The Russian Defense Ministry and the Kurganmashzavod concern have signed a contract for the supply of several hundred infantry fighting vehicles BMP-3 to the Russian Arm.

To date, over 2,000 units have been supplied to worldwide users of which some 700 to the Russian Army. Future batch destined will number some 700 of five configuration models. In the process of the BMP-s serial production the vehicle’s design underwent 1,500 amendments.

The design of the BMP-3 or Obyekt 688M can be traced back to the Obyekt 685 light tank prototype with 100mm gun 2A48-1 from 1975. This vehicle did not enter series production, but the chassis, with a new engine, was used for the next-generation infantry combat vehicle Obyekt 688 from A. Blagonravov’s design bureau. The Ob. 688 weapons configuration—an externally mounted 30 mm gun and twin Konkurs ATGM launcher—was rejected; instead the new 2K23 armament system was selected. The resulting BMP-3 was developed in the early 1980s and entered service with the Soviet Army officially in 1987. It was shown for the first time in public during the 1990 May Day parade and was given the NATO code IFV M1990/1.