BSCh-5

The BSCh-5 (formal designation: 5호 분대 수송 장갑차 / 五號分隊輸送裝甲車, O-ho Bundae Susong Janggabcha, "No.5 Armored Squad Transport;" short designation: 분수차-5 Bunsucha-o) is a tracked, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle developed in the Democratic People's Republic of Menghe and inherited by the Socialist Republic of Menghe, which continued production until 2008. Despite its superficial resemblance to the BMP-2, it actually predates the latter vehicle by two years, and was developed independently to meet a requirement from the Menghean Army. This makes it Menghe's first domestically developed infantry fighting vehicle.

Though it has since been succeeded by the heavier BSCh-8, the BSCh-5 remains the most numerous IFV in service with the Menghean Army, with over 17,000 produced over the course of 30 years. Its hull forms the basis for a number of specialized vehicles, including tank destroyers, mortar carriers, and self-propelled artillery guns. Unlike the BSCh-8, it is fully amphibious, and it has been upgraded over the years to match its predecessor's firepower. Its main drawback is its relatively thin armor, though even in this regard it is broadly comparable to contemporary amphibious IFVs.

Development

In the late 1960s, the DPRM imported a batch of Letnian BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, as well as the necessary equipment to license-produce the BMP-1 as the BSCh-1. Rugged, reliable, and among the first true IFVs, the BMP-1 design was generally well-liked, but Menghean commanders soon accumulated a number of complaints about the vehicle's configuration. First, its one-man turret gave the vehicle commander poor visibility to the rear and hindered communication with the gunner. This configuration also meant that the platoon commander had to either ride in the rear of the vehicle or trade places with the squad commander of one vehicle, in either case limiting the unit's effectiveness. The 73mm Grom cannon also earned a poor reputation among Menghean crews and commanders, who regarded it as too inaccurate to be effective against moving tank targets. Whether this was a result of poor manufacturing, inadequate training, incorrect wind correction, or a preference for longer-range engagements remains unclear, but the weapon appears to have left a negative impact on Menghean units. Harder to dispute is the 73mm Grom's lack of anti-aircraft capability, which leaves the vehicle defenseless against helicopters unless it is carrying a MANPADS squad.

Consequently, in the early 1970s the Menghean Army drew up a list of requirements for a new infantry fighting vehicle and submitted them to the Ministry of National Defense. Chief among the requirements was a two-person turret which seated the vehicle commander alongside the gunner under a cupola with 360-degree traverse coverage. The main armament of the vehicle would be an autocannon with sufficient elevation to engage helicopters and sufficient penetration to engage enemy APCs. In all other respects, the vehicle was expected to match or exceed the characteristics of the BMP-1: fully amphibious, armored against 23mm autocannon fire from the frontal arc, and equipped with firing ports to suppress enemy infantry in a breakthrough attack. Sim Jin-hwan, then General-Secretary of the Menghean People's Communist Party, signed off on the idea, anticipating that a domestically designed IFV would be a good way to test Menghe's industrial capability and showcase its economic progress.

The Ryŏjin Machine Building Plant responded by producing a prototype vehicle designated Si.133, in effect a lengthened BSCh-2 with a two-person turret. The turret in question followed a truncated cone shape, like the turret of the BSCh-3, but was fitted with two 14.5mm heavy machine guns. This entry had good anti-aircraft performance at close range, and good suppressive effects, but poor range and a low top speed. The Taehwa Defense Plant's prototype, Si.134, used a new hull following the BSCh-3's general configuration, but fitted it with a new turret armed with a single 23mm autocannon. This weapon was taken from the twin-barreled DGP-23-2 anti-aircraft gun, and retains the distinctive flash hider at the end of the barrel. Si.134 was deemed more complex and expensive, but also more capable, as its main armament had a longer range and greater penetration.

