Infantry fighting vehicle

An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is a specialized type of armored combat vehicle. It is also sometimes called a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV). The primary purpose of an IFV is to transport a combat infantry squad into battle. Unlike a simple transport vehicle, an IFV also provides direct-fire support for the soldiers it carries.

This means the vehicle is designed to engage in combat itself. According to the 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, an IFV must be an armored combat vehicle. It must be designed to transport a squad and be armed with an integral cannon of at least 20 millimeters caliber. Some models may also include an anti-tank missile launcher.

To understand how an IFV works, it is helpful to compare it to other vehicles. An armored personnel carrier (APC) is primarily a transport vehicle. APCs are usually armed only for self-defense and are not engineered to fight on their own. An IFV is different because it is more mobile than a tank and carries much heavier weapons. These weapons often include a rapid-firing autocannon or a large conventional gun. Furthermore, many IFVs feature side ports in the troop compartment. These ports allow infantrymen to fire their personal weapons from inside the vehicle. This allows the squad to remain under armor while still participating in the fight.

The development of the IFV was driven by two major trends during the Cold War. First, armies began fitting heavier weapons onto APC chassis to provide suppressive fire. This fire helps protect soldiers as they debuss, or exit, the vehicle. Second, many militaries wanted soldiers to fight from inside their vehicles. This was especially important in environments with radioactive fallout. By staying inside the armored hull, soldiers could operate in contaminated areas.

This need for protection and firepower created a new niche between armored weapons-carriers and simple APCs.

History shows several key milestones in the creation of these vehicles. In 1957, France introduced the AMX-VCI, which was the first purpose-built IFV. It carried a three-man crew and ten troops, and it featured a 20 mm autocannon. Shortly after, the German SPz-12-3 was introduced. In Austria, the Saurer 4K became notable because it was the first to have both firing ports and a turreted weapons system. The Soviet Union also made massive contributions to this technology. They developed the BMP-1, which entered serial production in 1966. The BMP-1 was a very successful design. The Soviet Union produced approximately 20,000 of these vehicles between 1966 and 1983.

Different nations designed IFVs to suit their specific environments and needs. The Soviet BMP-1 was amphibious, meaning it could travel through water. It used a 73mm smoothbore cannon and could launch 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank missiles. In contrast, South Africa introduced the Ratel in 1976. The Ratel was the first wheeled IFV. It was designed for rapid offensives across vast distances in undeveloped areas. Because tracks can wear out quickly in sandy terrain, wheels were more attractive for mobility. The Ratel was also the first mine-protected IFV. It featured a blastproof hull designed to withstand anti-tank mines.

The United States also focused heavily on developing a dedicated IFV to match Soviet designs. The U.S. Army found that the older M113 chassis was too heavy, too slow, and lacked sufficient protection. After testing various prototypes, the U.S. accepted the Bradley Fighting Vehicle for service in 1980. The Bradley was a 21-ton tracked vehicle. It could carry a crew and eight passengers. It was equipped with a 25 mm autocannon and a TOW anti-tank missile launcher.

Over time, successive versions of the Bradley have been updated with Kevlar spall liners and improved missile systems. These upgrades have reduced the passenger capacity to six people to make room for more equipment.

By 1982, the IFV concept had become a global standard. There were 30,000 IFVs in service worldwide, and 30 different national armies used them in their military doctrines. While the IFV is very powerful, it did not make the APC obsolete. Many major armies, such as the U.S., Russia, France, and Germany, still maintain large fleets of both. They use IFVs for frontline combat and APCs for specialized or auxiliary roles. This shows that while the IFV is a major advancement in mechanized warfare, different vehicles are still needed for different tasks.