List of equipment of the Soviet Ground Forces explained

This list shows equipment of Soviet Ground Forces in 1991.

Equipment of the Soviet Ground Forces
Founded:	23 February 1946
Disbanded:	26 December 1991

Infantry equipment

Helmets

Name	Type	Photo	Notes
SSh-40	Helmet		Still used during the Soviet-Afghan war.
SSh-60	Helmet		Still used during the Soviet-Afghan war.
SSh-68^[1]	Helmet		Main service helmet.

Body armor

Name	Type	Photo	Notes
6B2 (Zh-RI)	Flak jacket		Issued in 1980, it provided inadequate protection in Afghanistan and subsequently phased out.
6B3	Flak jacket		Replaced the Zh-RI in 1983, it provided better protection, but it was heavier and uncomfortable to wear in the mountains of Afghanistan or in hot days.
YaB4	Flak jacket		Replaced the Zh-RI in 1984, it provided better protection, but it was heavier and uncomfortable to wear in the mountains of Afghanistan or in hot days.
6B4 (Zh-85)	Ballistic vest		Issued between 1985 and 1986, the Zh-85t and Zh-85k provided chest protection against bullets in the front and spinal protection against fragments in the back.
6B5 "Ulej" (Zh-86)	Ballistic vest		Issued in 1988, it replaced the Zh-85t and Zh-85k vests. The Zh-86 covers a larger body area, and its construction uses titanium alloy, ceramics, and special steel.

Small arms

Pistols and revolvers

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
Makarov PM	Semi-automatic pistol	9×18mm Makarov		Main service pistol^[2]
PB Besshumnyy	Integrallly suppressed semi-automatic pistol			Silenced pistol issued to special forces^[3]
Stechkin APS	Machine pistol
PSM	Semi-automatic pistol	5.45×18mm		Standard sidearm of civil and military security forces
PSS silent pistol	Semi-automatic pistol	7.62×41mm SP-4		Used by Spetsnaz.^[4]
	Semi-automatic pistol	7.62×25mm Tokarev		Limited use.
Nagant M1895	Revolver	7.62×38mmR		Limited use.

Assault rifles and other automatic rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
AK-74	Assault rifle	5.45×39mm		Main service rifle
AKS-74	Assault rifle			AK-74 variant with a folding stock
AKS-74U	Assault Carbine			AKS-74 variant with a shortened barrel
AKM	Assault rifle	7.62×39mm		In service since 1959
AKMS	Assault rifle			AKM variant with a folding stock

Designated marksman and sniper rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
SVD	Designated marksman rifle	7.62×54mmR		Main service designated marksman rifle
VSS Vintorez	Designated marksman rifle	9×39mm		Suppressed sniper rifle used by special forces like Spetsnaz^[5]

Light and heavy machine guns

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
RPK-74	Light machine gun	5.45×39mm		Main service light machine gun
RPK	Light machine gun	7.62×39mm
PKM	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×54mmR		Main service general-purpose machine gun
NSV "Utyos"	Heavy machine gun	12.7×108mm		Main service heavy machine gun
DShKM	Heavy machine gun			Being replaced by the NSV machine gun.
KPV-14.5	Heavy machine gun	14.5×114mm		Base for anti-aircraft guns

Flares and Smokes

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
SPSh-44	Flare gun	26 mm
RSP-30	Warning Flare
RDG-2	Smoke grenade

Launchers

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
GP-25 Kostyor	Grenade launcher	40 mm caseless grenade		^[6]
AGS-17 Plamya	Automatic grenade launcher	30x29 mm

Rocket-propelled grenade launchers

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
RPG-29 Vampir	Reusable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	105mm		^[7]
RPG-27 Tavolga	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	105mm		^[8]
RPG-26 Aglen	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	72.5mm
RPG-22 Netto	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	72.5mm		Seen in use during the Soviet-Afghan war.
RPG-18 Mukha	Disposable high-explosive anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade	64mm
RPG-16	Rocket-propelled grenade	58.3mm		Used by paratroopers and Spetsnaz.^[9]
RPG-7	Rocket-propelled grenade	40mm		Reusable launcher with various types of anti-personnel and anti-tank munitions.

Recoilless Rifles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
SPG-9 Kopyo	Recoilless rifle	73 mm
B-10	Recoilless rifle	82 mm		Limited use by paratroopers.

