Russia’s state
corporation Rostec did not comment on the timeframe.
MOSCOW, July 13.
/TASS/. State trials of Russia’s amphibious self-propelled tank destroyer,
Sprut-SDM1, are to begin in October, a defense industry source has told TASS.
"State trials of
Sprut-SDM1 are to begin in the fourth quarter of 2018," the source said.
Russia’s state
corporation Rostec did not comment on the timeframe, saying only that
"trial models of Sprut-SDM1 are ready for testing, the customer is still interested
in the project."
The Sprut-SDM1
self-propelled anti-tank gun (SPATG) has been developed by the Volgograd
Tractor Plant (VTZ, a subsidiary of the Tractor Plants concern). The vehicle
was presented at the Army-2015 international military-technical forum held in
June 2015 in Kubinka outside Moscow. According to the official information
issued by the manufacturer, the Sprut-SDM1 is a tracked amphibious armored
vehicle that can be airdropped with its crew inside. The SPATG has a full
combat weight of 18 tonnes, and its crew totals three (a commander, a gunner
and a driver). The vehicle is powered by a UTD-29 diesel multifuel engine with
a power output of 500 hp that produces a speed of up to 70 km/h on road and up
to 7 km/h in water. The Sprut-SDM1`s armament suite incorporates a 2A75 125 mm
smoothbore main gun, a coaxial PKTM 7.62 mm medium machinegun and a PKTM
machinegun integrated with a roof-mounted remotely controlled weapon station.
The 2A75 is coupled to an autoloader that drastically increases its firing
rate. The gun can fire anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM). The self-propelled gun
is also fitted with six Tucha-type smoke dischargers mounted on the turret. The
SPATG is based on the chassis of the newest BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting
vehicle (AIFV).
The gunner`s seat is
fitted with a PNM Sosna-U sighting system combined day-night sight with
independent field-of-view (FOV) stabilization, an integrated rangefinder, a
calculator and ATGM laser guidance channel. The Sosna-U has been complemented
by a PDT optoelectronic backup sight with stabilizer and an autonomous power
source. The commander of the SPATG has received a PKP combined day-night
panoramic sighting system with independent FOV stabilization, an integrated
rangefinder and a calculator.
The Sprut-SDM1`s
firepower is almost equal to that of the T-90MS main battle tank (MBT), owing
to the integration of a modern fire control system. The SPATG and the MBT fire
the same munition range, the manufacturer of the self-propelled gun says. The Sprut-SDM1
is a reliable vehicle that can be operated in mountainous terrains and hot
climate. The vehicle also features high power-to-weight ratio.
Source: ITAR-TASS
14-07-2018
