PT-76 amphibious tanks still largely operated by Vietnamese army

[Isa Khan]

Vietnam has just made improvements to its PT-76 amphibious tanks (engine, turret, etc.) to extend the service life of this Soviet-era vehicle, Defense Studies reports. As Army Recognition reported on March 3, amphibious tests had already been carried on.

The PT-76 is a Soviet-era amphibious light tank that was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall, some 25 countries used the PT-76.

The tank's full name is Floating Tank–76. 76 stands for the caliber of the main armament: the 76.2 mm D-56T series rifled tank gun. The PT-76 was designed for reconnaissance and fire support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 armored personnel carrier, the ZSU-23-4 self-propelled antiaircraft gun, the ASU-85 airborne self-propelled gun and the 2K12 Kub anti-aircraft missile launch vehicle.

Currently, in the world, more than 10 countries are reportedly still using PT-76s, Vietnam being the most important with a total of more than 300 units.

Upgraded PT-76 of the Vietnamese Army. Notice the turret apparently coming from a T-62 MBT (Picture source: Kien Thuc)

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Vietnam has just made improvements to its PT-76 amphibious tanks (engine, turret, etc.) to extend the service life of this Soviet-era vehicle, Defense Studies reports. As Army Recognition reported on March 3, amphibious tests had already been carried on.

www.armyrecognition.com