Editing BMP-1 (section)

== Description ==
[[File:US soldier in Bulgarian BMP-1.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Two Bulgarian Army soldiers man the driver's and gunner's stations, while a US Army soldier occupies the commander's position of a Bulgarian BMP-1 IFV.]]

The BMP-1 is a fully amphibious tracked vehicle, with a front-engined chassis developed especially for it, a welded steel hull with a sharp, sloping front with a conspicuously ridged surface, a centrally located, flat, truncated cone turret and a troop compartment at the rear.<ref name="ArmsControl">{{cite web |url=http://www.armscontrol.ru/atmtc/Arms_Systems/Land/Armored_Combat_Vehicles/afvs.htm#ifvs |title=BMP-1 |website=Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Center for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies |access-date=13 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804004104/http://www.armscontrol.ru/atmtc/Arms_Systems/Land/Armored_Combat_Vehicles/afvs.htm#ifvs |archive-date=4 August 2009 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

=== Driver's station ===

The driver sits in the front on the left side of the hull. He has three TNPO-170 periscope vision-blocks to provide vision when his hatch is closed.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=18}} The driver's center vision block can be replaced with a TVNO-2 active night binocular vision device for use in night and poor visibility conditions or with a TNPO-350B extended periscope when swimming with the trim vane erected.<ref name="Janes">{{cite book |title=Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005–2006 |first=Chris |last=Foss |date=2005 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |isbn=0-7106-2686-X}}</ref>{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=18}} The BMP was the first Soviet armored vehicle to use a simple yoke steering system.{{sfnp|Hull|Markov|Zaloga|1999|p=249}}

=== Commander's station ===
The commander's station is located behind the driver's station and is provided with a removable OU-3GA2 or OU-3GK [[infrared]] searchlight with an effective range of about {{convert|400|m|yd}}.{{sfnp|Hull|Markov|Zaloga|1999|p=246}} A dual mode (day/night) TKN-3B 5x/4.2x magnification binocular vision device is coupled to the infrared searchlight. Two periscope vision blocks are fitted with a heating and cleaning system.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=18-19}}<ref name="Pancerni.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.pancerni.abajt.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=40 |title=BMP-1 [ZSRR] |date=3 March 2016 |website=Pancerni.net |language=pl |access-date=14 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165841/http://www.pancerni.abajt.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=40 |archive-date=3 March 2016}}</ref> The commander's station is equipped with an [[R-123|R-123M]] radio set.

=== Turret ===
[[File:BMP1 Training Turret Parola 1.jpg|thumb|upright|The gunner's station of a BMP-1 training turret at [[Parola Tank Museum]], Finland. Note the ammunition stowage.]]

The BMP-1 has a conical turret equipped with a fume extraction system and an electric traverse drive with a manual backup system.<ref name="BriefGuide" /> The main gun has a dead-zone over the commander's hatch (between the 10:00 and 11:00 o'clock positions), where the gun must be elevated over the infra-red searchlight to avoid crushing it. When the gun is facing backwards, it prevents hatches on top of the troop compartment from opening. The low profile of the turret makes it a difficult target. The same turret is used in the [[BMD-1]].

==== Gunner's station ====
The gunner's station is located to the left of the main gun. The gunner has a dual mode (day/night) 1PN22M1 6x/6.7x magnification [[image intensifier|image intensifying]] monocular periscope sight, four day-use periscope vision blocks, and an OU-3GK removable infrared or white-light searchlight.<ref name="Pancerni.net" /> The 1PN22M1 sight has a maximum range of {{convert|400|m|yd}} at night, {{convert|900|m|yd}} with the use of the infra-red searchlight.<ref name="Otvaga" /><ref name="ArmsControl" /><ref name="Pancerni.net" /> The sight is marked [[stadiametric]]ly with the apparent size of a {{convert|2.7|m|ft}} tall tank at various ranges.

