BMD-4M
An item on pending troop testing of the BMD-4M for VDV . . . . No, they aren’t in the force yet. Despite the optimism expressed below, it remains to be seen if the Defense Ministry will actually order the system upon completion of troop testing. It sounds like the designers and builders have footed the bill — 200 million rubles — for the system’s development thus far.
From this week’s Voyenno-promyshlennyy kuryer:
“Troop testing of the modernized airborne combat vehicle BMD-4M is being conducted in the course of the 98th Airborne-Assault Division’s command-staff exercise (KShU), which will take place from 23 to 28 August near Ivanovo.”
“During the airdrop of military equipment, seven BMD crews will be inside the combat compartment of these vehicles. Immediately on landing, the crews will move out to fulfill combat missions on unfamiliar terrain in the notional enemy’s rear area.”
“An airdrop of parachute troops and military equipment from aircraft of Military-Transport Aviation will occur in the course of the divisional KShU, which will be directed by VDV Commander General-Lieutenant Vladimir Shamanov. In all, it’s planned to airdrop 15 pallets with military equipment, including the BMD-4M.”
“After the completion of troop testing of the modernized combat vehicle, development of which Kurganmashzavod, the Volgograd Tractor Plant and other enterprises of the ‘Tractor Plants’ Concern are engaged in, it will be accepted into the arms inventory of the ‘winged infantry’ and included in the state defense order.”
“Development and production of the BMD-4M is being conducted with the agreement of the Defense Ministry at the concern’s expense. Expenditures on the first test models amounted to nearly 200 million rubles.”
Russian Defense Policy 