Not coincidentally, the resulting vehicle resembled BMP-2, which emerged from similar requirements. Nevertheless, there are some prominent differences between the two vehicles. First, the BSCh-5 uses an entirely new hull and turret compared with the BSCh-3 (BMP-1), and can be identified by the steeper glacis plate and the lack of a "tapered" rear hull. Second, the BSCh-5 has an octagonal welded turret rather than the truncated cone turret seen on many Letnian vehicles. Third, within that turret, the commander is seated on the left and the gunner is seated on the right. This arrangement, which differs from all other Menghean two-person turrets, allows the platoon commander to climb backward into the vacant seat when the squad commander dismounts. The BSCh-5G and BSCh-5N also have distinct waist-mounted machine guns, unique among IFVs, though later variants deleted these in favor of conventional firing ports.

As on the BMP-2, these changes - especially the larger turret - required a reduction in squad size. The number of crew members remained at three, but the number of dismounts fell to seven, with six in the rear of the vehicle and the seventh sitting behind the driver. Mechanized squad structure changed accordingly: the machine gunner's assistant was removed, and extra magazines were instead distributed among the other squad members.

Design

Layout

Like the BSCh-3, the BSCh-5 has its transmission in the front of the hull, with the engine in the front right. The driver sits to the left of the engine in a reclined seat with three periscopes, of which the central unit can be replaced by a night-vision sight or a periscope to see over the raised trim vane. Behind the driver is an extra seat for one passenger, also fitted with periscopes. In practice, this seat is usually assigned to the platoon headquarters staff – either a lieutenant, a staff sergeant, or a marksman.

To the rear of the second passenger and engine lies an all-welded turret with a roughly octagonal shape. As in the JCh-5 main battle tank, the gunner sits on the left and the commander sits on the right, with the receiver of the autocannon extending between them. Variants prior to "R" give the commander a pintle-mounted GCh-77 machine-gun, which can only be operated with the hatch open and the commander exposed. This position also gives the commander better visibility: until the BSCh-5R introduced an all-around cupola, the commander had only three periscopes.

The remainder of the rear hull is taken up by the main passenger compartment, which has six seats in two outward-facing rows of three. This configuration borrows heavily from the BMP-1 and BMP-2. The passengers enter and exit through two doors in the hull rear, also similar to the BMP-1/BSCh-3 except that the doors are made of thinly spaced hardened steel only and do not include built-in fuel tanks. This decision somewhat reduces the risk of fire if the vehicle is penetrated from behind, but it also reduces the BSCh-5's road range, and does not allow crews to load the doors with sand or water for added protection.

There are also two large hatches on the roof for vertical dismounting. These have the hinges on the outer edge, in contrast to the inner-edge hatches on the BSCh-3, making it somewhat harder to dismount while moving as soldiers must climb forward of the extended hatches. The supposed advantage of such a layout is that it allows the crew to lock the hatches in the 90-degree vertical position and use them as cover when firing from a standing position. For this purpose, they can fire forward through the space between the hatch side and turret, or through a firing port in the hatch itself. From the 2000s onward, Menghean Army doctrine discouraged this approach, in part because the hatches are not thick enough to withstand armor-piercing 7.62mm ammunition. The hatch viewports do provide some natural lighting in the crew compartment, however, and can be opened for added ventilation.

Safer internal fire can be performed via three firing ports on either side of the hull, with viewports to facilitate aiming. An additional firing port is installed in the center of the rear door, and can be used to clear resistance before dismounting or to check for enemy units behind the vehicle. These are compatible with both assault rifles and light machine guns based on them, although they are not compatible with heavier GPMGs. On early variants, the air pumps were apparently insufficient to counter the buildup of gunsmoke in the passenger compartment, leading dismounts to open the roof hatches for ventilation or stand and fire over the walls of the vehicle instead. The BSCh-5R installed a more powerful air filtration system, which purported to address this problem.

Armament

The main armament of all BSCh-5 variants prior to "B" is the GP-30/80 autocannon. This is a license-produced copy of the FSR's 2A42, with the same rate of fire and controls - and the same problem with gas exhaust building up in the fighting compartment. This weapon has both vertical and horizontal stabilization, though the stabilizers were quite crude on all variants up to the "R." Maximum range when firing bursts against soft-skinned targets has been listed at 3,000 meters, but in practice the effective range is lower.

