BTR-80

The BTR-80 is an eight-wheeled, all-wheel-drive amphibious armoured personnel carrier designed in the Soviet Union and adopted in 1985, when it replaced the BTR-60 and BTR-70 in the Soviet Army. It was first used in the Soviet-Afghan War and was later developed into the larger BTR-90. It is based on the BTR-70 but has a single 260 hp turbocharged V-8 diesel in place of the earlier twin petrol engines, which raised performance and reliability, and it has power steering, central tyre-pressure regulation, a self-recovery winch, fire suppression in the engine compartment, an NBC system and hydrojets for swimming. A manually operated turret carries a 14.5 mm KPVT and a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun, and the BTR-80A of 1994 mounts a 30 mm 2A72 cannon. It was built at the Arzamas plant that grew out of the Gorky Automobile Plant.