The original sight was replaced with the 1PN22M2, which has an additional scale for the OG-15V HE-Frag rounds used by the Ob'yekt 765Sp3, produced from July 1974. The new sight has two day scales for the two projectiles – one from {{convert|200|to|1600|m|yd}} and the other from {{convert|400|to|1300|m|yd}}.<ref name="Pancerni.net" />

==== Armament ====
;Gun
{{Main|2A28 Grom}}

[[File:BMP-1 Bolling Air Force Base.jpg|thumb|right|A view of the BMP-1's turret at Bolling Air Force Base]]

The main armament is the 73&nbsp;mm 2A28 "Grom" low pressure smoothbore semi-automatic gun. It is fed from a 40-round magazine located around the turret ring.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=22}} The cyclic [[rate of fire]] is 8 to 10 rounds per minute. The gun returns to an elevation of +3° 30' to reload after each shot if the autoloader is used. The gun can be reloaded by hand if necessary. Some units removed the autoloader altogether when new vehicles were delivered, but the mechanized ammunition conveyor magazine was kept. High-explosive ammunition, introduced in 1974, can only be loaded manually, from a conveyor.<ref name=tvo />

The 2A28 'Grom' smoothbore gun fires the same PG-15V projectiles as the [[SPG-9]] infantry light recoilless gun, but with a smaller propellant charge. The PG-15V HEAT warhead can penetrate {{convert|280|to|350|mm|in|abbr=on}} of steel armor – more than enough to penetrate the frontal armor of [[NATO]] MBTs of the 1970s, such as the US [[M60 Patton|M60A1]], the British [[Chieftain tank|Chieftain]] or the German [[Leopard 1]].{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=22}} The [[SPG-9#Projectiles|modernized PG-9 shell]] is able to penetrate up to {{convert|400|mm|in|abbr=on}} of steel armor. Under battlefield conditions, it has a maximum effective range of {{convert|500|m|yd|abbr=on}}.{{sfnp|Hull|Markov|Zaloga|1999|p=248}}

The disadvantage of the BMP-1 is the small elevation angle of the gun (only 15 degrees).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://army.lv/?s=251&id=34|title=БМП-1 – боевая машина пехоты|publisher=army.lv|language=ru|accessdate=2017-11-12|archive-date=13 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113060219/http://army.lv/?s=251&id=34|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dokwar.ru/publ/vooruzhenie/bronetekhnika/bmp_2_obekt_675_istorija_kharakteristiki/13-1-0-83|title=БМП-2 (объект 675), история, характеристики|publisher=dokwar.ru|accessdate=2017-11-12|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113060127/http://dokwar.ru/publ/vooruzhenie/bronetekhnika/bmp_2_obekt_675_istorija_kharakteristiki/13-1-0-83|archivedate=2017-11-13|url-status=dead}}</ref>

OG-15V high explosive ammunition was made available from 1974.<ref name=tvo /> The warhead has twice the weight of explosives as the anti-armor PG-15V. It is intended for use against troops or [[soft target]]s.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=22}}

A coaxial 7.62&nbsp;mm [[PKT machine gun]] is mounted to the right of the main armament{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=22}} for which the BMP-1 carries 2,000 rounds.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=40}}

The 2A28 'Grom' gun and PKT coaxial machine gun cannot be accurately fired while the vehicle is on the move over rough ground as the turret is unstabilised.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=22}}

;Missile
Mounted on the gun mantlet, the ATGM launcher is capable of firing the 9M14 ''Malyutka'', (NATO: AT-3A Sagger A), the 9M14M ''Malyutka-M'' (NATO: AT-3B Sagger B) and the 9M14P ''Malyutka-P'' (NATO: AT-3C Sagger C). All are intended to be used against enemy MBTs and other AFVs at distances from {{convert|500|to|3000|m|yd|abbr=on}}. These ATGMs can penetrate up to {{convert|400|mm|in|abbr=on}} of steel armor (NATO standard at the time).<ref name="tvo" /> The 9M14P missile can be used in manual mode only, like older missiles, without the advantage of semi-automatic guidance.

