The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961. BTR stands for Bronetransportyor (БТР, Бронетранспортер, literally "armoured transporter").
The welded steel boat-shaped hull provides protection against small arms fire and shrapnel.
Origins
The truck-based BTR-152, developed after the Second World War, had given the Soviet Army useful experience of wheeled armoured personnel carriers. Between 1956 and 1957 a decision was made to convert all rifle and mechanized divisions into new motor rifle divisions and a requirement for a new vehicle was drawn up.
BTR-60
Development proceeded along two paths, a more expensive vehicle, that would eventually become the BMP-1, for use in tank divisions and a cheaper vehicle for use in motor rifle divisions. Two design bureaus were given the requirements, GAZ led by V. A. Dedkov, and ZiL led by Rodionov and Orlov. GAZ had already developed an 8 wheeled vehicle, the izdeliye 62B, this was used as the basis for the new izdeliye 49. The GAZ-49 petrol engine that had been used on the BRDM-1 vehicle was selected. ZiL developed a 6x6 design, the ZiL-153, similar in hull shape to the GAZ design. Both were submitted to state trials in 1959, and the GAZ design was selected and given the designation BTR-60P.
BTR-60P had an open roofed crew and troop compartments which was deemed to be a serious disadvantage because of that a new version, designated BTR-60PA, entered production in 1963. It had an armoured roof, though the capacity was reduced from 16 troopers to 14 troopers.
The appearance of the German HS.30 APC, armed with a 20 mm cannon prompted the addition of a small turret armed with 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun. The new vehicle was designated the BTR-60PAI and entered production in 1965. It was however quickly replaced by BTR-60PB which had better sighting system for the machine guns. The turret used, BPU-1, was originally developed for the BRDM-2.
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