JSC Rosoboronexport (part of the Rostec State Corporation) and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia recently signed a contract on the supplies of BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles and amphibious Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) BT-3F developed and produced by JSC Kurganmashzavod in the interests of the country’s Marine Corps.
“The contract on the supplies of BT-3Fs to Indonesia has become the first Russia’s export deal on these new vehicles in history. The design reflected the requests of the partners as well as their experience of using BMP-3Fs, which were delivered to them earlier. Indonesia is very scrupulous about the selection of materiel for its armed forces, and this contract is a serious marker of the highest quality of the Russian weapons and their superiority over competitors,” said Rosoboronexport’s Director General Alexander Mikheev.
Amphibious armored personnel carrier BT-3F was developed on the basis of BMP-3F and designed for the transportation of units of the marines, coastal guard and land forces, as well as for the fire support of landed parties in all types of combat operations.
The APC is capable of transporting 17 people, including crew members. The control compartment hosts the driver, a member of the landing party and commander’s assistant - at the left and right sides accordingly, both being capable of firing machine guns.
The APC is equipped with energy-absorbing folding chairs, providing a significant reduction in shock loads on the spine when exploded on a mine and when driving on rough terrain. The seats are equipped with five-point seat belts. In addition, the vehicles are equipped with an aggregate compressor air conditioning, which is vital for the conditions of a hot tropical climate.
The roof of the BT-3F accommodates a two-plane stabilized remote-controlled combat module with a 12.7 mm machine gun. For the purposes of monitoring the terrain and aiming, the combat module is equipped with a tele-thermal imaging sight with a laser rangefinder. The module is equipped with a built-in diagnostic system and ammunition counter with an indication of the “ran out of ammunition”.
A high level of unification in the case of the BT-3F Armored Personnel Carriers and BMP-3/BMP-3F reduces expenses and personnel training costs, simplifies the provision of spare parts and consumables, as well as their joint combat use.
“Indonesia is one of Rostec’s key partners in South-East Asia. The country is fulfilling both the projects in the area of military and technical cooperation and in the field of civilian products and transfer of technologies together with the enterprises of the state corporation. For instance, Rostec is exporting to Indonesia a wide spectrum of medical equipment. A subsidiary of the KAMAZ company has been established in the country to deal with the supplies of trucks to the local market,” said Sergey Chemezov, Rostec’s Head.
“We see a huge potential for the development of cooperation. Rostec is not just offering the entire range of armaments and civilian products of the state corporation, it is ready to build industrial partnerships of the highest profile,” he noted.
The military and technical cooperation between the USSR and the Republic of Indonesia has been carried out since 1958. Intensification of military-technical ties between Moscow and Djakarta took place in late 1990s – early 2000s. In general, since November 1992, the total volume of military products, supplied to Indonesia, has made up over US$ 2.5 billion.
Since then Indonesia has received BTR-80A Armored Personnel Carriers, BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles, Kalashnikov assault rifles of the “100th” series, Su type planes and Mi type helicopters, as well as other types of weapons and military equipment.
