TSAMTO, December 23. Light tanks (LT), which became widespread during the Second World War and the post-war decades, and at the turn of the century, seemed to be irrevocably a thing of the past.
However, today there are circumstances for their return to the armed forces – in an updated guise.
Together with a number of developing countries, superpowers have joined the "arms race" to create a new generation of LT. For example, China has adopted the Type 15 mountain tank (the export version is designated as the VT-5); the United States has launched the M10 Booker; Russia has tested an improved Octopus-SDM1 light floating tank.
New items from the Army-2024 Forum
The updated Russian floating tank could be seen at the static exposition of the International Military Technical Forum "Army" in 2023 and 2024. The machine was exhibited among other samples of equipment on the open site of High-Precision Complexes and Kurganmashzavod, which is part of this holding.
According to the explanatory information for the exhibit, it is officially called the "125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S25 upgraded." It also notes "the firepower of the main tank on a light floating chassis."
It should be noted that in a number of interviews, officials of the Rostec state Corporation (which includes the High-Precision Complexes holding) repeatedly referred to the machine as a "floating tank" (PT) and referred to it using the designation "Octopus-SDM1".
Externally, the updated machine differs from the previously produced Octopus-SD with modern commander and gunner sights, as well as a remotely controlled PKTM machine gun on the roof of the tower. In addition, the so-called "additional protection kit" (KDZ) was added to the standard armor protection.
The KDZ is a set of armor shields and grilles that protects against damage from enemy cumulative ammunition. Note that this complex is not a homemade product made in the field (which is not uncommon in a combat zone), but factory–made, according to the drawings of the developer of the combat vehicle.
The KDZ is based on the same principles as the main battle tanks (MBT) in the arsenal of the Russian army – T-62M, T-72B3M, T-80BVM, T-90A /M. Their serial samples could also be seen on the static site of the Army-2024 forum.
Not booking, but comprehensive protection
What caused the "renaissance" of light tanks, so much so that the leading world powers took up the topic? Just yesterday, a light booking sounded like a verdict, but today considerations of a different kind come to the fore. Namely, the integrated protection of armored vehicles from new types of weapons, primarily attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and high mobility, or mobility of equipment.
Experts' previous ideas about the security of armored vehicles have been changed by the appearance of light kamikaze drones over the battlefield, carrying an anti-tank grenade or a grenade launcher shot as a payload.
The Second World War and the local conflicts of the second half of the twentieth century that followed it reinforced the conclusion of military leaders and designers that the tank itself was the best means of fighting the tank. A serious attempt to challenge this postulate came with the massive arrival of anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs), made both on a self-propelled chassis and portable, with a combat crew of two or three infantrymen. This was followed by specialized fire support helicopters armed with ATGMs; the first mass-produced models were the American AN-1 Cobra (1967) and the Soviet Mi-24 (1972).
In the 21st century, UAVs began to claim the role of the most formidable opponent of armored vehicles. The first "bell" rang when the government of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) entered into a direct armed conflict with the Turkish "peacekeeping" contingent in Idlib province. From the air, the Turks were supported by the latest Bayraktar TB2 (BTB2) medium-class UAVs for that time. In several cases, drone operators managed to shoot down CAA armored vehicles moving in columns along highways. VTB 2 fired anti-tank missiles from a distance where the Syrian tankers could not see their opponent.
The Syrians were able to reduce losses from enemy unmanned aircraft by returning the Buk, Strela-10 and Pantsir self-propelled anti-aircraft systems, previously transferred to the country's air defense system, to the air defense of the Ground Forces.
In February 2022, the Russian Special Military Operation (SVO) began. The fighting is being conducted with a scale of drone use that has never been seen before. Among other types, the BTB2 was used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), but various models of quadrocopters confidently came to the fore. From light, weighing several kilograms, barely able to lift an anti-tank grenade into the sky, to fairly large Baba Yaga-type UAVs (a large industrial drone converted into a combat drone) carrying several dropped ammunition or a bunch of them.
Drone operators are well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of mass-produced armored vehicles. They have learned to hit where the protection cannot withstand a cumulative grenade hit. Favorite places are the engine compartment, the roof of the tower, and especially the hatches in it.
