BTR-82A

The BTR-82A is an 8×8 wheeled amphibious infantry fighting vehicle developed in Russia from the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier. The BTR-80 was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1985 and was itself derived from the BTR-70 and BTR-60. The BTR-82A is manufactured by the Arzamas Machine-Building Plant. Its prototype was first shown in November 2009, as was that of the BTR-82, a parallel version that retains the 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun. The Russian Ministry of Defense adopted the BTR-82A in early 2013, and the first batch of the BTR-82AM naval infantry variant was delivered the same year.

Further contracts were placed in August 2022. In July 2023, the Russian defence minister stated that BTR-82A deliveries from the Arzamas plant had increased fourfold since early 2022. An upgraded version with enhanced ballistic and anti-mine protection was unveiled in August 2023.

Compared with the BTR-80, the BTR-82A has improved armor and spall liners. It also has a TKN-4GA-02 night vision device, a GLONASS satellite navigation system, and a more powerful 300 hp diesel engine. The main armament is the 30 mm 2A72 autocannon, which is lighter and less complex than the 2A42, with a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun. Both are mounted in the BPPU turret introduced on the BTR-80A.

The vehicle retains the general layout of the BTR-80:

• Hydrojets for amphibious propulsion.
• Six 81 mm 902V "Tucha" smoke grenade launchers on the turret rear.
• Round firing ports with ball mounts, with the forward ports set in angled recesses so infantry can fire to the front.
• Horizontally split side doors. The upper half opens forward to shield dismounting troops from frontal small arms fire, and the lower half folds down to form a step.

Russia has also fitted the BTR-82A with the AU-220M Baikal remote weapon station, which carries an autocannon firing 57×348SR mm ammunition.

Variants and derivatives include:

• BTR-82AM: used by naval infantry and identified by a closed, welded embrasure in the front of the hull.
• Mars-2000: a reconnaissance combat vehicle based on the BTR-82.
• BPDM 15TS56M "Typhoon-M": a base security vehicle developed on the BTR-82 for the Strategic Rocket Forces, replacing older vehicles on BTR-60/70 chassis.

Russia is the principal operator, fielding the BTR-82A alongside the BTR-80 in large numbers. Azerbaijan operates the type together with the BTR-80A. Russia has offered Argentina a factory to build the BTR-80 and BTR-82.

Around September 2015, a Syrian government television report showed a BTR-82A in combat in Syria with crew members speaking Russian. Analysts and Russian opposition research groups, including the Conflict Intelligence Group, cited the footage as evidence that Russian armored units were fighting anti-government forces directly.

The BTR-82A has been used by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022. Ukraine reportedly captured 134 BTR-82As during the invasion.