Via Rianovosti.
MOSCOW, December 27 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Airborne Troops will receive the first BMD-4M airborne combat vehicles and BTR-MD Rakushka multirole transport vehicles by the end of 2013, Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Alexander Kucherenko said on Thursday.“Paratroopers are planning to receive 10 modernized BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles and 10 tracked Rakushka armored personnel carriers by mid-2013 for final testing and commissioning by the end of 2013,” Kucherenko said.A decision to adopt the long-awaited BMD-4Ms has been made in the beginning of December despite an earlier statement by former deputy defense minister Alexander Sukhorukov that the vehicle had not met the requirements and would not be bought by the military.The BMD-4M is the latest modification of an armored combat vehicle that can be para-dropped to provide firepower and support for airborne troops. It features a new chassis, a digital fire control system and a set of high-precision weaponry, including a 100-mm gun.The 13-ton vehicle has a crew of two and can carry six paratroopers.The Russian military is expected to acquire at least 1,000 BMD-4Ms under the current rearmament program until 2020.At present, 123 BMD-3 and 60 BMD-4 airborne combat vehicles are in service with the Russian Airborne Troops, with the rest being outdated BMD-2 models.This isn't exactly earth shattering news but it does indicate a capability gap.
The Russians will be able to deploy their Airborne Forces and once they hit the ground they will be mechanized versus our foot mobile forces.
Someone said that the US should develop a joint IFV that could be used by our Airborne, Air Assault, Marine Corps and attached to SOCOM when needed.
The Russians have done it. So should we.
I can't find the one where they roll on touchdown, but...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.military.com/video/operations-and-strategy/air-drop-operations/russian-airborne-air-drops-armoured-bmd-2/1481423477001/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4uGfOppQD_g
I don't see the West doing this. Not now.
Take care.
While the Russians have airborne units, much of their capability rested on the ability to capture airfields, then start landing planes with armor, etc.
ReplyDeleteThey dispensed with the notion that they would be deploying an entire division via air drops.
i'm not sure what their exact capabilities are but they have the institutional knowledge to be able to do it and if its limited to a battalion or regiment now then it still at the very least equals what we can do.
DeleteUS Airborne forces are light because they deploy strategically. Should we have some replaced the M551 sure but we're still talking a company to support a brigade. The Russians use their airborne forces entirely differently, aside from one light airborne brigade to use strategically.
ReplyDeleteRussian Airborne forces aren't in their army. They're a different service with a much higher ratio of professional troops. They're both a palace guard for the regime and used to deploy quickly as normal troops. Their airborne capability is at best useful operationally not strategically.
Moreover, they're normally going to be used within or near Russia with either a land supply line or one quickly established- see Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan and Chechnya. A better comparison of the VDV for the US is the USMC, both medium weight forces, although the Corps is also able to deploy strategically.
Even if we decided we needed some light airborne capability, beyond giving them back the light tank battalions, it's not clear to me we'd be better served with say a light armored airborne brigade or a light armored cavalry regiment? The Army had an ACR(L) but in it's wisdom decided it didn't need it, nor ACR's or any type. As if forces specifically trained as covering/screening, economy of force, and fighting for information aren't required anymore. Maybe they'll change their minds after finally realizing the binary brigade structure was ridiculous and will finally be done away with.
Russia has announced it will increase the size of their present # of Airborne forces from 34,000...to 72,000 men by 2019.
ReplyDelete