OT-65 Otter (FUG) Scout Car

Locally produced variants of the BDRM are the Czech OT-65 Otter, the Hungarian PSZH-IV, and the Romanian FUG and FUG D-944. The FUG/OT-65 ARV [Obrnený Transportér vz. 65] is similar to the Soviet BRDM-2, though several differences reflect an independence of design. It has two waterjet ports for amphibious propulsion instead of one as is found on the BDRM-2. Like the BDRM-2, it has two auxiliary belly wheels on each side which the driver can lower to assist the vehicle in crossing obstacles and gaps. Speed is sacrificed in this mode of travel, which is accomplished in first gear at a speed of five to eight kilometers per hour.

The OT-65 is a light multifunctional wheeled armored personnel carrier. It is primarily intended for reconnaissance activities, particularly in the rear of the adversary. It is also used as an artillery observation post, a mobile command/observation post, or for radiological and chemical reconnaissance and simultaneous mapping of contaminated areas. It can be fitted with a pintle-mounted 7.62 UK machine-gun (model 59) with electromagnetic release. The vehicle is powered by a Hungarian-made CSEPEL six-cylinder Diesel engine. To cross obstacles, it uses auxiliary hydraulically steered belly wheels which are located between the basic axles.

The vehicle is equipped with a winch, intended, among others, for self-recovery when stuck in difficult terrain. To improve cross-country capability, central tire-pressure regulation system can also be used to decrease the pressure in all tires before crossing an obstacle and to increase it to the required level after the obstacle has been crossed. The tire pressure can be reduced and controlled by the driver from his post by the means of valves and a pressure indicator. Water obstacles can be crossed by swimming. In water, the vehicle is driven by two water jets controlled by the driver. Stability of the vehicle in water is improved by a trim vane which is erected at the front before entering the water.

FUG/OT-65A. This version has a miniturret with an external 82-mm recoilless gun and an internal 7.62-mm machine gun. Rate of fire for the 82-mm gun is one or more rds/min (dependent on availability of outside loader) with a load of five to ten rounds. A practical rate of fire for the 7.62-mm gun is 200 rds/min with a load of 1,000 to 2,000 rounds. The Hungarian reconnaissance vehicle version normally carries only a 7.62-mm light machine gun. The machine gun is unmounted but can be placed in a pintle mount on the vehicle.

FUG/OT-65RKh. This version is fitted with a dispenser for radiological-chemical contamination marking flags.

The FUG/OT-65 has

• a (4 x 4) truck chassis with four retractable powered auxiliary wheels.
• an engine situated in the rear.
• a troop compartment in the center of the hull.
• no partition between the driver and troop compartment.
• two waterjet propulsion units at the rear.
• two waterjet port covers at the rear.

The Hungarian PSZH-IV (Pancilos Szallito Harcjarmu - troop transporter) (FUG66/FUG70) is a locally designed and built counterpart of the Russian BRDM-2 scout car. It is an APC version of the OT-65 FUG. The vehicle mounts a turret mounting a KPV and PKT machinegun, and there is very cramped space in the rear for 6 infantrymen. The position is so cramped that fire through the two firing ports on each side of the hull and in the rear doors are at -1, and dismounting takes an additional phase if more than four passengers are in the vehicle. The turret is one man and does not have a hatch in the roof.