Man-portable air-defense systems

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
9K32 Strela-2	Infrared homing	72 mm		NATO reporting name: SA-7 Grail. Being replaced by the Strela-3 and Igla systems^[10]
9K34 Strela-3	Infrared homing			NATO reporting name: SA-14 Gremlin
9K310 Igla-1	Infrared homing			NATO Reporting name: SA-16
9K38 Igla	Infrared homing			NATO reporting name: SA-18. Replacing the Strela-2 and Strela-3 systems.

Anti-tank guided missiles

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
9M17 Fleyta	MCLOS	148 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-2 Swatter
9M14 Malyutka	MCLOS	125 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-3 Sagger
9K111 Fagot	SACLOS	120 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-4 Spigot
9M113 Konkurs	SACLOS	135 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-5 Spandrel
9K114 Shturm	SACLOS			NATO reporting name: AT-6 Spiral
9K115 Metis	SACLOS	94 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-7 Saxhorn
9K112 Kobra	SACLOS	125 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-8 Songster.^[11]
9M117 Bastion	Laser beam-riding	100 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-10 Stabber.
9M119 Svir/Refleks	Laser beam-riding	120 mm		NATO reporting name: AT-11 Sniper.

Land mines

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
MON-50	Anti-personnel	700 g RDX		Widely used in the Soviet-Afghan war.
MON-90	Anti-personnel	6.2 kg RDX
MON-100	Anti-personnel	2 kg TNT
MON-200	Anti-personnel	12 kg TNT
OZM-72	Anti-personnel	660 g TNT		Widely used in the Soviet-Afghan war.^[12]
PFM-1	Anti-personnel	37 g
PMD-6 mine	Anti-personnel	200 g		PMD-7, and PMD-7ts variants also used.
POMZ-2M	Anti-personnel	75 g TNT
PMN mine	Anti-personnel	240 g TNT		Widely used in the Soviet-Afghan war.

Anti-tank mines

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
TMD-44	Anti-tank mine	9.7 kg Amatol
TM-46	Anti-tank mine	5.7 kg TNT
TM-57	Anti-tank mine	6.34 kg TNT
TM-62	Anti-tank mine	7.5 kg TNT		^[13]
TM-72	Anti-tank mine	2.5 kg HEAT
PDM-1	Amphibious anti-tank	10 kg TNT		^[14]
TM-83	Off-route mine	6.6 kg TNT

Flamethrower

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
LPO-50	Flamethrower	986 mm
RPO Rys	Flamethrower	122 mm		^[15]
RPO-A Shmel	Flamethrower	93 mm

Mortars

Name	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
82-BM-37	Light	82mm		M-37M
2B14 Podnos	Light			Used by paratroopers.
120-PM-38	Heavy	120 mm		^[16]
120-PM-43	Heavy
2B11	Heavy
2S12 Sani	Heavy			1,387 units in 1991
M-160	Heavy	160mm
M-240	Heavy	240 mm

Hand grenades

Name	Type	Photo	Caliber	Notes
F1	Anti-personnel		55 mm
RGD-5	Anti-personnel		58 mm
RGN	Anti-personnel		60 mm	Offensive type hand grenade.
RGO	Anti-personnel			Defensive type hand grenade.
RKG-3	Anti-tank grenade		362 mm
RPG-6	Anti-tank grenade		103 mm	Still used for training purposes.
RPG-43	Anti-tank grenade		95 mm	Still used for training purposes.
VOG-25	Launcher grenade		40 mm	Used on the GP-25.^[17]

Vehicles

Tanks

The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated that the Soviet Union had around 16,000 tanks of unknown types in storage east of the Urals in 1991.^[16]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
T-80	Main battle tank	5,400		T-80U/T-80BV
T-72	Main battle tank	9,000		T-72B
T-64	Main battle tank	4,900		T-64BV
T-62	Main battle tank	8,500		T-62MV-1
T-55	Main battle tank	10,600		T-55AMV-1
T-10	Heavy tank	~350		T-10M
PT-76	Light tank	1,000		PT-76B

Infantry fighting vehicles

The Soviet Union had about 28,000 Infantry fighting vehicles in 1991^[16]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BMP-1	Infantry fighting vehicle	N/A		Between 1972 and 1988 Czechoslovakia delivered 5,100 BVP-1s to the Soviet Union^[18]
BMP-2	Infantry fighting vehicle	N/A
BMP-3	Infantry fighting vehicle	~700
BMD-1	Infantry fighting vehicle	~3,000		Used by airborne troops.
BMD-2	Infantry fighting vehicle			Used by airborne troops.
BMD-3	Infantry fighting vehicle			Only used by airborne troops.

