In the late 70s, the Kurganmashzavod factory started developing a new infantry fighting vehicle to replace the BMP-1. The vehicle got a new experimental light tank chassis. The first models were supposed to be equipped with a 30mm cannon as its primary weapon, as well as grenade launchers, machine guns, and ATGM launchers. The military considered the vehicle’s armament to be insufficient and said that it offered no real advantage over the BMP-1. In order to correct the situation, the Tula-based engineers suggested a new turret with the following armament: a rifled 100mm semi automatic cannon (also an ATGM launcher), a 30mm automatic cannon, and a PKT machine gun. 

The vehicle successfully underwent testing in this state, and in 1987, was accepted into the Soviet Army with the designation BMP-3. Since then, this combat vehicle has been used by the Russian Army and over ten other countries, with especially large quantities being purchased by the United Arab Emirates where the vehicle was chosen over the Bradley and Warrior. The BMP-3 is constantly being upgraded and is still considered one of the best combat vehicles of its class in the world.

BMP-3, light tank, USSR, rank VII

Pros

• Excellent pairing of a 100mm gun with ATGMs and a 30mm cannon with a high rate of fire.
• It can travel over water
• Pretty decent mobility

Cons

• Weak HEAT protection
• 100mm cannon that fires shells with considerable projectile drop

In War Thunder, the BMP-3 will be available at rank VII in the USSR/Russian armoured vehicle research line. The vehicle’s combat role in War Thunder is active scouting, including across aquatic obstacles, since it is amphibious and able to fire while moving over water. The BMP-3 has a crew of five. Its armour is shrapnel-resistant, and it can withstand frontal hits of armour-piercing tracer rounds of 30mm calibre. The vehicle is quite mobile – it has a power-to-weight ratio of 25 horsepower per ton and a maximum speed of 72 km/h.

Its 100mm primary cannon can fire HEF rounds and – even more valuable in War Thunder – laser-guided anti-tank missiles with armour-piercing characteristics of up to 750 mm on a normal impact. This cannon has a feature that’s worth considering: the complex ballistics of its shells and rather low ATGM flight speed. In other words, on the one hand, we don’t have any fast kinetic or guided HEAT rounds, but on the other hand, you can fire behind cover, and the ATGMs are a little easier to control. The 30mm automatic cannon paired with the primary gun has high-explosive incendiary, tracer, armour-piercing, and APCR shells that can take down enemy helicopters and light tanks.

The BMP-3 in War Thunder fills the niche of the top-ranking light tank in the Soviet line. Vehicles of this class can’t compete with tanks in terms of survivability, but they cost fewer Spawn Points and are more mobile. The BMP-3 is a splendid addition to a top-ranking setup for Arcade mode or combined battles. The BMP-3’s ace in the hole is its amphibious nature, as well as its successful combination of high-calibre gun with ATGMs and fast 30mm cannon. Soviet tank commanders have needed a vehicle like the BMP-3 in top-ranking battles for a long time now, and with the release of update 1.93, the higher ranks of the Soviet ground forces will become more varied in terms of vehicles.

We can’t wait for the update to be released and we are currently preparing more, awesome new vehicle announcements for War Thunder 1.93. Thanks for playing!

The War Thunder Team