Type 85 (YW531H) Light Amphibious Tank (1985)
The North Korean PT-85 light tank can tackle amphibious operations and features a turret similar to the Soviet PT-76.
Light tanks still serve a critical role on the modern battlefield as they showcase speed above all else - made possible by their lightweight - and backed up by a capable dose of firepower. Additionally, many are designed to be amphibious in nature, allowing the vehicle to traverse both land and water sources with relative ease and little preparation. For the modern mobile army needing to move its men and machines across distance at speed, vehicles such as the PT-85 make sense within the scope of this armored doctrine.
Externally, the PT-85 is made up of much that had already been pioneered by Soviet tank engineers throughout the Cold War. The turret is set in the middle-forward portion of the hull roof and features sloped sides tapering towards its middle. The turret roof is flat and sports two crew access hatches in a side-by-side arrangement. The forward hull features a well-sloped glacis plate meeting at a sharp point at the extreme front. The driver maintains his position at the front left of the hull and is afforded his own access hatch. The hull sides are slight angled inwards from bottom to top and the general hull roof is flat in appearance. The engine is located in a rear compartment and track systems are fitted to either hull side and operate around six rubber-tired road wheels. The PT-85 is powered by a suspected 6-cylinder inline, water-cooled diesel engine of 240 horsepower which allows for estimated road speeds of up to 60 km/h and a ranges out to 500 km. The suspension system is of the typical torsion bar variety. The PT-85 weighs in at 20 tons and features a width of 3.1 meters with a height of 2.8 meters. The vehicle is crewed by a standard operating arrangement of four personnel made up of a driver, tank commander, gunner and loader.
The powered turret system features full 360-traversal with integrated elevation to engage targets at varying ranges. Primary armament is 1 x 85mm main gun which is capable of dealing with light armored vehicles and even some main battle tanks with precision shooting. HE (High-Explosive) projectiles can help deal with infantry positions. Additionally, the tank is fitted with a launcher along the top of the barrel (near the gun mount base) to fire the potent 9M14 Malyutka (AT-3 "Sagger") anti-tank guided missile. To complement the primary armament there is a 14.5mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun - this capable of engaging low-flying aircraft such as helicopters and lightly-armored vehicles. For anti-infantry defense, the PT-85 fits a 7.62mm general purpose machine gun.
Like the Soviet PT-76, the North Korean PT-85 is fully amphibious, capable of maintaining a top speed of 10 km/h across water sources. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
Type 85 (YW531H)
Light Amphibious Tank
Country of Origin: North Korea
Manufacturer: State Factories - North Korea
Initial Year of Service: 1985
Production: 500
Focus Model: Type 85 (YW531H)
Crew: 4
Overall Length: 25.02ft (7.63m)
Width: 10.17ft (3.10m)
Height: 9.19ft (2.80m)
Weight: 22.0 US Short Tons (20,000kg; 44,092lbs)
Powerplant: 1 x 6-cylinder inline water-cooled diesel engine delivering 240 horsepower at 1,800rpm.
Maximum Speed: 37mph (60 km/h)
Maximum Range: 311 miles (500 km)
NBC Protection: Unknown
Nightvision: Uknown
Armament:
1 x 85mm main gun (Anti-Tank Guided Missile Capable).
1 x 14.5mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun
1 x 7.62mm general purpose machine gun
Ammunition:
26 x 85mm projectiles (estimated)
300 x 14.5mm ammunition (estimated)
1,000 x 7.62mm ammunition
Variants:
PT-85 - Base Series Designation
Type 82 - Alternative Designation
Type 85 - Alternative Designation
Operators: North Korea
By Decade:
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Tanks
By Type:
• 4x4 Military Vehicles
• 6x6 Military Vehicles
• 8x8 Military Vehicles
• Artillery Gun Systems
• Anti-Aircraft (AA) Guns
• Anti-Aircraft (AA) Vehicles
• Anti-Tank (AT) Guns
• Anti-Tank (AT) Vehicles
• Armored Cars
• Armored Personnel Carriers (APC)
• Battlefield Robots
• Halftrack Vehicles
• Heavy Tanks
• Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV)
• Light Tanks
• Main Battle Tanks (MBT)
• Modern Combat Tanks
• Medium Tanks
• Military Motorcycles
• Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)
• Reconnaissance Vehicles
• Special Purpose Vehicles
• Self-Propelled Guns (SPG)
• Tank Destroyers
• General Purpose / Utility Vehicles
By Nation:
• Afghanistan
• Britain
• China
• France
• Germany
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel / Israeli Army
• Italy
• Libyan Army
• North Korea / North Korean Army
• Pakistan
• Russia
• South Korea
• Soviet Union
• Syrian Army
• United States
• VIEW ALL
World War 2:
• Artillery
• Infantry Fighting Vehicles
• Tank Destroyers (All)
• Tanks (All)
• Australian Tanks
• British Tanks
• Canadian Tanks
• Cruiser Tanks (UK)
• Czechoslovakian Tanks
• French Tanks
• German Tanks
• German Tank Destroyers
• German FlaK Guns
• German Reconnaissance Vehicles
• Hungarian Tanks
• Italian Tanks
• Japanese Tanks
• Romanian Tanks
• Soviet Tanks
• Swedish Tanks
• US Tanks
• VIEW ALL
World War 1:
• France WW1 Tanks
• Germany WW1 Tanks
• Britain WW1 Tanks
• US WW1 Tanks
• WW1 Artillery
• WW1 Tanks (all)
• VIEW ALL
Spanish Civil War:
• VIEW ALL
Korean War:
Vietnam War:
• VIEW ALL
Cold War:
• Cold War Tanks
• Cold War American Tanks
• Falklands War
• Post-WW2 British Tanks
• VIEW ALL
Gulf War (1991):
• VIEW ALL
Miscellaneous:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
