61 km/h (38 mph) (road) 30 km/h (19 mph) (off-road) 5 to 6 km/h (3.7 MPH) (in the water)
TheMT-LB (Russian:Многоцелевой Тягач Легкий Бронированный,romanized: Mnogotselevoy tyagach legky bronirovanny, literally "multi-purpose towing vehicle light armoured") is aSoviet multi-purpose, fullyamphibious, trackedarmoured fighting vehicle in use since the 1970s. It was also produced inPoland, where (starting in the mid-1990s) itsYaMZ engine was replaced by a Polish 6-cylinder SW 680 diesel engine.[3]
In the 1950s, theSoviet Central Auto andTractor Directorate began a development program to replace theAT-P series of artillery tractors (which were based on theASU-57 airborne self-propelled gun) with a new generation of vehicles. TheMT-L was developed to meet this requirement based on thePT-76 amphibious light tank chassis. The MT-LB is the armoured variant of the MT-L. Entering production in the early 1970s, it was cheap to build, being based on many existing components, e.g. the engine, which was originally developed for trucks.
The crew (a driver and a commander/gunner) sit in a compartment at the front of the vehicle, with the engine behind them. A compartment at the rear enables up to 11 infantry to be carried or a cargo of up to 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb). A load of 6,500 kilograms (14,300 lb) can be towed. The vehicle is fully amphibious, being propelled by its tracks in the water.[8]
A small turret at the front of the vehicle fits a 7.62 mmPKT machine gun with 360-degree manual traverse and an elevation of −5 to +30 degrees. The vehicle is lightly armored against small arms and shell splinters with a thickness of three to ten millimetres (0.12 to 0.39 in) of steel with a maximum of 14 millimetres (0.55 in) for the turret front.[9]
Several weapon systems are based on this hull (for exampleStrela-10 or SNAR-10).
9P149 vehicle based on the MT-LB of theShturm-S tank destroyer.
MT-L
MT-LB (izdeliye 6) – basic model, often used as simple APC but also as artillery tractor or ambulance. In the West, the termMT-LB Blade orMT-LB M1980 is used for vehicles that are fitted with ahydraulicdozer blade.[citation needed]
Bulgaria has various models of theMT-LB in service, as of 2016.[10] Along with the base model, between 1971 and 2012, Bulgaria manufactured theMT-LB VM variation with improved snow and swamp-going capabilities.[11][12]
The upgraded MT-LBM 6MB with MB2 turret, whose main armament is a2A72 30 mm automatic cannon.
Iraqi MT-LB converted into a SPAAG armed with aZU-2 anti-aircraft gun.Iraqi MT-LBV fitted with wider tracks.
MT-LB converted into aSPAAG by mounting aZU-23-223×152mm twin anti-aircraft gun on the rear part of the vehicle. The gun had its wheels removed and as such cannot be easily dismounted and used separately. There were at least two variations of this conversion; one with the ZU-23-2 mounted in an open-topped turret, the other with the ZU-23-2 mounted on a platform extending beyond the hull of the MT-LB with a roof for the gun operators. The second version was most likely intended to be used in a fire support role, as the roof would hinder the gun's sights at high elevation.[14]
PolishHSW S.A. (Huta Stalowa Wola S.A.) license produced MT-LB since 1976, and it also developed a modified chassis SPG-2, with better floating capabilities.[15]
MT-LB-2AP – APC variant with a turret fromSKOT-2AP, armed with high elevation 14.5mm KPVT MG and 7.62mm PKT CMG. Prototype only.
WEM Lotos – medical evacuation vehicle with four stretchers.
WPT Mors – armoured recovery and repair vehicle, produced from 1983.
R-137T (radiostacja ruchoma UKF) – signals vehicle with VHF radio set R-137. Entered service in 1987 and has a range of 70 to 150 km.
ZWD-1 "Irys" (zautomatyzowany wóz dowodzenia) – command vehicle, belongs to the automated command set "Irys".
MT-LB-23M "Krak" – APC variant with a 23 mm gun in an unmanned turret. Prototype only.
Promet – self-propelled AA gun with twin 23 mm guns, from 1979. Four prototypes only.
"Przebiśnieg" – electronic warfare system, consists of three different vehicles:
SZ orMT-LB Z (stacja zakłóceń) – EW/Jamming vehicle;
SR orMT-LB R (stacja rozpoznania) – Comint/Sigint vehicle;
WD krel – command post vehicle (wóz dowodzenia kompanii radioelektronicznej).
