Report: Ukraine upgrades Soviet-era infantry combat vehicles
Even amidst the full-scale war with Russia, Ukraine’s defense industry continues to achieve significant milestones in the production of new weaponry and the modernization of existing weapon systems.
Recent images in social media show another iteration of the modernization of Soviet-era Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), which received additional armor and a new turret.
The turret is remote-controlled and features a 30mm automatic cannon KBP-2, a 7.62mm machine gun, a 30mm automatic grenade launcher, and optionally, two anti-tank “Barrier” missiles mounted on the sides of the turret.
This new armament system, developed by a private Ukrainian company on an initiative basis, was patented in 2023—during the ongoing conflict. It serves to improve the characteristics of the base BMP-1 model, enhancing the firepower and accuracy of the vehicle’s firepower.
According to the Defense Express, the modernization of the BMP-1 is a critical endeavor due to the inadequacy of the 73mm cannon 2A28 “Grom,” featuring manual (partially mechanized) loading and outdated sighting devices, which do not meet modern battlefield requirements.
This new modernization variant represents a cost-effective method to upgrade and refurbish the fleet of Soviet-era vehicles in service with the Ukrainian army. This initiative holds paramount importance as the Ukrainian forces continue to endure round-the-clock resistance against numerically and qualitatively superior Russian forces amidst challenging circumstances.
