Weapons come to Ukraine from different cities and sometimes in this “zoo” it is difficult to distinguish one model from another. For example, next to M113 from the USA, the Ukrainian Armed Forces also use Infantry Combat Vehicle YPR-765 from the Netherlands. Thus, these two armored infantry vehicles are close relatives, but they are still different. Let’s look into it.

YPR-765 and the company FMC Corporation itself created based on its own M113A1 infantry combat vehicle to participate in the Pentagon’s MICV-65 program (Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, 1965), but US soldiers were not interested in this car, choosing the M2 Bradley that time. However, YPR-765, the official name of which is AIFV (Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle), was preferred by the Netherlands, Belgium, Turkey, the Philippines, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and some other countries. Each of them ordered slightly different versions of AIFV, some of which, incidentally, were manufactured locally in each country.

YPR-765 is a Dutch version of AIFV. In 1975 the country ordered 880 of such machines and then expanded the order to 2,079 armored personnel carriers, 815 of which were assembled in the Netherlands. In 2000, a part of the vehicles was upgraded, and in 2012 they were withdrawn from operational use and replaced by Swedish CV90 infantry combat vehicles. Some 500 YPR-765s are still in storage in the Netherlands, and some of them have already arrived in Ukraine.

The base version of the YPR-765 pri has a 25 mm Oerlikon KBA-B02 cannon and an FN MAG machine gun in the turret. But the cars we see in the photo from Ukraine are most likely a YPR-765 pri.50 with a Browning M2 machine gun of caliber 50 in the semi-tower or similar reconnaissance YPR-765 prco-C-5. Besides that, there are command, medical, cargo, and other versions of YPR-765. Exactly how many armored personnel carriers and what configuration got into the Ukrainian Armed Forces is currently unknown.

Same as M113, YPR-765 can swim, and has an aluminum body with additional steel armor on the front and sides. The gap between the armor is filled with foam, which increases the flotation of the machine. YPR-765 accommodates 7 people and has a top speed of 61 km/h.

It may not be the most modern and powerful car, but any equipment provided by partners will be useful for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Especially since the Netherlands did not delay the supply, as stressed by the head of the Dutch government – “we are not Germany.”

Specifications
Weight – 13.6 tons
Length – 5.26 m
Width – 2.82 m
Height – 2.62 m
Crew – 3 persons
Landing personnel – 7 persons
Armor – aluminum housing with steel overlay on the front and sides
Main armament – 25-mm canon Oerlikon KBA-B02 (180 + 144 shells)
Secondary armament – 7.62×51 mm machine gun НАТО (230 + 1610 rounds)
Engine – Detroit Diesel Allison 6V-53T
Powerplant – 267 horsepower
Operational range – 490 km
Maximum speed – 61 km/h