The PBV-501 is a Swedish-upgraded version of the BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle (an infantry fighting vehicle is defined by the 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe as "an armoured combat vehicle which is designed and equipped primarily to transport a combat infantry squad, and which is armed with an integral or organic cannon of at least 20 millimeters calibre and sometimes an antitank missile launcher.”) As the title of the diary notes, the Czech Republic will be sending 56 of these to Ukraine
The BMP-1 is a Soviet-era weapon that was widely distributed throughout the world, and as noted in the first sentence, the PBV-501 is an upgraded version of it. In general, here are the specs:
Crew: 3
Passengers: 8
Horsepower: 295
Road speed: 65 kph (40 mph)
Main Armament: 1 smoothbore 73-mm gun
Main Armament Fire Rate: 8-10 rounds per minute
Max effective range, Main Armament: 800-1,000 meters
Main Armament Ammunition Carried: 40 rounds
Auxiliary Armament: 1 7.62 mm machine gun
The vehicle is also amphibious and when the hatches are buttoned up it is sealed and pressurized, giving NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection the occupants.
There are four side ports allowing the passengers to direct rifle fire, and an upper hatch in the passenger compartment that allows for one of the troops being transported to pop up to fire a weapon (rifle, anti-tank weapon, etc.).
You might be curious as to how the Swedes came to modify these Soviet era fighting vehicles. I don’t have all the details, but essentially when Germany reunified, the East German BMP-1’s were sold to Sweden, who then modified them to meet NATO specs (even though Sweden isn’t a member), and some of them were eventually sold to the Czech Republic.
These aren’t quite as exciting as the Starstreak antiaircraft system or other such weapon systems being send Ukraine’s way, but every little bit will help.
