Development and requirement
Bulgarian designers used the locally produced 2S1 self-propelled howitzer chassis as the basis for a national infantry fighting vehicle, gaining more internal space than the BMP-1 layout. 1
Design and battlefield role
The BMP-23 combines a tracked troop compartment with a 23 mm cannon and antitank missile capability. Its larger hull and different automotive ancestry distinguish it from the superficially similar Soviet BMP family. 1
Service and evolution
The vehicle entered Bulgarian service during the late Cold War and remained a specialized national platform rather than a widely exported family. 1
Archive boundaries
Because the chassis descends from an artillery platform, lineage is cross-role; classification follows the BMP-23’s actual troop-carrying combat mission, so it belongs with IFVs. 1
Sources and further reading
Representative source set used for this profile. Primary image source and reuse terms are listed with the image.