How German MAN HX81 tractors pull tanks after a battle
Special military tractors are designed to evacuate heavy equipment, including tanks and armored personnel carriers.
The 4th Separate Tank Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed the work of its technical unit, in particular, German heavy tractors MAN HX81, on social media.
This tractor in a tank unit evacuates equipment damaged on the battlefield. The photo shows how the damaged T-72 tank and M113 ambulance APC are being taken away. However, the authors of the report assure that this truck, nicknamed “Vzhik,” also pulled out trophy Nazi vehicles.
Over the past six months, Germany has handed over 25 MAN HX81 tractors and 20 semi-trailers to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. So, obviously, they are not enough for the entire front line. However, the German government promised to provide 90 such vehicles.
The armored cab of this vehicle can accommodate up to 4 soldiers. The weight of the MAN HX81 tractor with the trawl reaches 130 tons, and the payload is 73 tons. This type of vehicle is designed to transport any armored vehicle, including PzH 2000 and Leopard 2A7.
The 4.5-ton armored cabin provides protection against 7.62 mm ammunition, shrapnel and 8 kg anti-tank mines. The hitch has two winches with a pulling force of 20 tons each for pulling the equipment onto the trawl, as well as an auxiliary winch with a pulling force of 8 tons for lifting the tractor itself.
The truck’s speed on the highway is up to 88 km/h, and the declared range is up to 800 km.