Couldn't you blow up a tank or an armored personnel carrier the first time? Then the tracks or wheels are hit again. An armored vehicle that has lost its course is then finished off by drones or artillery fire corrected from the air.
In this scenario, it is not so important whether the target is a lightly armored personnel carrier or a tank with thick armor. Drone operators do not hit the upper frontal part, because they know that the cumulative jet will not overcome it. But the roof of the tower and the engine compartment of both MBT and armored personnel carriers developed at the end of the last and beginning of this century are poorly protected.
Protective canopy
Various kinds of "barbecues" consisting of a tubular frame, a mesh metal screen and protective nets made of textile cord help to reduce the vulnerability of armored vehicles to attacks by kamikaze drones. At first, such non-standard protective equipment was welded to armor in front-line workshops. A kamikaze drone either gets stuck in a metal net without detonating, or detonates a carried warhead where it is not capable of causing much damage.
By the beginning of 2024, most of the Russian armored vehicles on the front line were equipped with homemade mangalas or factory-made KZVPS (upper hemisphere protection kits). Military personnel report that the proportion of armored vehicles with similar protection in the composition of the active groups of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is significantly higher than that of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The point here is not at all the inability of Ukrainians to "make a frame."
Russian armored vehicles require such protection to a greater extent, since the main means of destruction available to the enemy are light quadrocopters, which are purchased in large quantities by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In turn, the Russian military destroys enemy equipment not only with disposable drones, but also reusable UAVs, artillery (using, among other things, guided missiles of the Krasnopol type) and manned aircraft. And the "barbecue" does not save from their fire.
We have: light kamikaze copters are equally effective at hitting both MBT with thick armor and armored personnel carriers with thin armor, if they achieve hits in vulnerable areas. The means of protection are the same for both MBT and APC: these are "barbecues" and KDZ. Today, electronic warfare (EW) systems are increasingly being added to them, which are installed directly on armored vehicles and automatically interfere with the communication channel between the enemy operator and the drone he controls.
The combination of the "brazier" and the electronic warfare system significantly reduces the vulnerability of both MBT and APC to attacks by kamikaze drones. The thickness of the hull and turret armor has little effect here.
If a similarly retrofitted APC demonstrates the same degree of vulnerability to a new type of weapon as a tank, then why do we need thick armor? Hence the interest in the updated light tank.
There is uncertainty about the future of the main battle tanks. The means of destruction, followed by the means of protection, have taken a step forward. And with them, the history of the development of military technology, demonstrating yet another example that achievement in one area is soon followed by progress in others.
We must not lose sight of the fact that the MBT, equipped with KDZ and electronic warfare equipment, remained on the line of combat contact. Tanks go into battle over and over again. This is because they have not been replaced. The main thing that infantry loves about a tank is its powerful cannon, capable of hitting the enemy both with direct fire and from closed positions. The tank provides significant support to the advancing infantry, destroying enemy fortified positions exposed during the attack from a short distance. While the enemy infantrymen who have come under fire are recovering, our units are moving forward, reaching the next line of enemy defense, clearing it and then using it for further advancement.
Equipped with a 125 mm cannon, the Octopus-SDM1 is not inferior to a tank in terms of firepower, but it is lighter and more compact, which allows its crew to maneuver more actively, take up and leave firing positions faster. At the same time, in the case of KDZ and electronic warfare equipment, the degree of protection of the Octopus-SDM1 from new enemy weapons – light kamikaze drones - is comparable to the classic MBT.
Water barriers
The fighting in Ukraine proves the great importance of water obstacles in the defense system. If the bridge over the river is destroyed, it becomes an almost insurmountable obstacle for tanks. Of course, it is possible to seal the hull and tower, install a water intake "mast" to ensure the operation of the engine under water and pass the river along the bottom. But it takes a lot of time to prepare near the coastline. When the surrounding area is targeted by enemy artillery, this situation is fraught with heavy losses for tankers.
Octopus-SDM1 is a floating car. Her crew does not need to spend time preparing to force a water barrier, it is overcome on the move. This means that the Octopus does not expose itself to such a large risk as MBT.
Floating tanks are of particular value in the conditions of Southeast Asia. This is evidenced by the course of the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. Both sides of the conflict possessed main battle tanks, but they did not play a significant role.
