Online Encyclopedia
Infantry fighting vehicle
Infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is a type of armoured fighting vehicle. IFVs are armoured personnel carriers or APCs with enhanced armament and armour, designed to give direct-fire support to infantry during a battle. They are usually armed with an ATGM launcher and an autocannon or medium gun. IFVs are usually tracked. Examples include the American M2, M3 and the new Stryker, the German Wiesel, the South African Ratel and the Russian BMP series. Small Infantry Fighting Vehicles were used in Iraq.
IFVs have less armour and a smaller main gun than Main Battle Tanks or MBTs but they sometimes carry heavy missiles which have a greater range and greater explosive power than projectiles fired by Main Battle Tanks. The mix of possible missiles, heavy machine guns and automatic cannons and possis is nearly infinite since most industrial countries have a national industry producing at least one of these components and selling it or them to other nations.