The BMP-1 carries four ATGMs with their launching rails as a standard<ref name=tvo /> (two inside the turret and two inside the hull). In theory, a fifth missile can be carried on the launcher. The missiles are loaded onto a rail launcher through a small rectangular hatch in a turret's roof behind the launcher. Each 9M14M weighs {{convert|10.9|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, a 9M14P is {{convert|11.4|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. These missiles can only be fired in daylight because of the lack of a night sight. A guidance device used in the BMP-1 has the code 9S428.<ref name=tvo />

Besides possessing such advantages as interference immunity and simple control equipment, wire-guided ATGMs are also hampered by significant disadvantages such as a relatively low flight speed, response delay, the inability to load a new missile until the previous one has reached its target and a very long minimum range ({{convert|500|m|yd|abbr=on}}).<ref name="BriefGuide" /> Successful operation of the ATGM while the vehicle is on the move requires a very skilled gunner.

Those BMP-1s still in Russian service that were not modernized to the BMP-1P standard, can now use 9M14-2 ''Malyutka-2'' (NATO: AT-3D Sagger D) ATGMs (developed in 1995), which have either a tandem shaped-charge or high-explosive [[Thermobaric weapon|thermobaric warhead]].<ref name="Warfare.be" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://btvt.narod.ru/4/sagger.htm |script-title=ru:ПТРК 9К11/9К14 "Малютка" |website=btvt.narod.ru |language=ru |access-date=14 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406075242/http://btvt.narod.ru/4/sagger.htm |archive-date=6 April 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The BMP-1 was a threat to NATO APCs, light AFVs, and even MBTs of its time, by use of its main gun or ATGM. Nevertheless, the strong anti-tank focus of its armament didn't provide sufficient firepower against enemy unarmored vehicles, infantry and light fortified positions, especially during mountain battles (mostly due to the low elevation angle of the main gun). The appearance of the more successful BMP-2 armed with the 30mm 2A42 dual-purpose autocannon solved this serious problem.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

=== Troop compartment ===
[[File:BMP-1 firing arcs.png|thumb|The BMP-1's firing ports location and firing arcs]]

The troop compartment located at the rear of the vehicle can carry up to eight soldiers. There are four firing ports on each side of the vehicle and a single firing port in the left rear door. A combination fume extractor hose and cartridge deflector is provided to clip on to weapons at each station.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=19-20}}

[[File:MSPO2004 PICT0103 BWP1 RCWS30.JPG|thumb|right|A BMP-1 troop compartment (Polish-modified)]]
Soldiers sit on two padded benches along the center line of the vehicle and face the sides. Vehicle batteries, electric equipment and the main {{convert|330|L|abbr=on}} fuel tank are located between the benches, with tool stowage beneath.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=19-20}} There are four large D-shaped hatches in the roof of the hull, which can be opened from the troop compartment. The airtight rear doors of the troop compartment contain fuel tanks.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=19-20}}

Space inside the troop compartment is limited. There is little room for personal equipment, which leads to it being stowed outside while on operation, sometimes limiting rearward traverse of the turret. The seating is cramped, especially for troops in full battle dress.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=19-20}}

In the BMP-1 and BMP-2, ammunition is stored near or even inside the compartment, which can lead to a catastrophic failure in case of a hull breach.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

=== Maneuverability ===
The {{convert|300|hp|kW|abbr=off}} UTD-20 six-cylinder [[four-stroke]] [[diesel engine]] is located in the centre of the front hull, behind the transmission, with the cooling system to the right and radiator above.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=17}} The engine drives a manual gearbox with five forward and one reverse gear.<ref name="Janes" /> The steering system considerably reduces driver fatigue, especially when compared to the usual lever systems to control the tracks in the older tracked AFVs. The BMP is very fast and maneuverable, even if the long, pointed nose can give some problems when crossing large trenches. The fuel tanks have a maximum capacity of {{convert|462|L|impgal}}. The diesel engine is of a multifuel design and can use DL (summer) or DZ (winter). It can also use TS-1 kerosene.<ref name="russarms">{{cite web |url=http://www.russarms.com/land/msv/bmd-1/tech-bmd-1-a.asp |script-title=ru:Вооружение БМП-1 |trans-title=Armament of BMP-1 |website=Russarms.com |language=ru |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204102857/http://www.russarms.com/land/msv/bmd-1/tech-bmd-1-a.asp |archive-date=4 February 2009}}</ref>

