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Russian Defense Ministry to finalize the tests of Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank gun TASS 11110163

Military Defense Industry Technology - Sprut-SDM1

Russian Defense Ministry to finalize the tests of Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank gun.

The Russian Defense Ministry is finalizing the testing of the Sprut-SDM1 upgraded self-propelled (SP) antitank (AT) gun, according to the Izvestia newspaper. The military has told the Izvestia that the weapon features, among other things, a guided system with a cutting-edge missile capable of wiping out a tank clad in explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks set on top its own armor at a range of 6,000 m.

Russian-made Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled anti-tank gun at Army-2016 International Military Technical Forum near Moscow, Russia.

The latest munition is fully integrated with the SP gun’s digital fire control system. This has both boosted the Sprut-SDM1’s accuracy and enabled it to engage low-flying slow targets, e.g. helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The new SP gun has been furnished with a modernized missile, a derivative of the Invar-M round. The precursor in the missile’s nose section punches through the ERA, including integral one. Then, the main shaped charge hits the target itself. There is a version carrying a fuel-air explosive warhead to deal with enemy fortifications.

"In the course of the upgrade, the Sprut-SDM1’s 125-mm 2A75M main armament was fitted with an improved digital fire control system including the day/night gunner’s sight with a thermal imager and an autotracker," a representative of the Tractor Plants Company said. "The up-to-date sensors ensure the allowance for the wind, the vehicle’s own speed, etc. In addition, the commander now is able to fire an extra machinegun, which elevation angle allows the engagement of upper floors of buildings, command heights in mountainous terrain, and helicopters,"

The manufacturer stresses that the upgraded Sprut-SDM1 is commonized with the BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicle that has entered service with the Russian Paras recently. This implies that both the BMD-4M and Sprut-SDM1 have had the power of their engines beefed up by far, which boosts the SP gun’s mobility considerably both afloat and in broken terrain.

With the upgraded Invar-M round in its weapons suite, the Sprut-SDM1 has radically advanced capabilities, e.g. the missile’s range is 2-2.5 times longer than that of the gun of any present-day tank, because tank-fired projectiles have a range of 2,000 m, while the AT guided missile’s reach is 5,000 m, expert Victor Murakhovsky says. This affords the Sprut-SDM1 the standoff engagement capability, enabling it to keep out of range of the target’s main armament. In addition, Airborne has received an air-mobile tank gun that will enable it to fight maneuverable battles in the enemy’s rear area.

The Sprut-SDM1 features the 2A75M gun, which performance is virtually the same as those of the 2A46M5 tank gun. It fires all rounds designed for the T-72 and T-90 tanks’ main armament. The 2A75M’s ammunition load comprises 40 rounds, of which 22 are in the autoloader and 18 are stowed somewhere else in the vehicle. The organic ammo load consists of 20 blast-fragmentation and 14 APFSDS rounds and six ATGMs (the latter may be replaced with six HEAT rounds). There is a PKTM coaxial machinegun as an auxiliary weapon. Provision has been made for a remote-controlled combat module on top of the fighting compartment. The Sprut-SDM1 also mounts six 902V Tucha smoke dischargers. The gunner’s combat station is equipped with the Sosna-U main sight and PDT backup sight, according to the Izvestia daily.