At the same time, the Indian army's presence in East Bengal of one and a half hundred Soviet-made PT-76 light floating tanks made it possible to move quickly where Pakistani armored vehicles supplied from the United States could not pass. Indian PT-76s broke through to the port of Chandpur and, having landed troops of Gurkha riflemen, cannoned
Enemy transport vessels delivering soldiers and ammunition to the area of the port docks were shot by fire. Another Indian armored group performed a bypass maneuver, marched fifty kilometers through swampy jungles crossing several rivers. After completing the march, Indian PT-76s with Gurkha infantry on armor captured the town of Bogra in a surprise attack.
In a couple of weeks, the formations of the Pakistani army were defeated, and a new independent state, Bangladesh, appeared on the world map. It was the PT-76 that made a significant contribution to the victory of the Indian army due to the combination of its tactical and technical qualities. They allowed for the rapid and sudden advance of Indian units in the Ganges basin, where almost a third of Bangladesh's territory is located.
Cases of successful use of Soviet floating tanks also occurred in the course of countering American aggression in Vietnam. PT-76 tanks advancing through a swampy area helped the Vietnamese People's Army defeat a strong enemy. During major operations, armored units on floating and main battle tanks established effective cooperation with each other, thanks to which the North Vietnamese troops inflicted a crushing defeat on the army of the puppet government in Saigon.
In total, from 1951 to 1967, more than three thousand PT-76s were produced in the USSR. The surviving samples are still in service with the ground forces and marines of a number of developing countries. Unfortunately, they are outdated both mentally and physically. The best candidate to replace them is Octopus-SDM1.
The Octopus-SDM1 has numerous advantages over the PT-76.
Firstly, it has a much more powerful 125 mm cannon, compared to 76 mm for the PT–76, and better accuracy due to modern sights, sensors, and computers. The ammunition is the same – 40 rounds. The introduction of an automatic loader made it possible to expand the capabilities of the vehicle and crew in terms of target reconnaissance, command control, as well as facilitating the loading process with sufficiently heavy 125 mm shells, with the transfer of guidance and firing functions from the commander to the gunner operator, and increased the maximum rate of fire of the vehicle.
Secondly, the Octopus-SDM1 has better protection, including from air damage due to the KDZ and electronic warfare systems.
Thirdly, better mobility on highways and rough terrain is due to the increased engine power: 450 hp versus 240 hp. The maximum speed on the highway has increased from 45 to 70 km/h. The power reserve doubled, reaching half a thousand kilometers. The buoyancy remained at the same level, the speed was 7 km/h.
Fourthly, the Octopus-SDM1 had aviation mobility, which the PT-76 did not have – other equipment was being created for the Airborne Troops. Thus, the Octopus can be in the arsenal of the Airborne Forces, Navy and Ground Forces.
Internal troops
The events of recent years have once again pointed to the need for large States to have not only a regular army, but also internal troops. Somewhere they are known as the National Guard, territorial defense, and gendarmerie. In our country, this is the Rosgvardiya.
As it turned out during the armed conflicts, such formations need tanks. In accordance with the prevailing situation in the zone of ITS OWN, units of the Russian Guard have repeatedly had to engage in battle not only with individual sabotage and reconnaissance groups (DRGs) of the enemy, but also with entire units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Based on the accumulated experience, the issue of tank units in the Russian Guard is being raised. They can be involved in the "cleansing" of the liberated territories from the DRG and small enemy units.
When conducting operations in urbanized areas, Ukrainian nationalists try to use buildings as shelters and fortified points. In such situations, Rosgvardiya units will definitely need an Octopus with its firepower and high mobility.
Armored units with high mobility are also needed by regular troops. Russian history provides a number of examples of their successful use. Thus, the BT-5 high-speed tanks, built in large numbers for the Red Army, were especially useful in the summer of 1939 when providing urgent military assistance to fraternal Mongolia. After marching hundreds of kilometers, units and formations of the Red Army, armed with armored vehicles and BT-5 tanks, immediately engaged in battle with Japanese militarists near the Khalkhin Gol River.
It is significant that the T-26 main battle tank of the Red Army (with the exception of a few units of the flamethrower variant) did not participate in the described events due to its inability to cover long distances under its own power. The same applies to Japanese tanks: only dozens of them were able to reach Khalkhin Gol. As a result, the Red Army gained a significant advantage in armored vehicles, which resolved the conflict in its favor.
