The BTR-50 (BTR stands for Bronetransporter (БТР, Бронетранспортер), literally "armored transporter") is a Soviet amphibious armored personnel carrier (APC) based on the PT-76 light tank.
It has the ability to transport up to 20 fully equipped infantrymen
The BTR-50 shares many similarities with two other APCs, the OT-62 TOPAS and the Type 77. While the OT-62 is an improved copy of the BTR-50 developed jointly by Czechoslovakia and Poland, the Type 77, based on the Type 63 amphibious light tank developed by the People's Republic of China (PRC), is not a copy of the BTR-50.
The BTR-50 was developed in 1952 and entered service with the Soviet Army in 1954. It was first shown in public in November 1957.
It served in the motorized rifle regiments of tank divisions and mechanized brigades in the Soviet and East German armies. A typical mechanized brigade consisted of three battalions, each of which had 30 APCs and a command vehicle. They were replaced in front line service by the BMP-1 IFV. Command vehicle variants were employed by many Warsaw Pact armies.
The BTR-50s were in use in different countries (over 30) in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.