In addition to standard high-explosive ammunition, the original BSCh-5G fired APBC armor-piercing shells. These were apparently not considered very effective, and in 1993 theMenghean Army introduced a more effective APDS-T shell which appears to be a copy of the FSR's 3UBR8. This is stated as being able to penetrate 25 millimeters of armor at a range of 1500 meters. AP and HE ammunition are supplied to the gun in two separate linked feeds which run from a ready ammunition storage unit underneath the turret crew seats. As on the BMP-2, this carries 340 HE-I and 160 APDS-T rounds.

Variants from the BSCh-5D onward also carry anti-tank guided missiles on either side of the turret. In all cases these can be elevated and depressed automatically, but lack independent traverse, instead relying on the rotation of the turret. Once both missiles are fired, they must be reloaded from the passenger compartment, meaning that once the squad has disembarked, or once the outside environment is contaminated by weapons of mass destruction, the vehicle cannot reload its ATGMs. On the plus side, the outward-opening roof hatches and the turret rear together provide some small-arms cover for passengers during the reloading process.

All BSCh-5s from the "N" onward carry a GCh-77 general-purpose machine gun in a co-axial mount on the right side of the autocannon. This weapon fires 7.62x51mm ammunition and has a maximum rate of fire of 1200 rounds per minute. 3,000 rounds of machine-gun ammunition are carried inside the vehicle.

Protection

The hull is built of hardened steel plates, which are welded rather than cast. Overall, the BSCh-5 is over two tons heavier than the BMP-1/BSCh-3, yet its armor thickness is identical or even thinner as the BSCh-5's protected volume is larger. Independent measurements based on destroyed vehicles in Ummayah confirmed the armor thicknesses as:

• Lower hull front: 15mm at 63° from vertical
• Upper hull front: 10mm at 84° from vertical
• Turret face: 35mm
• Turret cheeks: 25mm at ~60° from head-on angle
• Turret sides: 20mm
• Turret rear plates: 15mm
• Hull sides, above tracks: 15mm
• Hull sides, behind tracks: 10mm
• Roof, excluding upper hull front: 5mm
• Floor, excluding lower hull front: 5mm
• Rear: 10mm
• Rear doors: 5mm plus 2mm outer plate (spaced)

At the time of the BSCh-5's introduction, its armor was able to stop existing .50-caliber rounds at regular combat ranges and over the 60-degree frontal arc. The sides were protected against 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds fired by GPMGs, as well as artillery fragments and small-arms fire. The turret face could in theory withstand 25mm and 30mm autocannon rounds, allowing the BSCh-5 to safely from a hull-down position at medium to long ranges. The forward trim vane is about 3mm thick, adding to the effective armor thickness of the lower hull front, and if the crew extends it in combat it can actually present a meaningful degree of spaced armor, possibly enough to fragment or destabilize incoming 25mm and 30mm AP rounds.

Side armor was considerably thinner, and even before the introduction of the M903 SLAP round in the early 1990s the BSCh-5 was vulnerable to 12.7mm ammunition at close ranges. The BSCh-5R introduced 5mm applique plates over the treads to cover the lower side armor, which is only 10 millimeters thick; while the plates themselves are insufficient to stop armor-piercing rounds, they do serve as spaced armor, creating a 54-centimeter gap when viewed perfectly perpendicular and a 1.09-meter gap when viewed at 60 degrees from perpendicular. Together the plates weigh about 350 kilograms, and the BSCh-5R is still amphibious, though it sits somewhat lower in the water.

Against heavier weapons, however, the BSCh-5's armor is very weak. It offers no real protection against man-portable anti-tank weapons such as the RPG-7 and M72 LAW, though it can be fitted with slat armor at the cost of hindering its amphibious mobility. Operational service in the Innominadan Crisis and the Ummayan Civil War also demonstrated that the BSCh-5’s thin, flat hull bottom was highly vulnerable to antivehicular mines and IEDs. The passenger arrangement, with benches attached to the floor and fuel and ammunition stored in between the backs of the seats, increases the risk of casualties once penetrated.

The BSCh-5 is capable of sealing itself against CBRN contaminants, although at the cost of preventing dismount unless the crew and passengers are wearing protective gear. In a sealed state the crew are still capable of using the firing ports, although a 1996 investigative report found that even when plugged with a rifle the BSCh-5’s firing ports leaked in a simulated smoke attack – something the Menghean Army attributed to the use of an old hull machined to lower standards. The stronger air pump of the BSCh-5R is claimed to generate enough internal air pressure to prevent gases from leaking inward through any small cracks or breaks in the seal.