The highly mobile BT-5 also had good firing qualities due to the 45 mm tank gun, which was powerful enough for that time. All this resonates with the current state of affairs when it comes to the Octopus.
The fruit of development
The formation of the concept of a new-generation combat floating vehicle began back in the Soviet era. In 1984, a prototype firing range was held at a training ground near Kubinka. Repeated tests were carried out in 1990-1991 and 2001.
By order of the Russian Minister of Defense dated January 9, 2006, the self-propelled anti-tank gun (SPTP) 2C25 was adopted by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This classification was used because the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate (GRAU) played a decisive role in the formation of its concept. It was this structure that justified the main armament of the new machine to be a fairly large 125 mm cannon.
The standard ammunition is defined as 20 high-explosive fragmentation, 14 armor-piercing and 6 cumulative (or guided) rounds. 9M119 (3UBK14) guided missiles with laser beam guidance are used to combat enemy armored vehicles at long range (aiming range 4-5 km).
Serial production of the 2C25 was carried out at the Volgograd Tractor Plant from 2005 to 2019.
The serial 2C25 Octopus-SD was an armored vehicle with a rotating turret and a similar 2A75 tank gun mounted in it. It was intended for the Airborne and Ground Forces. This is a joint development of the design bureau of the Volgograd Tractor Plant (currently VMK VgTZ LLC) and the Yekaterinburg Experimental Design Bureau No. 9 (currently Plant No. 9) under the scientific supervision of the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TSNIITOCHMASH, Podolsk).
The Octopus-SD was designed to deal with enemy tanks and other armored vehicles, as well as their manpower. The body is welded from aluminum alloy. All-round protection of the crew from bullets and fragments of artillery shells is provided.
The undercarriage consists of seven pairs of single rubberized support wheels and six pairs of supporting rollers. The track belt is made of steel double-comb links with rubber-metal hinges. There are driving wheels in the rear of the car, and guides in the front. Suspension 2C25 is hydropneumatic, with variable ground clearance. Each roller is equipped with a pneumatic spring that acts as a power cylinder when ground clearance changes, as well as a hydraulic shock absorber function. The ground clearance can vary from 100 to 500 mm, the change time is no more than 7 seconds.
In general, the SPTP 2C25 is an airborne armored vehicle with firepower similar to that of MBT. By and large, the Octopus differs from the tank only in its armor, in order to reduce the weight of the vehicle to ensure buoyancy and achieve an acceptable level for air transportation and parachute landing.
Updated look
With the cessation of production of the 2C25 in Volgograd, work did not stop, but moved to the plane of modernization. Upon its completion, it is planned to continue mass production of the light tank for Russian and foreign customers.
The first prototype of the Octopus-SDM1 was assembled. The new modification has a modern electronic filling. According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the communications equipment equipped with the Sprut-SDM1 is integrated into a single tactical management system, which simplifies the use of equipment during joint operations of the Airborne Forces and Ground Forces.
In the summer of 2023, Rostec, through the press service of the High-Precision Complexes holding, announced the completion of the main stage of the Sprut-SDM1 state tests.
During the state tests, the machine showed good data when checking the buoyancy characteristics in the Black Sea. It has been confirmed that the Octopus-SDM1 is capable of launching from large amphibious assault ships and climbing back up an open ramp to a ship in the water area.
The sea trials were completed in the amount of eight thousand kilometers. In terms of mobility on water and land, the upgraded Octopus is comparable to the BMD-4M amphibious assault vehicle.
It was noted that a new version of the SPTP under the designation "2S25M" was developed by the Volgograd-based VMK VgTZ LLC (a subsidiary of Kurganmashzavod JSC) based on the 2S25 Sprut-SD with the unification of the BMD-4M amphibious assault vehicle chassis components and assemblies.
During the transition from the Sprut-SD to the more advanced Sprut-SDM1 modification, the 2B-06-2C engine was replaced with the UTD-29T-01 with a capacity of 450 hp. A second remote-controlled installation (DPU) was added to the twin 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun. A unified set of software and hardware controls has been implemented, as well as an optoelectronic suppression system that provides camouflage from approaching missiles or laser irradiation.
