A volume in the "Technology @ War" series. The MT-LB armored multi-purpose tracked vehicle entered service with the Soviet Army in 1964. The primary role of the MT-LB was to serve as an armored artillery tractor, towing the 100mm MT-12 anti-tank gun as well as other artillery pieces, while housing the gun crew and ammunition under armored protection. However, the vehicle proved to be extremely versatile and was subsequently utilized extensively as a chassis for a wide range of specialized vehiclesincluding variants adapted for operations in snow and swampy terrain, artillery reconnaissance, technical maintenance, and mine clearance. The MT-LB family was expanded with the introduction of the enlarged MT-LBu series, which served primarily as a platform for a variety of 1V-series artillery command and control vehicles (NATO designation: ACRV). In the post-Soviet era, the MT-LB underwent further modernization and combat upgrades, evolving into an infantry fighting vehicle (BMP) for use in low-intensity conflicts. Equipped with armament comparable to that of the Cold War-era Soviet BMP-2, the MT-LB found a renewed purpose in the 21st century. The MT-LB played a significant role in the Soviet Army, the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact, and the post-Soviet armies of the former Soviet republics. Total production across all variants exceeded 55,000 vehicles, making the unassuming MT-LB one of the most widely produced Soviet armored vehicles of all time. The MT-LB was exported on a massive scale and saw combat service in numerous conflicts worldwide; Most recently, it has been deployed by both sides of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Written and illustrated based on original Russian and Ukrainian sources, this book offers a detailed examination of one of the most widely producedalbeit often overlookedSoviet armored vehicles of all time.
