Serbia presented modernized BVP M-80A infantry fighting vehicle

Serbia presented modernized BVP M-80A infantry fighting vehicle and the experimental firing from new weapons that the combat vehicle is equipped.

According to Acting Assistant Minister for Material Resources, Nenad Miloradović, BVP M-80A infantry fighting vehicle is one of the most important, if not the most important combat platform of the Land Forces and its modernization is one of the priorities of the Military Technical Institute’s development along with the Serbian Defense Industry.

“One of the basic requirements for modernization is to significantly increase the level of ballistic protection of this device and to increase the firepower” – Miloradović explains, adding that in order to increase the ballistic protection of the armored body, a complete reorganization of the interior space and elements for the accommodation of the crew of the vehicle was carried out and to compensate for the increase in the vehicle mass, the engine power was increased.

Miloradović emphasized that the dome on the vehicle is a brand new structure, with significantly higher levels of ballistic protection, more powerful weapons, 30 mm cannon, 30 mm automatic missile launcher, 2T5 radio guided missile family and wire guided modernized 2F and 2T Malyutka. He adds that the dome is equipped with a brand new optoelectronic system with a long range thermal imaging camera.

Colonel Zvonko Marić of the Planning and Development Department of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces points out three main reasons why the Serbian Armed Forces submitted a request for modernization of the BVP M-80A infantry fighting vehicle to the Military Technical Institute.

“The first reason is because there is a respectable number of such assets with the Land Forces and the Land Forces have high hopes for these assets in the future. The second task is to significantly improve the combat capabilities of this vehicle, thus widening the technological gap between the generational armaments, and we are witnessing that the surrounding countries are also arming themselves with or modernizing such or similar assets, which would be the third reason why all this is happening” – says Colonel Marić.