Self-propelled guns

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
ASU-57	Assault gun			Only used by airborne troops.
ASU-85	Assault gun			Only used by airborne troops.
2S1 Gvozdika	Self-propelled artillery	2,331
2S3 Akatsiya	Self-propelled artillery	2,044
2S4 Tyulpan	Self-propelled mortar	54
2S5 Giatsint-S	Self-propelled artillery	494
2S7 Pion	Self-propelled artillery	304
2S9 Nona	Self-propelled artillery	442		Only used by airborne troops.
2S19 Msta	Self-propelled howitzer	13
152 mm SpGH DANA	Self-propelled artillery			150 delivered by Czechoslovakia between 1986 and 1990.

Towed mortars and anti-tank guns

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Caliber	Notes
2B9 Vasilek	Gun howitzer			82 mm	Used by motor rifle and airborne units.
D-44	Anti-tank gun			85 mm
BS-3	Anti-tank gun			100 mm
T-12	Anti-tank gun
2B16 Nona-K	Gun howitzer	37		120 mm
2A45 Sprut-A	Anti-tank gun			125 mm	^[19]

Towed Artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Caliber	Notes
2A18 D-30	Field Gun	2,044		122 mm
D-74	Field Gun
KS-30	Field Gun	12		130 mm
D-20	Field Gun	767		152 mm
2A36 Giatsint-B	Field Gun	574
2A65 Msta-B	Field Gun	400
S-23	Field Gun	~180		180 mm

Anti-aircraft tanks and missile systems

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
ZSU-57-2	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	750^[20]		In reserve.
ZSU-23-4 Shilka	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	N/A
2K11 Krug	Transportable SAM system	1,350		NATO reporting name: SA-4 Ganef. Being replaced by the Buk and S-300 systems
2K12 Kub	Transportable SAM system	850		NATO reporting name: SA-6 Gainful
2K22 Tunguska	Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	130		NATO reporting name: SA-19 Grison
9K31 Strela-1	Transportable SAM system	430		NATO reporting name: SA-9 Gaskin. Being replaced by the Strela-10 system
9K33 Osa	Transportable SAM system	950		NATO reporting name: SA-8 Gecko
9K35 Strela-10	Transportable SAM system	860		NATO reporting name: SA-13 Gopher
9K37 Buk	Transportable SAM system	300		NATO reporting name: SA-11 Gadfly
9K330 Tor	Transportable SAM system	20		NATO reporting name: SA-15 Gauntlet. Replacing the Kub and Osa systems
S-300	Transportable SAM system	70+		NATO Reporting name: SA-12A Gladiator

Anti-aircraft guns

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Caliber	Notes
AZP S-60	Autocannon			57 mm
ZU-23-2	Autocannon			23x152 mmB
ZPU-2	Anti-aircraft gun			14.5x114 mm	In reserve.
KS-30	Anti-aircraft gun			130x845 mmR	In reserve.
KS-19	Anti-aircraft gun			100x695 mm

Rocket artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BM-14	Multiple rocket launcher
BM-21 Grad	Multiple rocket launcher	1,550
BM-24	Multiple rocket launcher
BM-27 Uragan	Multiple rocket launcher	554
9K58 BM-30 Smerch	Multiple rocket launcher	158
TOS-1	Multiple rocket launcher			First used in 1987 during the Soviet-Afghan war.^[21]

Tactical ballistic missiles

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
9K52 Luna-M	Tactical ballistic missile	500
9K79 OTR-21 Tochka	Tactical ballistic missile	300
RT-17 Scud	Tactical ballistic missile	550		Scud-B and Scud-C variants

Armored personnel carriers

By 1991 the Soviet army had over 50,000 armored personnel carriers in service.^[16]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BTR-80	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A
BTR-70	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A
BTR-60	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		BTR-60P
BTR-50	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		BTR-50P
BTR-152	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		Some vehicles were kept by 1980s as ambulances, command, radio, and engineering vehicles.
BTR-D	Armoured personnel carrier	N/A		Used by airborne units.
MT-LB	Tracked Armoured personnel carrier	4,500
PTS-2	Amphibious armoured personnel carrier
PTS-M	Amphibious armoured personnel carrier

