BMP-1 advancing during a night time operation in Syria, 2008
BMP-1 stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty 1 (БМП-1, Боевая Машина Пехоты 1), meaning Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Introduced in the 1960's, it was the world's first true IFV instead of APC's. Fitted with steeply sloped frontal armor that offers protection against .50cal machine gun fire and light cannons, it was designed to offer protection and support to an infantry squad that it was able to carry to the battlefields. The armor quality of BMP-1's is questionable at best though with great variation in between production batches. It is armed with unstabilized 73mm smoothbore gun which fires low velocity HEAT rounds. The BMP is also fitted with an ATGM launcher on top of it's gun. Even though it was a formidable vehicle on the battlefield in the 1970's, it offers little threat to modern equipment. The fire control system is very primitive, and the vehicle has to be completely halted in order to fire and guide its missile. The Syrians still field a massive amount of BMP-1's with even up to 2000 still in service. It was succeeded by the BMP-2 . The IFV can be found in the games Combat Mission: Shock Force, Combat Mission: Afghanistan, Combat Mission: Black Sea and Combat Mission: Cold War.
Soviet BMP-1 dismounting in Afghan mountains, 1982
BMP-1: The base variant. Armed with AT-3 Sagger ATGM
BMP-1P: Armed with AT-4 Spigot ATGM. Otherwise the same vehicle.
BMP-1K: Command variant of BMP-1. Used by company HQ. Extra radio antennas on top of the hull. A reduction of 2 passenger seats was neccessary in order to include extra equipment.
BMP-1PK: Command variant of BMP-1P. Used by company HQ. Extra radio antennas on top of the hull. A reduction of 2 passenger seats was neccessary in order to include extra equipment.
Base game (CMA):
BMP-1: The BMP-1, going into service in the early 60’s, was the first true “armored fighting vehicle” in the world, capable of fighting on the battlefields along with infantry and tanks. Its armor can withstand high-caliber machinegun rounds while its 73mm gun and ATGM system on the turret are capable of causing severe losses to enemy infantry and tanks. A serious deficiency of the BMP-1 that became apparent in Afghanistan was the limited angle of elevation for its gun.
BMP-1P: Same as BMP-1 but with AT-4 instead of AT-3. In game files BMP-1P is absent.
BMP-1D: “Afghan” BMP versions differ from other models by their added side armor belts and stronger floor to better protect the vehicle from mines. Because of the added weight, these BMPs lost their ability to swim; however, the added protection was critical in Afghanistan. Anti-tank missiles were usually removed due to lack of appropriate targets. Sometimes troops installed automatic grenade launchers in their place, or mortars, and other heavy weapons.
BMP-1D in firing in Afghanistan. Notice the infantry firing from the firing ports, 1988
BMP-1K: The command versions of the BMP-1. They are equipped with additional radio transmitters, reducing their passenger capacity by 2 people. These command versions can be easily distinguished by the additional antennas. The Mujahidin rebels learned to target these vehicles first, leading Soviet troops to equip regular BMPs with dummy antennas to confuse the enemy.
BMP-1PK: Same as BMP-1K but with AT-4 instead of AT-3. In game files BMP-1PK is absent.
Base game (CMBS):
BRM-1K: BRMs (Boevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Mashina [Боевая Разведывательная Машина], or "Combat Recon Vehicle") are highly modified combat reconnaissance variants of BMPs. The BRM-1K is based on the BMP-1 chassis. The BRM-1K is equipped with a variety of surveillance equipment, including laser rangefinders, radio direction finders, ground surveillance radar, WMD detection devices, night vision devices, and extra communications equipment. Vehicle firepower is slightly downgraded with the deletion of the ATGM and most firing ports.
Base game (CMCW):
BMP-1: The base variant. Armed with AT-3 Sagger ATGM
BMP-1K: Command variant of BMP-1. Used by company HQ. Extra radio antennas on top of the hull. A reduction of 2 passenger seats was neccessary in order to include extra equipment.
BMP-1P: Armed with AT-4 Spigot ATGM. Otherwise the same vehicle.
BMP-1PK: Command variant of BMP-1P. Used by company HQ. Extra radio antennas on top of the hull. A reduction of 2 passenger seats was neccessary in order to include extra equipment.
BRM-1K: BRMs (Boevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Mashina [Боевая Разведывательная Машина], or "Combat Recon Vehicle") are highly modified combat reconnaissance variants of BMPs. The BRM-1K is based on the BMP-1 chassis. The BRM-1K is equipped with a variety of surveillance equipment, including laser rangefinders, radio direction finders, ground surveillance radar, WMD detection devices, night vision devices, and extra communications equipment. Vehicle firepower is slightly downgraded with the deletion of the ATGM and most firing ports.
