plawolf
Lieutenant General
Quick general question, anyone know what the rear hydraulic ramp on the ZBD05 is for? The ZBD04A seems to lack this feature, but I cannot really figure out what use it serves other than to slow the pace at which the troops inside could disembark.
I had assumed that the worked as almost a flotation device, so when deployed in water, it raises the backend of the IFV out of the water enough that the rear hatch could be opened to allow the troops inside to emergency disembark in the event the IFR is damaged/disabled in combat.
However, that just doesn't seem to work. That small ramp doesn't seem to have enough surface area to do such a task, and always seem to be in the stowed position when the vehicles are swimming.
Indeed, from photos of when the troops are disembarking, if the ramps did serve to raise the aft section up, it would raise the pump jets out of the water also.
So the question is, what is the purpose of those rear ramps?
I had assumed that the worked as almost a flotation device, so when deployed in water, it raises the backend of the IFV out of the water enough that the rear hatch could be opened to allow the troops inside to emergency disembark in the event the IFR is damaged/disabled in combat.
However, that just doesn't seem to work. That small ramp doesn't seem to have enough surface area to do such a task, and always seem to be in the stowed position when the vehicles are swimming.
Indeed, from photos of when the troops are disembarking, if the ramps did serve to raise the aft section up, it would raise the pump jets out of the water also.
So the question is, what is the purpose of those rear ramps?
