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Hello everyone! I would like to suggest an obscure vehicle that I’d been curious about for a while, but only recently found the information on. This tank is the Object 280, a prototype MLRS based on the PT-76.
Not to be confused with the an Indonesian PT-76 MLRS with the same rockets, the PT-76 Roket (TAPIR), the Object 280 is a Soviet design with a new turret for a 16 barrel MLRS. Information seems to be very limited on this vehicle, but I will try my best to provide as much information as I can.
This vehicle was developed in 1956, based on the PT-76 hull. The hull is identical, with the same mobility and questionable armor protection. It also retained the amphibious capabilities of the PT-76. It had a top speed of 41.6 kph, a swimming speed of 10 kph, 240 hp of engine power, and weighed 14.5 tons.
Where this vehicle differs is the turret. It no longer has the PT-76’s gun or original turret design, instead, it has a set of 16 140mm rocket launchers on a rotating platform. This new “turret” is electrically driven, and is still capable of rotating 360 degrees. The launcher can depress to -3 degrees and elevate to +45 degrees. The launcher has a 3-power periscope for aiming. Interestingly, the turret also had an AK rifle with a curved barrel in it as an auxiliary weapon. This seems reminiscent of how some German tank destroyers could use a Krummlauf (curved barrel) StG 44 for extra self-defense. This curved-barrel AK was mounted in the roof behind the sight for the rockets.
The rockets themselves are BM-14 rockets, which were used on other MLRSes. Specifically, M-14-OF spin-stabilized rockets. These rockets are 140mm unguided rockets that could travel at 400 m/s when accelerated. At the launcher’s maximum angle they had a range of 10,700 m. They weighed approximately 39.5 kg before launch and had 4.2 kg of explosive filler. The Object 280 was able to store 32 rockets under the launcher in addition to the 16 inside the launcher. The full salvo of rockets in the launcher took 7-10 seconds to fire.
The Object 280 only had 2 crew members, one less from the base PT-76. Reloading of the launcher had to be done externally, and required the driver to get out of the vehicle. It took 1-2 minutes to reload.
The main source I used for this ends by saying only a scale model of the tank was made, but I believe this is a translation error, as earlier the same source specifically states the prototype was tested in 1957 and demonstrated in 1958. It seems that one prototype existed of this vehicle.
In-game the Object 280 would be a low-profile MLRS in the Russian tree. It would have average mobility and, unlike most other MLRSes already in game, would be amphibious. The rockets are high caliber with a fair amount of explosive filler, but relatively low velocity. It also has a good amount of ammunition with the additional stored rockets. Stealth would be this vehicle’s friend, something it could exploit with its low profile, and it could deliver devastating blows if it successfully ambushes the enemy.
Thank you for reading my suggestion.
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