Just been looking on the USA Today photo site at a collection of photo's from Libya entitled Libya-Battle for Sirte and Beni Walid and came across a picture of an afv .This vehicle looks very much like a BMP 3without its turret. The picture is no.110 out of 204.Is this BMP 3? http://i.usatoday.net/news/gallery/2011/n111006sirtebaniwalid/06sirte1006-pg-horizontal.jpg

I could be mistaken but I think that is an MTLB- I don't think the Libyans fielded anything as modern as a BMP-3.

Not a MT-LB, the running gear is not of the "christie" type and this vehicle has some side skirts that a MT-LB wouldn't have.
It really look like a turretless BMP-3 with the large sprocket and its retaining ring.
If only there was the picture of the turret elsewhere.

It is a Khrizantema-S, which is based on the BMP3 chassis. Libya were the only export customers of this type and only received a about 4 prior to the conflict.

I did an article on it last month which contains further information and pictures:

http://esotericarmour.blogspot.com/2011/10/libya-khrizantema-s.html

I found this article:

http://russiamil.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/russian-arms-sales-to-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/

Mandrake- great stuff- this is very interesting. I didn't think the Libyans had anything as modern as this.

Interesting indeed

I've found some pics

here









and a walkaround

http://magicmodels.ru/index.php?option=com_joomgallery&func=viewcategory&catid=52&Itemid=31&lang=ru

Ah too late. But yes, that's what it is. Based on BMP-3 and carries several AT-15 missiles. I was following the Libyan war through a picture and news thread over on mp.net, where a few pictures of this machine popped up. Though to really appreciate this machine, one has to see it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aprweVCbIc