2S25 (Sprut-SD)

History

In 2007, the Russian Army adopted the 2S25 (aka "Sprut-SD") series of tracked armored vehicles, officially classified as tank destroyers, although due to their clear battlefield role and weight, they were historically closer to Light tanks are comparable to the class. On the modern battlefield, the 2S25 can also be considered a well-equipped infantry fighting vehicle.

All in all, the system became an evolution of the BMD-3 family of airborne amphibious light tanks (detailed elsewhere on this site) with a more powerful main gun for the anti-tank role. Since the BMD series itself was developed with lightly armed airborne troops in mind, the 2S25 expands its tactical range by providing airborne (and Russian Navy) forces with a clear tank kill capability.

The 2S25 is designed for use by the Russian VDV Airborne Forces, with elements dating back to the 1930s.

Attempting to fully arm airborne forces has long been an ongoing challenge for the world's modern militaries. The tactical value of aircrews was put to the test during World War II, and all parties saw varying successes and failures in their respective efforts. The Soviet Army introduced their "airdroppable" BMD series in 1969, the same year the Americans introduced their own M551 Sheridan.

Proving its worth, the BMD has been significantly upgraded over the past few decades with a wider range of weapons to increase its battlefield value and "range". Unlike the retired M551 Sheridan, the BMD series is heavily used by the Russian Army and many global operators.

An offshoot of the BMD-3 (now being upgraded to the modernized BMD-4 standard), the 2S25 retains much of the original vehicle's layout and general overall shape. The hull is suspended by an adjustable/variable hydropneumatic system on a sprocket system with seven small wheels (instead of five), with the drive sprocket at the rear and the chain idler at the front. Along the underside of the upper link area are six chain return rollers that control fore and aft movement.

The hull itself has well-sloped glacis panels for basic point defense protection from incoming fire. The sides of the fuselage, the roof and the stern are flat. The turret is centered on top of the fuselage, providing full, unobstructed 360-degree traversal and inherent elevation. The front and sides of the turret are well sloped and designed to provide basic ballistic protection.

The fighting compartment is centrally located in the front of the fuselage, and the pilot and two other crew members are placed in the forward fuselage. The other two crews consist of the vehicle commander and the gunner, while the autoloader manages the reloading function of the main gun as needed.

The armored structure of the hull is made of welded aluminum alloy, while the turret is made of welded steel. The crew is protected by an integrated NBC system (nuclear, biological, chemical) and automatic firefighting services.

The 2S25 is powered by a single 510hp 2V-06-2 liquid-cooled diesel engine mounted aft of the fuselage. The range is 500 kilometers and the top speed is 70 kilometers per hour. Off-road, this is significantly reduced to 45 kilometers per hour.

As an amphibious vehicle, the 2S25 is capable of reaching speeds of 10 km/h under ideal conditions via a pair of water jets in the lower rear of the hull.

The main armament of the 2S25 is the 2A75 series 125mm smoothbore main gun, fully stabilized along both axes. When necessary, the weapon system is capable of fighting modern main battle tank armor and small enemies. The fire control system is fully modern and digital, allowing riflemen to easily identify targets and manage ammunition and fire functions accordingly. A 7.62mm coaxial defensive machine gun is mounted next to the main gun, while smoke grenade launchers enable the vehicle to protect its movement from prying eyes. Onboard 40 x 125 mm projectiles, 22 of which are "ready to fire" in an automatic loading system.

The machine gun also has 2000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition. The automatic reloading system can continuously fire 7 rounds per minute. Like other Soviet/Russian tank guns, the 2A75 main gun of the 2S25 vehicle can fire anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) on demand (the 9M119 "Svir" ATGM is referenced).

The capabilities of the 2S25 were in line with the accepted Russian tank theory of the time. Despite the relatively light armor of this type (protection against 23mm shells, common pistols and artillery shrapnel), the vehicle is well-armed, fast, maneuverable, amphibious - in the latter case, it also retains the launch main The full power of firepower is a weapon on the road.

The portability of the 2S25 series also ensures that it can be used in a variety of ways awaiting deployment by frontline units. The main gun is highly resistant to modern battlefield threats, and the overall quality provides excellent value for airborne troops before the arrival of the Army's main ground forces. External upgrade armor kits are optional when anti-tank enemy threats are anticipated.

Like the previous BMD series, the 2S25 can be fully airdropped with a full crew - they only take a few minutes to bring the vehicle into full operation shortly after landing. This alone represents a huge tactical advantage on the mobile battlefield, especially where flying battalions are involved.

The 2S25 was produced by the Volgograd Tractor Plant (formerly Stalingrad Tractor Plant), which was named after the production of the famous T-34 series of medium tanks during World War II. Of particular note is the fact that the Volgograd plant is also responsible for the design and production of all previous brands in the BMD family, thus highlighting its expertise in light combat systems. To date (2012) it is believed that some 24 x 2S25 tracked vehicles are now in service with frontline VDV units.

It is estimated that up to 75 systems will eventually be delivered.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

40 x 125mm bullet

2,000 x 7.62mm ammo

6 x Smoke Grenade

Changes