Mobility

The BSCh-5 is powered by a 295-horsepower 6-cylinder diesel engine in the front right hull, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 18.55 hp/tonne. When driving on a level paved road, it can reach a top speed of 65 kilometers per hour. The engine has limited multifuel capability but is most efficient when using diesel.

All variants of the BSCh-5 are fully amphibious. Preparation consists of tightening the doors and firing ports, raising the trim vanes at the front of the vehicle, and switching out the standard driver’s periscope for a longer one to see over the trim vane’s top. The air intake for the engine is actually located at the center of the crew compartment roof near the rear of the vehicle, and it can be telescoped out about .4 meters above the roof to reduce water ingestion in rough seas, much as on the BMP-2. All of these changes can be performed from within the vehicle, though the periscope change requires the driver to temporarily break the CRBN seal.

For all Army variants, amphibious power is provided by running the treads while floating, which generates a modest swimming speed of 5-6 kilometers per hour. The Marine Infantry variants are fitted with shrouded propellers on either side of the dismount doors, increasing swimming speed to 9-10 kilometers per hour. A bilge pump can remove modest quantities of water, but would not be able to keep pace with the influx from penetrations or improperly closed hatches. A swimming BSCh-5 sits relatively low in the water, and several have been lost on practice trials and exercises after being swamped by waves.

Variants

"G turret" variants

Deliveries of the BSCh-5G began in 1983, with a few high-priority units receiving the new vehicle. Foreign intelligence agencies initially mistook it for a direct copy of the BMP-2. Initially, all production was carried out at the Hwaju Armored Vehicle Plant; Army procurement officials demanded at least 400 vehicles be produced per year, but due to the economic turmoil surrounding Ryŏ Ho-jun's purges, annual production never rose above 200 units.

Three years later, while Menghe was still suffering under an economic embargo, the Army introduced an unusual variant designated BSCh-5N. This was internally identical to the BSCh-5G, but carried four MBCh-84 recoilless rifles in pairs on either side of the turret. These were linked to the autocannon barrel by an external lever assembly, allowing the gunner to remotely aim and fire them from inside the vehicle as co-axial weapons. The MBCh-84s could only be reloaded externally, a process that required the passengers to open the rear hatch and pass rounds into the breech, preferably with the turret turned 30-60 degrees to bring the guns on that side further back.

Apparently, this variant was intended to offset the 30mm autocannon’s poor anti-tank performance, but the MBCh-84’s limited effective range and the poor precision of the external mounts’ elevation levers severely limited the concept’s usefulness – as did the poor performance of the MBCh-84's HEAT round against the composite armor schemes which were then becoming common. By 1992, all BSCh-5Ns had been converted to "D" standard.

After the Decembrist Revolution, the Menghean Army continued production of the BSCh-5, and actually opened a new production line at the Chikai Heavy Machine Building Plant to re-equip more units. All units produced from 1990 onward were of the BSCh-5D standard, the first truly modern variant in the MBCh-5 family. In line with the MBCh-5N's concept but not its execution, it mounted one YDCh-13 ATGM on either side of the turret, allowing the gunner to engage armored targets out to a range of 4 kilometers. Internally, it also added an improved stabilizer and an outdated active night vision system using an IR searchlight on the left side of the turret face. Over the course of the 1990s, all existing BSCh-5s were upgraded to "D" standard.

"R turret" variants

A more comprehensive upgrade came in 1998 as the BSCh-5R, which was applied to all BSCh-5 hulls produced after no. 7102. The most notable change was the addition of a slightly modified turret with an all-around commander's cupola. This greatly improved visibility from the commander's position, allowing a sergeant to more effectively identify threats and direct the dismounted squad from the safety of the vehicle. The pintle-mounted GPMG was also removed, apparently after Army doctrinal planners concluded that the commander should either lead from the safety of the buttoned-up position or dismount along with the squad.

