The appearance of heavier German tanks created an urgent requirement for a self-propelled gun with more antitank power than the existing 76.2 mm weapons. The T-34 chassis provided a proven automotive base.
Tank Destroyer / Assault Gun / Direct-Fire · Tank destroyerSU-85 · Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 85Primary image verified
SU-85. Primary reference image for this archive profile. Source date: 2010-08-14.SuperTank17; CC BY-SA 3.0Image source
Rolemedium casemate tank destroyer
Main weapon / system85 mm D-5S gun
Platform / layoutT-34-derived chassis
MediaPrimary image integrated
Development and design
The SU-85 placed the 85 mm D-5S gun in a fixed superstructure, eliminating the turret but allowing a larger weapon to be fielded quickly. When the turreted T-34-85 brought similar gun power to standard tank units, the rationale for continued SU-85 production weakened. 1, 2
Operational use
SU-85 regiments entered combat in 1943 and fought across the Eastern Front. The design improved Soviet long-range antitank capability, but the fixed gun and lack of a commander’s cupola on early vehicles constrained awareness and flexibility. 1, 2
Role and significance
Its greatest importance is developmental: the SU-85 established the T-34-based casemate line that matured into the more powerful SU-100. 1, 2
Sources and further reading
Representative source set used for this profile. Primary image source and reuse terms are listed with the image.