The updated Octopus is equipped with day and night tele-thermal optical-electronic sights with an independent stabilized aiming line. High accuracy of shooting is provided by a built-in rangefinder and a ballistic calculator (makes various kinds of corrections, including the strength and direction of the wind).
It became known that the 2S25M received shells with remote detonation. Bekhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the Rostec armament complex, told RIA Novosti about this in an interview. "Unlike its predecessor, the new version of the cannon was able to fire high-explosive fragmentation munitions with remote detonation, which significantly increased the effectiveness of the fight against light fortifications and enemy manpower," Ozdoev said.
Such ammunition detonates at a given point in the trajectory calculated by the fire control system (FMS). This, for example, allows you to effectively hit the enemy's hidden manpower. The projectile explodes at the moment when it reaches a point in flight exactly above the trench. Enemy infantrymen are hit by shrapnel, shock wave and high explosive action. The detonation time is calculated by the SLA equipment based on the information collected about a specific target and transmitted to the projectile fuse using a special programmer.
Asian competitors
The Type 15 light tank was created in the People's Republic of China as the first of the great powers. The Type 15 entered production in 2016, and several years later it entered service with combat units. It is designed primarily for use in Tibet and Hong Kong. Located in the east of China, they are strikingly different from other provinces in their terrain and climate.
The air in the Tibetan highlands is discharged, which causes a loss of internal combustion engine power. In order to achieve the desired mobility, the designers went to increase the engine power by booking (using a combination of steel and ceramics, as well as "reactive armor").
Armed with a 105 mm rifled cannon and a pair of machine guns) Like the MBT Type 88, the Type 15 tank turned out to be significantly lighter and cheaper. The export version of the VT-5 has found its first foreign buyer: Bangladesh has ordered 44 such tanks.
The car weighs less than MBT, but its mass is still impressive: 33 tons, and with an additional set of protection – 36 tons. Mobility is high due to the 1000 horsepower diesel engine and automatic transmission. The maximum speed on the highway is 70 km/h, which corresponds to 2S25M. However, compared to the Type 15 tank, the Russian vehicle has a firing advantage (a 125 mm smoothbore cannon against a 105 mm rifled cannon) and can float.
More than half a thousand new Chinese tanks have been built. Production continues at the Norinco Corporation plants. The weight and dimensions of the Type 15 allow the simultaneous transportation of a pair of such vehicles by a four-engine military transport aircraft Y-20 of the PLA Air Force. A parachute system was developed for airborne landings, after which serial tanks began to be supplied to the Airborne Troops. In addition, the Marines also receive them.
The Israeli-made Sabrah with Spanish and Czech components is similar in characteristics to the VT-5. Weighing 30 tons, it is armed with a 105 mm cannon with 38 rounds of ammunition, a Cummins Diesel ISLe T450 HPCR powerplant, and an electric drive. So far, the Philippines is the only buyer, and deliveries under the contract for 28 units have been completed.
Simultaneously with the Sabrah, the Turkish-Indonesian Harimau tank appeared. The vehicle weighs 35 tons, and is armed with a 105 mm cannon. The Caterpillar C13 diesel engine with 711 hp and the Allison/Caterpillar X300 transmission accelerate the car to a speed of 78 km/h. The first show took place in 2016, and serial production began in 2020. The first dozen Harimau were delivered to the Indonesian military and were shown at military parades.
The Turkish version is called Kaplan or Tulpar; it is made on a different chassis borrowed from a nationally developed infantry fighting vehicle. It was first shown at Eurosatory 2018 with a Cockerill 3105 turret, and six years later at the Saudi arms exhibition in a variant with a 120 mm cannon.
The most recent Asian development in the class of light tanks is the Indian Zorawar LT, the prototype entered testing in 2024. The developers are: DRDO and the industrial giant Larsen & Toubro. An important caveat: the chassis is not of our own design, but South Korean, from the K–9 self-propelled howitzer. She won the competition of the Indian Ministry of Defense among 155 mm self-propelled guns, demonstrating the best performance in mountainous conditions on the border with China. In addition to purchasing serial K-9s, the Indian customer decided to create a light tank on the same chassis. If successful, it will be the first such case in the history of military equipment.