Other changes included the use of YDCh-18 ATGMs, based on the FSR's 9M134 Valtorna, rather than YDCh-13s. The new missile had modestly improved penetration, greater accuracy, and a longer flight range, though it was still unable to penetrate the frontal armor on contemporary Western MBTs. The type also added 5mm-thick armored skirts to either side of the hull, improving protection against 12.7mm ammunition.

In 2008, the Menghean Army introduced a new variant, the BSCh-5M. This carried the new YDCh-70 ATGM, which used a novel overflight trajectory and downward-facing shaped charge to engage the roof armor of enemy tanks. The BSCh-5M also featured a remote weapon system with a JSB-38 automatic grenade launcher. In normal operation, this is aimed and fired by the commander, but when the commander dismounts the gunner can turn the RWS to a direct forward traverse and slave its elevation and depression angle to that of the autocannon, firing the weapon directly. The RWS also gave the commander an independent day/night sight with adjustable magnification, further improving situational awareness.

As new production of BSCh-5s ended the following year, most BSCh-5M variants were produced through refits to existing BSCh-5Rs. Today, all BSCh-5Rs have been upgraded to "M" status, and some have been upgraded as BSCh-5M1s with further improvements to the optics and air filters.

"B turret" variants

The appearance of the Maverican PYK-10 IFV in 2010 raised intense concern among Menghean Army planners about whether their own 30mm autocannons could penetrate the new IFV's armor over the frontal arc. The immediate solution was to develop a new turret for the BSCh-9 IFV incorporating the Type 110 35mm autocannon, while relegating the BSCh-5 to a supporting role. In 2014, however, Samsan Heavy Industries' design team had the idea of developing a lightweight version of the Type 112 turret which could be mounted on the BSCh-5. The result was the Type 115 turret, identical in layout to the turret of the BSCh-5N but with thinner armor and a lower-profile left side.

The new turret design did well in trials, and the first conversions were performed in 2016 and designated BSCh-5B. As the Type 112 turret shares the same turret basket dimensions as the original BSCh-5 turret, it can be added as a drop-in replacement at a properly equipped forward depot. Most BSCh-5Bs are converted from "G turret" hulls, due to the Army's assessment that the R turret variants were more capable, and as such the refit also involves adding new air filters and a general replacement of worn-out parts.

Although it gains the ability to defeat PYK-10 IFVs over the frontal arc at regular combat ranges, the BSCh-5B retains the same thin armor as other vehicles in its family, leaving it vulnerable all PYK-10 types except the 14.5mm-armed APC variant. The Type 115 turret itself sacrifices armor thickness in order to keep it at the same weight as the original "G" turret, even though the 35mm rounds are stored in a large box within the right side of the turret and can easily be detonated by penetrating fire. The main advantage of the BSCh-5B design vis-a-vis the BSCh-9 is that it is still amphibious, making it an attractive choice for the Marine Infantry and Menghe's River Crossing Brigades.

Specialist vehicles

In addition to the standard IFVs listed above, a number of specialist vehicles were built on the BSCh-5 chassis to achieve parts commonality with mechanized infantry divisions.

