Pada tahun 1970, Badan Direktorat Pusat Mobil dan Traktor Ringan Soviet memulai program pengembangan yang mana akan menggantikan nomor seri AT-P pada Traktor Pembawa Artileri nantinya akan dikembangkan berdasarkan fungsi [[ASU-57]] yang dipakai oleh angkatan udara. MT-L dibuat berdasarkan casis tank ampfibi ringan [[PT-76]]. MT-LB adalah variant dari MT-L yang mempunyai lapis baja tebal. Mulai diproduksi awal tahun 1970-an, MT-LB sangat murah pembuatannya, karena menggunakan mesin truk standar yang ada di [[Uni Soviet|Soviet]] pada waktu itu.
==Description==
The crew, a driver and a commander/gunner sit in a compartment at the front of the vehicle, with the engine behind them. A compartment at the rear enables up to 11 infantry to be carried or a cargo of up to 2,000 kg. A load of 6,500 kg can be towed. The vehicle is fully amphibious, being propelled by its tracks in the water.
A small turret at the front of the vehicle fits a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun with 360 degree manual traverse and an elevation of -5 to +30 degrees. The vehicle is lightly armoured against small arms and shell splinters with a thickness of 3 to 10 mm of steel. The infantry compartment has two hatches over the top, which open forwards. There are four firing ports - one in either side of the hull, the other two in the rear twin doors of the infantry compartment.
The driver is provided with a TVN-2 infra-red periscope, which in combination with the OU-3GK infra-red/white light search light provides a range of about 40 m. All vehicles include an NBC system.
