Armored Vehicles

BMP-23

Also known as
  • BMP-23A
  • BMP-23D
  • BRM-23
  • BMP-30
  • БМП-23

The BMP-23 is a Bulgarian tracked infantry fighting vehicle built around a 2S1 Gvozdika and MT-LB-derived chassis, a domestic two-person turret, and a 23 mm 2A14 cannon. Public specialist sources place BMP-23-family vehicles with Bulgarian coalition security forces in Iraq, while stronger technical sources document the vehicle's Bulgarian service, variants, production totals, and carried missile fit.

BMP-23, Infantry fighting vehicle, Armored Vehicles
Image source: Commons BMP-23 Parade Image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Bulgaria
Type
Infantry fighting vehicle
Service note
Late Cold War Bulgarian design, still retained in Bulgarian mechanized service
Designed
Early 1980s; publicly shown in 1984
Unit cost
Forecast International listed a 2014 new-order price estimate of $494,200 for BMP-23/BMP-23A vehicles
Produced
1980s; broader BMP-23/BMP-30/BRM-23 family production and retrofit activity continued into the 2010s
Number built
Forecast International estimated 98 BMP-23/BMP-23A, 130 BMP-30, and 29 BRM-23 vehicles through 2013
Developed from
2S1 Gvozdika / MT-LB-derived chassis

Specifications

Crew
3: commander, gunner, and driver
Troops
7 infantry carried
Armament
23 mm 2A14 cannon, 7.62 mm PKT coaxial machine gun, 9K11 Malyutka launcher on baseline vehicles; upgraded BMP-23A/BMP-23D vehicles use 9K111 Fagot
Weight
15.2 tonnes
Dimensions
7.28 m long, 3.05 m wide, 2.53 m high
Mobility
315 hp diesel; torsion-bar suspension; about 61.5-62 km/h road speed; 550-600 km range
Amphibious mobility
Swims by track propulsion after bilge-pump and trim-vane preparation
Protection
All-welded steel armour with strongest protection over the frontal arc; small-arms and shell-splinter protection in Army Guide description
Production estimate
98 BMP-23/BMP-23A, 130 BMP-30, and 29 BRM-23 through 2013 in Forecast International's archived estimate
Design Lineage And Service Context

The BMP-23 family is not a Soviet BMP-1 derivative despite the similar designation. Army Guide and Forecast International describe a Bulgarian program that reused MT-LB and 2S1 Gvozdika industrial experience while giving the vehicle a larger troop compartment, a two-person turret, amphibious mobility, and a Bulgarian Army-focused production base.

Chassis lineage

Redesigned MT-LB-derived chassis with commonality to the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system built under license in Bulgaria.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23; Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23.

Family scale

Forecast International estimated 257 BMP-23/BMP-30/BRM-23 family vehicles in Bulgarian Army service in its 2014 archived report.

Source: Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23.

Iraq evidence boundary

The 2003 Iraq War row is limited to Bulgarian coalition deployment and security-service context from secondary specialist references.

Sources: Tank-AFV BMP-23; TankNutDave Bulgarian BMP-23 IFV; Military Factory BMP-23 IFV.

Variants

Open sources separate the family by turret and mission fit: BMP-23/BMP-23A infantry vehicles, BRM-23 reconnaissance vehicles, and the BMP-30 turret update.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
BMP-23A / BMP-23DUpgraded infantry fighting vehicle

Army Guide describes the upgraded version with six 81 mm smoke-grenade dischargers and a 9K111 Fagot launcher replacing the original Malyutka launcher.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23

BRM-23Reconnaissance vehicle

The reconnaissance branch is reported as a limited-production family member; Forecast International estimated 29 BRM-23 vehicles produced through 2013.

Sources: Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23

BMP-30BMP-2 turret variant

The BMP-30 uses the BMP-23 chassis with a BMP-2 two-person turret and 30 mm 2A42 cannon; Forecast International estimated 130 BMP-30 vehicles through 2013.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23, Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23

Main Armament

Army Guide identifies the BMP-23 turret as mounting a 23 mm 2A14 cannon.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
2A14 23 mm cannon, 23 mm gas-operated autocannon, Air Defense2A14 23 mm cannon23 mm autocannon

Army Guide identifies the BMP-23 as armed with the 23 mm 2A14 cannon.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23

Anti-Tank Missile Fit

Army Guide distinguishes the original Malyutka launcher from the later Fagot launcher fitted to the upgraded BMP-23A/BMP-23D configuration.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
9M14 Malyutka, MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank guided missile, Infantry Weapons9M14 MalyutkaBaseline anti-tank guided missile

