The first real amphibious tank was created in Russia. The machine from the "Sprut" series has recently completed tests and will go to the troops very soon. Manufacturers of new weapons hope that foreign potential customers will also show interest in the development. The capabilities of the amphibious tank are really impressive and allow you to solve very specific tactical tasks.
It should be noted right away that the new tank was not the first vehicle in the Sprut family. Another well-known representative of this class of domestic military equipment is the 2S25, a light airborne self-propelled gun capable not only of overcoming a ford, but also of sailing in “big water”. This machine is intended for special forces, the marines and the airborne forces of Russia. The situation is similar with the new SDM1 tank.
The tests of the Sprut-SDM1 were filmed by the official manufacturer and posted on the network, so today anyone can see with their own eyes what this machine is capable of. The main feature of the tank is that it can also sail by sea. Without special training, SDM1 overcomes water obstacles with an index of excitement up to 3 points. The machine easily gets out on an unprepared shore and can fire from the water.
The main tests of Sprut-SDM1 took place in central Russia, at sea, as well as in subtropical conditions at an air temperature of about +40 degrees. Nothing like SDM1 has been created before, not only in Russia, but also in other leading arms exporting countries. At the beginning of next year, the new domestic tank is waiting for the last tests, after which it will go to the troops and for sale.
So far, not so much is known about the characteristics of the Octopus. The vehicle is driven by a UTD-29 diesel power unit with a 500 hp output, which allows the tank to accelerate to 70 km / h on the highway and up to 7 km / h on water. The tank fires from a 125 mm 2A75 gun, which is supported by a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun. The tank has a thermal sight and a modern fire control system. The tank belongs to the category of light.
Continuing the topic, you can read about 10 expensive tanks, the cost of which bites quite noticeably.