Editing BRDM-2 (section)

==Construction==
[[File:BRDM 2 TBiU 24 3.jpg|thumb|left|Belly wheels assist with crossing a trench]]
[[File:BRDM 2 TBiU 24.jpg|thumb|left|Polish BRDM-2s on the move with shutters over the bulletproof windows]]

The BRDM-2 has a crew of four: a driver, a co-driver, a commander, and a gunner. It has two pairs of chain-driven belly wheels lowered by the driver, which allow trench crossing just like its predecessor, and a centralized tire pressure regulation system, which can be used to adjust the tire pressure of all four tires or individual tires while the vehicle is in motion to suit to the ground conditions.<ref name="Militarium.net" /><ref name="Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide" />

Externally, it differs from the BRDM-1 by having a larger, box-like hull. It retains the boat-like bow of the BRDM-1, alongside its chassis, which in turn is derived from the [[BTR-40]], being based on the chassis of the [[GAZ-51|GAZ-63]] from the 1940s and 1960s. However, the crew compartment is now further forward and the new GAZ-41 gasoline [[V8 engine|V8]] engine (which is derived from the one used in the [[GAZ-13|GAZ-13 Chaika]] limousine)<ref>{{cite web |title=Обзор бронемашины БРДМ-2 / ГАЗ-41 / "Барадак" |url=https://war-time.ru/item/brdm-2-bardak |access-date=5 December 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Советские V8. ГАЗовские ЗМЗ -13, -53, -14, -505, -500 серий |url=https://www.drive2.ru/b/288230376151833339/ |website=Drive2 |access-date=9 June 2024}}</ref> is in the rear. Thanks to this, the engine is much better protected from enemy fire. The engine compartment is also separated from the crew compartment by an armoured barrier.

The driver's and commander's stations are in the front of the vehicle, with the driver positioned on the left and commander on the right. Both of them sit behind a bulletproof windscreen, which provides them with their primary view of the battlefield. When in combat, the windscreen can be additionally protected by twin armoured shutters. When the shutters are in their opened position, they protect the driver and commander from being blinded by the sunlight and ensure that the windscreen won't be blurred by rain or snow. The commander and driver have [[periscope]]s allowing both of them a more detailed view of the surrounding terrain. The commander has six TNP-A periscopes (five in the front and one on the side of the vehicle), a TPKU-2B day sight and a TKN-1 night sight ([[night-vision device]]). The driver has four TNP-A periscopes (all in the front), one of which can be replaced by a TWN-2B [[night-vision device]]. The gunner is in the turret during combat, but when traveling he is seated inside the hull.

[[File:BRDM 2 TBiU 24 2.jpg|thumb|Polish BRDM-2 with the opened shutters, an IR spotlight, side TNP-A periscopes and a trim board in front<ref name="Militarium.net" />]]

The engine is larger than the BRDM's (it is a 140&nbsp;hp V-8 instead of a 90&nbsp;hp 6-cylinder). The BRDM-2 has an IR spotlight and four IR driving lights, as well as an over pressure collective NBC filter system. The IR spotlight is located on top of the commander's periscope. The vehicle also has an [[R-123]] radio and an antenna on the right side of the hull next to the commander's hatch, for communication. There's also a winch mounted internally at the front hull that has a 30 m cable and a 4 tonne capacity. The winch is intended to be used, among others, for self-recovery when stuck in difficult terrain. A spare tire can be mounted on top of the turret. This was most often practiced by Polish crews.<ref name="Militarium.net" /><ref name="Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide" />

Like its predecessor, the BRDM-2 is amphibious. The GAZ-41 gasoline V-8 engine supplies power to the circular water-jet, equipped with a four-bladed propeller at the rear of the vehicle, which is covered with an armoured shutter while on land. This shutter is opened at the same time as the trim board by hydraulics, which must be done before entering water. The water-jet allows amphibious travel with a speed of 10&nbsp;km/h for 17 to 19 hours. A trim board, which is stowed under the nose of the hull when traveling, is erected at the front of the hull before entering the water to improve the vehicle's stability and displacement in the water and to prevent the water from flooding the bow of the BRDM-2. While in its traveling position, it serves as additional armour.

<gallery mode=packed heights=160>
File:SPW-40P2 (Ch), 12. Internationales Maritimes-Fahrzeugtreffen, Ribnitz-Damgarten (P1060695).jpg|The triangular cover for the water jet on the rear of this ex-East German BRDM-2 has been opened to prepare for water jet propulsion.
File:BRDM 2 TBiU 24 6.jpg|Swimming Polish BRDM-2. Notice the raised trim board in the front of the vehicle and opened air inlets.
</gallery>

===Armament===
[[File:BRDM 2 TBiU 24 4.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|Polish BRDM-2 aiming its machine guns]]
The armament is the same as the [[BTR-60PB]] [[armoured personnel carrier]]; a [[14.5×114mm|14.5&nbsp;mm]] [[KPV heavy machine gun#KPVT|KPVT]] heavy machine gun with a coaxial [[7.62×54mmR|7.62&nbsp;mm]] [[PK machine gun#PKT|PKT]] general-purpose machine gun as a secondary weapon, both in a small conical BPU-1 turret mounted on the hull in a central position above the belly wheels.<ref name="Militarium.net" />

