MOSCOW, 7 Sep-RIA Novosti. The holding company "High-precision complexes" of the Rostec Corporation is considering the possibility of creating a light wheeled floating tank with a 125-mm gun, the deputy chief designer of the Volgograd Tractor Plant (as part of KMZ, it is part of "High-Precision complexes")told RIA Novosti Vladimir Budaev.
As the deputy chief designer specified, " it is assumed that the wheeled Octopus will be export-oriented." Budaev explained that the use of a wheeled tank in the Armed Forces is less likely, since priority is traditionally given to tracked chassis, taking into account the peculiarities of the Russian geography.
"Wheeled tanks — is the unofficial name of a family of armored combat vehicles on a wheelbase, armed with tank caliber guns that are installed in a rotary turret. Usually they have weak protection compared to tanks, but these combat vehicles have significantly greater mobility when used on general-purpose roads. They are also usually air transportable.
For example, French AMX-10RC armored vehicles, Italian Centauro or Japanese MCVs can be attributed to wheeled tanks. All of them are equipped with 105 mm guns in serial versions.
The self-propelled anti-tank gun "Sprut-SDM1" on a tracked chassis was developed and created by PJSC " Kurganmashzavod "(part of the"High-precision complexes"). The "Octopus" is armed with an artillery and missile system of 125 mm caliber, can be transported by ships and aircraft, and can be landed by landing and parachuting. "Octopus" develops speed on the highway at 70 km/h, afloat — up to 9 km/h. Now the combat vehicle is undergoing state tests.
