The BMD-4 airborne combat vehicle has been developed by the Volgograd Tractor Plant and the Tula KBP Instrument Design Bureau, as a follow-on to the earlier BMD-3 airborne combat vehicle used by the Russian air assault divisions.

The BMD-4 is also referred to as the Bakhcha-U. The first order was placed in 2004 for five units, which were delivered late in 2005.

The first complete company equipped with 13 of the BMD-4 airborne combat vehicles was operational in the first half of 2005.

It is understood that all BMD-4 airborne combat vehicles are brand new vehicles and not a conversion of the older BMD-3 airborne combat vehicle.

One drawback is that the Il-76 transport aircraft can only carry two of the larger and heavier BMD-4 airborne assault vehicles compared with three of the older BMD-3. Combat weight of the BMD-4 is 13,500/13,600 kg, slightly heavier than the BMD-3.

The BMD-4 is essentially the earlier BMD-3 chassis fitted with a version of the Tula KBP Instrument Design Burea two-person turret, which was first developed for the latest version of the Kurgan BMP-3M Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV). The chassis is of all-welded aluminium armour which is claimed to provide attack from projectiles up to 30 mm in calibre. Side armour protection is only against small arms fire.

The standard BMD-3 is fitted with a two-person turret armed with a 30 mm 2A42 dual-feed cannon and a 7.62 mm PKN coaxial machine gun.

Mounted on the turret roof is a Tula KBP 9K113 Konkurs (NATO AT-5 'Spandrel') ATGW system. In addition, there are two bow-mounted weapons, one 30 mm AGS-17 30 mm automatic grenade launcher and one 5.56 mm RPKS machine gun.

The BMD-4 is fitted with a new two-person power-operated turret armed with a 100 mm 2A70 gun that in addition to firing conventional types of ammunition can also fire a laser-guided projectile out to a maximum range of 5,500 m.

A total of 34 100 mm rounds are carried for ready use, with another 18 in reserve. A total of eight Arkan 100 mm laser-guided projectiles are carried, of which four are ready use, with four in reserve. It is claimed that it takes between four and six seconds to load a new missile. Mounted coaxial with the 100 mm gun is a 30 mm 2A72 cannon and a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun.

On the first example of the BMD-4 shown late in 2004, the two bow-mounted weapons had been removed. The new turret is also fitted with spaced armour over the frontal arc and banks of 81 mm electrically operated smoke grenade launchers.

An advanced day/night computerised fire-control system is fitted that allows static and moving targets to engaged under almost all weather conditions while the platform is stationary or moving.

The gunner has a stabilised day/thermal sight that includes a laser range-finder and laser-guidance channel for the 100 mm missiles. The commander has a roof-mounted day/night stabilised sight that allows hunter/killer target engagements to be carried out.

An automatic target tracker is also fitted as is GPS.

The new-generation turret, or Universal Fighting Module as it is also referred to, has already been fitted onto a number of other chassis, tracked and wheeled. These include the latest BMP-3M ICV and BTR-90 (8 × 8) APC. A version of this turret has also been supplied to China for installation on its new full-tracked ICV. Details of this are provided in a separate entry.

Additional details of the turret are given in the entry on the Kurgan BMP-3M IFV upgrade, which as of mid-2007 remained at the prototype stage.

This is a full tracked APC which is understood to be based on the BMD-4 chassis and developed to complement this vehicle.

Not available but similar to BMD-3, apart from weapon fit.

Low rate production for Russian airborne forces.