BMD - 2 The BMD - 2 is a Soviet airborne infantry fighting vehicle , which was introduced in 1985 . It is a variant of BMD - 1 with a new turret and some changes done to the hull . BMD stands for " Boyevaya Mashina Desanta " ( Боевая Машина Десанта , literally " Airborne Combat Vehicle " ) . It was developed as a replacement of BMD - 1 but it failed to replace it completely because of a downfall of Soviet economy in 1980s . NATO gave it the designation BMD M1981 / 1 . Development . When the Soviet war in Afghanistan broke out the Soviet forces operated BMP - 1 IFVs and BMD - 1 airborne IFVs . They were both armed with 73 mm 2A28 " Grom " low pressure smoothbore short - recoil semi - automatic gun , 9S428 ATGM launcher capable of firing 9M14 " Malyutka " ( NATO : AT - 3A Sagger A ) , 9M14M " Malyutka - M " ( NATO : AT - 3B Sagger B ) and 9M14P " Malyutka - P " ( NATO : AT - 3C Sagger C ) ATGMs and 7 . 62 mm PKT coaxial tank machine gun . Although their armament made for strong anti - tank firepower , it didn ' t provide sufficient firepower against enemy unarmored vehicles , infantry , firing points and light fortified positions , especially during mountain battles because of low elevation angle of the main gun . In 1981 the units fighting in Afghanistan started receiving new BMP - 2 IFVs . Its 30 mm 2A42 multi - purpose autocannon with two - belt loading system and very high elevation angle solved some of the serious drawbacks of the 73 mm 2A28 " Grom " gun . Also the 9S428 ATGM launcher was replaced by pintle - mounted 9P135M - 1 ATGM launcher with semi - automatic control capable of firing SACLOS guided 9M113 " Konkurs " ( AT - 5 Spandrel ) , 9M113M " Konkurs - M " ( AT - 5B Spandrel B ) , 9M111 " Fagot " ( AT - 4 Spigot ) and 9M111 - 2 " Fagot " ( AT - 4B Spigot B ) ATGMs which proved to be much more effective and reliable than the MCLOS guided 9M14 " Malyutka " ( AT - 3 Sagger ) , 9M14M " Malyutka - M " ( AT - 3B Sagger B ) and 9M14P " Malyutka - P " ( AT - 3C Sagger C ) ATGMs . Because of that the high command of Soviet airborne forces decided to arm their units with similar vehicles . In the beginning it became obvious that the hull of BMD - 1 was too small for the BMP - 2 turret . Therefore it was decided to design two vehicles . The first one was supposed to satisfy the immediate need of a new airborne IFV by modifying the BMD - 1 / BMP - 1 turret , arming it with the same armament as the one on the BMP - 2 and then fitting it onto the BMD - 1 hull . The second vehicle was supposed to be much bigger to allow fitting of the BMP - 2 turret and later became the BMD - 3 . The modernized variant of BMD - 1 was developed in 1983 and incorporated the new B - 30 turret armed with 30 mm 2A42 multi - purpose autocannon , 7 . 62 mm PKT coaxial tank machine gun and pintle - mounted 9P135M - 1 ATGM launcher . After it passed the trials it entered production in 1985 . Description . Overview . BMD - 2 has a slightly modernized BMD - 1 hull and a new turret . Crew . The BMD - 2 ' s crew is the same as the one in BMD - 1 with slight changes like the fact that the commander no longer operates the left bow - mounted 7 . 62 mm PKT tank machine gun which was removed because the trials proved that he is too consumed by his primary duties to accurately fire it . He also received the R - 123M radio set for communication . The new turret seats the gunner on the left hand side of the main gun . On top of the turret there ' s one single piece circular hatch opening to the front . Located in front of the said hatch is the gunner ' s sight which is the same one as the one used in BMP - 2 . Another gunner ' s sight is located on the left hand side of the main gun and moves in vertical planes along with it . It is a high angle of fire sight used when the gunner is aiming at air targets . The vehicle also has additional periscopes that provide it with vision on the sides . A white searchlight is mounted in front of the turret . Turret . The B - 30 turret is a modified version of the BMP - 1 / BMD - 1 turret . Armament . The vehicle is armed with stabilized 30 mm 2A42 multi - purpose autocannon and 7 . 62 mm PKT coaxial tank machine gun ( mounted on the right hand side of the main gun ) . The vehicle carries 300 rounds for the main gun ( 180 AP and 120 HE ) and 2 , 940 rounds for the machine gun . The main gun can be elevated or depressed between 75° and - 5° and can be used to fire at air targets . The turret is also armed with pintle - mounted 9P135M - 1 ATGM launcher , on the right hand side of the roof of the turret , with semi - automatic control capable of firing SACLOS guided 9M113 " Konkurs " ( AT - 5 Spandrel ) , 9M113M " Konkurs - M " ( AT - 5B Spandrel B ) , 9M111 " Fagot " ( AT - 4 Spigot ) and 9M111 - 2 " Fagot " ( AT - 4B Spigot B ) ATGMs . Maneuverability . The BMD - 2 has the same engine and same suspension as the BMD - 1 but it has a maximum road operational range of 450 km . Armour protection . The BMD - 2 ' s armour is composed of aluminium as combat experience gained during the Soviet war in Afghanistan proved that the BMD - 1 ' s cast magnesium alloy itself would catch fire and burn fiercely , often killing the crew , when hit with a weapon such as an RPG . Armour thickness is 7 mm on the turret , 15 mm on the front of the hull and 10 mm on the rest of the hull . Hull ' s front armour has two sections : upper and lower . The upper section is angled at 78° while the lower one is angled at 50° . It ' s resistant to small arms fire and shrapnel . Equipment . The BMD - 2 has the same equipment except for the R - 123 radio set which was replaced by the R - 123M radio set . Service history . BMD - 2 entered service with Soviet airborne forces in 1985 . They took part in Soviet war in Afghanistan . Later they were used by Russian airborne units of SFOR including the Russian airborne brigade stationed in Tojsici which supported the Operation Joint Guard . It is also used by Russian airborne units stationed in Abkhazia . BMD - 2s were also employed by Russian 234th Airborne Assault Regiment in the Russia - Georgia War in 2008 , one of their number being lost in action .