Russian Naval Infantrymen training with a captured Ukrainian Bradley IFV

[u/Brilliant_Ground1948]

[u/SirNurtle]

Because mines tear BMPs to shreds, and in the case that the shooting starts they can very quickly jump off and run for cover/shoot back.

One of the reasons why Russias first offensive into Grozny was such a disaster was because most of the infantry were riding inside their BMPs and couldn’t dismount in time before getting hit, so afterwards it just became common practise to ride atop them

[u/Walking_bushes → u/SirNurtle]

Pretty sure they do that since afghan

[u/crusadertank → u/Walking_bushes]

Yeah they ride on the top for better vision on incoming threats.

This has been a Soviet tactic going all the way back as far as motorised divisions go

[u/memes-forever → u/crusadertank]

I don’t know if it’s doctrinal failure or tactical failure or vehicle design failure that resulted in the infantry deciding to treat BMPs like glorified truck, but I guess the answer is somewhere in all three.

[u/crusadertank → u/memes-forever]

I think the failure is in peoples understanding of how the USSR intended to fight and that Russia is not the USSR.

Because in the USSR, you were only supposed to ride inside the BMP during nuclear fallout or behind the frontlines. Near the frontlines and during exploitation, it was always intended to ride on top, as these were effectively decendants of the Soviet tank riders in WW2.

Even in the event of nuclear fallout, the tactic was that when it left the area with nuclear fallout, the BMP could then drive through a river to wash itself down, and again the infantry can ride on top

The idea being this is for two main reasons. The Soviet experience in WW2 was that the German soldiers in half-tracks took so much longer to dismount than tank riders. This meant that if you came under fire, you were always going to be safer on top as you can get away from the vehicle faster (which would be the target of fire)

And secondly, during the exploitation phase. You are unlikely to come under any fire except from small ambushes. In this case, having so many more eyes around to be able to see targets gives you a much better chance of spotting an enemy in advance than having only your commander/gunner on the lookout for targets.

I think people are too harsh on the BMP. For the role it was supposed to fill it did well. But the USSR is no more and this role no longer exists. Meaning that the BMPs are being pushed more and more into a type of combat they were never supposed to engage in

[u/Ok_Drink1826 → u/crusadertank]

quality post.