Russia
BTR-60 Armored Personnel Carrier
Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide

BTR-60PB
GENERAL DATA
  BTR-60PA BTR-60PB
Alternative Designations BTR-60PK
Country of OriginCIS (formerly USSR)
RoleAmphibious armored personnel carrier
Date Of Introduction 1963 1966
Crew 2 + 12-16 passengers 2 + 6-8 passengers
Combat Weight 11.1 tons (10.1 mt) 11.4 tons (10.3 mt)
Ground Pressure ? 12.8 psi (0.9 kg/cm²)
Drive Formula8 x 8
Length, Overall 24.8 ft (7.56 m)
Width, Overall 9.27 ft (2.825 m)
Height, Hull Top 6.74 ft (2.055 m)
Height, Turret Top N/A 7.58 ft (2.31 m)
Ground Clearance18.7 in (475 mm)
PERFORMANCE
  BTR-60PA BTR-60PB
EngineTwo 90 hp (67 kw) 6-cylinder gasoline
Range311 miles (500 km)
Fuel Capacity77 gal (290 l)
Road Speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Cross Country Speed?
Swim Speed6.2 mph (10 km/h)
Fording DepthAmphibious
Grade60%
Side Slope40%
Trench Crossing6.6 ft (2.0 m)
Vertical Wall Climb1.3 ft (0.4 m)
PROTECTION
  BTR-60PA BTR-60PB
Armor
Hull front, upper: 0.28 in (7 mm)
Hull front, lower: 0.35 in (9 mm)
Hull sides: 0.28 in (7 mm)
Hull rear, upper: 0.2 in (5 mm)
Hull rear, lower: 0.28 in (7 mm)
Hull top: 0.28 in (7 mm)
Hull floor: 0.2 in (5 mm)
 Hull same as BTR-60PA.
Turret: 0.28 in (7 mm)
Applique ArmorN/A
Explosive Reactive ArmorN/A
Active Protective SystemN/A
NBC Protection SystemCollective
Smoke EquipmentN/A
ARMAMENT
BTR-60PA
Type Mount Typical Ammo Load
14.5mm DShKM heavy machine gun Pintel; Belt feed 500.
APDS, API, API-T, HE-T, HEI, I-T
Two 7.62mm SGMB, PKB, or PKT machine guns Pintel; Belt feed 3,000.
Light Ball, Ball-T, API, API-T
Firing ports: 3 on each side of troop compartment

BTR-60PB
Type Mount Typical Ammo Load
14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun Turret; Belt feed 500.
API, API-T
7.62mm PKT machine gun Coaxial to main gun 3,000.
Light ball, Ball-T, API, API-T, I-T
Firing ports: 2 or 3 on each side of troop compartment
FIRE CONTROL
  BTR-60PA BTR-60PB
Fire Control SystemN/A
Main Gun StabilizationN/A
RangefinderN/A
Infrared Searchlight N/A Yes

NOTES

The BTR-60 (Bronetransporter-60) is a fully amphibious eight-wheel-drive vehicle that is propelled through the water by a water jet mounted at the rear of the hull.

The vehicle has an all-welded hull with the driver and commander seated at the front and a personnel compartment behind them. The engine compartment is at the rear. The driver sits on the left with the vehicle commander to his right.

VARIANTS

BTR-60P
1961. Original production model. Open top. Armed with one to three machine guns: a 14.5mm DShKM and two 7.62mm SGMB/PKB/PKT; or one to three 7.62mm SGMB/PKB/PKT.

GTA 17-2-8: BTR-60P
Recognition features:
  • Four large wheels on each side.
  • Foot steps between the wheels.
  • Torsion bar suspension with the first and second road wheels on each side provided with two hydraulic shock absorbers. The third and fourth road wheels are provided with a single hydraulic shock absorber.
  • A vision block to the left of the driver and right of the commander.
  • A windscreen to the front of the driver and commander that is covered by a hinged flap during action.
  • An infrared searchlight above the windscreen.
  • Two half doors and three firing ports in each side of the hull. The firing ports fire forward only, not to the side.
  • A two-part circular plate that covers the water jet exit when the water jet is not in use.
  • A trim vane that is erected at the front of the hull before the vehicle enters the water. The trim vane is stowed flat under the nose of the vehicle when not required.
  • A front-mounted winch.
  • Mufflers on both sides at rear of vehicle.

Defenselink website: BTR-60P
Drawing of BTR-60P, right rear view.
14-NOV-1984
U.S. DoD Photo
800x400, 63K, JPEG
BTR-60P Maintenance Assistance
These BTR-60Ps have been converted for maintenance roles and have a raised tarpaulin covering the troop compartment.
BTR-60PA, BTR-60PK
1963. See data above. This vehicle is a roofed variant of the BTR-60P open-hatch armored carrier. The commander's and driver's positions are identical to those on the original BTR-60P except that the driver has a roof-mounted periscope and both have a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear.

