The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps’ Research and Self Sufficiency Jahad Organization (RSSJO) has designed and manufactured a new turret for BMP-2 armoured personnel carriers.
Experts at Martyr Zeynoddin Institute of the organization have designed the new turret for the personnel carriers employed by the IRGC Ground Force.
Unlike old ones, the new turret is unmanned, which provides extra protection for the gunner and commander while reducing the weight.
The vehicle is equipped with new targeting and fire-control systems that allow the gunner to sit inside the personnel carrier and be protected against anti-armour projectiles.
The new fire-control system has a new stabilizer to reduce targeting errors.
The turret was equipped with a stabilized 30 mm 2A42 autocannon with dual ammunition feeds. In addition, the turret has a PKT machine gun, and an NSVT 12.7 machine gun.
The institute’s experts are going to install anti-armour guided missiles on the towers in the next phase of upgrading.
The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. The BMP-1 and BMP-2 have almost identical road performance while the BMP-2 is heavier, but also has a more powerful engine to compensate.
Iran has ordered 1,500 BMP-2 in 1991 from Russia and 413 were delivered between 1993 and 2001. It is believed that 400 BMP-2 are currently in service.