The BMP-1 has a maximum road speed of {{convert|65|km/h|mph}}, which is automatically reduced to around {{convert|45|km/h|mph}} off-road.<ref name="Otvaga" /><ref name="Warfare.be" />

The BMP-1 can climb {{convert|70|cm|in|adj=on}} high vertical obstacles, and cross a {{convert|2.5|m|ft|adj=on}} wide trench. It can be driven on 25° side slopes and can climb 35° slopes.<ref name="Otvaga" /><ref name="Militarium.net" /><ref name="Pancerni.net"/>

The drive sprockets are at the front with six road wheels, using [[torsion bar suspension]].<ref name="ArmsControl" /> The BMP-1 has a [[ground pressure]] of 0.6&nbsp;kg/cm<sup>2</sup> (8.5 psi) and is able to cross snow-covered and boggy terrain. It has the range, off-road speed and cross-country ability necessary to keep up with fast-moving MBTs.

==== Amphibious capability ====
[[File:Captured Iraqi BMP-1.jpg|thumb|right|Two US Marines lower the trim vane on the front of an Iraqi BMP-1 captured during [[Gulf War|Operation Desert Storm]], March 1991.]]
[[File:Бойова стрільба, десантування та форсування водної перешкоди – підсумок зборів з резервістами ДШВ (42472217581).jpg|thumb|right|Ukrainian BMP-1s, undertake a water crossing during a training exercise]]

The BMP-1 is [[amphibious warfare|amphibious]], propelling itself in the water using its tracks, assisted by hydrodynamic fairings on the track upper side covers. The top swimming speed is {{convert|8|km/h|mph}}. The shape of the hull and some features (hollow road wheels and road wheel arms with air chambers) aid flotation. The BMP-1 can overcome water barriers with a current of up to {{convert|1.2|m/s|mph}} and waves up to {{convert|25|cm|in}} high. More challenging conditions require engineer support.<ref name="Otvaga" />

Before entering the water, the trim vane at the front of the hull should be erected to prevent water from flooding over the bow. While in its travelling position, it serves as additional frontal armor. The rear doors of the troop compartment must be closed tightly before entering the water. Before entering the water, either a full crew of eight troopers or an equivalent ballast must be present in the rear of the vehicle, otherwise vehicle balance is upset and it could sink, as it's naturally front heavy.

The BMP-1 can cross water obstacles such as rivers and lakes but it is not intended for sea landing operations.

=== Armor protection ===
The vehicle's armor is welded rolled steel, varying in thickness between {{convert|6|mm|in}} thick on the top of the hull and {{convert|33|mm|in}} on the mantlet of the main gun.<ref name="Janes" /> The original requirements called for protection against 23&nbsp;mm armor-piercing rounds across the frontal arc fired from {{convert|500|m|yd}} and for protection against 7.62&nbsp;mm armor-piercing rounds across the side and rear arcs from {{convert|75|m|yd}}.

The BMP-1's steeply sloped frontal armor can withstand artillery shell fragments, small arms fire and existing .50 caliber (12.7&nbsp;mm) heavy machine gun AP and API rounds over 60° of the frontal arc from all distances.<ref name="BriefGuide" /> The very high angle of the hull frontal armor increases the probability of ricochets, and the trim vane in the traveling position adds little additional protection. On most examples, the front armor is immune to [[Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm cannon|20 millimeter Oerlikon]] KAD or HS820 auto-cannon fire from ranges greater than 100 meters, but armor quality varies quite significantly with the nationality of a factory.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

The side, rear and top armor protect the BMP-1 from 7.62&nbsp;mm small arms fire from most distances as well as smaller artillery shell fragments, but do not protect the vehicle against 12.7&nbsp;mm heavy machine gun fire from close distances or larger artillery shell fragments. Ground tests demonstrated that rear doors with their fuel tanks filled with sand withstood hits from standard 12.7&nbsp;mm rounds.<ref name="Otvaga" /> In Afghanistan and [[Chechnya]], armor-piercing 7.62&nbsp;mm rounds fired from general-purpose machine guns at ranges of around 30–50&nbsp;m sometimes penetrated the rear doors and hatches.<ref name="BMP-1-Afghanistan">{{cite journal |url=http://otvaga2004.narod.ru/otvaga2004/wars0/page/1_afghan_3.htm |title=Бронетанковая Техника В Афганистане (1979–1989) |trans-title=Armored Equipment in Afghanistan (1979–1989) |last=Zaets |first=A. R. |journal=Military Commentator |date=2003 |number=1 |volume=5 |via=Otvaga |access-date=14 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615051251/http://otvaga2004.narod.ru/otvaga2004/wars0/page/1_afghan_3.htm |archive-date=15 June 2012}}</ref>

