2S25
The 2S25 Sprut-SD (Russian: 2С25 «Спрут-СД»; 2S25 "Kraken-SD") is a self-propelled tank destroyer or light tank developed and manufactured by the Russian defence company, Volgograd tractor factory joint stock company to meet the requirements of the VDV. In mid-2001, the Volgograd tractor plant revealed that the development of the 2S25 lasted several years.
The Sprut-SD is designed to defeat tanks, hard-skinned material and enemy manpower by airborne and amphibious landing forces, as well as by specially designated units of ground forces. Its main armament, the Sprut anti-tank gun, is capable of firing APFSDS, HE-Frag, HEAT and ATGM ammunition. This allows the 2S25 to be as powerful as a main battle tank and as maneuverable and amphibious as airborne infantry combat vehicles. The 2S25 can be used by units of ground forces and naval infantry as a light amphibious tank. Currently, the only operators of the 2S25 are the Russian airborne troops with 24 of these vehicles in service. The Republic of Korea and the Indian military have expressed interest in acquiring the 2S25 Sprut-SD.
Sprut anti-tank gun
2A45 and 2A45M are the respective GRAU designations of the Sprut-A and Sprut-B (Russian for Octopus or Kraken) Soviet smoothbore 125 mm anti-tank gun.
Development
The 2A45M was created in the late 1980s by the Petrov Design Bureau at Artillery Plant Number 9 (OKB-9), which was also responsible for the 122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30).
Description (Sprut-B)
A feature of the Sprut-B is its integrated engine, which can propel the gun on relatively flat surfaces (up to 15 degrees slope) and at 14 km/h on roads. This gives the gun a measure of mobility on the battlefield. It takes two minutes to go from firing position to travelling position and 90 seconds to go from travelling position to firing position. Such guns are known in Russian as "self-moving" (самодвижущиеся) as opposed to self-propelled (самоходные), and outside of battle it is towed by an MT-LB.
The gun features a crew of seven. An OP4M-48A direct fire sight is used the day, while a 1PN53-1 night vision sight is used at night. For indirect fire, 2Ts33 iron sights are used, along with a PG-1m panoramic sight. The gun can reliably engage targets two metres high at a distance of 2000 metres.