The 14.5&nbsp;mm KPVT heavy machine gun has a practical rate of fire of 150 rounds per minute and a cyclic rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute. It has an effective range during daylight operations of 2,000 m. It can penetrate 20&nbsp;mm of armour at a range of 1,000 m and 30&nbsp;mm of armour at a range of 500 m. It can also fire at air targets, in which case the tactical range is 1,400 m. It uses the 14.5&nbsp;mm API-T, 14.5&nbsp;mm I-T, 14.5&nbsp;mm HE-T, 14.5&nbsp;mm and MDZ type ammunition.

The 7.62&nbsp;mm PKT coaxial general-purpose machine gun has an effective range during day time operations of 1,000 m while the vehicle is stationary and from 400 m to 500 m while the vehicle is on the move. It is fired in 2 to 10 round bursts and has a practical rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute and a cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute. During daylight operations, the gunner uses the PP-61AM sight, which has a field of view of 23 degrees and x2.6 magnification.<ref name="Militarium.net" />

The BPU-1 turret is unusual because it has no top hatch opening. Contrary to the popular belief, the BPU-1 turret was originally designed for the BRDM-2. The turret was later used in the Soviet BTR-60PB, the Polish [[OT-64 SKOT#Poland|SKOT-2A]] and the Czechoslovak [[OT-64|OT-64A]]. The turret allows the armament to be elevated between −5 and +30 degrees. On the left side of the turret, there is an air inlet on the hull top. There are also two air-inlet louvers in the forward part of the engine compartment's roof and four smaller air-inlet louvers to the rear. Both sides have centrally placed vision blocks.

The vehicle armor, which is composed of welded steel, is sufficient against [[small arms]] fire and small shell fragments; but not enough for protection against big artillery fragments or .50-calibre machine gun fire, which can penetrate the BRDM-2's maximum armor of 14&nbsp;mm. The BRDM-2's tires are not protected by armour and are particularly vulnerable to puncture from fire of all kinds.<ref name="Militarium.net" /><ref name="Gary's Combat Vehicle Reference Guide" />

There are three different production lots, which have different cooling vents on the engine deck. The late production version has mushroom-type vents. It also has slightly modified turret and can elevate its armament to +60 degrees. Final production BRDM-2s have additional turret periscopes and a TNA-2 navigation apparatus.<ref name="Militarium.net" /><ref name="FAS" />

===Flaws===
[[File:BRDM-2 Anti-tank vehicle.jpg|right|thumb|BRDM-2 Anti-tank version]]
BRDM-2 has flaws that are also apparent in other Soviet vehicles. These include the poor ergonomic design, low level of crew protection and high fuel consumption. The ergonomics was addressed in the Polish BRDM-2M-96 modernization and its successors, the BRDM-2M-96i, BRDM-2M-96ik "Szakal", BRDM-2M-96ik "Szakal Plus", BRDM-2M-97 "Żbik-B", BRDM-2M-97C "Żbik-P" and BRDM-2M-98 "Żbik-A", which all had the belly wheels removed, thus providing more space for the crew or space for two soldiers. This was also carried out in Morozov's BRDM-2SMD.<ref name="Militarium.net" />

The BRDM-2 has a unique flaw. Because the only way in and out of the vehicle is via the front hatches, leaving the vehicle while in combat is almost impossible, as the exiting crew members would instantly enter the line of fire of both the enemy and their own vehicle, as hatches are positioned directly in front of the turret. This shortcoming was addressed in the Polish BRDM-2M-96 modernization and its successors, the BRDM-2M-96i, BRDM-2M-96ik "Szakal", BRDM-2M-96ik "Szakal Plus", BRDM-2M-97 "Żbik-B", BRDM-2M-97C "Żbik-P" and BRDM-2M-98 "Żbik-A", all of which have side hatches. This was also done in the Czech LOT-B and OKV-P as well as the Ukrainian BRDM-2SMD. The Polish BRDM-2M-97 "Żbik-B", BRDM-2M-97C "Żbik-P" and BRDM-2M-98 "Żbik-A" also have a hatch on the top of the turret, giving the crew another way out.

The BRDM-2's predecessor, BRDM-1, did not have that issue as the BRDM-1 obr. 1957 had no roof and later models had a rear hatch that allowed the crew to exit the vehicle from behind. The fact that the BRDM-2 is missing such a hatch is a consequence of putting the engine in the rear, unlike in BRDM-1 where the engine is in the front.<ref name="Militarium.net" />

The BRDM-2 is sometimes confused with the Hungarian [[D-442 FUG]] and [[D-944 PSzH]] amphibious scout cars, which also have rear-mounted engines. What distinguishes them from the BRDM-2 is that they have twin waterjets, whereas the BRDM-2 has a single triangular water jet.