During the [[Gulf War|First Persian Gulf War]], the armor protection of the BMP-1 proved vulnerable to the armor-piercing rounds of the US [[M2/M3 Bradley]]'s {{convert|25|mm|in}} [[M242 Bushmaster]] autocannon.<ref name="WorldTanks18">''Czołgi Świata'' [''World's Tanks'' or ''Tanks of the World''] magazine, number 18. {{in lang|pl}}</ref> During the intense fighting in Chechnya, no penetration of the BMP-1/BMD-1 turret front armor were noticed because the turret made for a small target and had relatively thick frontal armor compared to other parts of the vehicle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://antisys.narod.ru/uch.html |title=Уроки Чечни и перспективы развития бронетехники |trans-title=Lessons from Chechnya and prospects for the development of armored vehicles |last=Koryavtsev |first=P. M. |date=2006 |website=antisys.narod.ru |access-date=14 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213115015/http://antisys.narod.ru/uch.html |archive-date=13 February 2012}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Armor thickness is as follows:<ref name="Janes" />
|-
! Thickness
! Angle
! Location
! [[Sloped armour|LOS<br /> thickness]]
|-
| 26–33&nbsp;mm || || gun mantlet ||
|-
| 23&nbsp;mm || 42° || turret front || 36&nbsp;mm
|-
| 19&nbsp;mm || 36° || turret side || 27&nbsp;mm 
|-
| 13&nbsp;mm || 30° ||turret rear || 17&nbsp;mm 
|-
| 6&nbsp;mm || 0° || turret top
|-
| 7&nbsp;mm || 80° || upper hull front || 46&nbsp;mm 
|-
| 19&nbsp;mm || 57° || hull lower front || 40&nbsp;mm 
|-
| 16&nbsp;mm || 14° || hull upper side || 19&nbsp;mm 
|-
| 18&nbsp;mm || 0° || hull lower side ||
|-
| 16&nbsp;mm || 19° || hull rear || 19&nbsp;mm 
|-
| 6&nbsp;mm || 0° || hull top ||
|-
| 7&nbsp;mm || 0° || hull belly rear ||
|}

==== Protection issues ====
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2009}}
The BMP-1 had significant shortcomings in its protection scheme, which only became obvious during the Soviet–Afghan War. It seats its driver and commander in a tandem layout, on the left side of the hull front, alongside the diesel engine. When an antitank [[landmine|mine]] hits the BMP-1s left track, the explosion usually destroyed one to three left side roadwheels, penetrated the bottom, and killed or seriously wounded both the driver and the commander, which caused painful losses of specialist personnel in the Soviet Army. Drivers laid sandbags on the bottom of their compartment in an effort to protect themselves against possible mine attack. The same kind of explosion under the right track was much less dramatic for the driver and the commander, who remained relatively safe.<ref name="BMP-1-Afghanistan" />

The experience of Yom Kippur War and Soviet–Afghan War showed that the armored hull of the BMP-1 cannot withstand hits of 12.7-mm bullets on the sides, and the hit of an anti-tank [[rocket-propelled grenade]] (RPG), as a rule, caused the vehicle to ignite, followed by an explosion of ammunition.<ref>'''The fighting that began immediately confirmed the conclusions of the battle in the Middle East in 1973. The BMP-1 could not withstand hits from 12.7 mm bullets, not to mention RPG grenades. Already on the first day of the Afghan war, during the [[Operation Storm-333]], in which Kh. Amin was located, one of the infantry fighting vehicles participating in the operation was hit by fire from a 12.7-mm machine gun [[DShK]].'' see ''Andrey Zayets.'' [http://www.rsva-ural.ru/library/weapon.php?id=570 ARMORED VEHICLES IN AFGHANISTAN (1979—1989)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202180039/http://www.rsva-ural.ru/library/weapon.php?id=570 |date=2 February 2014 }}</ref>

