The BTR-70 was first made public to Western observers in a 1980 Moscow parade. Since then, the vehicle has appeared in quantity and in varied forms. BTR-70 systems serving in the Soviet war with Afghanistan were seen fitted with the AGS-17 30mm automatic grenade launcher just to the rear of the driver roof hatch. The BTR-70 has been made into artillery spotting vehicles, command and communications platforms, NBC protection and analysis, combat engineering systems and battlefield ambulances. Besides the basic Soviet-Russian type, the BTR-70 has appeared in modified forms with Germany (East), Romania, Ukraine, Slovakia and Belarus.
Being of an amphibious pedigree, the BTR-70 can enter bodies of water from land under its own power. A trim vane must first be erected at the front of the hull and bilge pumps turned on to ensure the vehicle does not sink while a single water jet mounted at the rear of the hull propels the vehicle forward at roughly 9 kilometers per hour. Amphibious capabilities are almost an absolute necessity on today's modern battlefield and the BTR-70 is no exception.
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