BTR-60PB Russian 8x8 Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)

The BTR-60PB armored personnel carrier is a further development of the previous BTR-60PA. This APC was produced in large numbers. Its production commenced in 1966 and ceased in 1976. For a long period of time, the BTR-60PB was used to transport Soviet motorized infantry troops. It has also been exported to a number of countries. Despite its age, the BTR-60PB is still in service with at least 30 operators worldwide. The BTR-60 PB has the main entry that differs from the PA in the adoption of the BRDM-2's machine-gun turret holding machine guns of two different calibers, a 14.5-mm machine gun, with a 7.62-mm machine gun mounted co-axially. Some later variants have similar sighting equipment to the BTR-70; there is a small periscopic sight on the turret roof. It has well-sloped armor on the sides and an overhead armor cover. The hull is of all-welded steel construction, with the driver and commander seated at the front, a personnel compartment in the mid-section, on top of which is a one-man turret, with the engine compartment at the rear of the hull. Troops enter from a top hatch. The BTR-60PB performs wellgoing cross-country in conditions that favor wheels. On land or water, the vehicle is steered by the front two sets of wheels, which have power steering. The boat-shaped hull with sloped sides provides good swimming capability and helps deflect hostile fire. The BTR-60PB has searchlight and IR equipment, allowing it to conduct night operations. The Kharkiv Morozov Machine-Building Design Bureau (KMDB) offers a version of the BTR-60PB with a new power pack. The upgrade replaces the original Russian-made GAZ-49B carburetor-type engines with a Ukrainian-made UTD-20 diesel engine. The new engine provides a 20 percent decrease in fuel consumption; an increase in cruising range from 310 mi (500 km) to 373 mi (600 km); and a better power-to-weight ratio.