If the vehicle hit a [[Tilt-rod fuze|tilt-rod antitank mine]], its steeply sloped lower front glacis plate allowed the mine's arming rod to tilt with little resistance until the mine was well under the chassis. When it eventually detonated, the blast was usually sufficient to kill or badly wound the driver and the commander. From 1982, the Soviet 40th Army in Afghanistan began to receive improved BMP-1Ds (the so-called "Afghan" variant), which, among other improvements, included an additional armored plate under the driver's and commander's stations. This situation was addressed in the later BMP-2 design, where the commander shares the two-man turret with the gunner. The driver's and engine compartments could be equipped with additional bottom armor for improved protection against landmines filled with up to {{convert|2.5|kg|lb}} of explosives.

[[File:BMP-1 Iraq 5.JPEG|thumb|right|Iraqi BMP-1 in a field after being hit several times and burnt out during [[Operation Desert Storm]], 1 February 1991]]

There is a protection issue concerning the reloading of the 9M14 "Malyutka" and 9M14M "Malyutka-M" ATGMs in NBC conditions, because doing it through the small hatch from inside the vehicle would negate whatever protection the fighting compartment's NBC protection suite gave.

The compactness and low silhouette of the vehicle are generally advantages on a battlefield. Critical areas, such as the engine compartment, the ammunition storage area, fuel cells and the troop compartment, are located in a manner that became the standard for many IFVs and APCs. Penetration anywhere in these areas will often result in mobility and/or firepower damage and/or disabling of the personnel.<ref name="Warfare.be" />

The BMP-1 and BMP-2 series vehicles share a major drawback with many Soviet tanks. Ammunition is stored near or even inside the fighting compartment, which makes them more vulnerable to a hit from an anti-tank round or a missile across the side arc. If that happens, the ammunition often explodes, killing everyone and completely destroying the vehicle.<ref name="WorldTanks18" /> During the fighting in Afghanistan and Chechnya, hits by RPGs penetrated the BMP-1's armor in 95% of cases. This often resulted in the vehicle burning until the ammunition exploded.<ref name="BMP-1-Afghanistan" /> Due to these limitations, Soviet/Russian soldiers customarily rode on the outside of the BMP-1, sitting on top of the hull while in combat zones.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://army-news.ru/2012/12/desant-na-brone-pochemu-soldaty-ne-doveryaet-otechestvennym-btr/|title=Десант на броне. Почему солдаты не доверяют отечественным БТР? {{!}} Армейский вестник|publisher=army-news.ru|language=ru|accessdate=2017-11-12}}</ref>

The armor of BMP-1 IFVs is insufficient to deal with AP cannon rounds – sufficiently thick armor would increase the weight of the BMP-1 considerably and jeopardize its amphibious ability. Some military analysts support the idea of returning to the concept of open-topped APCs, as the armor of light AFVs cannot protect the crew from anti-tank weapons. Modern APCs are mostly used in local conflicts instead of hypothetical large-scale wars with NBC weapons.

[[File:Panzermuseum Munster 2010 0665.JPG|thumb|The rear doors are hollow fuel tanks, each has a periscope at the top, and the left door has a firing port.]]
[[File:BMP-1, troop compartment.jpg|thumb|One side of the troop compartment. Seats are back to back with a fuel tank between them. Fume extractors can be seen on the hull to the right, these clip on to weapons when they are used through the firing ports.]]

A problem most often cited by western analysts is the design of the main fuel tank. Due to the low profile of the vehicle, the designers have had to place the fuel tank between the two rows of outward-facing seats, meaning that the infantrymen sit very close to the bulk of the vehicle's fuel storage. Extra fuel is carried in the hollow armored rear doors. Therefore, a hit by an armor-piercing incendiary round would set the fuel contained there on fire, especially if the fuel is kerosene instead of diesel. The burning fuel would move into the crew compartment, resulting in the death or injury of the infantrymen (if they are unable to leave the vehicle via the roof hatches), and a possible explosion.