Army Guide describes the BMP-23 roof launcher for the Russian Kolomna KBM 9K11 Malyutka, with additional missiles stowed behind the turret.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23

9K111 Fagot, Man-portable anti-tank guided missile system, Infantry Weapons9K111 FagotUpgraded anti-tank guided missile

Army Guide states the BMP-23A replaced the Malyutka launcher with a Tula KBP 9K111 Fagot launcher.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23

BMP-30 Turret Armament

The BMP-30 branch keeps the BMP-23 chassis but changes the turret and cannon package.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
2A42 30 mm automatic cannon, 30 mm automatic cannon, Artillery2A42 30 mm automatic cannon30 mm autocannon on BMP-30 variant

Army Guide describes the BMP-30 as the BMP-23 chassis fitted with the complete BMP-2 turret, and Forecast International identifies Tulamashzavod's 30 mm 2A42 cannon as the BMP-30 gun.

Sources: Army Guide BMP-23, Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23

Timeline

BMP-23 Key Events

  1. Public parade appearance

    Specialist references place the BMP-23's public reveal at a Bulgarian parade in 1984.

    Sources: Tank-AFV BMP-23

  2. Family production assessed as dormant

    Forecast International estimated through-2013 production at 98 BMP-23/BMP-23A, 130 BMP-30, and 29 BRM-23 vehicles, with BMP-30 low-rate serial production reportedly ended.

    Sources: Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23

  3. Bulgarian BMP-23 live-fire exercise filmed

    DVIDS published public-domain footage of Bulgarian forces firing from a BMP-23 during Exercise Platinum Lion 16-4 at Novo Selo Training Area.

    Sources: DVIDS Platinum Lion BMP-23 Range

Media

BMP-23 Videos

BMP-23 Images

BMP-23, Infantry fighting vehicle, Armored Vehicles - view 1
Source: Commons BMP-23 Saber Guardian 21 Image
BMP-23, Infantry fighting vehicle, Armored Vehicles - view 2
Source: Commons BMP-23 Combined Resolve 24-02 Image
Related Weapon Systems
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MT-LB with ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun, Improvised tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, Air DefenseAir DefenseMT-LB with ZU-23 anti-aircraft gunImprovised tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft gunThe MT-LB with ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun is an improvised tracked fire-support and short-range air-defense vehicle that combines the Soviet MT-LB multipurpose armored tractor with a twin 23 mm ZU-23 gun mount. Public records show the configuration in Iraqi, Russian, Ukrainian, Syrian, and Armenian or Artsakh service contexts, with documented examples ranging from an Iraqi wreck in Baghdad to vehicles destroyed, damaged, or captured in later wars.

Sources

Army Guide BMP-23Publisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports BMP-23 development, Bulgarian manufacturer context, and technical specifications including the 23 mm 2A14 cannon. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Forecast International BMP-23 BMP-30 BRM-23Publisher: Forecast International | Note: Supports contractor, production, unit-cost, variant-family, inventory, Bulgarian Army operator, and production-status context for the BMP-23/BMP-30/BRM-23 family. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Tank-AFV BMP-23Publisher: Tank Encyclopedia / Tank-AFV | Note: Supports specialist background on BMP-23 public reveal, general configuration, mobility, variants, Bulgarian service context, and secondary 2003 Iraq War service/deployment context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03TankNutDave Bulgarian BMP-23 IFVPublisher: TankNutDave.com | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct conflict-use context: BMP-23 vehicles deployed to Iraq with the Bulgarian Army as part of coalition security forces during the occupation. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Military Factory BMP-23 IFVPublisher: MilitaryFactory.com | Note: Supports 2003 Iraq War direct conflict-use context: BMP-23 series combat service with the Bulgarian Army in Iraq after 9/11, without specific battle detail. | Accessed: 2026-07-03DVIDS Platinum Lion BMP-23 RangePublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports public-domain exercise footage of Bulgarian forces firing from a BMP-23 during Exercise Platinum Lion 16-4. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons BMP-23 Parade ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain BMP-23 parade photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons BMP-23 Saber Guardian 21 ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a U.S. Army-released BMP-23 photo from Saber Guardian 21. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Commons BMP-23 Combined Resolve 24-02 ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a U.S. Army-released BMP-23 photo from Combined Resolve 24-02. | Accessed: 2026-07-03