BMP-3F
JSC Rosoboronexport (part of the Rostec State Corporation) and Indonesian Ministry of Defence have signed a contract for supply of BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles and amphibious armoured personnel carriers (APCs) BT-3F developed and produced by JSC Kurganmashzavod for Indonesia’s Marine Corps. "The contract for BT-3Fs to Indonesia has become the first ever Russian export deal for these new AFVs. The design reflected the requests of the partners as well as their experience of using BMP-3Fs, which were delivered to them earlier. Indonesia is very meticulous in selection of equipment for its armed forces, and this contract is major endorsement of the highest quality of Russian weapons and their superiority over competitors," stated Rosoboronexport's Director General Alexander Mikheev.
Development of the amphibious armoured personnel carrier BT-3F was based on the BMP-3F and designed for transportation for marines, coast guards and land forces, as well as for fire support of landed parties in various combat operations. The APC can transport17 personnel, including the crew. The control compartment houses the driver, a member of the landing party and commander's assistant in the left and right sides accordingly, both being positioned for firing machine guns.
The APC is equipped with energy-absorbing folding seats, providing significant reduction in shock loads on spines and in the event of mine explosions or when driving on rough terrain, the seats being fitted with five-point seat belts. In addition, the vehicles are equipped with aggregate compressor air conditioning, vital for hot tropical climates. Mounted on top of the BT-3F is a two-axis stabilised remote-controlled combat module with 12.7 mm machine gun fitted. The combat module is equipped with tele-thermal imaging sight with a laser rangefinder, and equipped with a built-in diagnostic system and ammunition status indicator.
There is high level of commonality of the BT-3F armoured personnel carriers and the BMP-3/BMP-3F for reducing operational and personnel training costs, which also eases spare parts inventory and logistics.
"Indonesia is one of Rostec's key partners in South-East Asia, both in the areas of military and technical cooperation and civilian products, plus in transfer of technologies, jointly with enterprises of the state corporation. For instance, Rostec is exporting to Indonesia a wide spectrum of medical equipment. A subsidiary of the KAMAZ company has been established in the country to deal with the supplies of trucks to the local market, and there is huge potential for co-operative development. Rostec is not just offering the entire range of armament and civilian products of the state corporation, but it is ready to build industrial partnerships of the highest order," noted Sergey Chemezov, Rostec's head.
Military and technical cooperation between the erstwhile USSR and Indonesia go back to 1958, with intensification of military-technical ties between Moscow and Djakarta taking place in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since November 1992, the total volume of military products supplied to Indonesia has been some $2.5 billion, with Indonesia receiving BTR-80A armoured personnel carriers, BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles, Kalashnikov assault rifles of the ‘100’ series, Sukhoi fighters and ‘Mi’ type helicopters, apart from various other types of weapons and military equipment.