SPG-2 – much-modified base vehicle, with reworked nose section and hydro jets for better floating:[15]
TRI Hors – engineering reconnaissance vehicle, built in series from 1983, armed with 12.7mm NSVT AAMG mounted on a turret;[15]
WPT Mors-II – armoured recovery and repair vehicle, produced from 1986, armed with 12.7mm NSVT AAMG mounted on a turret;[15]
Opal-I andOpal-II – artillery command vehicles, with a turret with NSWT-12.7 Utios: Opal-I with a 245 hp (180 kW) turbocharged diesel engine SW680/167/1, Opal-II with a 300 hp (220 kW) engine SW680T (YaMZ-238N) and a longer chassis with 7 road wheels on each side.[16] Prototypes only
MT-LBV - entering service in 1972, introduced new roadwheel swing arms, fenders and mudguards to accommodate a wider set of tracks. A modification with wider tracks (670mm instead of 350mm) for lower ground pressure for snow/swamp operations.
MT-LBVM - equipped with the NSVT 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun mount instead of the TKB-01-1 turret.
MT-LBVMK – a modification of MT-LBVM with a 12.7mmKord instead of a 12.7mmNSVT machine gun.[17] Engine: YaMZ-238VM with rated power of 240 hp.
MT-LBVM1K - mountain modification, equipped with the new YaMZ-238BL-1 engine with rated power of 300 hp, new on-board radio station and new heater.
MT-LBu – a bigger, unarmed version that is used as the basis for many specialised vehicles. It has a more powerful engine, a 40 cm higher hull and a longer chassis with 7 road wheels on each side, instead of 6.
MT-LBM 6MB - 30mm autocannon turret mounted above the main compartment.
MT-LBMSh – announced in 2017, and built for Myanmar by theKharkiv Tractor Plant. Equipped with a KBA-105 "Shkval" combat module with a 30 mm autocannon,KT-7,62 machine gun, KBA-117 30 mm grenade launcher, six smoke grenade launchers 902B Tucha, and Barrier ATGM system. The vehicle also has reinforced armour and a new YaMZ-238B engine with 330 horsepower.[29]
BMP-1LB − Infantry fighting vehicle equipped withslat armour, and a BM-7 Parus remote-controlled weapon station featuring a 30 mm autocannon, twin machine guns, and an automatic grenade launcher. Early models suffered from slow speed and weak engines.[32]
Russia – 3,300 in active service before the start ofRusso-Ukrainian War.[48] As of May 9th 2025, Russia has lost 1710 MT-LBs of various variants in the Russo-Ukrainian War.[49]
Sweden – 460 (Locally designated Pbv 401, formerEast German, bought in 1993, then decommissioned gradually until the last 147 examples were sold toFinland in 2011)[60]
^Kočevar, Iztok (August 2014). "Micmac à tire-larigot chez Tito: L'arme blindée yougoslave durant la Guerre froide" [The Yugoslav armored arm during the Cold War].Batailles et Blindés (in French). No. 62. Caraktère. pp. 66–79.ISSN1765-0828.
*Hull, Andrew W.; Markov, David R.; Zaloga, Steve (1999).Soviet/Russian armor and artillery design practices : 1945 to Present. Darlington, Md.: Darlington Productions.ISBN1-892848-01-5.OCLC42600399.
Vietnam Strela-10,Snar-10 and bought Soviet leftover at Cam Ranh naval base
Armenia[33]
Azerbaijan – 336[34]
Angola – 31[35].jpg)
Bangladesh – 134[36]
Bulgaria – 100 MT-LB in service as of 2024.[37]
Belarus – 70[38]
Congo-Kinshasa – 6[39]
Eritrea – 10[40]
Finland – 320 MT-LBu/MT-LBV in service as of 2024.[37]
Georgia – 66 in Service[41]
Iraq – About 400 in Service.[42]
Kazakhstan – 150[43]
Moldova – 60[44]
Myanmar – 350+ of MT-LBMSh[45]
Nigeria – 67[46]
North Korea – unknown number of HT-16PGJ based on Strela-10
North Macedonia – 10 MT-LB in service as of 2024.[37]
Kurdistan Region
People's Defense Units (YPG)[47]
Russia – 3,300 in active service before the start ofRusso-Ukrainian War.[48] As of May 9th 2025, Russia has lost 1710 MT-LBs of various variants in the Russo-Ukrainian War.[49]
Syria[50]
Transnistria
Ukraine – 2,090.[51][52] In 2018 nine MT-LBs received from Poland (those vehicles were previously in Polish service).[53]
Uruguay – 5[55]
United States – Used byopposing force units for training purposes.
Artsakh − Seized by Azerbaijan after the2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh[56]
Croatia – 6 SNAR-10 stored, for scrap.
Czechoslovakia – Passed on to the Czech Republic.
East Germany – 721 Bulgarian-made MT-LBs, 32 SNAR-10 and 36 Strela-10M. Unified with West Germany.
Germany – taken from GDR's army, all scrapped or sold to other countries.
Hungary – Strela-10 and SNAR-10
Islamic State[57]
Lithuania – 10 retired.[58]
Poland – 15 retired[59]
Soviet Union – Passed on to successor states.
Sweden – 460 (Locally designated Pbv 401, formerEast German, bought in 1993, then decommissioned gradually until the last 147 examples were sold toFinland in 2011)[60]
Yugoslavia[61]
Media related toMT-LB at Wikimedia Commons