Reconnaissance vehicles

Soviet army had about 8,000 reconnaissance vehicles in service in 1991.^[16]

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BRDM-2	Amphibious armoured scout car	3,500
BRM-1K	Reconnaissance tank
IRM Zhuk	Engineer reconnaissance tank

Engineering vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
BAT-2	Military engineering vehicle	N/A
BTM-3	Trencher	N/A
IMR-2	Military engineering vehicle	N/A
MDK-3	Trencher	N/A
MTU-20	Bridgelayer	N/A
TMK-2	Trencher	N/A
TMM	Bridgelayer	N/A
PMP Floating Bridge	Pontoon bridge	N/A

Unarmored trucks and utility vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Photo	Notes
UAZ-469	Light utility vehicle	N/A		^[22]
Lada Niva Legende	Light utility vehicle	N/A
GAZ-69	Light utility vehicle	N/A
UAZ-452	Light truck	N/A		Used mostly as ambulances or special operation vehicles.
GAZ-53	Medium truck	N/A		Used by engineering units in Afghanistan.
GAZ-66	Medium truck	N/A		The GAZ-66B variant was used by Airborne troops.^[23]
ZIL-131	Medium truck	N/A		Some had ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns mounted in Afghanistan.

References

1. Book: Greentree . David . Soviet Naval Infantry 1917–91 . 16 February 2023 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-4728-5163-5 . 23 July 2023 . en.
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3. Web site: Popenker . Maxim . GUNS OF THE SPETSNAZ: 9MM PB SILENCED PISTOL - Small Arms Review . Small Arms Review . 30 June 2023 . 13 December 2008.
4. Book: Thompson . Leroy . Soviet Pistols: Tokarev, Makarov, Stechkin and others . 27 October 2022 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-4728-5349-3 . 23 July 2023 . en.
5. Web site: The VSS Vintorez: Whisper Of Spetsnaz . SOFREP . 30 June 2023 . en.
6. Book: Campbell . David . Soviet Airborne Forces 1930–91 . 20 February 2020 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-4728-3959-6 . 26 July 2023 . en.
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8. Web site: Ukrainian positions in Donbas shelled by deadly Russian RPG-27 Tavolga . www.unian.info . 21 July 2023 . en.
9. Book: Rottman . Gordon L. . The Rocket Propelled Grenade . 15 March 2011 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-84908-154-2 . en.
10. Book: Institute for Strategic Studies . The military balance, 1989-1990 . 1989 . Brassey's . London . 978-0080375694 . 34 . Institute for Strategic Studies .
11. Book: Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices: 1945-1995 . 1995 . Marine Corps Intelligence Activity . 26 July 2023 . en.
12. Book: Russian General Staff . Grau . Lester W. . Gress . Michael A.. The Soviet-Afghan War: How a Superpower Fought and Lost . 2002 . University Press of Kansas . 978-0-7006-1185-0 . en . Lester W. Grau. Russian General Staff.
13. Book: Soviet Engineers: Organization, Doctrine, and Equipment . 1986 . Field Engineering Branch, Department of Military Engineering, U.S. Army Engineer School . 11–15 . 28 July 2023 . en.
14. Book: United States Army, Europe . Headquarters . USAREUR Pam 30-60-1 1975 Identification guide, part three, weapons and equipment, East European Communist armies, volume ii, mine warfare and demolition equipment. . 30 July 1975 . New York . 23 July 2023 . en.
15. Book: Galeotti . Mark . Afghanistan: The Soviet Union's Last War . 6 December 2012 . Routledge . 978-1-136-29943-8 . 192–193 . Mark Galeotti . en.
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18. Web site: Trade Registers . armstrade.sipri.org . 21 April 2023.
19. Web site: Trevithick . Joseph . Watch Russian Troops Snuff Out An Oil Well Blaze With An Anti-Tank Gun . The Drive . 21 July 2023 . en . 9 June 2020.
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21. Web site: Newdick . Thomas . The Truth About Russia's Terrifying TOS-1A Thermobaric Rocket Launchers Now In Ukraine . The Drive . 21 July 2023 . en . 28 February 2022.
22. Book: Galeotti . Mark . Combat Vehicles of Russia's Special Forces: Spetsnaz, airborne, Arctic and interior troops . 28 May 2020 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 978-1-4728-4184-1 . 20 July 2023 . Mark Galeotti . en.
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