Serbia has purchased 26 BTR-80A armored personnel carriers from Hungary, Serbian newspaper Srbija Danas reports. According to the portal, the BTRs will be used by Serbian troops in many areas.
The combat vehicle, which can carry 10 people, can transport troops and partake in combat roles, both in defense and attack. The armored vehicle can also travel on water and has a propeller at the rear with an armored cover. It is manned by a crew of three: the commander, the driver and the turret gunner.
The Hungarian Armed Forces received 555 BTR-80 armored combat vehicles between 1996 and 1999 as compensation for its joint national debt with Russia. Some of the fleet was refurbished between 2006 and 2010, but most of it became unusable.
The vehicles that have now been sold are equipped with night vision devices and advanced communication systems, but according to the portal, they do not meet Hungary’s long-term defense needs, which is why they are being sold. In addition to the Hungarian Armed Forces, the Counter-Terrorism Center (TEK) currently uses such vehicles.
The Lynx infantry fighting vehicle, developed by Germany’s Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, will replace the BTR-80A in the Hungarian Armed Forces.
The Lynx family of combat vehicles represents the latest generation of such military equipment. It is equipped with strong active and passive protection, advanced armaments, and a number of sophisticated sensor and reconnaissance systems that enable rapid situational awareness in the field.