Behind the commander's and driver's hatches is a single rear-opening rectangular hatch, in front of which is mounted a 14.5mm or 7.62mm machine gun. Many of these vehicles also have a 7.62mm machine gun mounted on each side of this hatch cover.

A right-opening hatch cover is provided in the roof of the personnel compartment towards the rear on the right side. Three firing ports are provided on each side of the hull. No entry doors are provided on the hull sides.

A notable vulnerability is that passengers have to exit the vehicle through top hatches, which makes them vulnerable to fires. Also, gunners must be at least shoulder high out of the vehicle to operate the weapons.

OPFOR WEG: BTR-60PA
BTR-60PB
1965. See data above. This variant is essentially the BTR-60PA fitted with a machine gun turret and other modifications.

The BTR-60PB has a filtration and overpressurization system for NBC protection.

The APC has self-sealing tires and a central tire inflation system. A vulnerability is that troops must dismount from the top.

Late production BTR-60PBs have the same sighting improvement as the BTR-70, which consists of a small additional periscopic sight on the turret roof.

In Afghanistan a variety of weapons were used, such as the AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher instead of the main gun. Current options include several one-man turrets, such as the Modular Weapons Station (as on BTR-80A, with a 30mm gun), or Kliver (with a 30mm gun, 7.62mm coax MG, thermal sights, superior day sights, and four Kornet ATGM launchers).

BTR-60PB
Recognition features:
  • Four large wheels on each side.
  • Foot steps between the wheels on both sides.
  • Roof-mounted periscopes for observation to the front and sides of the vehicle in place of the vision blocks immediately in front of the commander and driver.
  • A turret that is identical to that fitted to the Soviet BRDM-2 amphibious scout car (ASC) and the Czechoslovakian OT-64 armored personnel carrier (APC).
  • A single-piece left-opening hatch cover to the rear of the turret on the right side. To the left rear of this is a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right.
  • A single door that opens forwards and two or three firing ports, that only fire forward 60°, and vision blocks in each side of the hull.
  • High hull mounted exhausts mounted on both sides.
  • A large hydro-jet cover mounted at the rear.
  • Horizontal climbing handles on the sides.
  • A trim vane mounted below the bow.
  • A covered troop compartment.
  • Two square hatches on the top rear.
  • Well-sloped armor.
  • Mufflers on both sides at rear of vehicle.


Defenselink website: BTR-60PB
BTR-60PB seized by U.S. forces.
Operation Urgent Fury
01-OCT-1983
U.S. DoD Photo
1024x700, 180K, JPEG
Defenselink website: BTR-60PB
BTR-60PB seized by U.S. forces.
Operation Urgent Fury
01-OCT-1983
U.S. DoD Photo
1024x671, 155K, JPEG
Defenselink website: BTR-60PB
BTR-60PB left front view.
27-APR-1989
U.S. DoD Photo
1024x600, 169K, JPEG
Defenselink website: BTR-60PB
BTR-60PB left side view.
14-NOV-1984
U.S. DoD Photo
1024x530, 145K, JPEG
Defenselink website: BTR-60PB
BTR-60PB left front view.
14-NOV-1984
U.S. DoD Photo
1024x525, 155K, JPEG
Defenselink website: BTR-60PB
Soviet naval infantrymen man BTR-60PBs in front of a Pomornik class air cushion landing craft on the beach.
04-AUG-1989
U.S. DoD Photo by PH2 Mark Kettenhofen
1024x600, 152K, JPEG
BTR-60PB FAC
Turreted forward air control variant without gun. This version is essentially the BTR-60PB with the armament removed. The resulting turret port is covered by a plexiglass observation window. A generator is also mounted on the top of the hull at the rear to power additional communications equipment.
BTR-60PBK
Company commander variant with 3 additional radios
BTR-60PU
Armored command vehicle (ACV) variant with a 10 meter mast radio antenna and front-to-rear rail antenna for mobile use. It is easily recognizable by the bent, dipole antenna that runs nearly all around the top of the vehicle. The BTR-60PU has no turret, and normally does not have integral armament.
BTR-60PU-12, BTR-60PU-12M
Air defense associated armored command vehicle (ACV) and its upgrade.
BTR-60PZ
Final production model, with 1PZ-2 roof-mounted periscope and high angle-of-fire turret.
BTR-60R-975
Forward air controller turreted variant.
BTR-60MS
This radio vehicle is equipped with a radio and a telescopic antenna.
MTP-2
Armored recovery vehicle.
R-145BM
Armored command vehicle (ACV) with R-111, R-123, and R-130M radios and the distinctive Clothesline antenna.

Last updated:  01-NOV-2007
Copyright ©2007 Gary W. Cooke
To the best of my knowledge all military data and images presented in these pages are UNCLASSIFIED, NON-SENSITIVE, and approved for public release.

Sources:
GTA 17-2-8: Armored Vehicle Recognition, February 1977.
IN0534: Vehicle Recognition (Threat Armor), Edition D.
OPFOR Worldwide Equipment Guide, 2001.
U.S. DoD Defenselink website.