The appearance of several photos on social media has renewed interest in the BMP-55 heavy infantry fighting vehicle project, which is based on the T-55 tank. Originally developed in the 2000s by the Morozov Design Bureau, the project never progressed to serial production.
The recently surfaced photos show a BMP-55 prototype. Judging by the snow, the images were taken in winter, and the vehicle appears to be undamaged. However, key details such as the location of the photos and the current status of the BMP-55 remain unknown.
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Work on the BMP-55 began in 2000, with two primary objectives: to create a heavily protected vehicle for infantry and to repurpose outdated T-55 tanks that no longer met the requirements of modern warfare.
The BMP-55 differed from the original T-55 in its hull layout. The engine was relocated to the front, freeing space in the rear for an infantry compartment capable of carrying eight soldiers. The vehicle's crew consisted of three.
The unarmed BMP-55 had a combat weight of 28.5 tons. Planned armament included a remotely operated weapon station featuring a 12.7 mm NSVT heavy machine gun and two anti-tank guided missile launchers mounted on the left side of the hull.
The vehicle’s frontal armor was designed to withstand direct hits from 25–30 mm automatic cannon fire. Side armor was rated to stop 14.5 mm heavy machine gun rounds, and the bottom was reinforced to resist the detonation of a TM-57 anti-tank mine.
Publicly available sources confirm that testing of a BMP-55 prototype began in 2009. However, no further progress has been reported. In this context, the recent reappearance of images of the vehicle during russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is significant in itself.
The example of the BTR-T, based on the T-64 and currently in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, clearly demonstrates the relevance of heavily armored infantry vehicles, especially under conditions of drone dominance on the battlefield.
At the same time, this example underscores the key resource-related obstacle that could hinder the revival of the BMP-55 project, should a decision be made to proceed. The core issue is the availability of a sufficient number of T-55 chassis in suitable condition for conversion.
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