BTR-50P AMPHIBIOUS ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS THUAN LUONG, NORTH VIETNAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00849A000800020001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 1, 2006
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 20, 1967
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2006/nsf1A ? rIA-RnX4'Nf#Ay JM fl2flnnl-3
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
II
ATTACHMENT TO L-3023
20 APRIL 1967
PAGE 1
BTR-50P AMPHIBIOUS ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS
THUAN LUONG, NORTH VIETNAM
20 51 25N 105 38 21E
1. SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANY BTR-50P SERIES VEHICLES HAVE BEEN
SEEN IN NORTH VIETNAM.
2. LOCATION:
THESE VEHICLES ARE LOCATED 1.1 NM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THUAN LUONG
AT UTM WJ665062.
3. COLLATERAL:
THE TRACKED AMPHIBIOUS ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER BTR-50P, INITIALLY
SIGHTED IN 1955, IS THE ONLY TRACKED APC CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE
SOVIET BLOC. THE SOVIETS PRODUCE IT IN SEVERAL VERSIONS, THE BTR-50P
OPEN TOP MODEL, THE BTR-50PK WITH OVERHEAD ARMOR COVER, THE BTR-50PU
ARMORED COMMAND VEHICLE, AND THE CZECHOSLOVAK-PRODUCED OT-62 WITH OVER-
HEAD ARMOR COVER. THE VEHICLES USE THE BASIC CHASSIS OF THE AMPHIBIOUS
PT-76 LIGHT TANK.
THROUGH THE USE OF TWO HYDROJETS THIS SERIES OF VEHICLES ARE
CAPABLE OF WATER SPEEDS OF FROM 5 TO 7 MPH, EACH HYDROJET TUBE IS
FITTED WITH A TURBINE DRIVEN FROM THE VEHICLE ENGINE SO THAT WATER IS
EXPELLED THROUGH THE HULL-PLATE OPENINGS IN THE REAR, STEERING IN THE
WATER IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE USE OF VENTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE HULL
SIDEWALL, NEAR THE REAR.
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. for information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
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 Approved For Release 2006/038 R ? GIA_809-N OM A&I'112 nn1.3
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
ATTACHMENT TO L-3023
20 APRIL 1967
PAGE 2
THE BTR-50P HAS A LAND SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 27 MPH AND A
CRUISING RANGE OF ABOUT 160 MILES. IT CARRIES A CREW OF TWO, AND UP
TO TWELVE FULLY EQUIPPED PASSENGERS, ALTHOUGH IT IS CHIEFLY USED BY
ENGINEER UNITS AND AS A SPECIAL AMPHIBIOUS CARRIER. ITS NORMAL
ARMAMENT IS A 7.62 MM MACHINEGUN, BUT IT IS FREQUENTLY UNARMED.
THE BTR-50PK AMPHIBIOUS APC IS A SLIGHTLY MODIFIED VERSION OF
THE BASIC BTR-50P WITH OVERHEAD ARMOR COVER. ANOTHER CHANGE IS AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE VISION DEVICE MOUNTED ON THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE
FRONTAL ARMOR, WHICH ALLOWS IT TO ROTATE. SOME VEHICLES HAVE AN
INFRARED SEARCHLIGHT AS WELL AS INFRARED DRIVING LIGHTS.
4. MISSION READOUT:
ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS OF THE BTR-50P FAMILY, TWO ARE LOCATED
ON THE BANK OF AN UNNAMED STREAM AND THE THIRD IS 150 METERS WEST-
NORTHWEST OF THE FIRST TWO. NUMEROUS TRACKED VEHICLE TRACKS ARE
OBSERVED THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
UTM COORDINATE TAKEN FROM AMS SERIES L701, SHEET 6150 IV
COLLATERAL SOURCES:
FOREIGN MATERIAL CATALOGUE (FOMCAT), TB 381-5-1, JANUARY 1965
(CONFIDENTIAL).
IDENTIFICATION HANDBOOK, USAREUR PAM NO. 30-60-1 (UNCLASSIFIED).
I These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
Approved For Release 2006/03/16: CIA-R
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THUAN LUONG, NORTH VIETNAM
20-51-25N 105-38-21E