PTS (vehicle)

The PTS is a Soviet tracked amphibious transport. PTS stands for Plavayushchij Transportyer - Sryednyj or medium amphibious transport vehicle. Its industrial index was Ob'yekt 65.

Introduced in 1965, it is large, with a substantial payload of 10 tons, two to four times the capacity of the BAV 485, and better cross-country performance, at the cost of greater somewhat higher purchase costs because its tracked. The most common model is the improved PTS-M that is powered by a 350 hp diesel engine.

It resembles its antecedents, the BAV 485 and ultimately DUKW, having a boxy, open watertight hull, with six road wheels per side, front drive sprocket, rear idler sprocket, and no return rollers. Like the BAV 485, and unlike the DUKW, it has a rear loading ramp. The crew is seated at the front, leaving the rear of the vehicle open for a vehicle, which can be driven (or backed) in, rather than lifted over the side (as in the DUKW). To aid in facilitating this, the engine is under the floor.

Propulsion in water is by means of twin propellers, in tunnels to protect them from damage during land operations.

The PTS-M was adopted by the Soviet Army and Warsaw Pact forces, and has been supplied to Egypt, the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Uruguay, and other nations.

The PTS-M also has a companion vehicle, the PKP, a boat-like amphibious two-wheeled trailer, with fold-out sponsons providing stability on water; the combination allows the PTS-M to accommodate an artillery tractor, field gun (up to medium caliber), its crew, and a quantity of ammunition, all in one load.

The Russian Defense Ministry will buy an unspecified number of the PTS-4 in 2014. The Russian Military is satisfied with the vehicle type, which now includes a 12.7 mm remote weapon station and a multi-fuel engine developing 840 Ch. The PTS-4 weighs 33 tons and has a payload of 12 tons on land and 18 tons on water. The vehicle can reach a maximum speed on road of 60 km/h and 15 km/h on water. It has the suspension of the T-80 and the gears of the T-72. The fully enclosed armored cab provides protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters.

Specification
(water)
 * Rear axle clearance:
 * Ground clearance:
 * Front track:
 * Rear track:
 * Turning radius:
 * Maximum speed (loaded, highway): 40 km/h
 * Tyres:
 * Fuel tank capacity:
 * Fuel consumption:
 * Top speed: 40 km/h (25 mph) (road)
 * Range: 300 km (186 mi)

Variants

 * PTS-2
 * PTS-3
 * PTS-4