• JYDCh-12: 1982 tank destroyer carrying four YDCh-12 ATGMs on a rotating platform in place of the turret. These tubes could be reloaded from inside the vehicle when the launcher entered its lowered position. Production ended not long after the introduction of the BSCh-5R gave all Mechanized Infantry squads their own anti-tank guided missiles. Nearly all JYDCh-12s have since then been scrapped or sold.
• BSCh-5JHG (전방 항공 관제소, Jŏngbang Hanggong Gwanjaeso): forward air controller variant introduced in 1999. It is based on the BSCh-5E chassis but has the 38mm automatic grenade launcher removed and adds a large optics mount on the turret rear to carry an improved IIR camera and a laser designator. Additional radios are installed in the troop compartment to allow communication with aircraft. The ATGMs on either side of the turret are replaced by box launchers each carrying four R-8 rockets, with additional rockets stored in the hull rear. These rockets are almost exclusively of the illumination or colored smoke types, and are used to mark targets for aircraft and helicopters if the radio is insufficient.
• BSCh-5PTG (포병화력 통제 관제소, Pobyŏnghwalyŏg Tongje Gwanjeso): forward artillery control vehicle similar to the BSCh-5JHG. Retains the ATGMs in place of the former’s rocket launchers, and is capable of designating targets for laser-guided shells and accurately determining the GPS coordinates of a distant target.
• BSCh-5GCh (정찰, Gyŏngchal): Dedicated reconnaissance vehicle based on the BSCh-5E. It carries a larger optics set for the commander and a ground surveillance radar on the turret roof, as well as revised radio equipment. It has a crew of four, one of whom uses the seat behind the driver, and can carry a four-man dismount team to scout ahead of the vehicle or provide local defense.
• BSCh-5HB (화염 방사기, Hwayŏm Balsagi): 1979 assault engineers’ variant with a flamethrower in place of the 32mm autocannon. In addition to the three crew, it could carry four dismounts, the remaining space occupied by fuel tanks. Produced in small numbers and withdrawn from service before 1987.
• BSCh-5JG (장갑 구급차, Janggab Gugŭbcha): Armored ambulance used to evacuate wounded soldiers from the front line. Has a crew of one driver and three medical personnel, and can carry four stretchers in a rear compartment with a higher roof.
• BSCh-5HJHG (해군 전방 항공 관제소, Haegun Jŏngbang Hanggong Gwanjaeso): forward air controller for the Marine Infantry. Identical to the BSCh-5JHG but with the BSCh-5HSD turret carrying a 40mm autocannon and an upgraded radio kit.
• BSCh-5YB (유탄 발사기, Yutan Balsagi): 1980 variant with a modified open-top hull carrying a 120mm YB-120 mortar and a 12.7mm HMG for self-defense.
• BSCh-5DS (대대 사령차, Daedae Salyŏngcha): armored battalion command post with a crew of five including officers and command staff.
• BSCh-5HGCh (해군 정찰, Haegun Gyŏngchal): Marine Infantry variant of the BSCh-5GCh using the BSCh-5HSD turret.
• BSCh-5HPTG (해군 포병화력 통제 관제소, Haegun Pobyŏnghwalyŏg Tongje Gwanjeso): forward artillery controller for the Marine Infantry.
• BSCh-5DMG: (대대 무전기차, Daedae Mujŏn'gi-cha): Battalion-level signal vehicle with a high-power radio set and interfaces for telephone wire input and output. Has a crew of five including officers and command staff.
• BSCh-5SG (수리 및 구난 장갑차, Suri mit Gunanjanggabcha): ARV with a 7.5-tonne crane and internal repair equipment. Has a crew of five: driver, commander, crane operator, and two mechanics transported in the rear compartment.
• BSCh-5DChP: self-propelled anti-air gun, mainly used by the Marine Infantry, with a six-barrel rotating 20mm autocannon and eight YJG-38 “Nidŭl” heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles. A functioning prototype was built in 2003, and it was produced in small numbers to serve as a regimental anti-air gun. Beginning in 2009, it was replaced by the DChP-230H, which uses the same armament as the DChP-230 Jaebongtul on a larger amphibious tracked chassis.
• JP-120/35: self-propelled artillerypiece using the BP-120/35 gun-mortar.
• JCh-7: a light tank (in fact a series of light tank designs) based on the BSCh-5 chassis. On most versions the troop compartment is partially converted to ammunition storage and partially taken up by waterjet propulsion systems for greater swimming speed.

Service

Socialist Republic of Menghe

In total, at least 17,000 BSCh-5s of all variants were produced for the Menghean Army and Marine Infantry, making it the most numerous IFV in Menghean service and one of the most numerous in Septentrion. As of 2017, all of these have been upgraded to "D1," "M," or "B" standard.

Since 2008, the Menghean Army has been replacing its BSCh-5s with the new BSCh-9 IFV, which carries greatly improved armor but sacrifices its amphibious capability. Due to the high production cost of the BSCh-9, the BSCh-5 still equips about a third of active divisions (2015 estimate), and makes up all IFVs in the mechanized units of the Army Reserves. The Marine Infantry and the Army's River Crossing Brigades both retain the BSCh-5 for its amphibious capability.

See also

• BSCh-4
• BSCh-6
• BSCh-7
• BSCh-9
• BSCh-10