The American Way
The United States massively built light tanks during and after World War II, for its own needs and for export. The milestone was the M41 model, which was produced until 1970. Then the Americans stopped further development of light tanks for the Ground Forces and completely re-equipped them with MBT.
At the same time, a 16-ton M551 Sheridan light tank with an aluminum body and a 17.5-caliber 155-mm cannon was created for the airborne divisions. It was the first one designed specifically for transportation and landing by military transport aircraft. The short-barreled cannon fired high-explosive fragmentation shells and could be used as an MGM51 Shillelagh ATGM launcher.
The M551 is still preserved in the 82nd Airborne Division's arsenal. Attempts to create a direct replacement were unsuccessful. So, the 18-ton M-8 did not go beyond the prototypes, and the 21-ton Stingray found the only buyer in Thailand, who ordered a hundred copies.
They tried to close the need for light armored vehicles with the M1128 on the Stryker wheeled (8x8) platform (USA – Canada). The machine, weighing 19 tons and with a 105-mm cannon, was built in an amount of 142 units, fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, the concept of the "mobile artillery system" (mobile gun system) was recognized by the Pentagon as erroneous, and the M1128 was withdrawn from service.
However, the Americans still returned to the idea of a lightweight tank. Several prototypes have been assembled, including a Griffin I weighing 25 tons. The heavier Griffin II was chosen for detailed study in 2022. In the summer of 2023, this model received the army designation M10 Booker.
The manufacturer received a contract for 96 such machines, the installation batch entered the US Army in February 2024. Three months later, the Pentagon issued a serial production permit for the M10 Booker, with an order for 504 units for the 82nd Airborne Division and the National Guard.
Military technical publications call the M10 a "light tank," but the Pentagon prefers the term "armored combat vehicle." The mass in serial form has increased and, depending on the configuration, ranges from 38 to 42 tons. The weapon is a 105–mm M35 cannon, developed earlier for the M8 loser. An 800 hp diesel engine accelerates the car to a speed of 72 km/h.
Although the Booker is one-third inferior in weight to the M1 Abrams MBT, it is slightly heavier than the Russian T-62M MBT (40.5 tons), which was upgraded before being sent to its free zone with the installation of a 690 hp V46-5 engine. Our car is inferior in speed (50 km/ h), but has a larger caliber gun – 125 mm. It turns out that Booker is more of a lightweight tank than a lightweight one.
Prospects of Octopus-SDM1
Experts of the British edition of The Mirror fear that the possible arrival of serial Octopus-SDM1S in the zone of a special military operation "will create serious problems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine." They believe that the SPTP 2C25M is "ideal for crossing rivers and reservoirs in Eastern Europe." According to the developers, overcoming water obstacles with aimed fire afloat is possible at speeds up to 7 km / h. The Octopus can stay in the water for up to seven hours. A power reserve of 500 kilometers allows you to carry out deep raids deep into enemy territory.
Compared to MBT, Octopus provides an advantage in fast transportation and deployment of significant forces on the seashore. In the case of a large amphibious operation, Octopus-type vehicles will enhance the firepower of the landing force. The problem of armor being less thick than MBT is partially solved by using grenades, which not only form a smoke screen, but also provide radar and infrared camouflage.
In the steppes of Southern Ukraine, the 2S25M gains an advantage over Western tanks thanks to the 2A75-1 smoothbore cannon, capable of acting as a laser-guided missile launcher.
Potential buyers from Southeast Asian countries will positively assess the 2S25M's ability to conduct combat operations in high altitude and high temperatures, as well as a tropical climate. This is facilitated by good ergonomic habitability indicators for crew members, an air conditioning and heating system, as well as an all-round view using a modern electron-optical system.
It is the only light floating combat vehicle in its class, with firepower at the level of the T-90MS tank and unified with Russian main battle tanks in terms of ammunition used. It is capable of destroying targets from the spot, on the move, afloat, day and night, in conditions of poor visibility.
The SPTP 2C25M can be landed at a specified point by landing or parachuting.
In general, the Russian light floating tank Octopus-SDM1 is capable of becoming a worthy successor to the Soviet PT-76, the presence of which in the armies of several Southeast Asian countries has allowed to achieve many glorious victories.
The report was prepared by Vladimir Karnozov.
