Soviet Mt-Lb Tracked Multipurpose Armoured Vehicle & Variants

The MT-LB multi-purpose tracked armoured vehicle entered service with the Soviet Army in 1964. The primary role of the MT-LB was that of an armoured artillery tractor for towing the 100mm MT-12 anti-tank gun and other artillery with the gun crew and ammunition located under armour. The vehicle proved particularly versatile however, and was later widely used as the chassis for a wide range of specialised vehicles, including variants adapted for operation in snow and marsh, artillery location, technical maintenance and mine-clearance. The MT-LB family was extended with the introduction of the enlarged MT-LBu series, primarily used as a basis for a variety of 1V series (NATO: ACRV) artillery control and command vehicles. In the post-Soviet era, the MT-LB was further modernised and up-armed, morphing into a BMP for use in low intensity conflicts, with armament comparable to the Soviet era BMP-2, providing the MT-LB with a new lease of life in the 21st century. The MT-LB played a major role in the Soviet Army, Warsaw Pact forces, and in the post-Soviet armies of the former Soviet republics. Production of all variants exceeded 55,000 vehicles, making the unassuming MT-LB one of the most widely produced Soviet armoured vehicles. The MT-LB was widely exported and has seen combat service in numerous conflicts worldwide, most recently being used by both combatants during the ongoing war in Ukraine. This book has been written and illustrated based on Russian and Ukrainian original sources, detailing one of the most widely produced but generally unrecognised Soviet armoured vehicles of all time. 64 b/w photos, 96 colour photos, 10 colour profiles