Unit of the Week #16 - BRDM-2

The BRDM-2 is fully amphibious Soviet-made four-wheel drive armored reconnaissance vehicle.
It entered in service with the Soviet Army in 1962 with series production commenced in 1963.

The BRDM-2 is equipped with the same turret of the BTR-60PB armoured personnel carrier.It is armed with a 14.5mm KPVT heavy machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 PKT machine gun on the right side.

The all-welded steel armour hull of the BRDM-2 protects it fully against 7.62mm arms fire and small caliber artillery fragments; but doesn't protect it against big artillery fragments and larger guns. BRDM-2 was fitted with NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protection. The BRDM-2 tires are not protected by armour. To increase the BRDM-2 cross-country performance there are four powered smaller road wheels between the main road wheels that can be raised or lowered to the ground.

As a reconnaissance vehicle, BRDM-2 has a variety of surveillance tools. It is designed with bulletproof windscreen to the front, which is covered by an armoured shutter. When the shutters are in position the commander and driver observes the battlefield through multiple periscopes.

It was widely exported to foreign countries and still in service with the Russian Army and over 50 countries worldwide. The BRDM-2 was used in the field during modern conflicts from 1960 until now.
BRDM-2 has undergone several upgrades and exists in numerous variants.

In the Cold War Game the BRDM-2 is used as a reconnaissance armoured vehicle and can be found under the RECON button.