The Storm Is A Fierce-Looking Amphibious Tank With A Steering Wheel

Time and again, we've been seeing amphibious vehicles getting featured here, and most of the time, we end up getting amazed. The latest one from Highland Systems isn't an exception, but we think we feel more than just awe on this one.

Called the Storm, the Ukrainian company Highland Systems introduced this multi-purpose, heavily armored military tank at the IREX defense expo in Abu Dhabi. It's amphibious, as mentioned, but it has more to offer than just getting in and out of the water and into the dirt.

First off, the Storm runs on a long-range hybrid powertrain. With the diesel range extender running, it can run from 18-36 hours in hybrid mode. Moreover, it can operate in full electric mode for up to 3.5 hours, depending on the vehicle's speed.

The hybrid system produces up to 2,500 horsepower (no torque figures) pulling all the 17,600 pounds (8,000 kilograms) of weight. That amount of power allows the Storm to reach up to 87 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour) on land, and up to 18.6 mph (30 km/h) on the water. It can even handle waves up to 60 inches (1.5 meters) tall.

As mentioned, the Storm is also heavily armored, having protection against ballistics, mines, and IEDs up to STANAG level 1 or 2. It also has a remote-control function, which can run the tank autonomously. Can you imagine seeing an unmanned version of this thing?

For now, that won't happen yet as the Storm is currently on prototype form as of this writing, with development and testing to proceed moving forward. A submersible version is also underway, which makes the Storm a tank, a boat, and a submarine rolled into one.