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.

Development

Introduced in 1965,Template:Sfn to replace the earlier Template:Ill. Improvements over its predecessor includes a higher water-speed and being capable of carrying Template:Cvt on land for Template:Cvt before entering the water.Template:Sfn

The PTS and PTS-M are both based on the T-55 main battle tank chassis, while the PTS-2 is based on the MT-T tracked transport vehicle, which uses some components of the T-64 MBT. The PTS-2 also uses a V-64-4 diesel engine derived from the T-72 MBT engine. The driving cab of the three models provide the crew with NBC protection.Template:Sfn

Description

The PTS has 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. 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.Template:Sfn Two rudders at the rear of the vehicle provide steering on water. The crew enter the cab via two circular hatches on the roof. The cargo area can be covered by bows and a tarpaulin cover and was sometimes used as an ambulance.Template:Sfn

File:PKP trailer attached to the amphibian carrier PTS-2 in Military-historical Museum of Artillery, Engineer and Signal Corps in Saint-Petersburg, Russia.jpg

PKP trailer

File:PTS-2 - RaceofHeroes-part2-35.jpg

PTS-2

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.Template:Sfn According to Foss and Gander, a Template:Cvt howitzer is carried on the trailer, while the prime mover (such as the Ural-375D truck) is carried on the PTS-M itself.Template:Sfn

Standard equipment of the PTS and PTS-M includes infrared night vision equipment, intercom, radios, and a searchlight mounted on the top of the cab. A special kit allows both vehicles to operate in the sea with wave heights up to Template:Cvt. While the PTS-2 can be optionally fitted with a multipurpose shovel, dozer blade, water-jet, air conditioning equipment, radio locator, and navigation systems.Template:Sfn

Specifications

Comparison of the PTS, PTS-M, and PTS-2Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

	PTS	PTS-M	PTS-2
year of introduction	1965Template:Sfn	1969	1985
length	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt
width	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt
height	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt
payload capacity	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt
engine	Template:Cvt V-54P diesel	Template:Cvt V-54P diesel	Template:Cvt V-64-4 diesel
max speed (road)	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt
max speed (water)	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt
road range	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt	Template:Cvt

Variants

• PTS: Original transporter fielded in 1965 based on an elongated ATS-59 chassis.
• PTS-M: Soviet engine upgrade version from 1969, weighing 36 metric tons, it can carry up to or 20-70 soldiers.
• Vollketten Schwimmwagen: PTS-M for the National People's Army.
• PTS-MP: Modernized Polish version.
• PTS-10: Czech designation of PTS-M; can carry 70 passengers.
• PTS-2: Replacement based on new larger chassis, with higher side walls and larger loading platform.
• PTS-3: Upgrade of PTS-2 with higher sides.
• PTS-4: Based on T-80 chassis with improved armor and larger props.
• PLAM: Chinese variant on indigenous chassis with MG turret on the cab.

In 2014, the Russian Defense Ministry intends to purchase an undetermined number of PTS-4s, which underwent acceptance trials in 2011. The vehicle will be fitted with a remotely operated machine gun and a multi-fuel engine. The PTS-4 weighs 33 tons, with a payload of 12 tons on land (18 tons on water). Projected maximum road speed is , with an expected maximum speed in water of . Unlike its predecessors, it uses T-80 suspension components. The fully enclosed cab offers protection against small arms fire and splinter. Production began in 2014.

Users

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

Current

File:Medium floating carrier (Russia) (1).png

Self-propelled PTS on the march

File:Medium floating carrier (Russia) (2).png

Loading equipment before crossing

• Template:Sfn
• Template:Sfn
• Template:Sfn
• CongoTemplate:Sfn
• Template:Sfn
• − PTS-10, to be replaced
• Egypt − PTS-MTemplate:Sfn (used during operation Badr)Template:Sfn
• − Used for disaster relief operations
• Template:Sfn
• Template:Sfn
• PTS4 OTM UralTM building, PTS 2 PTS3 . PTS1 BTR50 reactivated
• − PTS-M
• Sudan
• Poland − 282 PTS-M, to be replaced
• Template:Sfn
• Uruguay - 2 PTS in service since 2016Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Template:Sfn
• Template:Sfn

Former

• Czechoslovakia[1]
• Template:Flagicon IraqTemplate:Sfn
• Template:Flagicon LibyaTemplate:Sfn
• Russian separatist forces in Donbass − PTS-2Template:Sfn
• Serbia and MontenegroTemplate:Sfn
• Slovakia[2]
• Template:Sfn
• Template:Sfn
• Template:Sfn

See also

• GAZ-46
• Landwasserschlepper

External links

• Photos of the PTS-M on Prime Portal
• Hungarian PTS-M walkarounds