Indestructible Russian "Motolyga": An Unassuming Workhorse on the Front Lines

The MT-LB multi-purpose transporter was created for transporting people and cargo, and is widely used as an artillery tractor

Russian military personnel on the front lines widely use the MT-LB — a multi-purpose light armored tracked vehicle. This is a Soviet combat vehicle, functionally a floating armored personnel carrier.

МТ-ЛБ
МТ-ЛБ

From the outside, it is an inconspicuous, low-profile armored vehicle that carries everything – soldiers, guns, equipment, the wounded, and humanitarian aid. "Motolyga," as the military affectionately calls it, is often used as an artillery tractor. Although this is not its only job, it is more like the BTR-40, BTR-152, BTR-50, BTR-60.

In terms of the integrated "efficiency-cost" indicator for transporters, there is nothing in the world equal to the MT-LB. It is extremely cheap and easy to operate, very reliable, and has a huge lifespan. Therefore, it is still extremely in demand in the troops.
Viktor Murakhovsky, editor-in-chief of the magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland"

In fact, unlike a regular army truck, whose functions it performs, the MT-LB has a tracked chassis, which increases its off-road capability.

In its basic configuration, the MT-LB weighs just under ten tons and can carry 13 people – two crew members and 11 soldiers in the troop compartment. The transporter accelerates to 60 kilometers per hour on the highway and has an impressive range of about 500 kilometers. The low-slung silhouette allows the MT-LB to hide from enemy fire in the folds of the terrain and operate near the front lines.

The tractor is not intended for use in offensive purposes. It has a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun solely for self-defense.

Technical characteristics of the MT-LB:

  • Weight in working condition (without cargo and crew) — 9700 kg

Payload capacity:

  • nominal, when towing trailers — 2000 kg
  • maximum, when transporting cargo without a trailer — 2500 kg

Number of seats, including the driver:

  • in the cabin — 2
  • on the platform — 11

Overall dimensions of the MT-LB:

  • length — 6454 mm
  • width (along the tracks) — 2850 mm
  • height — 1865 mm
  • Ground clearance — 395-415 mm
  • Type and model of the MT-LB engine — ЯМЗ-238В

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