Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War - Bennett Park Raiders

Page 408 The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War
name for this lethal system is Uragan (Hurricane). Western
analysts initially identified this system as the BM27.
BMP—A Soviet tracked infantry fighting vehicle that carries a threeman
crew and a squad of eight soldiers. The BMP-1 mounts a
73mm cannon, a 7.62mm machine gun and an antitank missile.
The BMP-2 carries a 30mm automatic gun and a different antitank
missile and launcher.
BRDM—A Soviet four-wheeled armored car used primarily for reconnaissance.
It has two auxiliary wheels for extra mobility. In its
various configurations, it carries either a 12.7mm machine gun,
a 7.62mm machine gun or both.
BMD—A Soviet air-dropable, armored personnel carrier that carries
up to nine men (usually a maximum of seven). It has the same
turret as the BMP, so the BMD-1 has the 73mm cannon of the
BMP-1 and the BMD-2 has the 30mm automatic gun of the
BMP-2. They were widely used by Soviet airborne and air
assault force. The Mujahideen called them "commando tanks".
BTR—A Soviet eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier that can
carry up to an 11-man squad. It mounts 14.5mm and 7.62mm
machine guns and can carry antitank weapons as well. The
BTR and BMP were the most common infantry carriers of the
Soviet Forces.
Commander—During the war against the Soviets, the Mujahideen
had no rank structure, so the term commander applied to all
military commanders whether they led 10 men or 1,000.
Dari—Afghan Farsi or Persian spoken by about 50% of the population.
DRA—Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. The communist government
of Afghanistan.
DShK—Soviet-manufactured 12.7mm heavy machine gun. It is a
primary armament on Soviet-manufactured armored vehicles
and is effective against ground and air targets. It has a
wheeled carriage, tripod and mountain mount for ground and
air defense firing. It has rate of fire of 540-600 rounds per
minute with a maximum range of 7000 meters and an effective
range of 1500 meters against ground targets and 1000 meters
against air targets.
Enfield—British-manufactured .303 bolt-action rifle which was the
standard British infantry weapon from 1895 through the