BSCh-3

The BSCh-3 is a Menghean license-produced copy of the Letnian BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle. Several dozen were delivered in 1968, shortly after the end of the Menghean War of Liberation, and hundreds more were manufactured in the Democratic Republic of Menghe during the 1970s. The type was soon replaced by the BSCh-5.

Description

The baseline variant, designated BSCh-3G, is an exact copy of the BMP-1, down to the Cyrillic lettering on the controls and manufactured components. Its main armament is a 73mm low-recoil cannon mounted in a one-man turret, with the commander seated forward of the turret and to the left, just behind the driver. There is space in the back for eight passengers, who sit back-to-back and exit through two doors in the rear. The vehicle is protected against rifle-caliber ammunition all around (i.e., 7.62×51mm and 7.5×54mm), and it can withstand 20mm armor-piercing ammunition over the frontal arc. It is fully amphibious, and has good mobility, in part due to the light weight of the hull.

Because the BMP-1 was still a relatively new vehicle at the time, and because Menghe was a neutral power rather than an ally, Letnia took certain steps to downgrade its exported vehicles. The early-model BSCh-3Gs did not incorporate any night vision equipment, whether in the form of passive starlight optics or an active infrared illumination system. In place of the BMP-1's infrared searchlights, the BSCh-3G had civilian-grade visual searchlights. It also lacked a gun stabilizer, though this was also true of all Letnian BMP-1 models. The missile fired from the position above the barrel was a YDCh-10G, based on the baseline 9M14 rather than the 9M14M standard on Letnian BMP-1 early models.

Subsequent variants departed from the Letnian line of development.

Evaluation

Outwardly, Menghean commanders were positive about the characteristics of the BSCh-3, but mostly because it was the only proper infantry fighting vehicle at their disposal. Infantry fighting vehicles soon developed a central position in Menghean Fluid Battle Doctrine, as they could break through defensive lines, operate easily on rough terrain, and support their dismounts on the advance. Yet the BSCh-3 in particular had a number of shortcomings with respect to this mission, which motivated the development of the BSCh-5.

First, the commander was seated outside the turret in a position behind the driver. This restricted his field of view, and made it harder for him to direct the gunner's actions. The gunner also had poor rearward visibility, due to the lack of any rear-facing periscopes. Menghean armored vehicle manufacturers made several efforts to develop a two-man turret for the BSCh-3, even by cutting the main armament to a 23mm autocannon, but ultimately concluded that a comfortable two-man turret would require a total redesign of the vehicle.

Second, during firing trials the Menghean People's Army judged the 73mm low-velocity gun to be insufficiently accurate. The gun's inadequate performance in Menghean service may have been due to poor-quality manufacturing, incorrect correction for wind, or downgraded optics, but it left a strong impact on Menghean engineers. Two related, and less disputed, problems hindered the main armament's usefulness. The lack of a stabilizer meant that the BSCh-3 could not fire on the move, an important task for a vehicle charged with supporting advancing infantry and leading breakthroughs. And the 73mm gun could not engage helicopters or low-flying aircraft, meaning that IFVs not carrying MANPADS units were defenseless against airborne threats.

Variants

Prototype and experimental vehicles

• Si.523 - Experimental successor vehicle with a slightly enlarged turret ring carrying the two-man turret from the JJCh-1 armored car. Remarkably, it still had room for all eight dismounts, as the cramped turret basket of the JJCh-1 nearly fit within the original space. The dimensional difference, however, was large enough to prevent this from becoming a standard upgrade on existing BSCh-3 hulls.

Infantry fighting vehicles

• BSCh-3G - Original baseline variant, copied from the early BMP-1.
• BSCh-3N - Upgraded variant with passive night vision sights and active infrared searchlights. These are domestic Menghean night vision systems, apparently inferior to those on early-model BMP-1s.

Support vehicles

• BSCh-3JCh - Reconnaissance vehicle resembling the BRM-1. Features a wide two-man turret with reconnaissance equipment and improved optics. Crew of six: driver, navigator, commander, gunner, and two observers.
• BSCh-3SB - Open-topped mortar carrier with an SB-120 Type 70 120mm mortar. Also carries a GCh-75 12.7mm machine gun on a ring mount, for defense against close-range land threats and aircraft. Crew: 5 (driver, commander, gunner, loader 1, loader 2).
• BSCh-3SD - Battalion command vehicle derived from the BSCh-3G. Fitted with a telescoping radio antenna in the passenger compartment, but retains the turret and its armament. Crew: 6 (driver, battalion commander, gunner, radio operator 1, radio operator 2, staff member).
• BSCh-3SY - Regimental command vehicle derived from the BSCh-3G. It has a raised body instead of a turret, and carries a telescoping mast which folds down over the front of the hull when not in use. Crew: 6 (driver, battalion commander, gunner, radio operator 1, radio operator 2, staff member).

Operators

• Template:Country data Azbekistan
• Menghe
• Polvokia