However, the rear door tanks are almost always empty when the BMP goes into combat, as they are only meant to increase the road travel range of the vehicle. In intense war areas where the BMP sees action often, and it is relatively near its base of operations, instructions highly recommend detaching the rear door tanks from the fuel system, filling them with sand as additional protection for the troop compartment, and adding fuel to the internal main fuel tank from other sources when the need arises.

This was not practiced by some BMP-1s crews during a number of local conflicts, e.g., in Chechnya, which resulted in frequent attempts by the enemy to hit the rear doors of the BMP-1s. The inner fuel tank is more vulnerable than that of many modern IFVs – the thin side armor means that penetration is likely to occur to the inner fuel tank as well.

The BMP-1 has no air conditioning or air cooling system. Its crew members and passengers suffer heavily in hot climates as its air filtration system and exhaust-ventilation fans cannot provide any comfort at high temperatures.<ref name="BMP-1-Afghanistan" /> During the Yom Kippur War, crews kept some of the roof hatches open. This meant that they were vulnerable to machine gun fire from higher ground. Only a few examples of the BMP-1 were intended for export – mainly to countries with a hot climate (for example, the Slovak-Belarusian "Cobra-S"). They are equipped with an air conditioning system. The cooling system for the engine is improved, as is the additional forced air cooling system of the engine compartment and radiator. The exhaust system helps to eject gases together with hot air from the engine compartment through the grille located on the right side of the hull roof in front of the turret.

=== Equipment ===
The BMP-1 can make its own smoke screen by injecting vaporized diesel fuel into the exhaust manifold using the TDA engine thermal smoke generating system.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=21}} Later models have an array of 902V Tucha smoke grenade launchers which can form a screen {{convert|80|m|yd|abbr=on}} wide, {{convert|200|to|300|m|yd|abbr=on}} in front of the vehicle.{{sfnp|Zaloga|Sarson|1994|p=21}}

A number of BMP-1s were fitted with mountings for the KMT-10 plow-type mine-clearing system in the early 1980s. It is installed on the front of the hull in line with the tracks. The plow weighs {{convert|450|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and can be attached in 30 minutes. Emergency detaching takes around 10 minutes. The KMT-10 is intended for clearing anti-tank mines under different ground conditions.<ref name="BriefGuide" /><ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://www.stankomash74.ru/catalog/opk/kmt-10/ |script-title=ru:Колейный Минный Трал КМТ-10 |website=Stankomash74 |language=ru |access-date=24 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908045840/http://www.stankomash74.ru/catalog/opk/kmt-10/ |archive-date=8 September 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web |url=http://www.mod.mil.by/s53kmt10.html |script-title=ru:Минный трал КМТ-10 |website=mod.mil.by |language=ru |access-date=24 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615073926/http://www.mod.mil.by/s53kmt10.html |archive-date=15 June 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

It is pneumatically driven and takes four seconds to switch from the traveling position to the digging position. The mine-clearing plows are very narrow, with just two digging tines, each {{convert|300|mm|in|abbr=on}} wide, (the same as each track), which limits them to clearing surface-laid mines, in particular scatterable anti-tank mines. A chain mounted between the plows can detonate tilt-rod mines. The maximum mine-clearing speed is {{convert|15|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name="BriefGuide" /><ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/>

When the NBC protection system is configured and operating, the crew and passengers are protected from [[chemical weapon]]s, [[biological agent]]s and [[nuclear fallout]] by an air filtration and [[Overpressure (CBRN protection)|overpressure]] system, which consists of the NBC filter element and the blower/dust separator.<ref name="BriefGuide" />

BMP-1s were equipped with one [[RPG-7]]/RPG-7V<ref name="TanksInRussia" /> shoulder-launched anti-tank RPG and five PG-7 rounds or one [[9K32 Strela-2]]/9K38 Igla [[MANPAD|man-portable anti-aircraft missile]] launcher and two replacement missiles.<ref name="ArmsControl" /> It carries 1600 rounds for two [[PK machine gun|PK]] general-purpose machine guns.