR course operator's sight, combined day and night sighting system with image converter tube. Either the commander or gunner can lay the weapons onto the target using the PNK sighting system.

There is a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun mounted in either side of the raised superstructure to provide suppressive fire over the frontal arc and aimed via a roof mounted periscope sighting device. As an alternative these can be replaced by a 30 mm automatic grenade launcher with a similar sighting system. Standard 81 mm smoke grenade launchers are positioned on the hull and turret to cover the frontal arc.

The driver, seated in the centre of the hull at the front, has day vision devices and a TBH-5 night driving device with a range of 60 to 180 m.

The BMPT has a combat weight of 47 tonnes and has a crew of five, maximum road speed is 65 km/h and cruising range, with external drum type diesel fuel tanks at the rear, is 550 km.

The power pack, mounted at the rear, consists of a B92C2 four-stroke multifuel diesel with liquid cooling and supercharging, develops 1,000 hp and gives the vehicle a power-to-weight ratio of 21.2 hp/tonne.

For a higher rate of battlefield survivability, the BMPT is fitted with additional explosive reactive armour, on the front and sides. The forward part of the suspension either side is provided with skirts fitted with explosive reactive armour, while the rear part of the suspension is fitted with a grill-type passive armour array. This has been designed to detonate the incoming High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) projectile before it impacts the main armour.

Standard equipment includes NBC system, 5 kW diesel generator, which is mounted in an armoured compartment on the right side of the hull and an automatic two-shot fire detection and suppression system. A laser detection system is fitted which can be used in conjunction with the 81 mm smoke grenade launchers.

Mounted at the front of the hull is a standard T-72 type dozer blade that can be used for clearing obstacles or for preparing fire positions. If required, the vehicle can be fitted with various types of mineclearing equipment, such as the KMT-8 plough type device or the EMT system, which has been designed to detonate magnetic mines well ahead of the vehicle.

The second example of the BMPT tank combat support vehicle differs from the first example in a number of key areas.

The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle in the centre as usual and has a single-piece hatch cover that lifts and swings to the right. He is provided with a single wide-angle day periscope, which can be replaced by a passive periscope for driving at night.

To the left and right of the driver's position is a seat for the 30 mm grenade operator. This crew member is provided with a hatch that opens to the rear and in the front of this is a large Arat-MP day/night sight periscope with a standard observation periscope either side.

Mounted in an armoured box on each side of the hull is a 30 mm AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher which provides suppressive fire over the frontal arc. These are fed from armoured magazines mounted either side of the hull just over the track.

Mounted in the centre of the hull is a newly designed power-operated turret with seats for the gunner on the left and vehicle commander on the right.

The gunner has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and in front of this is a large day/night sighting system. The sight is designated the model 7121 and is stabilised in two axes. It has day and thermal imaging channels, laser range-finder and missile guidance channel. The gunner also has at least two standard observation periscopes. Magnification of the main gunner's sight is ×4 and ×12.

The vehicle commander has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear plus at least four day observation periscopes and a video display of the roof-mounted sight.

A computerised day/night fire-control system is fitted as standard and the gunner is provided with a video from the commander's roof-mounted stabilised sight.

The weapon station is mounted externally and above and in the middle are two 30 mm 2A42 cannon with a 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun mounted above.

Turret traverse is powered through 360° with weapon elevation from -5 to +45°. Mounted on either side of the turret are two missile launchers for the Kolomna KBM 9K120 Ataka (AT-9) anti-tank guided weapon and these have an elevation from -5 to + 25°. These missiles have a maximum range of 5,800 m and can be fitted with various types of warhead including tandem high explosive anti-tank, thermobaric and continuous rod high explosive.

Mounted externally on the right side of the turret, well above the weapons, is the commander's stabilised panoramic sight model 7119 which has a day/night low level television channel and a laser range-finder. This would be used to carry out hunter/killer engagements. The sight is stabilised in two axes.

Standard equipment includes additional armour protection, fire detection and suppression system, auxiliary power unit and an automatic defensive aids suite that includes laser detectors and banks of 81 mm model 902A electrically-operated grenade launchers.

According to the manufacturer, the BMPT has a higher level of protection than the MBT chassis on which it is based.

In mid-2006 the Uralvagonzavod facility stated that the second model of the BMPT tank support combat vehicle had completed its official tests and will be accepted into the Russian Army.

It was also stated the BMPT has been included in the revised state armament program for 2005 through to 2015.

This vehicle was developed in Ukraine and details are given under Ukraine. It remains at the prototype stage. This is based on a modified T-84 MBT chassis with seven road wheels either side.